Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .338 A Bolt & Nosler Partitions

Hi: I am trying to work up a good load for a friend with a .338 W.M. A Bolt S/S & sythetic stock. So far 250 gr N.P.'s and 4 different powders have not worked too well.It also shoots better from a clean barrel unlike all of my guns that like a fowling shot. Any ideas? Thank's Dan

Try IMR- 4350, RL-19, and RL-22 these have all worked very well in my Ruger M-77 with 250 grain partitions. I would say RL-19 is my most prefered 338WM powder and it sure runs through a powder measure nicely. Have had no luck with H-4831 it fills the case so full that the bullets start to back out and some would not chamber because they bulged, the nosler manual shows it as the highest velocity load but I have no idea how they got it in the case with the 250 Partition, unless they used the short cut version of h-4831 but the book does not indicate that.

I've owned a slew of 338s over the last 28 years, and some of them just didn't shoot Partitions very well. It's entirely possible that your rifle won't shoot them as well as it may shoot some other bullets, not matter what powder/primer combination you try.

My favorite 338 Win. Mag. shoots Partitions well, but it shoots Barnes TSXs better than it does anything else, and particulalrly downrange, at 200 and 300 yards.

My hunting partner has a fine 338 Win. Mag. that doesn't shoot Partitions nearly as well as it does Barnes TSXs or Swift A-Frames.

Point being, don't get hung up on any particular make of bullet, especially since there are so many truly great bullets on the market these days.

The 338 Win. Mag. can be an extremely accurate and versatile cartridge, but it can also be a bit fincky, and many 338s are very particular about what bullet they prefer.

Experiment with other bullets, by all means.........

AD

Concur with Duckshoot on the Reloader 19 along with 225 & 250 NP's out of my Remington. Haven't messed with TSX's.......yet.

I'll third the RL19. Works great.

Dangerous to say this with Allen here <g>, but the 225 Accubond sure is accurate in my .338 and I've seen it kill two elk VERY decisively. Exit wounds and DRT performance.

And Allen- not picking a fight, just noting the reality. :-) PM sent!

-jeff

I've had best results for speed with accuracy (or accuracy with speed) with H4350 with the 210s and RL 19 with 225s.

I notice a great deal of variation in max published loads, so be a little careful.

Tom

All good suggestions. Mine is check the throat on your rifle. My dearly departed dad's was real long, like Weatherby long. Solved that by getting a 375 H&H magazine for his 338 A-bolt so I could seat bullets out longer. Groups shrunk alot. Good luck.

gunbug-tis been my experience that most 33's are easy when it comes to getting them to perk. Sounds like you're wishes to challenge you a bit....<g>

I'd have you consider trying a 250 Horn, and one of these or all of these to see if the gun is intelligent and or not. H4831,7828,R22,IMR 4350, R19, if it don't perk with one of these then something about has to be amiss...

Everything tight on it, scope a proven and honest one?

Good luck to ya!
Dober

I have one... my is a tack driver with factory Rem 225 grain loads, and also Federal 210 Partitions...

I don't use factory loads any more and also don't hunt with the 338 Mag very much... the only reason I haven't gotten rid of it, is that getting rid of rifles that are tack drivers, is against my religion...

But it is fun to drag out and load up to blow big holes in things once in a while...

the 338wm, when matched w/ ammo she likes...AWESOME!!!
no reason to get all hung up on the np's, try another premium bullet...
or try a different weight

i am VERY partial to 225gr A-Frames

just my $.02....aahh ya get what you pay for...lol

Working up loads today can be an expensive proposition with todays component prices, especially if you have a lot of rifles to work with..combinations are endless. I believe every handloader should have good measuring instruments. One of these is a cartridge overall length gauge and bullet comparator. With this instrument you will know exactly where your particular bullet is in relation to the rifling. Depending on your technique, you will be accurate to .001"

Having said that, and before you invest another $40 in new bullets, work with your bullet seating depth. I have experienced amazing results with that one measurement. I would start with your best load with one of the powders mentioned by others in this thread .025 off the lands, then work in with .005 increments .020, .015, ect., until you get to .005 off the lands. I don't like to be any closer with hunting ammo. As someone has previously said, your magazine may limit your overall length, or the cartridge simply will not chamber because it is too long and the nose will hit the top of the receiver and can't make the turn into the chamber. I would make a dummy round at .005 off the lands and see if that fits the magazine and chambers before I do anything.

This is only my opinion, so be nice with your "Pitchforks and Torches"...........Art

Hi : Thank you all for the help. My friend supplied the bullets and brass so just providing the powder. I do suspect the scope a bit as it did shift impact point[4" right &5"high] with the new load and i have never had such a change. Everything else is tight . Regards Dan

One of my 338s is very sensitive to any kind of change. Even a different primer can shift the impact point by up to three inches. It will still group well, just in a different spot.