Been scouring the site for 338 Fed loads and found a few, but the one year search limit hinders things. Looking for what has worked for you, or not. Velocities, powders, barrel lengths, etc.
48 gr of Reloder 15 pushing 185 gr TSX and 200 gr Hornady Interlock bullets. Gives between 2550 and 2600 fps out of my 18.5" Ruger RSI. And both groups go under an inch at 100 yards, and both bullets kill deer very nicely.
Dennis
"The more you run over a dead cat, the flatter it gets."
"If you're asking me something technical, you may be looking for My Other Brother Darrell."
"It ain't foot-pounds that kills stuff -- it's broken body parts."
I found my notes on load development for my 338Fed. Rifle is REM 600 with a 21" barrel. All brass is resized RP 308WIN with CCI LR primers. It was shot at 100yds on a cool 50degF day with less than 5kt wind (at my back) in GA.
IMR4895/200gr Hornady SP (All loads less than 1") 46.0gr: 2491, 2493, 2501 46.5gr: 2528, 2508, 2521 47.0gr: 2553, 2546, 2555 THE WINNER
I also tried the 185gr TSX with WIN748 and IMR4895. The results are not worth posting. Very inconsistant MVs and groups. I was torn between the 210NP/WIN748 load or the 200SP/IMR4895 load. In the end I went with the latter since I use IMR4895 in my 7mm-08 and 223. Commonality of components helps especially with the prices lately. I hope this helps...
I ended up running 46 grains of it under Nosler 210 Partitions in Federal 338 brass (mostly from Fusion loads) with Federal 210 spark plugs. In both my 22" barreled guns it was just under 2500 FPS
I just received a box of Barnes .338 185 TTSXs to try out. Plan is to try H4895 and TAC initially. I noticed Ramshot listed the Fed 215 Magnum primer for TAC. I asked them about it and it turns out that is a typo. The testing was done with Win WLR primers. So, just a heads up. Not sure it really matters too much as long as you're working up. JB's article on loading the 338 Fed also listed the use of Magnum primers, maybe there is something to it, who knows. Also going to try the Scirocco IIs. Will go with whatever shoots better. Each of these bullets has an excellent BC (.432 TTSX and .507 SII) and will make the most of what velocity the 338 Fed has.
That's interesting...I've not used magnum primers in my .338 Fed, nor have I had any difficulty exceeding factory loads and showing good accuracy with standard primers. In fact, I've loaded a bunch of .338 RCM loads with standard primers, to see if I really need magnums with them.
Maybe I'll stick some magnum primers on .338 Feds and see if it matters... .
Dennis
"The more you run over a dead cat, the flatter it gets."
"If you're asking me something technical, you may be looking for My Other Brother Darrell."
"It ain't foot-pounds that kills stuff -- it's broken body parts."
I think JB used the Magnum primers because Ramshot listed them, albeit mistakenly (I'll have to re-read the article and check that, don't want to speak for him). JB achieved some nice velocities though, so maybe it's worth trying. I'm going to start with my standard BR-2 for now. But, I do have a couple hundred 215s sitting around all bored... Edit: I think I'll work up the 185 TTSXs with BR-2s and 215s at the same time. See what happens...
Finally got my Ruger 338 Fed back. Shot 185 TTSXs, 200 Hot Cors and 210 Scirocco IIs with TAC today. The 185s loaded to 2.88 OAL shot very well. 47.9, 48.2 and 48.5gr were .47", .9" and .53" for 3 shot groups. The 210 Sciroccos shot well at 47gr of TAC (.78"), but not well anywhere else (1.5"+). 47gr was as high as I went with the 210s. The 200 Hot Cors were not impressive ranging from 1.3" and up. Next step is to get the chrono out and see what I'm getting out of the 185s.
That's interesting...I've not used magnum primers in my .338 Fed, nor have I had any difficulty exceeding factory loads and showing good accuracy with standard primers. In fact, I've loaded a bunch of .338 RCM loads with standard primers, to see if I really need magnums with them.
Maybe I'll stick some magnum primers on .338 Feds and see if it matters... .
Dennis
Dennis:
I believe the magnum primers are used in non magnum cartridges when ball powder is used, for more complete combustion, as ball powder is more densely packed. I'd quote a source, but I can't remember where I read it. I believe it was in relation to W748 powder, but if I am not mistaken, isn't TAC also a ball powder.
Patrick
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went." Will Rogers
And on the 8th day, God created the Border Collie.
47grs H4895 was THE load for my Sako 85, with 210gr TSX (2625 fps) and 215gr Sierra (2600 fps). I now have a m77 Hawkeye SS, haven't done much loading for it but picked up a box of 185gr TTSX today. Looks like the ideal 338f bullet!
As soon as I can, I run the 185 TTSXs through the chrono. If they run ~2700 or greater they will definitely be my go to load. Excellent BC, good reputation for effectiveness, less recoil than the heavier bullets (not a big deal, but noticeable) and they are quite accurate in my rifle.
For feral hogs I like to use this load. Rifle is a Savage Model 11 with a 24 inch PAC-NOR Supermatch, 3 groove, 1-10 twist barrel.
Bullet: Nosler 180 gr. AccuBond Powder: Hodgdon H4895 46.0 grs. Primer: CCI-BR2 Case: Federal LOAL: 2.810 (2.161 base to ogive with Stoney Point) Velocity: 2611 fps (SD 7.87)
And for whitetail.
Bullet: Hornady 200 gr. SP Interlock Powder: Hodgdon H4895 47.8 grs. Primer: CCI-200 Case: Remington .308 Winchester Reformed LOAL: 2.895 (2.228 base to ogive with Stoney Point) Avg. Velocity: 2636.69 fps (SD 8.48) Comments: Jam length is 2.251 with this bullet (base to ogive with Stoney Point Gage). This LOAL used for magazine fit, 0.023 bullet jump.
Got a young eight point last year with my Savage and the Hornady 200 gr. SP Interlock.
ScottfromDallas, I've been trying to get the 200 SSTs to shoot with TAC but have not had much luck. Got one group just over 1", but the rest are quite unimpressive.
So far have only worked with the 200gr hornady sst and the 200gr nosler accubond, both over 47gr of varget, the sst was extremly acurate but failed my bullet test miserably, blowing up. The accubond held together with a perfect mushroom and a good base behind it, but for some reason my kimber doesn't like it at all, tried h335 and 748 with same poor accuracy results. Since I hunt deer in brown bear country want a good balance of expansion/holding together. Just bought some 225 accubonds and will see today how they do. Would have preferred to stay with 200gr as like the fusion load for when hunting islands that don't have bears. Been charged twice, almost lost last one, stopped 4ft away. Extremly happy with my kimber 84m, accurate, light and very little recoil. Curious if any one else shooting a kimber has had any better results with the 200gr accubond.
I'm not a fan of the Hornady's SST either. Why not try a standard Hornady 200gr SP, a 185gr TSX or 185/210gr TTSXs? Even the 210gr Nosler Partition. Another powder suggestion is IMR or H 4895. I think Alliant is coming out with some new powders that might work too.
The 200 SST failed at 338 Fed velocities? That's not good. I have the 200 SST, but they shot miserably on my initial attempt. Admittedly I have not fiddled with seating depths to see if I can make them better. The 185 TTSX has shot so well with TAC I quit trying other things. Shoots great and less recoil than the heavier bullets. 2725 without even the slightest hint of pressure. I will try the 200 Trophy Bonded Tips once they are available as in my mind a 200gn is just right for the 338 Fed (based on nothing mind you). Although, all my ballistic nonsense charts (I like to over analyze) tell me the 185 TTSX ought to put as much smack (official effectiveness term defined however I want at the moment) on the target as the 200 given my projected 200 velocities of 2620-2650. If I just 'have' to use a heavier bullet I have a load with the 210 Scirocco II that shoots VERY well at ~2560.
