Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters .338 Win mag lighter weight bullets

185 TTSX's recovered from Eland,Zebra and Wildebeest all shots over 300yds

Those Barnes looked perfect!!

The 185 grain 338 bullets have a slightly higher sectional density (.231) than a 150 grain 30 caliber (.226). I know a lot of guys that use 150 grain TTSX's on all manner of big game including elk, so I don't see why the 185 grain 338's wouldn't work fine.

They should be a hard hitter.

I've shot 3 medium-duty loads in a couple of .338WM bolt guns. I also don't need all the recoil.

200gr Ballistic Tip over 65gr of RL15. Makes about 2,850 in 22" barrels.
210gr TTSX over 65gr of RL15. Warmer load. Makes right at 2,900fps in a 24" barrel.
185gr TTSX over 59gr of H4895. Have not chronographed it, but should be around 2,800 or so in a 22" barrel.

None of those loads were abusive with a good recoil pad, all were pretty dang accurate, and all are harsh on animals. The 185gr load is a pussycat in my heavy, tang-safety Ruger M77 with a Limbsaver installed. Always work loads up to be safe.

I have shot 200 NBT's at 2900-3000 fps with 63 grains of AR Comp, 65 grains of Varget, 66 grains of RL15, 70 grains of Big Game, 71 grains of RL17, and 75 grains of H4350. I cannot tell any difference in recoil amongst them. I've also shot 185 TTSX's at ~3000 fps with 67 grains of RL15, 65 grains of Varget, and 64 grains of H4895. Those all felt pretty much just like the 200 grain loads to my shoulder.

It takes a 225 at 2900 with 72 grains of H4350 before I can tell any difference in recoil. And honestly, I think I'd rather shoot 250's at 2700 with even more powder than those damn 225's. It's been a few years since I shot any, but I remember them being particularly unpleasant.

have some 180 ABs that are loaded, pushing over 3400fps loaded for the 338 RUM i got from Gene, haven't snot them yet.

I shot 250 grain Partitions from the mid 70's to the mid 80's and switched to Barnes 250's and last year I switched to the 225 TTSX bullet. It does recoil less and should kill any Alaskan game I poke it into.

I never got around to the lighter bullet weights, I know the 210 grain Partition has a very good track record and I am sure the 210 TTSX would kill well.

I think I read that Connie Brooks had a long string of one shot kills going in Africa with her custom .338 tossing 185 grain X bullets and I watched her on a hunting show when she made a long shot on a mule deer with that combo.

After hunting in Alaska for 52 years I believe the 185 grain Barnes X and 210 grain Partition would kill all our game in a hurry if we put it in the right place. Those X bullets changed my mind on bullet weight and sectional density some what.

I'm just not ready to drop below 225 grains, if I do I can grab one of my 30-06 rifles or a .300 Win.Mag.

Not to imply that the H4895 load is unsafe in your rifle, but Hodgdon shows 59.5gr as the max with a 185TSX these days. We all know how there is a lot of variation in manuals, but a new rifle likely should not start out with that load. I've got a long-throated 7mmRM that takes near 7mmWby loads to make speed, so I get that rifles can be different when you start working up a load.

A. Jay, O T said a FRIEND gave him the rifle. It may just be the sentimental value from a Friend. I have a few 'guns' that I got from a Friend.
He passed last DEC. They AIN'T goin anywhere.

B. In my case, I have a 300 W M that I don't NEED. I hope to hunt Elk with it....but so far that op hasn't happened.
>>>>>Regardless I've always LIKED the cartridge and now I LOVE the rifle it's in.

C. I also have a Rem 700, 8 mm Rem Mag that I certainly don't NEED but just run out and buy one. It's value isn't decreasing.

Diff perspectives for diff people

Jerry

Yes, I know. The Hodgdon manual has quite a bit of discrepancy between H4895 and IMR4895 in a lot of cases, when I believe there shouldn't be that much difference. I think it might be a case of them having gotten an individual lot of either one or the other or both on the extreme end of their burn range. Either way, 4895 should be able to produce about the same velocity as RL15 and Varget in this instance, so I just worked up until it was in the same ballpark.

You ever run those 59 grain loads over a chrono? Ever try any higher charges? Also, I'm 99% sure that the remainder of the box I had bought to try in my rifle went to you when I sold them. Glad you're enjoying that bullet.

I used some older Barnes, i.e the 210XBT (340W) on zebra/gemsbok/Impala/Blesbuk; the 250x/200x in a 35 Whelen AI at 2550/2970fps on two hunts in SA (zebra/blue wildebeest/Black wildebeest/kudu/gemsbok/hartebeest; the 185XLC in a 338 WM for a big cow elk; and a 180 NAB going 3500fps from a 338 RUM on a big aoudad. The lighter monos are swell in the medium bores from my experience and that 180 Accubond was a big surprise for me, going 3500. I wanted to see if it could hold up on a tough aoudad. I popped a big one right at 250yds, one shot, he staggered/fell . Upon necropsy ( I like that word, so seldom get to use it!) I determined that it "acted just like a partition"...that is NOT damming with faint praise, ha.
Side note: when I got out of the Army in 1973, I bought myself a new BAR in 7mm Rem Mag. I had visions of elk hunting in mind. Problem was I lived in East Texas and I wanted to use it on those 100# deer. I lost track of how many people telling me "you don't need that to shoot deer"...as if I gave a rat's behind what "they thought I needed"...ha, I just smiled and went on killing stuff. Now, one can find 7mm Mags in many pick-ups there! No, phooey on what people think, use what you want and enjoy this short, fleeting life!

I have used the 185TTSX out of the 338RCM ( just about 2980fps in a 22" barrel) on two deer and a moose. I also used it at about 2900 fps on a bear. if you looking to lighten recoil its a good choice that still has the ability to penetrate on big game. Its not the best long range bullet, but within typical hunting ranges seems to work well. My loads were top end in the RCM, but shouldn't hard to duplicate in a 338wm.

I bet the 175 TTSX would flatten a 200 lb pig.

Many thanks, Gents. Good info here for sure. Being a gift, I'd only want to pass it on, after I pass on, to family or another friend but I do want to hunt with it and hopefully send the 'gifter' some pics from that.

I just locked in to (this morning) another Wyoming spring bear hunt in mid may and I'll take it along with me, just for grins if nothing else. The rifle is a Ruger boat paddle model with an older Leupold 3x9x36 on it. Both have whiskey dents but still shoots near dead on and the glass is remarkably clear. But, the sumbitch do kick. I believe that Limbsaver and maybe Pach- De-celerator make prefit pads for it and I'm gonna check with Midway/others to see what's available. For sure,,,,that piece of 18 wheeler truck tire pad is coming off.

Again, many thanks to all for your inputs.

Old Toot, What part of Wyoming! Also good luck and enjoy your hunt! memtb

I think you mean the 185TTSX and yes to the flatten hog

]

Big Horn men’s out of north Sheridan. I had a good hunt 85 miles south of there last yr out of Buffalo.
Thanks again to all.
OT

I shot 180 grain Ballistic Tips out of my 338 using WW760.Velocity was 3150 and very tight groups.I shot quite a few mule deer with this bullet,but it only took one shot out to 450 yards.Also very easy on the shoulder.

I just got notice from Midway that they got some Hornady 200 grain FTX bullets for the .338 Marlin in stock. I ordered a box. I'm not going to admit what I'm going to use them for. The O.P. might want to check Speer's data to see if they be slowed down in the Win Mag enough to be within their design speed range. .. just a thought.

Tom