Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Sierra .338 215 grain

Anyone have real-world experience with them on elk?

I have a 338-06, pretty slow barrel, but it does shoot the Sierra pretty well. Velocity from my barrel is around 2650.

Obviously gonna use it on elk, in the timber. Last years elk was shot at around 80 yards in the thick timber.

Curious on this as well. I know of 2 people that tried this bullet in the 338 Federal running at 2600. They were reported to not have opened in water jugs.

Yeah, Sierra recommends pushing them as fast as a 338-06 is capable of. Having a Sierra NOT open at moderate speeds seems a little backwards to me.

Sierra’s .338 215 Gamekings are rumored to be super hard and prone to failing to open up upon impact. I’ve researched them quite a bit online and decided against using them so I’m only reporting what I’ve read. Too scared to actually send one into an elk.

https://www.hornady.com/bullets/rifle/338-cal-338-225-gr-interlock-sp-rp#!/


both the 338/06 and 338 federal have worked rather well with this hornady 225 grain for several years in my experience.
theres no advantage to the premium bullets at the velocities those cartridges provide,
the hornadys are both accurate, and in my and friends experience they expand well.

I can’t speak to the 215s. Did have a couple failures to expand with 250s on elk. After very long blood trails, discovered no evidence of expansion through the vitals and the exit wound was the diameter of my pinky (reminded me of early X bullets). I spoke with Sierra who conceded it was unacceptable performance but suggested 400 yds was to far too shoot elk, even out of a 338. I. Swore off sierras for a couple decades only to be lured into trying 225s in my Whelen—-which expand well on deer. These days, nearly all my hunting loads shoot Partitions, Accubonds or Interlocks.

I will just ring steel with the Sierra's I have. The 200 AB worked on this years elk, will just stick with those.

FWIW, my 338/06, 215s separated at 200 yd backstop, 225 Hornady's held together a good bit better.

Personally, I would look no further than the 225 Partition or Barnes. The Accubonds would be my next consideration in 225. That weight shoot nearly as flat as lighter bullets but carry more energy farther, and with a very small increase in drop.

FYI, my 23" Hart shot 215s at 2790, 225s at 2670. 200 BT did 2910, flattened deer, but I'd use the 225 AB over it on Elk, again AFTER a Partition or Barnes.

IMR 4320, partial sized WW cases. All 1/2 MOA. Good luck.

You mentioned your barrel being slow. Actually I think it is pretty difficult to get to 2700 with those 215’s. Many load their 338-06’s to pretty high pressures to make themselves feel like they have a 338. I have never understood that behavior. If you want 338 performance then buy one. Nothing wrong with a 338-06 however.
I suggest the 210 Partition or the 200 Accubond.

I have some experience with them via my elk hunting partner. We’ve hunted together for elk since 1998. He used them religiously in his 338 Win mag. His shots at elk, without exception, all required multiple shots to put the animals down. Dressing out the animals would reveal core/jacket separation on the occasions when a bullet was found. He wasn’t pleased with what was happening and I suggested he switch to Partitions. He was just a little too loyal to Sierra at the time and wasn’t completely sold on switching. His watershed moment came with us watching a nice 6x6 on a park one evening. I had already taken a nice bull and was videoing his hunt. His first shot blew apart on the bulls shoulder and the fun began. I videoed a total of seven shots hitting that bull before he finally went down . He looked at me afterwards and said “Maybe I need to look closer at Partitions I suppose”. Since that point about 12 years ago, he has a nice string of one shot kills going with his Partitions.

decades ago (late 1960s) I re-barreled and sporterized a 1917 enfield to caliber 338/06
at the time those rifles sold for about $75 and the local gun-shop would re-barrel them in any common caliber with a 30/06 case , or rim size for about $225
the rifle turned out to be exceptionally accurate and I rather foolishly let a buddy talk me into selling it to him, hes used it ever since.
Ive loaded that 225 grain hornady bullets over a stiff load of W760 and a 215 fed primer, since about 1975 , and its pushing them to 2540 fps and under 1"...3 shot 100 yard bench rest groups
its consistently dropped elk and mule deer , and I've given up trying to re-purchase that rifle,
as its almost become his personal well cherished, and almost religious faith, that its his "lucky rifle "
I certainly would have saved a truck load of cash if ID stuck to owning that rifle , rather than constantly trying new rifles and I would not have needed anything else.
and I can,t see where its ever left him wanting more power, or a flatter trajectory , hes certainly got his fair share of mule deer and several elk over the following decades

You might want to consider the Barnes 185gr TSX/TTSX. Coni Brooks used this bullet in her 338 with 100% dependability on elk. Her Husband Randy Brooks was the developer of the original Barnes X bullet. If Cone Books found this bullet to be dependable why not other 338 shooters. This bullet will allow you a much higher velocity for longer range shots yet absolutely hold together on close range shots .You did say you hunted in timber.

I think that 185gn TTSX would be a real sleeper in .338 caliber.
My .338 shoots them a 3160fps and I would carry them for any animal in the US.

After I had two not open after passing through feet of dry magazines I spoke to Sierra. They said it was made by trimming the nose of a 250gn (I think?) resulting in a very thick jacket at the tip and that it was too tough for a 338-06. Which is odd, since even a WinMag slows to 338-06 muzzle velocity fairly quickly.

All of the elk I have taken with a 338-06 have been with 210gr NP or TSX. Been very happy with the performance.

My latest 338-06 is going to get worked up with 210gr T/TSX to see which it prefers. I will also work up another load with the Nosler 200gr ballistic silvertips, hopefully to the same POI.

See no reason to change.

I would MUCH prefer a Hornady to a Sierra.

I have shot lots of deer with my 338 win mag with a Barnes TSX and now a TTSX in 185 grain. Never a failure. I did not own a smaller caliber rifle so used what I had. I have only recovered 1. Just as I shot the deer bolted and hit it in the hind quarter and I found it under the opposite front shoulder just under the hide, bullet went about 27". And then I was only shooting them about 2875, switches powder and now run closer to 3,00 ft/sec. Barnes bullets have been my go to bullets for a long time

I am not trying to make it a 338. It is a slow barrel, I can not get 200 grain bullets of any flavor to break 2700 fps, and that is at 4200' MSL. The point being that I cant get a lot of speed with the 215 Sierra, which in this case, matters.

And yes, I am going to stick with the 200 AB's, as previously stated.

A 210 Nosler over 53 grains of Reloader 15 kills Elk in a very positive manner when loaded in a 338-06.
Good accuracy in the three I load for.

I didn't kill an elk with this load this year (damn elk didn't cooperate), but I carried my Ackley version with 200 AB's over Big Game. Great accuracy. Now that the season is over, I'm going to revisit 210 PT, 210 Siroccos and 215 SGK over Re-17.

Folks using Monos, often know light/fast works....my problem is - the fast MV does not equate to fast terminal speed at longer ranges...which is why if I would strongly recommend a higher BC heavier bullet, the 200 AB and 225s or the old 230 Fail Safe would be preferred, that's just me.

Re: slow speeds, OP - what powder are you using? Have you tried IMR4320?

Two shots, two years, two elk in the freezer, .338-06AI 185 gr TTSX, RL 15 running at 2940fps, very accurate. 330 yards on cow, 420+ on bull, no tracking either one, DRT.