Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Looking for an accurate light load in .338 Win. Mag.

I am going to try an help an 81 year old friend who is getting recoil sensitive from his life long .338 Win. Mag. He is now getting a muzzle brake put on and I am to hopefully reload a lighter (200gr.) accurate load for him. I realize I can use any manual starting load, but am hoping someone with experience might point me in the right direction. Thanks for any help I may receive, Lee.

I've had good luck with a 200 using around 60 grains of IMR4895. Muzzle velocity runs around 2600-2700, depending on the bullet and barrel length. Had good luck with the 200 Speer Hot-Cor at that velocity; it would open up nicely and kill well, but not shoot up a lot of meat.

If that's too much, you can drop the charge. 55 grains would get about 2400 fps, give or take a little.

You can also drop down to the 160 or 185 grain TTSX. They do fine at 338 Federal velocities, so no reason you can slow them down too if needed.

Thanks, I will give the IMR4895 a decent try and if that doesn't work out I'll move on to the 160/185. Thanks for the help, Lee.

I did much the same for hunting pigs with my 338WM, though I used H4895 with the 200 Hotcor at 2700 fps.

Those things whistled through both shoulders of good sized boars and left a walnut sized exit. Very nice.

That's exactly what happened on deer here.

I would encourage your friend to try the light loads first before installing a break. One friend loaded his 338 like a souped up Winchester 33 with jacketed and cast bullets. It worked great on jack rabbits, hogs, and deer.

Forks,

You have touched on a subject that is near and dear to my heart.

I carried a .338WM for 23 years in Alaska for everything from Sitka Blacktails to Brown Bear.

My favorite reduced load for 200gr bullets was 36gr SR4759 for ~2300fps out of my Ruger 77.

Some other loads that also worked well with jacketed 200gr .338 bullets were;

57gr 4064

57gr 3031

26gr SR4759 for ~1600fps

45gr 5744

I had another reduced load for the now discontinued Speer 275gr RN using SR4759 that felt like a .30-30 and would make one ragged hole at 100 yards.

Best wishes for your search for loads for your friend. I did the same project for a friend of mine's .300WM after he was mauled by a bear and couldn't stand the recoil anymore.

Ed

Thanks again everyone. My older friend "Bob' has already turned his rifle over to a gunsmith to have a Vais muzzle brake put on. I have been busy looking for a shoulder recoil pad for him. When he gets me his .338 W.M. brass I'll be busy experimenting with somewhat lighter loads using the 200 gr. bullets. Again thanks for all the help! Forks.

The PAST vest works pretty well. The standard pad is usually enough the magnum pad increases LOP too much for some. A good recoil pad will help too if his rifle has a standard one currently. Also cheek slap can be a big factor depending on the stock. Ballistics Research had sorbathane stick on pads you could use to raise the cheek piece or reduce the potential for bruising.

Good luck on your efforts.

I owned a .338 Magnum M/70 for many years I always shot 275gr. Speer bullets over a stout dose of IMR4350. I also have a .35 Whelen M/70 and shoot 225gr. bullets with a moderate charge of IMR 4064. If I wanted a reduced load in .338 Magnum the suggestion of 200 gr. bullets and IMR 4064 would be where I would start. 56-57gr. IMR 4064 would be a charge that I would consider. Regarding recoil pads adding a Decelerator pad would be an excellent idea.

For practice I use 200 gr. Hornady bullets over 63 to 65 grains of either R15 or I4064. My Remington 700 has a muzzle brake so I haven't tried going lower as the recoil at this level of charge is quite tolerable. For reference I am 80 and find my appreciation for lighter recoiling loads is increasing.

Jim

(correct spelling.)