I was suprised a bullet I assume was designed for the 338 win mag would blow up at 338 fed velocitys too. It has been by far the most accurate bullet so far. I should try the TTSX bullet, everyone raves about the accuracy/performance, but for some reason I like lead in my bullets, but this could be a case where everyone may be right. Going to commit sacrilege here and say that have never been impressed with the partition bullet, in my humble opinion it leaves a narrow wound channel. Wanted to try the 4895, but when first started reloading for this caliber the gunshop was out of it and the varget has been so accurate with the SST that feel it should work, will try 4895 soon. I also feel the 200gr weight is ideal for the 338 fed, plus would give same point of impact as the 200gr fusion which I believe will be an ideal deer bullet. Wanted to use the trophy bonded tip bullet, but last price I saw was unbelievable, could buy premium factory ammo cheaper than could reload with them. The Sirocco is on my list of bullets to try, wish they made a swift A-frame in 200 gr weight. Originally saw this caliber as a way to have a light rifle, but am now totally impressed with it, excellant balance of power, accuracy and light weight with very low recoil.
Not sure what price you saw, Midway lists the 200gn Trophy Bonded Tips (bullets only) for $29.99 for a box of 50. That's not too bad. Of course they're not available yet...
I had good luck with both H4895 and AA2015 pushing the 200grn Hdy ILs and 200NBTs. I've been tinkering with the 160TTSX and I4198 lately. The 160s shoot descent(around MOA), but I'm only getting around 2700 thus far with I4198 and I'm not sure about them expansion wise at extended(200+)ranges.
My 338 fed is a T3 with a ridiculously short mag length. With the 200s 2015 was my best combo for the short mag length, but H4895 was the winner when changing to a longer mag and LA bolt stop. May have to give R15 a try as well.
I've shot deer and pigs with 185 TSX and 200 gr Hornady Interlocks, and they are both working very well. I'm running between 200 and 300 fps higher velocity with them in the .338 RCM vs the .338 Fed -- but the result seems to be the same. The Hornady bullet is quite reasonably priced, and seems to be working very well when started between 2550-2650 fps (two different .338 Feds) and 2850'ish fps (.338 RCM).
I'll be very interested to see the new results and the new powders, but I'm pleased enough with Re 15 to keep after it for the moment.
DN
"The more you run over a dead cat, the flatter it gets."
"If you're asking me something technical, you may be looking for My Other Brother Darrell."
"It ain't foot-pounds that kills stuff -- it's broken body parts."
Reloader7RM, you may want to try TAC. It is extremely fine and dense and thus does not take a lot of volume. I am running the 185 TTSX at 2.88, but it could go much shorter. I can even get the 210 Scirocco II down to 2.83 with 47gr of TAC, and do so with no problem. The other powder that looks very interesting in the 338 Fed is 8208 XBR. Very similar book performance to TAC and a reputation for extreme temp stability (TAC may be very stable too, I don't know for sure). I received a response regarding my email to Alliant about the Power Pro powder. It is 2000MR, and he said they don't have any loads for the 338 Fed and are working on getting it to market. Don't know where the loads on Loaddata.com came from.
Reloader7RM, you may want to try TAC. It is extremely fine and dense and thus does not take a lot of volume. I am running the 185 TTSX at 2.88, but it could go much shorter. I can even get the 210 Scirocco II down to 2.83 with 47gr of TAC, and do so with no problem. The other powder that looks very interesting in the 338 Fed is 8208 XBR. Very similar book performance to TAC and a reputation for extreme temp stability (TAC may be very stable too, I don't know for sure). I received a response regarding my email to Alliant about the Power Pro powder. It is 2000MR, and he said they don't have any loads for the 338 Fed and are working on getting it to market. Don't know where the loads on Loaddata.com came from.
Look on page 89 in the link below. It's from the Alliant website. A 225 gr Fusion at 2600 fps looks really promising.
I loaded some 200 SST and 200 Interlock with TAC. I'm trying them this weekend. I stopped trying to find a load for the 215 Sierra when I couldn't get it to expand on water jugs during bullet testing. It hit water jugs at over 2400 FPS. The bullet on the right is a 200 gr Fusion. It expanded nicely and weighed 167 grains. It was going muzzle velocity and expanded nicely without over expanding.
Getting a 225 to 2625 is essentially matching a 338-06. That 215 GK ought to penetrate well! May not do as much damage as desired though. Think I'll stay away from that with the Fed.
Yes, I was very surprised it didn't expand until I saw how thick the jacket is at the tip. Sierra recommends it for the 338 Mag. It's clearly built very tough.
So far have only worked with the 200gr hornady sst and the 200gr nosler accubond, both over 47gr of varget, the sst was extremly acurate but failed my bullet test miserably, blowing up. The accubond held together with a perfect mushroom and a good base behind it, but for some reason my kimber doesn't like it at all, tried h335 and 748 with same poor accuracy results. Since I hunt deer in brown bear country want a good balance of expansion/holding together. Just bought some 225 accubonds and will see today how they do. Would have preferred to stay with 200gr as like the fusion load for when hunting islands that don't have bears. Been charged twice, almost lost last one, stopped 4ft away. Extremly happy with my kimber 84m, accurate, light and very little recoil. Curious if any one else shooting a kimber has had any better results with the 200gr accubond.
Can you provide some details on you SST test? The bullet was designed for the 338 RCM so I thought it would be good for the Federal. I would love to hear more about your results before I spend too much time working up loads for it.
Tested SST and Accubond shooting into milk jugs filled with water at 10yds, both in the 200gr weight. Both stopped in the 5th jug, the SST seperated jacket/core with the lead shank much shorter that the jacket which I believe means it slipped earlier in the process of penetrating. Accubond had a perfect mushroom with good post behind it. Tested the 225 Accubond today, made it to the 7th jug with same perfect performance. Unable to test for accuracy as range was in use for training, will do that sun. Load was 46gr of Varget, estimating 2500 FPS. Now that have made the move to 225's have opened up a lot of bullet choices, next plan to try the Swift A-frame and Hornady Interbond.
Thanks for sharing. I tested a few bullets in the 257 Roberts and the 110 Accubond really performed nicely. Shot it in to water jugs at around 2800 Fps. It penetrated to the 5th jug and weighed a little over 70 grains with a perfect mushroom. I'm starting to think the Accubonds are the way to go.
Found some phone books and decided to shoot some bullets into them and see what happens. No worries, I'm not implying a phone book is the same as an animal, just something to do. Anyway, I shot the 225 Accubond, 215 Gameking and 200 CT (Ballistic Silvertip) out of the 338-06 and the 185 TTSX, 210 Scirocco II and 200 SST out of the 338 Fed. I did not recover a 215 Gameking. They hit the phone books at 2600+ and did not expand. Rather, they left a .338" hole through 4 thick phone books and kept on going. The 225 AB (~2650) went through all four, but just barely. The 200 CT came apart and penetrated the least of all (including all 338 Fed bullets). For the 338 Fed, the 200 SST came apart and penetrated just a touch more than the 200 CT out of the -06. The 210 Scirocco II and the 185 TTSX came just short of penetrating all four. I started with the 338 Fed, so the -06 bullets had a bit easier time as the books started to get beat up. All in all, very impressed with the TTSX, Accubond and Scirocco. Since they were my go-to bullets anyway I'm pleased. Recovered Weights: 225 AB (2650fps) - 188.4grs 200 CT (2790) - 102grs 210 SC II (2570) - 161.2grs 200 SST (unk fps, but guess 2590ish) - 72.6grs 185 TTSX (2750) - 183.8grs
Thanks for sharing your results. I'm still trying to get Hornadys to shoot out of my 338 Federal. I might stop trying to find a load for the SST based on your results. In general, do you find your groups are better when COL is longer? I started at 2.82 but am starting to move it out. I just loaded some SST and Interlocks to 2.86 and will test tomorrow. I also ordered 2 boxes of Partitions seconds. I'm glad I'm not the only one that couldn't get the 215 Sierra to expand out of the Federal. That is one tough bullet.
I'm using TAC and 2230. Any good recipes for either of those powders?
