Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Good 338 Federal loads

Thx for that. I missed that one. Which is okay I guess since it is now discontinued.

Yes, it was the MRX 185 gr in the Barnes #4 manual that I quoted at .379...... thanks for the correction for the TTSX!

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!

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.

47gr of 8208.
200gr Interlock = 2696 fps avg.
200gr Accubond = 2720 fps avg.

48gr of 8208
185gr TTSX = 2815 fps avg.

49gr of 8208.
180gr Accubond = 2875 fps avg.

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

When you don't FL resize - it's more efficient....no wasted energy to fill the 'slop' between the case and the chamber...

I always partial size for hunting loads, works for me - speed + accuracy....

Good thread...good round/loads/performance.

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?

Is the RCBS a neck size or full length size die? Semi-autos do best with full length sizing.

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.

Make sure you lube the inside of the case neck before resizing.

Yep, did that. Lubed both inside of neck and outside to the base..

I picked up some 180 Accubonds yesterday. It should make a heckuva deer round.

Does anyone have minimum and maximum load data for TAC or Exterminator? Would it be the same as for the 185 TSX?

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.