Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Thoughts on the 338 210 grain Nosler Partition

While what you've cited above is undoubtedly correct, the SD of the 210 gr, 338 bullet is considerably lower than the 220 gr 30 caliber bullet at around .263 to .301, so one would expect somewhat better penetration with similarly constructed bullets from the 30 at optimal velocities.

But that equation & performance comparison is very likely to change with the 250 gr, 338 with a sectional density of .313...................I've never killed anything with a 200 gr, 30 cal bullet but I have killed a number of animals with both the 210 & the 250 gr Partitions from a 338 & have never had either fail or lacking in performance.................but maybe I haven't killed enough yet for one to fail.

MM

Have killed a bunch of big game in both North America and Africa with the .338, and several of my hunting companions have used it as well, with a variety of bullets. The 250-grain Partition penetrates with the best of 'em.

Have also killed a bunch of big game with the 200-grain .308 Partition, the cartridges including the .30-06, .300 Winchester Magnum and .300 Weatherby Magnum. My experience started with the lathe-turned 200s in the mid-1970s for timber elk hunting, when Nosler called them either "blunt-nosed" or "semi-spitzers." The 200 Partition also penetrates very well--in fact I've never recovered one, though one did stay inside a bull elk killed with one of Elmer Keith's "raking shots" at around 375 yards, fired from a .300 Weatherby Magnum. The bullet's path was traced from the pelvis to inside the chest cavity, but despite three people searching the innard-pile, we never found it.

Perhaps the best example of how well the 200 Partition penetrates was an average 6x6 bull elk I shot at around 75 yards in thick cover as it quartered toward me. The cartridge was the .300 Winchester Magnum, with a handload getting just about 3000 fps. The most visible aiming point was the big shoulder joint of the near (left) shoulder, and at the shot the bull ran forward about 30-35 yards, into thin enough brush that I could see the blood from the entrance hole as the bull stood pretty much broadside. He was obviously feeling faint, but I put another bullet broadside through the lungs, and he went down.

But it wasn't necessary. The first one had centered the big shoulder joint, traversed both lungs, and exited at the left rear of the ribcage.

Have yet to have a 210, 225 or 250-grain Nosler Partition "fail" on big game up to 1500 pounds or so, but have seen both 210s and 225s recovered--one of the 210s from a whitetail buck that didn't weigh more than 180 pounds.

I have the exact same rifle, and use the 210gr Noslers over H4350. They shoot really nice groups.

I actually prefer my Remington 700 .338WM over my Remington 700 .300WM. I think it is less sharp in the recoil department for some reason. Typically I shoot 180gr in the .300WM, and it is short and sharp when I touch it off.

Hope you enjoy your .338WM as much as I do.

I have been using the wonderful .338 Winny since about 1976 and had a custom Mod. 70 "Classic Stainless" made up in the early 90's.

At about 8 pounds loaded it is a easy carrying hard hitting rifle/caliber combo that is good for up close big brown bear or a 500 yard moose shot. That up close and long range punch covered any scenario this old Alaskan hunter has ran into.

It is a very consistently accurate rifle with about any Barnes X bullet and the Barnes X bullet of some flavor is the only type of bullet that has ever been down the barrel.

For several years I have been using the 225 grain Barnes TTSX bullets with good results and doubt I will use any thing else. Norma brass, Hunter powder and Federal 215 Match Primers shoot tiny five shot 100 yard groups every year when checking the scopes zero.

Before I switched to the Barnes X bullet I used the 250 grain Nosler Partition for about 15 years. Other then a few of our little Sitka Island deer and caribou taken with the 30-06, I have only used a .338 on our big game since about 1976.

Dear old Elmer Keith cast a spell on me years ago when I was a wee little whipper snapper. Do I need a .338 and heavy bullets for Alaska's game, not most of the time. My 30-06 or 6.5 Creedmoor and a Barnes X bullet of some flavor will kill any thing in Alaska if I do my part.

Yup, significantly thicker, hence less mushrooming unless pushed really hard
Learn something new every day here if you pay attention.

I always thought the 210 NP was more suited to the 338 Fed, or 338’06 velocity range.
Now I’m not so sure, if the 225 NP, or BT isn’t more suited.

In any case, the .308 180 or 200 NPs both do the job well with their thinner jacketed expansion

Might also add that one of the more interesting comparisons of "killing powder" appeared in THE AMERICAN RIFLEMAN in 1958. It was written by one of my wildlife biology professors at the U. of Montana in Missoula, Phil Wright, who was a VERY avid big game hunter--and a member of the measuring committee of the Boone and Crockett Club for many years. Aside from being a very avid elk hunter in Montana, Phil became so fascinated with the variations in caribou antlers that he actually built a house with enough "upper room" to display all his caribou (and elk) heads.

But the article he published was about going along with a very experienced hunter/shooter who was culling elk on the National Bison Range, about an hour's drive north of Missoula. This had to be done periodically, because the elk population increased faster than the bison population, and bison were the reason the range was established.

This was back in the day when bullets were more "primitive" than now, and Nosler Partitions were only available to handloaders. The two rifles used were pre-'64 Winchester Model 70s in .30-06 and .375 H&H, and the ammo Winchester Silvertip factory ammo with 220-grain bullets in the .30-06 and 300s in the .375.

A bunch of elk were shot, and the shot placement noted--in fact the article featured small illustrations showing where the bullets landed--along with comments on the wound channel, how far the elk went before falling, and whether the bullet exited.

