Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 338-06

With the moderate speeds of the 338-06, what would be your top bullet choice for whitetail under 350 yards? Thanks for any feedback.

Why overthink it ?

The Speer 225 gr Boat Tail bullet will do just fine, and it's available ......

https://www.speer.com/bullets/rifle_bullets/boat-tail_rifle_bullet/19-2406.html

For whitetail...?

Probably the Speer (.338 Diameter) 200 Gr. Hot-Cor at ~ 2750 fps/24" Bbl.

Should blow a nice double-lung hole all the way through, and still be pleasant to shoot a lot.




GR

I'm a big fan of the 200grn Speer in the .338-06, but I usually load it to .338 federal speeds for a woods load.

Just took mine to Africa for PG safari. 225 Partition @ 2700 fps blew through kudu 700#, gemsbok 400#, zebra 600. So I think the Speer, Sierra or NAB at 2700 would be perfect for any whitetail.

"If" the border opens up, I'm hoping to take mine to Newfoundland for moose and plan to try the 225 PT.
Care to share your load data for that?

I settled on a 210 NPT for everything but big bears (250 NPT) and have been happy with it. If it was truly whitetail only, then maybe a 200 grainer would be better. You can't go wrong with anything from 200-225g.

Great info. I have an old 7600 I plan to send to JES to get made into a 338-06. I’m going to add some Skinners to it and have it be my walking around gun. I figure any of the 200 BTs or ABs might work great. Thanks for the info.

IME, the 210 grain Partition is a great universal choice for the 338-06 and 338 FED. It provides a nice balance of accuracy potential, penetration, and velocity/flat trajectory that I look for in a 0.338" diameter hunting bullet.

160g Barnes tipped tripple shock, easy to tune for accuracy, give them a .050 jump from the lands and you are done.

338 Cal
TypeTTSX FB
Weight160
Diameter.338
S.D.0.2
B.C.0.342
Length1.219
Box QTY50
Catalog #30424


Penetration on deer and hogs at any angle, with DRT effects.

Shoot these in a 338 WM also at 3200

What powder are you using for that Keith?

I use a 200 gr Hornady SST in my 338 06 AI. Pushed by 59.2 gr of Varget to 2870 FPS, it's devastating on white tailed critters.

I also shoot the 180g Nosler ballistic tips, which sail right through deer with DRT performance on deer and hogs in the 338 WM.& 338/06

I really like AU338Mag's choice on deer, never tried the 200g SST.

I've used the following:

200gr Ballistic Tip at 2850-2900
210gr TTSX at 2880
185gr TTSX at a bit over 2700

All were shot in 22-24" .338 Win Mags that were loaded down a bit with either RL15 or H4895. As you'd expect, all worked very well on deer and hogs. The 210TTSX was extra-overkill in my opinion, and unnecessary for the intended game. My father still prefers the Ballistic Tip while I shoot the 185 TTSX in my rifle for lower recoil. Both give full penetration and predictably large exits with great blood trails.

Yup, the 210 NPT has been a longtime favorite. Though I did happen upon 1000 Hornady 225's that worked just fine too. If I couldn;t find teh 210 Partition, I'd substitute an Accubond.

210gr Partitions at 2800 fps over H-380, start at 60gr and work up if you wish, my 338-06 came to be in the form of a rusted bore pre-64 270 out of Oregon, bought it for 425 bucks shipped, sent to JES for the re-bore, 'Smith coated all metal in black matte cerakote, including the Leupold DD rings and bases, he even threw in a stainless M-70 trigger, gave him the stock, which looked like chit with pad added, was offered and bought a Pacific Research stock for the rifle at 100 bucks, took it to 'Smith for a bed and float.

The little rifle is lightweight, points and shoots great, with it's BC rain cap on the front bell of a matte 2.5-8 Leupold and a couple wraps of camo duct tape around the scope tube, not real sure what the little banger is not ready to do, i really need to take it hunting.

I’ve got a slew of them and you’re right Gunner. That should go hunting.

Yessir Big B, i dont think even a big coastal brown bear or bull elk at 400 yards could buck those loads.

IMR 4350

I ran the 180 NBT over a max load of RL15 and had stellar results.

I use 52 gr of RL-15 and a 210 Swift SCII. Pretty sedate at 2,450 but kills stuff dead.

That is rather sedate, but the extra BC likely helps from that SSII. I lob Accubonds at that speed from my Whelen and they fly pretty well and thump stuff hard.

Some great loads. Need to get that old pumper in the mail I guess.

Honestly, pick a bullet. Would be real hard to find one that doesn't work.
210gr NPt
210gr TSX
200gr Hornady SP (disc)
200gr NAB
200gr Nosler ballistic Silvertip
180gr NAB have all worked.

Have on hand, but never used on deer; 200gr Hornday SST, 210gr TTSX, 225gr TSX. Pretty sure they would work.

I loaded 225 gr Hornady's just because, but have a slew of 210 gr Partition's for next loading...Have not hunted with the rifle it is a safequeen really. I need to remedy that this season.