Quick clarification, the 215 Gameking was being shot out of a 338-06 and didn't expand. It hit the phone books about 10' after going through the chrono at 2620 FPS. Based on the hole it left, it looked just like the picture you have above. As for length, it's a mixed bag. The 185 TTSX shoots great at 2.88, which is mag length in my Ruger, and equates to .053 off. That's the first place I tried and it works well so I haven't tried anythingelse with the 185 TTSX. The 210 Scirocco II shoots very well at 2.827 which is .025 off. It did not shoot well when I first tried it. I switched from BR2 primers to a 215M primer just to try things and it now shoots consistently .5" groups. I tried 2.84 and the groups were much larger again. I shot the 200 SST at 2.88 (.033 off) and it shot terrible. I loaded up more at 2.82 to see what would happen, but ended up shooting them offhand/kneeling, etc, as they are not going to be a hunting bullet.
All my good 338 Fed loads are using TAC right now. I will try the Alliant 2000MR with 200 Trophy Bonded Tips once it's all available.
Just realized I had the Scirocco II and Accubond reversed in the picture above, and the retained weight. Forum won't let me update that post for some reason. So here's an updated version.
I just ordered to 185TTSX. I'm going to try them and the 210 partitions. I think I'm giving up on the SST. I don't know why I even tried them. I couldn't get them to shoot consistently in my 257 Roberts or 308. I can't seem to get much better than 2 inches in the Fed. Plus, they have failed 2 bullet tests on this thread with jacket separation at 338 Fed velocities. I'm still fooling around with the 200 Interlocks because they are more consistent and they are starting to shrink a little. I'm averaging around 1.8 with the last batch using aa-2230. I'll try them with TAC. The rifle will shoot a MOA with factory fusions so I know it shoots.
Thanks for the posts. I find them very helpful since I'm just starting load development on my Federal.
Saw the 200gr Trophy bonded tipped bullet in cabela's recently, approx 48.00 for 25!
Are they making them with gold instead of lead? Seriously, no way I'd pay that much. I saw Midway is listing them for $29.99 for 50 but it's coming soon so who knows.
Somebody read their pricing book wrong. One of the gun shops near me has a single box of 338 Fed Fusion Ammo and they want something like $58. Someday I'm going to tell them that is very wrong and will never sell.
Have been buying the 200gr Fusion's for 28.00 to 31.00 dollars. tested the 225gr Accubonds today for accuracy, better than the 200's but still not good, groups 4in at 100yds. Going to try the 225 Interbonds and the 210 Sirrocco's next. Might get lucky and the Sirrocco's may shoot close to same point of aim as the Fusions.
Saw the 200gr Trophy bonded tipped bullet in cabela's recently, approx 48.00 for 25!
I think you saw the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw. I was flipping through my Grafs and Sons catalog yesterday and they listed them for about $40 for 25. I think the bonded tips will be much cheaper.
Reloader7RM, you may want to try TAC. It is extremely fine and dense and thus does not take a lot of volume. I am running the 185 TTSX at 2.88, but it could go much shorter. I can even get the 210 Scirocco II down to 2.83 with 47gr of TAC, and do so with no problem. The other powder that looks very interesting in the 338 Fed is 8208 XBR. Very similar book performance to TAC and a reputation for extreme temp stability (TAC may be very stable too, I don't know for sure). I received a response regarding my email to Alliant about the Power Pro powder. It is 2000MR, and he said they don't have any loads for the 338 Fed and are working on getting it to market. Don't know where the loads on Loaddata.com came from.
Thanks, I will give TAC a try.
I'll probably end up sticking with 200 Hdy FBILs or 200NBTs in my 338Fed. I only hunt whitetail with it, so just about any descent bullet is more than enough. The 200 HDYs give great accuracy, but I haven't hunted with them yet.
I did some more bullet testing today. So far I've tested five bullets on water jugs. I'm listing them from left to right in the picture.
185 Barnes TTSX-2650 FPS-penetrated through 6 water jugs-184 grains 200 Fusion- 2660 FPS- found in 5th water jug- 167 grains 200 Interlock- 2550 FPS- Found in 5th water jug- 135 grains 200 SST- 2500 FPS- Found in 4th water jug- core separation- 148 grains 215 Sierra- 2450 FPS- penetrated 7 water jugs no expansion- 212 grains
Barnes, Fusion and Interlock worked really well in the 338 Federal. Like others have stated, SST had core separation and the Sierra would not expand. I hope I can get the Barnes to shoot because it would be my first choice for CXP3 game.
The Barnes 185 TTSX penetrated the most on my test too. Just slightly more than a 210 Scirocco II. It's my go-to bullet now. Very happy at ~.050 off, YMMV.
Happy days are here!! The FedEx truck just stopped by bringing gifts. 2lbs of Alliant Power Pro 2000MR (and some more RL-17 for the 338-06). Think I need to order some 210 TTSX and/or 210 Scirocco IIs to test in addition to the 185 TTSX. No published loads by Alliant for the 185, only 200s and 225s. Curious to see what it does. 2800 for the 185 would be less of a gain than what they show for the 200s and 225s. Interpolating indicates mid 2600s for a 210. Nothing wrong with that!
I tried the 2000MR with 185 TTSX. Only ran one of each to check pressures. started at 50 and went up to 53 (very compressed). Only got up to 2696FPS. I got 2730 with 48.5 TAC and the 185 TTSX (not compressed). If 2000MR is going to be really good, it must be at the higher bullet weights. I'm going to stick with TAC for the 185. I also ran the 180 BTs with TAC. 49gn was 2826 and was starting to show signs of pressure. Although, it was 95 degrees out. Probably stick with 48.5 (2792). Will shoot for groups next timeout with the 180 BTs.
No pressure, but no more room for powder. Wanted to try 54, but 53 was real tight, and that was at 2.88 OAL. I think the 200-210s may be better suited to the 2000MR.
Just for grins I loaded some 200 Hot Cors to 52gn 2000MR (an Alliant published load). Accuracy was good for the one group (.8), speed was 2650 in a 22" barrel. No signs of pressure. Alliant lists 2720 with 52gn in a 24" barrel.
Also tried 180 BTs with 49gn TAC at .057 and .110 off. Not very good groups at either, about the same at 1.5".
I've shot 180 NBTs over 49 and 48.5 of TAC and my rifle hated them, 2-3" groups. I loaded them over 48 of 2230 and they did pretty well. Largest groups was 1.5" with the smallest .7". My rifle seems to like 2230 for lighter bullets (185 TTSX, 180NBT) and TAC for 200+. I was going to chrony this week but because of the rain, I'll have to wait until next week. I want to see if there is any real difference in velocity with the heavier bullets between TAC and 2000MR.
I'm using the Lapua brass you suggested and had no pressure signs with any loads.
Some more playing today. Limited to one per load. These are chrono readings, with chrono at 16'(+11FPS for muzzle). TAC was good, as it's been with everything else I've tried. Power Pro 2000MR was not impressive. Run out of space, Clearly they used short bullets and roomy brass to develop their book loads.
210 TTSX/Lapua Brass/215M/2.88OAL/2000MR 49.5-2500 50-2523 50.5-2525 51-2535 *very compressed, no room for more, no pressure signs
210 TTSX/Lapua Brass/215M/2.88OAL/TAC 45-2511 45.5-2535 46-2598 No pressure signs
210 TTSX/Lapua Brass/215M/2.88/H4898 44-2457 44.5-2541 45-2537 45.5-2575 46-2574 (odd velocity jumps, but worth playing more as there were no pressure signs)
I guess the 2000MR powder doesn't outperform TAC. I'm really surprised about the 210 TTSX with 46 grains. That's great velocity. Is it compressed much?
I'm going Saturday to chrony about 10 different loads. It's finally not raining. I'll post the results Sunday.
The 46 TAC with the 210 TTSX isn't compressed much. At least I don't recall it being so. Could probably go a bit higher without problems. The 210 TTSX is a very looong bullet so it is a worst case scenario for the 338 Fed. 46 was 2570 with the 210 Scirocco II also. 2.88 is max mag length for my Ruger, that's why I'm using it. I think I'll load for groups around 46gn with the 210 TTSX and see how they shoot. A 210 TTSX at ~2600 would be a pretty decent load!
