Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Your .338 Win. Mag. load?

I only hunt Alaska and have been banging away with a .338 Winny since the early 70's. For years I used a 250 grain Nosler Partition and RL19. In the late 80's I switched to the 250 grain X bullet and RL19 and for a couple of years I used the blue coated 225 grain X bullets. All of this while using WW brass and WLR primers. My factory .338 barrel on my customized "Stainless Classic" Mod. 70 seems to shoot all the bullets I feed it very well.

A couple of years ago I switched to the 225 grain TTSX bullet, Ramshot Hunter powder, Norma brass and Federal Gold Match 215 primes. I'm getting about 2,836 fps mv according to my Pact chronograph. I could probably drop down to the 210 TTSX bullet and be happy.

Just curious what the rest of you .338 users are loading.

I shot the 210TTSX over 65gr of RL15 for right at 2,900 from a 24" M77. A 22" 700 shoots 200gr Ballistic Tips / NAB over the same powder charge for 2,850. Speeds are decent considering slower burn rate stuff requires another 10gr and doesn't yield a ton more velocity. The 210TTSX load was safe in my rifle, but work up.....

I use a 200 grain Accubond and 65 grains of RL15 for about 2850 fps in my M70 with a 24 inch barrel. It shoots well and recoil is fairly mild.

I don't have a .338 at the moment. Generally RL19 with Nosler 225 grain accubonds or partitions, though.

The only gun I've ever owned that shot Barnes X bullets well was a SS Ruger .338. It liked the old un-banded boat tail 210 grain X with H4350.

Tom

My 338 loves 225 grain North Forks and 74 grains of RL-19. About 2800 fps. Shes not too bad to shoot...

This is for my wife’s Win. Model 70 SS push feed, 24” barrel. This load appears to be OK in her rifle....you know the drill! Federal Safari nickel brass, Barnes 225 TTSX, RL 22 - 78.5 grains, Federal 215 primers, muzzle velocity 2950 fps. This has accounted for numerous one shot kills, from antelope to moose, at ranges from 30 or so yards to a measured 400 yards (after the shot). memtb

Have used a bunch of loads in mine since building it in the late '80's--and rebuilding it in the early 90's, with a different barrel and stock. Have used it on animals from whitetail does and springbok to Alaskan moose and Cape eland, but encountered some problems with temp-sensitive powders, both in North America (cold) and Africa (heat) so kept experimenting. The first truly temp-resistant handload used was 250 Nosler Partitions with enough H4831SC to get around 2700 fps from the .22" barrel (the charge has varied slightly over the years), but lately have been getting good results with Big Game and various 200-210 grain bullets.

However, as with some other cartridges I KNOW the Partition works very well, so if using the .338 on something really big, would probably go back to the old standby. The only one that's stayed in any animal was the bullet that hit a small thorn-branch in Namibia, entering an eland just behind the shoulder sideways, cutting a perfect silhouette in the hide. That bullet still did enough damage that the bull only went 100 yards before stopping, head down, whereupon another 250 through the lungs dropped it right there.

I tried a few different powders in my 338wm and settled on RL17 pushing a 210gr Partition velocity is 3023fps avg from a 24" barrel. My load which was developed in 80-90degree temps is right at max which seems where all Alliant reloader powders give their best accuracy in my rifles.

My current load with the Hunter powder gives very good 100 yard 3 shot groups. Ain't like I ever shot any thing 3 times though. Though I am content with the load, I wish I would of tried Big Game powder, I heard it is even better then Hunter when it comes to temps.

I was hoping to get the velocity's I wanted, which was over 2,800 fps mv. Neither H4350 or H4831sc would do it in my rifle with a 23" barrel.

I get 2800fps using IMR 4451 with a 225gr Barnes TTSX but have to use a drop tube to get enough powder in the case. Love that bullet! 24” barrel.

Have used the 338 Win for years while living in Alaska with a range of bullets including 225gr Interbonds, 225 and 250gr Accubonds and 275gr A-Frames with fine results.

Prior to my last trip to South Africa, I wanted to try something new so I loaded 185gr Cutting Edge Copper Raptors over 72gr H414 at just under 3100fps. Two of us used them on kudu, two waterbuck, blue wildebeest, two impala and two blesbuck. Shortest shot was 40yds (impala) and the longest was 330yds (wildebeest). All were one shot kills and all bullets exited with incredible trauma. The four large animals went a combined 6yds after the shot.

As MuleDeer has stated numerous time in his writings, the advances in bullet performance has opened the door for 185-200gr .338 pills to work phenominally while improving trajectory and decreasing recoil compared to the classic 250gr loads.

This season, just bc I'm predisposed to want to try new stuff, I'm hunting the 225gr CEB Copper Raptor over 76gr RL26 with 3.410" COAL. Haven't chronographed the load yet but should be north of 2800fps.

I’m on my third 338 WM. first was a push feed M70 with after market synthetic stock - a friend had to have it, next is a M70 Classic (still have) and I had a 338 700 BDL which I sold in the fire.
Each one got fed basically the same load, 250 grain Nosler Partitions and H4831 or H4831sc. I also have shot cast bullets in them as practice loads.
So far I have not ‘needed’ anything bigger than a 338 with 250 grain Partitions. Though I have bigger — wishful African trip.

I never considered using the 338 as an all around rifle. But it certainly could be.

During the recent powder shortage, I tried H1000V behind the 225 gr. Hornady SST. My Ruger Mk2 stainless loved that load. Not as well as the Federal safari loads with the 250 gr. partition, but close.

With my Rem. 700, 24" barrel, 71 grains RL16 I'm getting a little over 2800 fps. Got some Barnes 185 tsx bullets to try when I get a chance.

I have a bull/elk hunt coming up in late Nov here in AZ.

My load is Rem brass/Rem primer/225 AB/RL19 71.0 for 2,975 mv. Very accurate.

I also use a 250 NP and RL26 for 2,800 mv for stalking in thick junipers where I might get an odd angle shot.

71.3 grains of Accurate 4350 behind the 210 TTSX has been my go to load for moose hunting for about 5 years and has proven accurate and incredibly lethal. Going back to it next year after a not as decisive kill with a 6.5 Creedmoor this season.

Oh boy, you did it now!

I am getting very good accuracy with the 185gn TTSX and H 414 at 3160fps. (24 inch barrel)
The standard TSX version also shoots as well at this velocity.

Also getting good accuracy with the 285gn TSX and the 265gn LRX using Reloder 26 at 2500fps and 2580fps respectively.
John

you guys might think this is nuts but I wish Browning would build Browning BLR S.S. in a 338 Win. Mag. with a 24 inch barrel ,I think Browning would sell a bunch of these rifles. I own a few 338 rifles and it is a heck of a cartridge ,smacks animals hard.

Would you mind sharing your recipe for 250 gr NP, RL26 and 2800 FPS?