Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Anybody use a 338 RCM this year

Just curious, I'll likely never get to hunt elk but since I have one just wondering who's used one. Seems the concensuss is such rounds are not necessary but.....

I stopped by Bend this week and picked up 300 bullets to start loading for mine. I always wanted a 338-06 and bought the RCM on closeout for a great price.

Used mine on a PA WT buck, with hornady factory SST ammo.Not much meat loss and a huge hole in the heart. Dropped right down.

the 338 federal 210 partition works well

200 SSTs? If so, have you chrono’d them? They shoot well for me, just been concerned about how they would perform.

Yes 200s, I shot a few 185 GMXs but they didn't group as well. Plan to handload for it this year and see how it does. Have some 210 partitions I'm going to try, yes a lot for deer, but dead is dead, and should work well for PA and Maine bear. PA has some 6-700 pound bear, and 4-500 not unusual. Didn't chrono them, as I don't have a chronograph. Buck was at 25 yds BTW.

I didn't use mine this year, but will be taking it for moose next year. my 2016 moose was with the 338RCM and 185TTSX's and I am thinking about using either 210 Partitions or 200g Accubonds next year.

Best of luck with the Moose. I've been applying in Maine many years but no luck drawing.......yet

Off topic, but thinking of ordering a McMillan for mine (wood stocked 20 inch) and get that all set up before I start loading for it.

We have a LH and a RH Ruger 338 RCM both seem to shoot the best with 225 GR bullets so I shoot 225 Nosler Accubonds or Partitions with 61 Gr RL 17 around 2600 FPS in 20 inch barrel. Tried a lot of 200 gr
in both rifles never could get them to shoot as well. Factory 225 GR SST shoot well but keep hearing dismal results on game up here, so I buy them for the brass.

I got a new box of 185 GMX ammo I'll trade someone for some .338 Nosler 210 Partitions. We each pay our own shipping...even swap. Awhile back I thought I was going to convert a little 338 Federal, but the barrel was too small in diameter at the shank. Bought a Ruger 77 338WM.

I've got some 225 grain e tips

Good to know if the 210s don't work out I'll move up to the 225s.

My son and I used a couple to take 2 SE Alaska black bears in 2016. Used the 185 TTSX, worked well, no complaints.

Hey Drypowder, how many do you have?

I have a bunch of Nosler 201 E Tips. Not a typo... They are apparently an E Tip but made for someone else according to Nosler. I picked them up from Shooters Pro Shop. anyone interested I’d sell or trade at an amazing price.

Have a bunch of 225 Partitions too.

They had some 227 grain F Tips last week at Nosler. Some ammo companies cut their own band in the bullet, that's why they weigh more. After the cut they will be 225.

I'm still trying to bloody mine. The 185' GMX's shoot well (MOA out to 400 yd) from my rifle but I can do better with hand loads using 210 gr. Barnes
and H414. I have not had good groups with the SST's of any size for some reason.

I'm planning on heading out to ID this fall for elk. Hopefully I can give you some more info then.

Got one last year. I like the rifle in that it's light and compact. Really like it, and I like it because it's left hand. I'm excited to take some bear with it and hopefully an elk here in Idaho.

I'm going to keep the wood stock and gave it a treatment with pinetar so it's more weather resistant.

Used mine to kill three cow elk in the last 6 years...can't always get a tag. 225 Accubonds. 61 gr RL-17 vel 2775 fps. Never found a bullet. Distances were all under 100 yds.

Had a bull elk tag this year and set up the tang safety M77 22" barrel to shoot the 300 gr Berger match target hybrids as a repeater, 2350 fps at muzzle with 54 gr of RL-17.. I know I know it sounds strange. Before I did it I did some research. Broz from LRH used the 300 gr Berger match target hybrid out to 825 yds with an impact velocity of 1966 fps. Results are shown here:

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/berger-230-and-300-otm-hybrid-terminal-results.80283/page-2


Crunched the numbers: the 300 gr Berger at 7000 ft the max distance the bullet would absolutely perform based on above information is 600 yds. It was intended for closer shots so I knew it would work. Never got to use it as I ended up killing a nice 6 x 6 with my 300 RUM with 230 Bergers instead.

FYI 3675 ft/lb at muzzle, the wind drift is only 8" in a 10 mph crosswind @ 7000 ft Energy is 2790 ft/lb.