Finally was able to chrony some loads today. Was pleased with results. Lighter bullets did really well with 2230, heavy bullets really like the new Alliant MR powder.
2230 and the 185 TTSX is nice. As is the 210 Partition load. I have not even considered the 160, but that looks pretty interesting. Probably not bad at all with recoil too.
I was a little surprised about the Barnes and 2230. I loaded both of them 1 grain under the max load published by Barnes. There is probably some room to move them a little faster.
The 210 Partition was a great surprise. I may be able to go a little higher with that one too but it's pretty compressed might be able to go up .5 or 1 grain max with the MR powder.
I tested the 210 Partition and 160 TTSX this weekend using phone books. Impact velocity of the Partition was about 2650 and the TTSX was over 3,000. TTSX weighed 159, not surprising. The partition did what partitions do. Blow the front core and penetrate. Partition weighed 153 grains.
The partition by about 2.5" but the whole was much bigger. I think the TTSX would make a great deer bullet launched at 3,000+ fps. For Elk, I would definitely go with the 185TTSX or the 210 Partition.
Guys thanks for this discussion. I am going to pick up my new Ruger HE in .338 Federal next week. I just bought some 180 BT's from shooters pro shop you guys may want to check it out. Also what are you doing for brass? Necking up .308? I can not find .338 Federal head stamped brass?
C Roy - I'm using a mix of necked up Federal 308 and Lapua 308 brass as well as 338 Fed brass from factory loads. I use the RCBS dies for resizing and the Redding neck sizer for follow on work. The Fed 308 brass is the same weight as the 338 Fed stamped brass so they are interchangeable. The Lapua brass has a bit more room to work with. FYI, latest from Federal is that the availability 338 Fed stamped brass has slid to September. Was originally supposed to be out last month.
I picked up 200 of the 180 BTs for plinking (or deer if I feel inclined). Also using left over 200 SSTs and 200 Hot Cors for plinking. My go to hunting bullet will likely be the 185 TTSX.
Mark, If you don't like the narrow wound channel of the NP, you may not like the TTSX then. Bullets retain 100% weight. Entrance wound = same dia. as bullet, exit wound = twice the diameter of bullet. But let me just say that despite this, the bullet is quite destructive once it gets inside the soft tissue. I did not have a way of actually measuring the interior wound channel but I would venture to say that it was 7Xs the diameter & turned to mush.
For clean kills on deer, that make for easy field dressing, this pill is superb, (hit the vital zone & it is over) but I don't think it would be good for bear protection. I guess I would want something to break up a little more and leave a profusely bleeding exit wound. As you know you don't get to set the crosshairs, you just point & shoot. Thoughts?
Not sure if anyone is still here. But for what its worth I finally picked my load for my .338 Fed. Basics: Kimber 84M, 22" tube, max COL 2.82", CCI BR2. Win .358 Win brass (found this works better than necking up, and almost 2 gr. H2O more room than Fed brass). I went through all of the powders and most of the bullets listed above (except Nosler). I had best luck with AA2230, AA2460, I3031, and I8208. I settled on the 185 TTSX, as it gave the best down range energy and likely expansion at 1700-1800 fps.
I now load a 185 TTSX with 50.7 gr I8208 to 2775 fps. I also have to trim the case to 1.985" and lightly crimp to keep it all together and short enough for my action. I am seeing standard deviations in the single digits and no temperature variation so far (no extreme cold testing yet). I see about 1.5 MOA, which is as good as I think my gun can do (although recent long range testing 4-500 yds seems to suggest my accuracy might be better than that at longer ranges.
Hope that helps.
"Do you want it "Right", or "Right now"? - always a good question.
2775 with a 185 TTSX is a very nice capability. Plan on hunting elk with that this year? Like to hear how it works. 8208 is my list of things to try, and clearly it is working well for the 338 FED. My 185 TTSX load is 2730-2740ish with excellent accuracy using TAC. 8208 is 'supposed' to be incredibly stable across a very wide temp range. Great, another thing I really need to try.
Son took medium sized moose this year on kalgin island, 100yds shoulder hit with the federal 200gr fusion, performed perfectly, for now that will be my bullet. Broke both shoulders, stopped under skin on far side, perfect mushroom.
Received some 210 Partitions from fellow 24hr member scottfromdallas and loaded them up with 2000-MR today. Didn't have a chrono, but the first three at 52gr shot .5". Especially good on a day where loads I thought were trusty shot rather poorly. Might suggest some operator error... Maybe the Barnes are picky about copper in the barrel? It was pretty dirty from multiple types of bullets. Anyway, looking forward to shooting the 210 more and if it gets me even close to the 2660 Scott was seeing I'll be quite pleased. That would make a real nice elk load!
Glad they work for you. My rifle is a picky bastard and only seems to like 200 Hot-Cors, Accubonds and Ballistic Silvertips. Hot-Cors give me the best accuracy so I'm stocking up before they get replaced with the deep curl.
A few Hot Cors did arrive at your door didn't they? Hope so! The good news is the bullets you listed will probably kill just about anything you want to shoot.
Shot some IMR 8208 XBR in the 338 Fed yesterday. No chrono, but accuracy was the best across the board I've seen. Was with 180 BTs, 200 Hot Cors and 185 TTSXs all with Fed 210 Primers and Federal brass. Also tried some 200 SSTs with H4895 and 210 primers. Accuracy had been so-so with BR2s but was fantastic with the 210s. Food for thought.
I know I'm late to this party, but has anyone (thats still looking here anyways) tried the Leverevolution powder in the 338 Fed? I loaded a 200 gr BT over 48.2 grn of LVR powder and got groups of 0.7-0.8 out of 22 in barrel and wanted to know if anyone else had similar results. Also, I haven't had time to chrono this load and wanted to know if someone had a fps on LVR powder of any charge/bullet combo.
Hodgdon states that 49.0 grn of LVR will push a 210 Scirocco at 2622 from a 24 in barrel. So I was guessing my 200 grn BT was close to 2600. Thoughts?
I'm hopeful to push a 210 Scirocco 2550+ for a Dec elk hunt.
I'll have to dig up my notes for details, but I have tried LVR with 210 Partitions and the 210 Scirocco II. If I recall, it was very accurate with the Sciroccos. I have not had the opportunity to chrono that load however. Finding the right length is key to accuracy with the Scirocco IIs I've found. I do know that I can get just under 2600 (2580s?) using TAC and the Scirocco II (that's a 22" barrel). Just over 2600 with the 210 TTSX. Have not been able to get the 210 TTSX to shoot at all for accuracy though. 8208 XBR has been very accurate for me with 180 BTs and 185 TTSXs, and 200 Hot Cors, and book indicates velocities should be good too. You should have no problem getting a 200gn well over 2600. I have tried 200 SSTs with H4895 and got 2667 avg on the chrono.
Edit: guess I repeated some of what I written above. That was awhile ago...
At 46 and 47 grn of TAC my acuuracy dropped a bit to about 1.2-1.5 inches shooting the same 200 grn BT. Maybe this was shooter error but that was my first impression.
46 gr of TAC worked well with the 210 Sciroccos. Seems like I went to 48.5 with the 200 Hot Cor and SST, but accuracy evidently wasn't great (can't find a note) but I ended up using 2000MR and H4895 respectively.
My accuracy went out the window with the 2000MR, nothing less than 2.5 inches. that was with four differenet charges and two differnt shooting sessions.
Do you feel the SST are stout enough for elk at ranges of 200+ yards?
I haven't shot the SSTs into game so take it for what it's worth, but it's probably the one bullet I would not use on anything. They completely blow apart on anything I've shot at (soft rotting wood, stumps, phone books, etc). The 185 TTSX has been the easiest to get to shoot and they look like a magazine commercial no matter what I shoot them into. Another bullet that has pleasantly surprised me is the 200 Hot Cor.
