Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles .338 Win. deer loads

I want to load up deer loads for my .338 to try and get a little more use out of it. I've got several hundred rounds each, of Nosler 200 gr. BT and 200 gr. Fed. Fusions to use for this project.

For those of you who have loaded a .338 for deer, which bullet would you use and how much if any, would you throttle back on the velocity?

Load it like you would for elk. Why throttle it back? Load for accuracy and rock on..

I recently restocked my 338 WM (M700 stainless BDL) from the plastic stock and bedded it into a Rem lami stock from a campfire member and plan to use the 200 gr Speer HotCor SP. My shots will be under 150 yds...so I saved this thread from not too long ago. https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...locity-hunting-loads-for-the-338-win-mag

I load the 200gr BT and no, I don't throttle it back. I push them out a 26" barrel around 3050fps with either H4831 or H4350.

200 BT would be my go to on deer, and was in a 338/06.

Bob,
Thanks for the link.

I know I don't have to throttle back with the Noslers, my concern would be if I used the Fusions. I believe these are for the .338 Federal and don't think they would hold up. The Federal Fusion factory load is rated at 2700 fps, I don't think it would be good to push them past 2800 fps.

65BR,

You're down near my neck of the woods. What velocity are you getting up to with you 338-06?

I load the 160 Barnes in mine. All we have are 120 lb Whitetail and pigs, sometimes an Aoudad. They are very accurate in my Sako L-61

^^^^^^^^^^ This ^^^^^^^^

My wife uses Barnes 225 TTSX’s @ 2950 mv, for everything......deer/antelope to moose. Generally less tissue damage/bloodshot than an equally placed round from a 270 Win or similar cartridges!

Using the same bullet/load/zero, creates a high degree of familiarity with the firearm, making shots more of a reflex action .....rather than a what am I shooting today, and how do I adjust! memtb

Nothing wrong with loading down your 338. I have been doing this for years. I have used the 180 BT's when they were available(still have about 400) with 58.0 gr. of H-4895. I got around 2800 fps and it was very accurate. 180 gr bullet going around 2800 fps mimics a 30-06 and at that lower velocity it is much more pleasant to shoot. I also loaded these bullets down to around 2000 fps with H-4895 for position practicing again with out all the recoil. When I hunt elk, moose or in grizz country I load back up to full potential velocity with a heavier bullet. I too bought up over 500 of those Fusion 200 gr bullets for deer & hogs plus again off season practicing. I tried a load of 47 grs of IMR 4198 and got 2500 fps and I also tried 58 gr of H-4895 with those 200 gr bullets and I got 2680 fps. Another powder that has served me well is RL 15. I use 68 gr and those 180 BT's. I got 3100 fps with those and that load is extremely accurate in my rifle. I only have a trickle left of RL 15 but will get more again some day. Good luck and good shooting

I have used 200 gr Speer hot cores w/ Re 19 (I’m at work and can’t look up the charge weight) on whitetail, with great results. My load is in the 2900-3000 range. Recoil is better than with the heavier bullets, but hey it’s still a .338. Speer 10th ed lists a reduced load using IMR 3031 in the 2500 fps range. I’ve been tempted to try it but haven’t yet.

Same, at 2900 mv

As I carry it afield only a few days each year it has yet to draw blood however.

I've shot 200's at 2,850+/- from two different 22" rifles with around 65gr of RL15. Killer load on deer and hogs with the NBT. My father still shoots that load in his. Mine gets an even lighter load these days, being the 185TTSX at 2,700+ with H4895. It's also a good killer, and the recoil isn't much to deal with.

I ran 2910 with a 23" tube, WW fireformed brass. IMR4320, 1/2 MOA all day. Deadly.

JPro,

I remember from post in the past where you mentioned using that load for you dad.

I've only loaded 225gr. loads, using them for trips to Newfoundland. I would load Hornadys for practice and Barnes X for hunting. I've used the X bullet once on deer but it's obviously not needed for Mississippi or Vermont whitetails. Along the way I've picked up the BTs and Fusions mentioned in my post and figure I might as well put the .338 back to work.

Very often when I'm in the safe, I find myself picking up the .338 and remembering hunts I've been on with it and have just decided to use it this year. I believe a gun is just a gun till it's got memories built in to it. Deer are going to be thinking, what did they do to me, it's going to be big calibers this year between the .338 and the 35 Whelen Classic I recently picked up.

memtb,

I somewhat resolve that familiarity issue by using the same brand of bolt guns and in calibers that have the same trajectory +/- a couple of inches to 400 yards.

65BR,

That's a stepping out load for the 338-06. Sounds like 2900 fps is a place to be.

I agree with many of the others - no need to change if you have something that works. I took my first elk with a 210gr Nosler Partition out of a .338WM right around 2,900 fps. Based on that experience and bullet performance, I remember thinking I would have zero hesitation using that load on deer or pronghorn.

Exactly. When I first started loading for the 338wm in the 90's, I thought I'd try every .338 cal bullet out there. Finally said screw that chidt and settled on one bullet for everything. Makes life so much simpler..

in my 338/06 I always used Hornady SPs... the 200, 225 and the 250 RN...

I have a pair of 338 Mags also.. a Model 70 and a Browning A Bolt...

those have hunted deer back in Northern MN and Wisc....

have used 3031 with a 200 gr Hornady SP with success...

even better was the old SR 4759 powder with the same bullet and duplicating the old 33 Winchester's 2400 fps MV load equivalents...

Might have to dust them off and go out and put a couple of rounds down range...still have both the powder ( SR 4759) and the 200 grain SP Hornadys...

been using the 260 a lot after it came out in 1998.. that and 243s and 7 x 57 over the last 20 years...

I had a R77 that shot 200BT into bug hole sized groups at 3000fps+ with R19 or IMR4350. The same loads shot 210 partitions into 1.25” groups. The poi was so close I used them interchangeably. The BT of old were way to soft for elk but devastating on deer. Partitions performed well on deer out to 500yds on deer, and there was never a worry about them being too soft. The 200grain Interlocs were a little soft for elk at closer ranges.

I've got both 4350s, H4831, RL19 and RL22. My rifle has always showed a preference for RL19. I've tried JPro's RL15 load and my rifle didn't like it.

I cut the barrel on my rifle back to 23 inches so I don't know if it will get to 3000 fps, but it will dang sure hit 2900 +. I've got enough BTs to keep this gun fed for a long time.