In the end there was NO significant difference in how far elk went after the shot, given the same placement. The ONLY difference noted was that the .375's exited more frequently, which would provide a blood trail--if it was needed.

There have been a bunch of other systematic studies about this sort of thing, including one in Sweden where "elk" (moose) hunters were asked to report how far moose went after being shot. The ranges tended to be very similar, since in Sweden (and Norway and Finland) much if not most big game hunting is done with drives, where the animals are pushed by hunters on stands, sometimes with dogs--often Norwegian "elkhounds." (I know this partly due to hunting both in Norway and Finland--though also hope to hunt in Sweden someday.)

Anyway, over 8000 moose reports were included in the Swedish study. Basically, there was very little difference in how far moose/elk ran after being lung-shot with various cartridges from the 6.5x55 to the .375 H&H, as long as the bullet penetrated both lungs.

The late Finn Aagaard also noticed the same sort of thing on elk-sized blue wildebeest, which are considered by most hunters (both amateur and professional) among the "toughest" plains-game animals. Finn not only grew up hunting big game as a child, but was a PH for many years before moving to the U.S., after Kenya closed big game hunting in 1977. You can read all about it in his book HUNTING RIFLES AND CARTRIDGES, which is still so highly regarded that used copies sell for as much as $300.

In my Ruger M77 my best load with the 210 Nosler Partitions. My OAL was 3.290, 215M primer Win cases. I got 3041 FPS SD was 8.4 . Load was very accurate.

Second best load was using RL16 at 2971 FPS. After that I ran out of bullets.

If I had more bullets I would have tried RL26 It usually gives you another 25 to 50 FPS. And is more temperature stable. The MRP is usually slightly more accurate in my rifle.

My classic 700 is certainly not the most accurate rifle I own. However, when it’s pointed at anything that breathes, (elk,deer,moose,bear) it has always delivered. I have tried 210s but 225s have always shot better.

I prefer 230 grain bullets in my .338 for big game (Nilgai, elk, and such.)
Deer and Pronghorns fall to a lesser caliber rifle.

Nice bullet for 338-06. I'm almost at the end of the blems I traded 250's for that were turned on a screw machine. Cardboard is falling away....

Here is, my two cents: This was/is a good read. It would be nice if all our Forums were like this.

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving.
If you love you parents if they are still alive, give them a call, tell them you love them. Heck, give them a big hug.

Take care friends.

I agree. It's a good thread and how it's supposed to be on here. Thanks to MD for sharing his experience and putting up with us.

Hope you all have a great holiday.

A friend of mine (using hot hand loads) made some pretty impressive kills with them, 30+ years ago. They are a good cartridge/bullet combo.

That said, as a handloader, I prefer a little different combination! memtb

I have a question for Mule Deer. John, in the past you have written that you preferred 200 grain bullets (especially BT's) in the .338 WM, as you thought they produced quicker kills than heavier bullets.

In this thread you seem to be saying that you think 200 grain .308 bullets from a a .300 magnum perform better than 210 grainers in the .338. Does the same logic apply to 200 grain bullets in the .338?

If this logic also applies to 200 grain .338 bullets, does this mean you have concluded that 200 grain .308 bullets work at least as well and perhaps better than anything out of a .338? Seems like a possible conclusion based on the above, but maybe I'm misinterpreting or overstating something.

Thanks for your input on this.

I have a Rifles Inc. Strata in 338WM. I load the 225 gr. TTSX as I believe this to be one of the best overall loads for this cartridge. It shoots amazingly well and is extremely effective on elk.

I like the 210 grain Partition in my 338-06 and the 200 grain AB in my 338 FED. Since getting the 338 FED I haven't shot the 338-06 enough to justify the time required to put a different pet load together for it.

I think the 210 Partition would make for a great leopard load...IF you can get it to shoot in your rifle. I agree with MD, the 200 30 caliber is a better choice, then of course there's the 210 TTSX a MUCH better option, if your rifle likes them. For the 338, I've settled on the 225s.

I shot a south bound eland (follow up shot) with a 200 grain Nosler Partition from a 300mag. The bullet exited underneath the elands chin……that’s almost 4ft of penetration on a big animal. I’ve also shot a lot of plains game and big bull elk with the .338win mag…..and from my experience the .338 really thumps them. I like my 300 mags with 200 grain bullets, but for the bigger (>500#s) animals I’ll choose the .338 every time.

I also can’t tell much difference in the recoil levels of a 300mag vs a 338. I had Duane Wiebe build me a light weight 338 on a g33/40 action (small ring) with a steel butt plate and it isn’t unpleasant at all.

Twenty two years ago I tracked this bull for four hours in sub zero temps and shot him standing in his bed at forty yards in thick timber. The only shot I had was his butt. The 210 NP penetrated deep, breaking bone. He made it twenty yards and piled up. I put the finisher in when I got to him. Not a shot I'd take today, but it certainly worked. 338 WM / 22" bbl.

I owned a 700 Classic 338 for a time and liked it a lot. The size and dimensions seemed to go well with a cartridge that size. My brother owns it now. These days, the best Partitions are the ones you can find! Bob Hagel wrote good things about the 210 NP. I still have a Finn Aagard article “Rifles for Alaska”, or something like that. He ended up with a 338, though IIRC he preferred 250’s. There must be HUGE overlap between the 300 and the 338. The ballistics just aren’t that different. Enjoy your rifle.