Yeah, I have been getting really good groups with the Fusion factory ammo (.75") and have read online of several people using them on elk and moose. The Fusions will be my back-up plan if powder or bullets or brass goes scarse this summer. I have a couple of boxes stowed away. They seemed to be he only factory stuff I can get anyways.
Was finally able to shoot across the chrono yesterday. It was a horrible day for shooting groups, VERY gusty. But the the 185 TTSXs were still solid, the 200 Hot Cor the best on average (.9" to 1.2") with some okay (considering conditions) groups from the others (1" to 1.3"). All rounds for the Kimber are at 2.815ish for magazine considerations. I was also trying different techniques with the Kimber so I'm sure there is plenty of room for improvement there. I did learn that the Kimber does not like to be fired off the bench with a bipod and no forend support. Rather lively at the bench shall we say...especially with the 210s. Here is what I saw: New Fed brass for most, all velocities are corrected to muzzle velocity.
Just found this thread. Great info. Looking for an all around deer/hog bullet for my 338 fed. Shooting 200 ge sst's over imr 3031 right now. Killed a 120lb deer and a 200lb hog with it so far. Wasn't thrilled with bullet performance on the deer and I hit the hog right behind the eye. Not much of a test there. Looking at going with the 200gr accubonds or 185 tsx. How much will the tsx open up at 338 fed speed? My only fear with the tsx is not getting enough expansion on our small deer.
Would like to hear about the SST on game. My experience is with plinking. Got them to shoot real well with H4895 (~2660) but they literally turn to dust when they hit something. Almost to the point of being weird. Nothing but parts of a jacket and grey powder and tiny bits of grey material everywhere. I would guess the TSX or the AB would be great on deer and hogs. How does the 3031 work? I'm always looking for new things to fiddle with. H4895 is real good with 200gn bullets.
Made a bad shot on the deer. Hit low and too far back on a deer that was quartering to me. The bullet exited between his legs. Threw what amounted to shrapnel through a ham. It worked but I would be worried on something bigger or badder, such as a big bore hog. Normally I head shoot the hogs unless I want the skull for a mount. If it's big enough to mount it's big enough to worry about the sst. Works for the deer around here, but I just don't trust it on a shoulder shot on a 300 lb pig
The rifle is a custom Savage with a #5 contour McGowen at 20 inches long. Light rail and Surefire light for Texas hogs at night. I don't remember my exact load but I think it's right around 44 grains of 3031 for 2585-2590 fps. Again, don't have my data in frount of me so don't try that at home. I had better velocity and accuracy with the short barrel and 3031 than I did with H4895. I've got enough stuff to load for around the house so if I can find one bullet for deer and hogs that would be great. I mainly use the rifle for hogs but since its duracoated I sometimes use it for a foul weather deer gun, so I load that works better for hogs is what I'm after. Thanks for the quick replies.
Sounds like a pretty cool rifle. I tried to get Savage's new Model 11 lightweight hunter in 338 Fed but their custom shop wouldn't chamber in the Fed. Had to be something they already did in at least one other rifle. Thus, got a Kimber MT. The TSX/TTSX sounds like a good way to go to me. Or, if you're not worried about range, the 210 Partition would put the hurt on a big hog!
Well, I finally had a chance to test the 225 DeepCurl. I started out with 50 grains and worked up to 52 grains of Alliant 2000 MR. No pressure signs with any load.
I also checked the 200 Hot Cor with 52 grains and it clocked right at 2550, a far cry from Alliant's published 2725 fps. 48 grains of R15 registered right around 2500 fps.
Based on tests, I think I have room to work up the Hot Cor to possibly 54 grains of 2000 MR ( I have a ton of Hot Cors).
I also need to load more of the Deepcurls and test for accuracy. I never thought the 338 Federal could approach 2550 fps with a 225 grain bullet. This combo appears to be a winner considering it's a bonded core, has a .491 BC, and costs the same as the 200 Hot Cor.
The 225 Deep Curl would be an interesting load. That's not too bad of speeds at all. Would certainly put the hurt on something and the bullets should hold together very well at those speeds. I was no where near their published numbers with the 200gn either. 8208, H4895 & TAC are all much better for the 200s. Usually low to mid-2600s. I have some more 200 Hot Cors loaded up with 8208 I need to run through the chrono tomorrow. They've shown good accuracy (.9s in poor conditions), but didn't chono them yet.
Got some 185 TTSX on the way. I have H4895, 8208, 3031, and RL-15 on hand. I think I can get some TAC at the range. Any sugestions on where to start for a short (20") barrel? How far off the lands are y'all seating them. Any suggested starting points would help as I've never shot all copper bullets before. Thanks.
Using the 185 TTSX I was .050 off with my Ruger and am waaaay off with the Kimber due to mag length restrictions. Both shoot well. Of those powders, I've only used 8208 with the 185 TTSX and really like it. I find 8208 and TAC both excellent. Probably a tad more velocity with TAC, but both comfortable in the low to mid 2700s. 8208 is supposedly extremely stable across temps, but TAC is supposedly good as well. My go to loads for each are 48gn 8208 and 48.5 TAC using 210 Fed primers and Fed brass. I've run them each higher but am comfortable where they are as far as velocity and they have been fired in high temps and fairly hot chambers with no pressure signs. Edit: those powder loads, while the OAL is different, work well is both my rifles. Oh, and your question about psi. The Barnes show less pressure than others I've found (I.e. 180 BT vs. 185 TTSX, the Barnes shows less psi signs at the same charge weight). Give yourself a buffer to work to 48ish.
"Looking for what has worked for you, or not. Velocities, powders, barrel lengths, etc."
I love these "Give me your best load so I don't have to figger out what my rifle likes" threads; ten pages - so far - and no two are the same but all are correct ... for the poster!
"Looking for what has worked for you, or not. Velocities, powders, barrel lengths, etc."
I love these "Give me your best load so I don't have to figger out what my rifle likes" threads; ten pages - so far - and no two are the same but all are correct ... for the poster!
Boom, I appreciate your sarcasism. But for me and I'm assuming others, it is great to see what others are doing and getting. Not having all day to mess around with loads and being relatively new to reloading (and not having a huge stockpile of powders lying around) it helps a lot see what powders are constantly popping up and what powders are being used without alotta published load data from manufact. And, maybe not for this thread, I like seeing how actual loads perform on actual game. Manufacturers website can blow all the smoke they want, but there is no substitute for first hand results, or in this case second hand accounts from those who did the tests. I heard all the BS about Barnes bullets performing at vel as low as 1600fps, but I have tested Barnes Org with an impact vel of about 2000 fps and got a bullet that simply went around corners, no mushroom. An ethical hunter should know his/her personal and gears limitations, and threads like this help in doing that.
Did some fiddling with primers today. Using 185 TTSXs and 180 BTs, and TAC and 8208 XBR and then loading each with Fed 210s and BR2s. Found that with 8208, groups were the same regardless of primer. But with TAC, the BR2 groups were much better with both of the bullets. Surprised me. Just tossing this out there to see if anyone has found anything similar.
Just posted this on Savage Shooters but it works for this thread too.
It's been almost a year since I did any serious work with my stash of Nosler 180 gr. Ballistic Tips so last week I got started again. I've already got a good hog/deer load for my rifle using the Hornady 200 gr. SP Interlock but the Ballistic Tip should be pretty good too. Here's how the Ballistic Tip was working last year.
This load used reformed .308 Remington brass. I've got a good supply of unprimed .338 Federal brass now so I decided to stick with those. Hodgdon H4895 has always work great in my Model 11 but I decided to work up some loads with Accurate 2230-C just to see how ball powder would do. I'm a little leery about using ball powder during the cold deer/rifle season so I'll probably stay with H4895 when hunting.
Here are the chronograph results with the above load (but using Federal cases this time). Barrel is a PAC-NOR, 24 inch, 1 in 10 twist, 3-groove.
