Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting 338-378 with RL33 and 300 Gr SMK

Please jump in thank you . Yes I have a two chronographs . So what loads do you prefer ? Do you have the same factory brake,or an aftermarket ? I have a PVA 4 port shock wave 30 caliber I'm thinking having that opened up for 338 or buy a 5 port baffle brake . 117.5grs of RETUMBO pushing a Hornady 230gr ELD-X was above max. I just loaded up some 107grs of H1000 behind same bullet waiting to be fired .

Not RL-33, but Retumbo and a 300gr Accubond will run 3000 fps out of my custom 338-378 with a 28" Kreiger barrel, the load is simply not fun to shoot, i'll admit to settling on 2900 fps with H-1000 and 2850 with H-4831, the two lesser loads are much more easy to shoot accurately, are a bit more accurate than the full bore hellbender Retumbo loads, plus, if you really get down to it, 300 grs at 3K or 2850 doesn't matter one bit, maybe a tick or two more elevation and wind, but i'll guaran-damn-tee you the game wont give a chit!

What kind of brake do you have on your rifle ?

Don't forget to take altitude into consideration. My son has a 338x378 with a 9 twist 30" barrel.
He has trouble getting 3000 fps with a 300 gr in PA at about 1500' elevation.
106 gr of Retumbo which is pretty much max in his gun is 2950 fps.
RL 33 dosent work for him. Most guys are using 250s for hunting and claim they work better to about 1500 yds.

Don't forget to take altitude into consideration. My son has a 338x378 with a 9 twist 30" barrel.
He has trouble getting 3000 fps with a 300 gr in PA at about 1500' elevation.
106 gr of Retumbo which is pretty much max in his gun is 2950 fps.
RL 33 dosent work for him. Most guys are using 250s for hunting and claim they work better to about 1500 yds.
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I've the original brake on it. Works fine, didn't find any need to change it.

I figured all the 338/378 Accumark had factory brake when sold. The year i purchased mine anyway.

Yes I have the factory brake on mine. But I have a PVA 4 port Shock wave I think I'll try ,to see if I can reduce it even more.

If you're talking to me Ironworker, none, all 28"s is barrel.

I didn’t see ant load data for R33 in the 338/378 on their website. Had it for the 338 Ultra Mag and Lapua.

I.have three of.the weatherby 338-378 rifles .I used them in Alaska 12 years they are awesome.I always used 250 grain nosler partitions for it .They shot awesome groups were 1/2 inch.at 100 yards and recoil was very light with the brake on.I used them because of the bears in Alaska .Target bullets were not good for bears .I shot targets with the 300 grain serria but I didn't like the recoil .I read where you could get 3000 fps from wc867 powder in the 26 inch barrels with 300 grain bullets .The 338-378 needs a 30 inch barrel to burn all that powder it's just carrying one that long is a pain in brush .Those are very nice guns .

So you shot a Bear with one ? Tell us the story . I'm loving mine,waiting on a 5 port baffel brake now. Factory brake does an ok job,I just know there are better brakes out there.

Better how?

Doesn’t the factory brake have holes all the way around the bore? If you ever shoot one prone and feel the debris blown up on you and scope, you will get a side slotted brake with no holes on the bottom. Ask me how I know.

Hey Kahuna How many animals have you shot laying on a blanket?

None on a blanket, but I’ve shot a few laying prone on the ground useing a bipod. Which has nothing to do with the difference in brakes that were in discussion. Apparently you’ve never shot prone on a bipod or you would get the point why the difference in where the ports are located.