Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 338-06 AI loads

Hello,

I am looking for your prior experience. I have reloaded for many years and have many manuals. I have hornady 200 and 250 grain spire points. I am looking for some good loads.

Thanks in advance

Worthless information here since it’s not AI, but I had great luck with 225s and Varget, 50.7g for me.

I found that with the non AI anything above the 225s and I lost performance, I have no idea where that’s at for the AI but the 260s is a big jump.

the 338RCM/338-06AI/338-06 Are all very close in case volume. It shouldn't be hard to work up 338-06AI loads from either 338-06 or 338RCM data.

The case capacity diff between the AI and RCM is around 2.8% and using MD's 1/4 theory the RCM is just about 18-20fps faster than the AI. Likewise the AI is about 15fps faster than the 338-06. Folks who report much bigger differences are likely doing it with higher pressures.

338RCM =72g H20
338-06AI= 70g H20
338-06 = 68.4g H20

I have used a couple of powders but in the end settled on BLC (2). It gives good velocities for me with 200 and 210g bullets in my two RCMs. Its not supposedly a very temp stable powder but as my rifles are moose rifles and eastern moose are generally hunted in moderate temperatues so its its worked well for me.

Hodgden has data for both 338-06 and 338RCM for lots of bullets so you can split the difference to get 338-06AI data.

You need a powder that is 4grains slower than 4064 and 2grains faster than 4350 for 225gr bullets for a 338-06 . Big Game fits the bill.

with the 200s, 65 grains of H 380...

with the 259s... 62.5 grains of H 380...


or 50 grains of 4064 with either bullet and they both will have the same point of impact essentially at 100 yds...

All I use in my Ackley is 200 Speer Sptz, CT 200 Ballistic Silvertips, & 210 Partitions. The reamer was made with the 210 in mind. Short throat, but I can just squeak 3000 fps out of either with good accuracy & two finger bolt lift using H4350. The rifle has a 25" barrel. Big Game gets a wee bit more speed but isn't as accurate as the H4350. Start at around 63 gr. of either. Bullet seated about .005" from touching the lands, & the Silvertips to fit the magazine. Using Hornady 35 Whelen brass necked down with WLRs lately. The lot of WW '06 brass I have has a bit more room in the case but not much.