Bullet: Nosler 180 gr. Ballistic Tip Powder: Hodgdon H4895 46.0 grs. Primer: CCI-200 Case: Federal LOAL: 2.895 (2.250 base to ogive with Stoney Point) Avg. Velocity: 2674.02 fps Spread: 39.97 Std Dev: 15.81 Comments: Seated to fit the magazine, 0.043 jump to lands. Five shots group at 100 yards measured one inch.
And my initial load using Accurate 2230-C.
Bullet: Nosler 180 gr. Ballistic Tip Powder: Accurate 2230-C 45.0 grs. Primer: Federal 215 Case: Federal LOAL: 2.895 (2.250 base to ogive with Stoney Point) Avg. Velocity: 2629.39 fps Spread: 23.45 Std Dev: 10.19
And here is the second ball powder load tested today (96� F - Ugh!)
Bullet: Nosler 180 gr. Ballistic Tip Powder: Accurate 2230-C 46.0 grs. Primer: Federal 215 Case: Federal LOAL: 2.895 (2.250 base to ogive with Stoney Point) Avg. Velocity: 2692.53 fps Spread: 21.54 Std Dev: 10.81
I forgot to measure the 100 yard group but here's a picture (4 shots).
i'm thinking that will work. If you want to try something, TAC has really proven itself to me in the 338 FED. You'll get 2800ish with the 180BTs, maybe a bit more given a 24" barrel, and very temp stable too. JB ran 49gn, I've settled on 48.5. Mild pressure signs with 49gn in ~100deg conditions and rather toasty rifle. Definitely the extreme. Some initial indications my accuracy is better with BR2s than FED 210s, need to get a few more data points though. Of course YMMV. 8208 is good with 180/185s as well, but I'll see pressure at slightly lower velocities than TAC. Lots of good choices out there.
Elk hunt 'round the corner. Anyone got any updates on loads?
I'm looking at 210 Scir, Fed 215,48.6 LVR. No chrono on this, but I'm guessing btwn 2575-2625 based on previous data of mine and others. At 7,000+ feet, I feel good to about 300-350 yards.
Now that the heat wave is over and fall is almost here I've been working on a new .338 Federal hunting load again. Accurate 2230-C has been shooting great (five shot, 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards) but I just don't like using ball powders in cold hunting conditions. I've been using 8208 XBR and it looks a great powder if you want velocity. We were letting some teens try out our rifles today so I didn't get to shoot for groups - but I did get the chronograph results. IMPRESSIVE! Normal extraction, rounded primers - could probably push it some more (I don't want to!)
Bullet: Nosler 180 gr. Ballistic Tip Powder: IMR 8208 XBR 48.0 grs Primer: CCI-BR2 Case: Federal LOAL: 2.895 (2.250 base to ogive with Stoney Point) Avg. Velocity: 2768.83 fps Spread: 20.29 Std Dev: 6.63
Guys I have just not had time to do anything with my .338 Federal it has been in the box for almost a year!
Finally going to have some time to tinker. I have all the componets I need except brass & dies so plan to order some. The Federal head stamped brass is not available any where I checked on line, so I will neck up some .308 brass. What brand .308 brass is best to neck up? Also other than normal factory tolerances is there any appreciable differences in RCBS or Redding for a std. 2 die set in .338 federal?
308 Lapua brass worked very for me. But then again so did old Federal 308 Win brass (the internet says it's not good and that it's not possible for that brass to work...whatever). RCBS worked fine for me, but now use custom dies.
Federal 308's have worked great for me. I run 46gr H4895 and the 200gr Interlocks and they have accounted for a pretty good pile of game. I checked them this summer and they averaged 2620fps out of my Tikka. Great cartridge and easy to shoot. T.S.
Against the wishes of many, my W-W brass is now on it's sixth firing. Couldn't recommend hunting with that brass anymore, just saying it has held up well while making test loads. Started using the cheap junk because it has less brass-more volume than several other brands I weighed.
Switched to Lee custom dies only because I read positive things about them. Send them a couple pieces of fired brass and a bullet and they will make them for that particular rifle.
Short story,I purchased a Sako 85 S in 338 Federal. Fired 8 rounds of Fusion 200 grain and the grouping was about 5 inches at 100 yards. I removed the action and saw right away what the problem was. I took it around to several gun smiths and one of them knew what the problem was before was before I even open my mouth. Only problem was that he was about 5-6 mounts out. Well I got it back on Thursday and took it out today. I had loaded 10 rounds of 200 grain Hornady with 64.2 grains of RL 15 to get on target. Groups were under 1 inch and I�m pleased. I recently picked up some Hodgdon Lever and loaded two rounds at 50, 51 and 52 grains behind Sierra 215 gr. Spitzer�s to try out. Lever is a ball powder, the temps were at 28 degrees and I used standard Win. Large primers. Recoil was stout. Bullet placement with 50 grains of Lever behind Sierra 215 gr. Spitzer�s was 2 inches above the 200 grain Hornady. 51 gr. of Lever was yet another 2 1/4 in. above that and 52 gr. of Lever still higher. To much bad weather to bring out the chronograph. But even without the chronograph I can tell that Lever is something special. It looks like Lever has only performance gains for the 210, 215 and 225 grain bullets. I also will have to try some different primers, as there were some signs of unburnt powder. I�m thinking mag.primers and careful load development are in order, along with the Oehler by my side. Thanks Dave
Personally, I would stay away from the 215 Gameking. A few of us experimented with that bullet at 338 Fed speeds and had trouble getting it to open. It's built for 338 WIn Mag speeds. If you really want to shoot 225 bullets, try the Interlock or the Speer Deepcurl.
I have found 200 Hot Cors and 200 Ballistic Silvertips to be the most accurate in mine.
wild wilson, what was the problem with your rifle? I am new to reloading, only been doin it a year or so. what shell holder do you need for the .338 Federal? i assume since no one makes a special one that a .308 holder works. I have a Hawkeye and was wondering what problems people ran into with this model? I hope to start loading ASAP.
Any problems with the Hawkeye models? as soon as the weather gives a litttle, i am going to shoot some factory amm0. want to see the groups from that, then figure out my handloads later in the spring. I am going to start with Ramshot X-Terminator and Hornady 200 grain SP. when those are dialed in, i plan on workin up a load with Barnes 210 TSX. Love those Barnes! And I have a shell holder.
Does anybody have any loads for the 160gr TTSX using RL-15? Whitetails and the occasional bear is what I will use it for and should be the perfect load. Otherwise I will go to the 185gr TTSX. Thanks
In my opinion, RL15 would be very slow burning for the 160 TTSX. Barnes reloading data uses RL 7 for the 160. RL 15 would be better suited to the 185 though. A faster powder such as AA2230/X-Terminator, H322 or even IMR 8208 will get you more velocity, likely much more with the 160. I got 3044 on the chrono with AA2230 (Barnes book load) and in the low 2900s with 8208 (Hodgdon book load).
Thanks, I kind of thought that RL-15 was too slow. Just trying to decide which is the best bullet to use for whitetail/black bear. I keep going between the 160 TTSX, 185 TTSX, and the 200gr Speer hot core. Which of these bullets will put a whitetail down the fastest? I have RL-15, H4895, and Benchmark on hand.
Update on my post above. Gave up on the 215 grain sierra's on the advice from Scott in the post above. I thought I might start with Hornady 200 grain and IMR 8208 XBR. First I to establish a base, I use Fusion 200 grain (factory load) that clocked 2599 fps. average out of my Sako.
To the point, 47.0 grains of IMR 8208 averaged 2606 fps. over 5 shots with SD of 5fps. Out side temp. was 30 degrees. That is the max load recommended by Hodgdon. I upped � grain to 47.5 and the average was 2627 with SD of 1fps. for 3 shots. That�s the smallest standard deviation I have ever encountered. Size for all groups were under 1 inch. Primer: WLR, all 338 Federal cases crimped. Please remember the outside temperature was 30 degrees. Dave For got to add I changed to 200 gr. Hornady SP. Today I picked up some alliant 2000 mr which is a ball powder like lever. I hope it works better than Lever did in the cold weather.
