Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 338 Win Mag bullet questions

Just picked up a used LH Mod 70 sporter in 338 Win Mag.

For no other reason than it's left handed.

Now for the question.

Thinking of running plain jane 200gr. SP's in it. I have both Speer and Hornady offerings on hand.

I dont hunt big ugly critters, and the biggest thing that might get in my sights is a moose or and elk. (been using a 25'06 with success for years)

What's everyones opnion about these bullet choices?

Great accuracy from the Hornady's, not so good with the Speer. If you hit where you aim and know where to aim, they'll do the job.

I'll big time echo this!

Dober

Spend the money on 225 gr. North Forks. Expensive but they work.
Bear in Fairbanks

Thanks, but I've never have seen any Northfork bullets up here in Canada.
Perhaps you'd like to lobby your Government to do away with it's export restrictions on almost everything firearm related, that way when the laws get changed someone North of the 49th will know something of what you speak.

the hotcore might be a little too easy to come apart at win mag speeds.

i like the hornadys

In my friend's .338WM the Horn's were spraying patterns and the Speer was printing 0.75" groups. I have a 7RM that shoots speer bullets more accurately than anything else, save TSX bullets. Every rifle is different, and to say that HDY bullets are more accurate than speers is a blanket statement that is invariably untrue much of the time. You need to try them both to see what your rifle likes. Either will work just fine on moose, elk, deer, etc. Just put the bullet in the boiler room.

I'd go with a 210 gr PT and never look back.

JD338

The 210 grain Nosler Partition in front of a maximum load of IMR4350 sparked by a CCI #250 magnum primer in once-fired Winchester cartridge cases achieved a one-shot "bang-flop" kill on a very large Canadian bull moose for me.

I found the perfectly-expanded bullet just under the hide on the off-side shoulder... retained weight = 148.5 grains or about 71% weight retension.

I have nothing against Hornady or Speer bullets, I just like the performance of the Nosler Partitions better.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

After using everything mentioned but the North Forks... I'd say that I would have to agree with the Hornady users...I have used the 200s, 225s and 250s, both SP and RN...

I think the 225s are a nice balance for the 338 Mag...

Speers will do the job, the Hornady's just do it better...

I was very partial to the now discontinued Speer 275 grain SMP...

Premium bullets are not really needed in a 338 Mag...

But the 180 and 200 grain Accubond are at the top of my list to give a go out in the field...

I use the speer 225's in my 338 win mag and they do fine on everything from caribou to bear.
DV

II used the 225 gr Hornady for years on bear and moose and only one deer.The deer was a mistake as way too much power. Pver the years I discovered Barnes and still have a half box of the Hornadys left. I now use the 185 gr Barnes TSX with either IMR 4350 or RL22. much more accurate at .75" vs 1.5" which is really not relevant difference for hunting, but does give confidence. The Hornadys will give good results, but I still like the Barnes.

Randy

I have used both and Nosler� Both Horn & Speer gave me the almost the same results.
The Nosler BTs gave me the best results on targets, Hogs & Deer

I've been partial to 200 grain Accubonds in my 338-06s. My 338 WM really likes the 225 grain Nosler Partition. Both have worked really well on bunches of elk.

230 FailSafes or 250 Parts.. Niether may be needed but I don't like shooting 300 Mag weights from a 338. Keith would disapprove (grins).

Never shot any game with them, but the Hornady 225 and 250 SP have always shot very well.

The only guy I know that routinely uses 200 grain cup and core's on elk use the old Power Point load. He says that works well. They kill the heck out of a deer.

I use 225 Bear Claws or 210/225 Partitions for elk.

The 225 Hornady's are a little too much of a good thing on deer. I won't be using them again. I load down the 200's to 2700 or so.

for elk i wouldnt go below the 225s in a win mag. if your going to shoot 200s might as well shoot an 06 imo.

I shoot 225 Accubonds or 250 Woodleighs myself with excellent results.

I have used 210 partitions and 185TSX in my 338WM. Both have worked well for me on elk.