Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles .338WM load suggestions

For the life of me, I can't see the logic in using any bullet under 200 gr. in a .338 wm. If ya wanna use a 180, then get a .30 cal. something.
FWIW, my hunting load in my .338 is 73 gr. of Rldr-22 and a 225 gr. Northfork. A 225 gr Partition is god but I find the NF slightly more accurate and performs as good or maybe better than a Partition. I'd use one of those 2 bullets tho.
Bear in Fairbanks

And the 225-grain .338 bullets are very close to the 220-grain .308 bullets, too.

I have shot the 210 grn. Nosler P. before but still contend that the .338 mag needs heavier bullets to reap all the benefits this caliber can dish out on tough game like elk and bear etc.

I have really gone to just 2 weights in bullets lately and that is the .225 grain bullet and the 275 grain Swift A Frame. It really penetrates deep and whopps critters real hard.

Great logic - for rich dudes. Some of us can't buy new rifles for every use. It's a heck of a lot cheaper to load lighter bullets for small deer and 'lopes than to buy a new .30-caliber rifle. Maybe it's years of too much recoil that made him say that......


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I'd contend the 338 requires heavier bullets for those of us that love it need to justify its use over a 300; problem is that it takes a 250/338 to equal a 200/308. The only real number that wins is the .030, which varies when bullets open up and fold down. Maybe that is a number that matters. I frankly don't know.

I have no experience on really large game, but certain 200, 225 and 230 grain bullets perform so much like the 250's on smaller stuff I just don't buy the rationale. I LIKE it, but its not something I'd bet on.

Now the 300gr. SMK has some real merit