This is a really great thread for those of us without 15 jugs of powder sitting around. I found this while trying to put together some basic loading information for a new rifle. I've got a Kimber 84M in 338 Federal on the way and hope to add to the discussion where I can.
I like the numbers you are getting. I will be shooting my DPMS 338 Fed soon so you are giving my lots of info. I have a couple hundred rounds of AE 185gr ammo to burn which will give me fire formed brass for it which will hopefully work well in the AR10. The box say's 2750fps.
Hey NSAQAM, Larry is very "IN", LOL You also dishonor the 28th division by using the unit patch as an insult. As for the liar, welcher Bricktop, his day is fast approaching. Coward trolls won't accept PMs. How's the phantom "campfire" coming ?
Fiddled with yet another combination this weekend. 200 Nosler E-Tips and TAC. Accuracy was not impressive while working up, but it did shoot one sub-1" group at 47.5gr. This was with Fed brass & BR2s with an COAL of 2.82. Ramshot's book max for a 200 Hornady is 48.7. I anticipate it may be a bit lower for the E-Tip given the bearing surface, but certainly can't verify that. Did not show any significant primer flattening up to 48.5. Speeds were 2610 at 47.5, 2635 at 48 and 2660 at 48.5. I also shot a few 200 Fusion rounds through the chrono for comparison and they were 2635 on average. Still the most accurate load I've found in this rifle is 160 TTSXs with AA2230 at .6" and they were clocked at 3010 for the three shot average.
I'm liking the looks of that 185TTSX for a 338WinMag I just bought (700 LSS cut to 22"). Even for such a "short" 338 bullet, the BC is .432, which is practically the same as the 130gr .277 and 150gr .308 Ballistic Tips, as well as our beloved 75gr .224 Amax. I'd call it sleek enough for what I want to do. Should hit hard without beating up a shooter too much.
Barnes book says .379 BC for the 185 gr .338 TTSX? Irregardless they shoot well in the Montana behind IMR 8208.
Not sure where you got .379. According to Barnes website, the 185 TSX is .352, while the 185 TTSX is .432. That's pretty good, as it's even better than any of the 200gn bullets. Starts faster (it's lighter), and it slows down less. That's a good combination.
Quick question. Those of you using reformed 308 brass, do I need to fireform or can I just go ahead and work up some max loads? Got my new SS McGowen mag contour barrel all mounted up on a Savage model 12 action and am itching to get shooting and see what it will do!
You never start at max whilst developing loads...start low work up after the 1st firing you will be fire formed...It seems you may be new to reloading?
Assuming you meant to say "work up to some max loads", yes, you can simply run 308 brass through a 338 FED full length sizing die and then load away. Only difference between the two is the neck diameter. Ought to shoot well, pictures required!
Assuming you meant to say "work up to some max loads"
Yep, that's what I meant. Sometime the fingers work faster than the brain early in the morning! Been reloading for many years but am used to fireforming with reduced loads for my 357 Herrett.
I did some chronograph testing this morning and got some interesting results. Rifle: E.R. Shaw mark VII. 22" barrel powder: allaint power pro 2000mr and Imr 8208. I was interested in alliant power pro 2000mr powder because of the promise of 2725fps with a 200gr bullet. I also tried IMR 8208 because it looked promising for 180 - 200 gr bullets. Results: 52gr of power pro 2000mr. 200gr Interlock = 2664 fps avg. 200gr Accubond = 2678 fps avd.
Interesting that with the power pro I got lower than listed speed but with the 8208 I got faster than listed speed. Accuracy between the two powders was too close to call. I think I'll stick with 8208 for now.
I also tried power pro in my 308 win. With 50gr of powder and a 165gr sst I got 2962 fps avg out of a 26" barrel!
Nice! What brass & primers are you using, and OAL ? Some loads are similar to what I've seen, others of yours are much faster. Your 47gr of 8208 with a 185 is nearly 100FPS faster with a grain less powder than I use. I tried to use 2000MR with a 200 E-Tip but it's too compressed (at 2.82").
Federal brand brass, CCI #200 primer 185gr TTSX set .03 off the lands. I did make a mistake with the above post and I too used 48gr of 8208. The 2000MR was a bit slower than the 8208 in the 338fed with 200gr bullets but in my .308 the 2000MR was 135fps faster than 8208 with 165gr bullets. Again accuracy was too close to call so I'll be sticking with the 8208 for the 338 and 2000MR with the 308.
I did some more chronograph testing today. I was testing for accuracy (neck size only vs full length size). I got a slight improvement in accuracy with the neck size die but what surprised me was the velocity difference. The load: 48gr 8208, CCI #200, 185gr Barnes TTSX set .03 off. Neck size = 2815 avg Full length size = 2763 avg
A question. I am about to embark on my first reloading venture and have chosen to reload for my DPMS LR 338 Federal which has only digested Federal Fusion 200's and with superb accuracy however, ammo around here is as scarce as hens teeth so I suppose I need to roll my own. I have 0 experience and am not even sure what all I will need to get this done. I believe I am picking up a Lee complete reloading kit off of another member soon. Has anyone loaded for one of these rifles? Any tips on what I will likely need and where I can get it? Thanks in advance..
I don't know what the Lee kit comes with but things to consider are. Brass, Bullets, primers, powder, scale, dies, funnel, caliper and a reloading manual. A good place to start looking is http://www.midwayusa.com/category/reloading-supplies
Ok, got the RCBS dies and went to work with my once shot 338 fed brass. Deprimed and sized then seated a 200gr hot cor bullet. Checked for length, dropped it in my magazine. I racked the rifle, fed fine but seems to be sticking on the extraction. Anyone else loading for the DPMS LR 338 or seen this?
Its a full length die. When sizing, the die seems to drag in the case on the way out. Its almost as though something is getting stuck in the case but the ram just yanks it out.
JB's article listed 49gn TAC for the 180 BT. Same bullet except for the bonding. I use 48.5 as I had a bit of primer flattening once. Granted, that was on an extremely hot day with an extremely hot rifle.
Maybe try another lube?? My 338 seems to be one of the easier rounds to size in terms of the pressure that it takes to get the sized case out of the die. Also, with semis, often times you may want a small base sizing die. Semi autos won't have the camming power of a bolt action, and many standard length sizing dies leave the base of your brass a little enlarged from the last firing. This could be a disaster in a platform that will fire when not totally in battery, such as an M1. Your AR platorm won't give you that problem.
I have a good laod for my Montana with the 200 Interlock now. It is a max load accordng to the Hodgdon website consisting of 47.0 grains of 8208, a WLR primer, and 308 Win R-P Brass.
The load went through the chronograph at an average of 2627 fps with a sandard deviation of 7.23 fps and an extreme spread of 16 fps. This is coming from a factory, 22" Kimber barrel.
This load hovers around MOA in my Montana. Some groups a little less, some a little more.
I think this bullet coupled with the Federals mild velocities will make the best combination to suit my interests, and the Interlock bullets are readily avialable and inexpensive to boot.
Hey guys just joined the campfire cause of this thread!! I picked up a safe queen-Kimber 84M Classic 338 fed. with a Zeiss 3x9-40 Conquest Rapid Z 600 on it for $800!! I generally shoot big power houses with extremely high B.C. bullets but this little gun won my heart over and I needed a new toy to play with. I just got done truing a batch a federal brass and plan on doing some extensive load development with the 160 ttsx, H4198, H322 and benchmark. I'll post my results as soon as I get to the range.
Golden Rule: One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.
I have a good laod for my Montana with the 200 Interlock now. It is a max load accordng to the Hodgdon website consisting of 47.0 grains of 8208, a WLR primer, and 308 Win R-P Brass.
The load went through the chronograph at an average of 2627 fps with a sandard deviation of 7.23 fps and an extreme spread of 16 fps. This is coming from a factory, 22" Kimber barrel.
This load hovers around MOA in my Montana. Some groups a little less, some a little more.
I think this bullet coupled with the Federals mild velocities will make the best combination to suit my interests, and the Interlock bullets are readily avialable and inexpensive to boot.
