Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Good 338 Federal loads

Just posted this on Savage Shooters but it works for this thread too.

It's been almost a year since I did any serious work with my stash of Nosler 180 gr. Ballistic Tips so last week I got started again. I've already got a good hog/deer load for my rifle using the Hornady 200 gr. SP Interlock but the Ballistic Tip should be pretty good too. Here's how the Ballistic Tip was working last year.



This load used reformed .308 Remington brass. I've got a good supply of unprimed .338 Federal brass now so I decided to stick with those. Hodgdon H4895 has always work great in my Model 11 but I decided to work up some loads with Accurate 2230-C just to see how ball powder would do. I'm a little leery about using ball powder during the cold deer/rifle season so I'll probably stay with H4895 when hunting.

Here are the chronograph results with the above load (but using Federal cases this time). Barrel is a PAC-NOR, 24 inch, 1 in 10 twist, 3-groove.


























Bullet: Nosler 180 gr. Ballistic Tip
Powder: Hodgdon H4895 46.0 grs.
Primer: CCI-200
Case: Federal
LOAL: 2.895 (2.250 base to ogive with Stoney Point)
Avg. Velocity: 2674.02 fps
Spread: 39.97
Std Dev: 15.81
Comments: Seated to fit the magazine, 0.043 jump to lands. Five shots group at 100 yards measured one inch.

And my initial load using Accurate 2230-C.

Bullet: Nosler 180 gr. Ballistic Tip
Powder: Accurate 2230-C 45.0 grs.
Primer: Federal 215
Case: Federal
LOAL: 2.895 (2.250 base to ogive with Stoney Point)
Avg. Velocity: 2629.39 fps
Spread: 23.45
Std Dev: 10.19

And here is the second ball powder load tested today (96� F - Ugh!)

Bullet: Nosler 180 gr. Ballistic Tip
Powder: Accurate 2230-C 46.0 grs.
Primer: Federal 215
Case: Federal
LOAL: 2.895 (2.250 base to ogive with Stoney Point)
Avg. Velocity: 2692.53 fps
Spread: 21.54
Std Dev: 10.81

I forgot to measure the 100 yard group but here's a picture (4 shots).



























Normal pressure signs on all loads.