Mike

Never used the 200 NAB but I see SPS have blems at 25/50 it's yoube gettner time. Mb

The best I have found for deer are 200gr Hornady Interlocks, unfortunately they are discontinued. You are in luck though as there is a box and 1/2 or so, 152 to be exact for sale in the Campfire "Classifieds"

I have plenty so I would highly suggest someone get these.

200 NAB with 57gr RL-15. It gives good accuracy at 2850fps from a 24in M70 rebore. I recently bought a bunch of the Federal Fusion 200gr component bullets and they are very accurate with the same load.

I agree that they are great deer bullet, but I am not into chasing unicorns.

Since the 338 was born a hunting cartridge, most bullets available are hunting bullets. That changed a bit with the 338 Lapua, but those LR bullets are not well suited to a 338-06 or 338 Win Mag.

Sticking to the 180-225gr range, it is harder to find a bullet that will not work, than one that will. Especially on deer. I went with the 200gr Nosler ballistic silvertip simply because of the way Mule Deer talked so highly of the 200gr ballistic tip, and stated they are same bullet. The silvertip is just coated.





Top rifle shoots the Silvertip a little better and the 210 TTSX load is for this rifle.
Bottom rifle shoots the NAB a little better.

The silvertip and NAB are interchangeable between the two rifles.
Silvertip separated on this deer. It did shatter shoulder blade and into the spine.


NAB came out of this bear.


Have not used the TTSX on anything yet. Past experience with the TSX tells me it will work just fine.

For kicks and giggles, I went to Midway USA and brought up all the 338 caliber bullets from 180-225gr. The only one I would be hesitant about is the 200gr Hornady FTX. Simply because it is designed for lower velocity cartridges.

With that being said, I have a subsonic load worked up with Trailboss for the bottom rifle using that exact bullet. Pretty cool hearing that bullet slap the plywood and steel after coming out of the suppressed rifle.

I have never recovered a 210gr TSX. Besides the two bullets shown, the only other bullet I have recovered was a 210gr NPt that filled the freezer with elk one year.

Who made the stock on top with the green finish?

McMillan edge

Really like the total look of that top rifle!

Back before the shortages and price increases, I was able to get 225 grain bonded fusions for about $17-18 a box. I bought a pile of them. Very thick jackets on them.

They're cheap enough that I get great target sessions out of em. Then the same bullet for my caribou and sheep carbine. (338 RCM same ballistics as a 338-06)

forum member west coaster from B.C. stated this about the 225 grainer:

"Before I started reloading I was using Federal Fusions at 225grns IIRC for my 338win mag. Several deer, a couple of bears, and a moose no issues.

The moose was a bad shot and caught the spine right near the hump, wedged between two vertebrate. Moose dropped and couldn't move. I walked up and finished. When we dressed Bullwinkle we recovered the bullet from the spine. Retained most of it's weight.

Overall I think they are a decent bullet."

Thank you, one of my favorites. I really want to get it to Africa!

Those 225gr fusions look like another great option.

The great thing about the mid-bores on the ‘06 case is that they hunt and work with such a range of bullets. You can spend a little or a lot on bullets and all work. My preference would be cup and core for whitetail 200 or 225 range whichever my rile liked best.

You 338/06 and 338 WM guys are missing the boat if you are not trying the 160g Barnes TTSX on deer and hogs....have yet to see an animal stop one...accuracy is unbelievable...super easy bullet to tune.

Thanks for the tip.

For deer to 350? Pretty much any 338 bullet is gonna work pretty well. Don’t overthink it.
Les

We’re talking about killing a deer with a 338, just about any bullet should work fine. I like the 210 ttsx for moose and my pops has shot a couple whitetail with the plain Jane 200 Speer and it worked more than fine. Not much tracking involved with those deer...

I’ve got a couple boxes of those 160 ttsx, looking forward to working them up in my federal...

I use these in a 338 Win mag. It slays the puny Whitetail deer we have, very accurate too.

Agree. The 160 TTSX is a sleeper. One of the most accurate in my .338-06 and as you note, not finicky.

DF

tag

I was loading mine with SR 4759, @2400 fps, and a 200 grain Hornady SP, or FN....Mild recoil and it was down and out for any deer I ever hit with it...

My experience with the heavier 338’s is that they’re a lil heavily constructed for whitetail. Stick with lower grain weights around 200. The ‘06 is a great case for these bullets.

Only pill I load for WT ...Fast,& extremely accurate

Nice.

I think most mid range burn rate powders would probably work. I see H-4895 on your bench. My 160 TTSX load is with Varget. Seafire and Gunner llike H-380.

BTW, what are those long rimmed cases in the background?

DF

DF the 4895 just happens to be there in the background however my powder of choice after much testing is 4064. As you can tell this is the AI version which IMO doesn't give you much over the standard chambering.. .The rimmed cases are 45-2-7/8 [ 45-110] for my Shiloh Sharps..

I was thinking I might use my .338-06 this year on a mule deer hunt... just because....and now after reading this thread I'm thinking I might have to see about loading up some of the Barnes 160 TTSX's
Any additional load information you have with this bullet and would like to share would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
rookie