Ought to work!
Quote
...load development with the 160 ttsx, H4198, H322 and benchmark.
Curious how H322 does. Only tried AA2230 so far. It works fantastic in terms of speed & accuracy, but always like the Hodgdon extreme powders for stability. Don't know what temp stability AA2230 is, but it's a normal ball powder.
I've looked through most of the pages and sure it's already been asked but what bullets are similar to the Federal Fusions? I have a T/C that luv's the 200gr and I'd like to stick with a very similar bullet. If anyone can help I'd appreciate it. Also, has anyone tried the Ramshot Hunter in 338 Federal yet, and if so, how'd it perform?
Does anyone have any (on game) experience with the 160gr Barnes ttsx? I would like to try them on deer size game, any thoughts?
I loaded up a bunch of 160TTSX last year and used them exclusively during last years hunting season. Accuracy was excellent from my Ruger. I killed 3 deer and 6 hogs with them. Nothing ran more than about 25 yards.
No bullets were recovered, including one that I shot quartering through about a 220 pound hog - took out front shoulder and opposite side ham, kept going. This was my fastest drop of all the animals taken. The big hog just flopped down dead on the spot. My buck was a smaller management deer and he ran at full speed for about 25 yards before dropping out. Both does and most of the hogs traveled a few yards, fell, got up, circled, fell again, etc.
Certainly can't complain with the performance, all game recovered. Still, IMO they are still to heavily built for deer hunting. I have seemingly got a lot more/quicker "bang flops" using 150grn SST's out of my 30-06. This has prompted me to develop a 200grn SST load for my 338Fed. I'm getting very good accuracy with this bullet in my rifle and will hunt with it this year for comparison sake.
I tried the 200 sst on deer. It worked but came apart.
Can you elaborate a bit? Good penetration or pretty explosive? They have shot well for me but seemed very fragile in my informal bullet tests. A little fragile may not necessarily be a bad thing with deer.
I made a bad shot. Hit the last rib and came out between his legs. Left about a 5 inch hole coming out. Threw a small piece of lead all the way through a ham. Blew up everything inside. Made a heck of a thump when it hit. I would use it again on deer but it is primarily a hog gun so I switched to 185gr ttsx. Don't remember the load with the sst but it was doing 2585 out of a 20" barrel.
Finally got some time to shoot, and well I'm not exactly impressed with any thing at this point, can't get anything to be consistent especially the groups. This little sucker is extremely difficult for me to shoot. I'm use to guns around that 10 lb range with scope etc.. I've lightened the trigger up substantially, and I bear hug the piss out of it to keep it from wiggling in the sand bags. Guess I'll try benchmark and tac next and if nothing comes together the gun will be gone. Here is what I have so far.
All were with federal 210 match primers 160 TTSX and H322 47.5 2.835 OAL 2885 avg velocity >2" 47.5 2.820 OAL 2905 avg velocity 1.25" 47.5 2.800 OAL 2900 avg velocity 1.25" 48.0 2.820 OAL 2890 avg velocity >2" 48.0 2.800 OAL 2955 avg velocity >2" 48.5 2.820 OAL 2895 avg velocity >2" 48.5 2.800 OAL 2910 avg velocity >2"
I've been shooting the 185 ttsx on top of imr8208 with good luck. Less than one inch measured outside to outside at 2700 fps from a 20" barrel. Been seating them to magazine length in a save action
Finally got some time to shoot, and well I'm not exactly impressed with any thing at this point, can't get anything to be consistent especially the groups. This little sucker is extremely difficult for me to shoot. I'm use to guns around that 10 lb range with scope etc.. I've lightened the trigger up substantially, and I bear hug the piss out of it to keep it from wiggling in the sand bags. Guess I'll try benchmark and tac next and if nothing comes together the gun will be gone. Here is what I have so far.
All were with federal 210 match primers 160 TTSX and H322 47.5 2.835 OAL 2885 avg velocity >2" 47.5 2.820 OAL 2905 avg velocity 1.25" 47.5 2.800 OAL 2900 avg velocity 1.25" 48.0 2.820 OAL 2890 avg velocity >2" 48.0 2.800 OAL 2955 avg velocity >2" 48.5 2.820 OAL 2895 avg velocity >2" 48.5 2.800 OAL 2910 avg velocity >2"
Yeah we did that this morning with the accubond load. I just double checked everything to make sure it was tight and it is. I guess I'll just rebarrel it and put a bigger scope on it;)
Golden Rule: One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.
I'd be curious what some Tubbs Final Finish would do? I assume the crown is fine and the stock isn't making inconsistent contact. Or, just rebarrel it like you said and be done with it.
I wouldn't give up on it yet, may take more load development. Also, Kimbers heat up fast because of the thin barrel so time between shots and outside temp will greatly influence group size.
Yep, that's why I've never regretted putting a varmint contour on my Savage. The bigger bore and barrel flutes kept the weight within reason (about 11 lbs with scope) and I don't waste time waiting for the barrel to cool down.
Yep, that's why I've never regretted putting a varmint contour on my Savage. The bigger bore and barrel flutes kept the weight within reason (about 11 lbs with scope) and I don't waste time waiting for the barrel to cool down.
That would be a great mountain rig.
Travis
Originally Posted by Geno67
Trump being classless,tasteless and clueless as usual.
Originally Posted by Judman
Sorry, trump is a no tax payin pile of shiit.
Originally Posted by KSMITH
My young wife decided to play the field and had moved several dudes into my house
Bwana, I can't afford one anymore. The days when I was carried to my stand on a gilded litter (with beautiful girls to serve me grapes and wine) are sadly over. Tough times all around!
I get where you guys are coming from, but I only have to walk about 1/4 mile tops to get to my stand. If I have to do any real walking I just take my Tikka T3 Lite 30-06. It's great to have choices!
If you don't have to carry it a lot I see nothing wrong with being heavy. I managed to lug a 26" barreled 308 around the Rockies. I survived, but I now have an 84M for that. What bullets are you shooting there? 200 Hornadys and ABs?
Yes, Hornady 200 gr. Interlocks and Nosler 180 gr. AccuBonds. I've got a good pile of Nosler 180 gr. Ballistic Tips so I might give those a try this year. Nosler really should bring the 180 gr. Ballistic Tip back.
Hey, you guys really didn't fall for that big windy about a gilded pallet and serving girls - right?
Last edited by pbcaster45; 08/08/12. Reason: spelling
Hi All, new here, sorry I'm late to this thread. Lots of good stuff here.
Shooting a Kimber 84M 338Federal (weighs 6lbs11oz w/Leupold 3x9 LRD). Love the feel of it and the wood is almost too pretty.
Tried every factory load just for the heck of it and to get the brass (I know I could use 308's but I was just trying bullets anyway and breaking in). It liked the 200 Fusion and the 210 Partition best(around 1in. each)and the 185 Barnes the least...so, so for the 180 and 200 AB's (my load).
Right now, I'm shooting 200gr Hot-Cor's over 52gr Aliant 2000MR per their book with 210 Fed primers and getting 2750 over my Chrono and 1.1 inch for 3 shots (more and it starts tracking off).
I can hit the steel at 400yds every time with the extra aim points and have the traj. mapped (not that I plan on shooting an elk that far off with this...but I could if I had to).
Does kick a bit in this light gun but I'll never notice when hunting. Anyway, I may try other loads for something to do but this is looking great! I'll let you know.
Oh yes, 53+ years reloading and NRA Life Member. I may have been born at night but not last night.
I have a bunch of the 180 BTs as well and plan on putting at least one through a deer this year.
Tough bullet, the jacket is VERY thick at the base so even if the core separates you still have a 100+ grain jacket pushing through. The one I recovered from magazines weighed 102 grains compared to 62 grains for the jacket of the 200 SST.
One vote for Federal Fusion 200 gr at least for killing paper. Finally shot my Remington 700 LVSF that was rebored and rechambered from 22-250 to 338 Federal on Saturday. First three shots at 100 yards all touched. Second group all in 10 ring after adjustin POA.
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