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

Have shot these with great results.
.338 Winchester Magnum (Reduced Recoil Loads)
Warning! Notes: Source: Handloader Issue #258 - February/March, 2009
Be Alert: Publisher cannot be responsible for errors in published load data.
Wt. Bullet Powder Manufacturer Powder Charge Velocity (FPS) Favorite?
225 Hornady SST IMR IMR-4064 56.0 2418
Remarks: 100-yard group (inches): .71
225 Hornady SST IMR IMR-4350 57.5 2107
Remarks: 100-yard group (inches): .60
225 Hornady InterLock IMR SR-4759 31.0 1863
Remarks: 100-yard group (inches): .31

What faster powders do you have? Any 4895?

I've got the already mentioned RL15 along with Varget, A2520 (1 lb), H335, Tac (1 lb) and faster powders like RL7, H4198 and A2015.

I loaded some lighter loads in my .338 for deer hunting and got some astonishingly good groups using 185gn Barnes TTSX bullets over 40gn of Rel 7 for around half inch @ 50 yards and 2200fps and even tighter grouping using 40gn of H 335 with the standard Fed 210 primer for 2000fps with groups as low as .273" at that range but what really soared in my Mark V, was 74gn of H 414/760 and the Fed 215 using either the TSX or TTSX bullet for 3160fps.

This bullet and velocity will do anything a .300 will do and still leaves a lot of scope on the table with 250-300gn bullets where there is perceived need for heavier bullet weights.

Not sure why about your reason for suggesting faster powders. The 4 mentioned above are right in the sweat spot for the OP needs.

AGW,

Heck of a load you've got going out of that Mark V.

That's exactly why I never wanted a .300 mag. I always figured if I needed more than an -06, I wanted a lot more. And yes, I consider the .338 a lot more.

Although I worked he load up myself based on history with the cartridge, I whisked through a couple of manuals after reading your comment and noted that Barnes lists the same load in their #3 manual for an almost identical velocity. Having handloaded for quite a few .300 Winchester Magnum rifles, I also had prior experience using 180gn bullets at 3150fps so already knew that a similar weight in a larger caliber would lessen pressures at the same velocities and barrel lengths so it was relatively easy work out the goal in advance.

I walked away from the .300's after using the 338 and 340 Weatherby. Like you, the .30/06 covers that .308 cal area for me.
John

I started with the .338 over 20 years ago when I was going on my first moose hunt. I know I didn't have to have it, just used it as an excuse for a bigger caliber. Until now I've never shot it with anything other than 225gr. bullets, X and Hornady SP. Back then it had a 26 in. barrel and I was hitting 2900 fps with it.

Two long time hunting partners also use .33 calibers, 338-06 and .338 RUM. The guy with the 338-06 was on that hunt with a load using the 225gr. Part. at 2750 fps. Both of us got nice bulls. I've never hunted with the RUM but was always amazed how comfortable it was to shoot with 250gr. bullets and damn was it accurate. I was tempted to rechamber my Win. mag. to the RUM.

I'm very unlikely to ever go on another moose hunt, so going down to 200gr. loads will make it a heck of a deer rifle. I'm already excited for deer season to put an old favorite back to work.

Nice thing about having magnums, you don't have to shoot magnums. Have both the 338 WM and the 300 Wby
in Weatherby rifles and I enjoy shooting them without knocking my fillings out of my mouth.

I've mainly shot 250 grain bullets in my 338's - Interlocks and partitions. But I'm pretty sure they would work for deer.
I did load 200 grain Hornady Interlocks and they worked for deer also.

In my short but semi happy time with the 338 I loaded the Speer 200 grain spitzer to 2600 fps for some deer hunting, Mulies in Wyoming and Blacktails in Washington state. I don't see how you could get better performance. I also hunted Elk with the same load but alas never got a shot with it, the lucky rifle that year was a Ruger RSI in 308.

Since I started this thread, I've put together test loads with 200 gr. NBT and Fusions. Powders to test are RL17, IMR4350 and H4831sc.

I've also put together test loads for the 35 Whelen Classic I bought. I'm going to go with 225 gr. TSX and NPT for this one. Those are loaded with RL15, Varget and Tac. If I could come across quantities of MR2000 I would be trying it.

That testing has been on standby getting spring projects in and loading up for rifles with known loads. It is my mission to load everything I've got this spring/summer.