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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 227
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Campfire Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 227 |
I wish one could find the Nosler BT/CT bullets in 338, I would love to throw them into my 338-06ai
last year I loaded 200 grain accubonds, but thinking this year I will keep accubonds for bear season and load some hornady ftx or sst to try on deer
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Get a box of Hornady 225 interlocks, pretty sure they will cover everything. Pretty much that right there. If I have any question about whether I can keep the bullet off the big bones or not, then I'd run a like-weight Partition instead. Shot my first elk with the 225 Interlock from a 338 Win Mag. First shot was broadside behind the shoulder - dead on his feet but not down. Aimed for bone on the second shot - broke the near shoulder and the bullet angled up through the neck stopping just under the hide on the far side. He dropped immediately, maybe two steps from the first shot. The bullet expanded perfectly with good weight retention - I wouldn't be afraid to use it again on large bone... That bullet would likely be my first choice in a 338-06.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 17,491
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 17,491 |
My view on bullet choice goes something like this anymore….if I'm 99% certain I can keep my bullets off the big bones, then cup and cores are fine. If I'm 99% sure I can hit major bones, I'm good with monolithics like the TSX or GMX. If I'm not 99% certain of either of those conditions, then I prefer something like a Partition. I believe the TTSX is probably equivalent. Even low speed, glancing, big bone impacts can be pretty tough on C&Cs.
Sometimes, the air you 'let in'matters less than the air you 'let out'.
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Joined: Apr 2013
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Well I broke down and ordered a few of the Nosler 225 Accubonds while SPS has them on sale. They oughtta work just fine for deer and wapiti.
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 885
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I agree 225 interlock is great even in the 338 rum
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,337
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Well put Kliktarik..a can of hash works.
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Joined: May 2010
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 189
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bigswede, premiums not necessary but are great insurance. I have a 338-06AI and use the Scirocco with great success. I fireformed with Sierra 215gr GK's. They shot great but never ever killed anything with them so can't comment on that end of it. One thing though is that I can't see them being harder than a Scirocco. Look at a cutaway of both and you'll see what I mean. I've shot both elk and moose with the Scirocco's and every time they opened fully and reliably. So gotta believe the 215gr GK would too. Hope this helped.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 17,491
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2003
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Many people assume Sierra bullets are soft - across the board- without realizing that Sierra relies on specific lead alloys in the core material to help control the expansion qualities of the bullet. This together with jacket alloy (bronze vs copper for the Swift) as well as varying characteristics specific to the bullet in question, mean that some Sierra bullets act pretty 'hard'. The 338 Gamekings are among them. (I have driven the 250 Gameking completely through the shoulders of a large moose (at 400 yards) where a 250 Grand Slam on a very similar shoulder shot at around 200 was stopped. Both largely involved shoulder muscles rather than bone. Both were fired from a 340 Weatherby.)
Last edited by Klikitarik; 04/17/15.
Sometimes, the air you 'let in'matters less than the air you 'let out'.
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 293
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Campfire Member
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I've only used the 338-06 on deer and black bear. Don't think either new the difference between the 200 gr. Speer or 210 gr. Nosler Partition. If I was to go for elk or moose the price of the bullet would be a major concern. Lately I've been loading 210 gr. Partitions because the price was right at SPS. Just don't tell the bear that the bullet was a second.
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Joined: Sep 2006
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I have an AI. I've only shot the 215 SGKs from the bench. (Although I carried them on an unsuccessful elk hunt.) They shoot like a house a'fire over Re-15. The "too hard" info is news to me. I believe it, but I don't think it'd discourage me from carrying them again on a hunt.
That said, I have recently been getting the rifle ready for a high country muley hunt. Bucks are hard to come by, but, if you see one, it's a pretty chance it'll be a good-sized animal. I bought some 200 NAB blems from SPS and was blown away by how good they shoot over Re-15. I might be hard pressed to go back to the Sierras.
Murphy was a grunt.
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Good info. ^^^^^^
Lots of good stuff here guys. Thanks.
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,291 Likes: 2
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
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If I were running a 338-06 again for elk or moose I'd use either a 200 NBT, 200 NAB or 210 NP.
Any of those will work on any beast alive.
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 33,781 Likes: 9
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 33,781 Likes: 9 |
The 210 gr NP is a great bullet in the 338-06.
Conduct is the best proof of character.
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 284
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2003
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Bigswede,
I'm not trying to be a smartass but why not use a premium bullet?
The bullet is cheap compared to your other hunt expenses and is a whole lot more important than most of your other gear.
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 3,249
Campfire Tracker
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For the confidence that comes from experience, perhaps? I have a couple of rifles that perform better with premiums and one or two that you can run just about any old slug through and get good accuracy and results. My experience is limited to southern (read small) whitetails, hogs and coyotes so take that into account.
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Bigswede,
I'm not trying to be a smartass but why not use a premium bullet?
The bullet is cheap compared to your other hunt expenses and is a whole lot more important than most of your other gear. Why not a premium? Because I find it hard to justify spending almost double the money for the same effect. I've mostly shot Sierra Gameking, Hornady Interlock, and Speers, both hotcor and grandslams. I was asking about premiums because every game animal I've shot with the above bullets died like it was suppose too. I have had little experience with Accubonds, used them on a deer about 10 years ago out of a rifle I no longer have. It was a small test being one animal, so that is why I was asking how people liked them, especially at moderate muzzle velocity. Fortunately, SPS has the 225 on sale, so I bought some to try.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,226
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For $.40-.45 per blem bullets via SPS (when in stock), affordable premiums are within reach.
Murphy was a grunt.
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For $.40-.45 per blem bullets via SPS (when in stock), affordable premiums are within reach. Yup, SPS is about the only time I purchase Nosler bullets.
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 46,268 Likes: 2
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
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210 gr Partitions at 2800 fps are worth it to me, the extra peace of mind should an odd angle shot have to be taken is plenty alone, not to mention the outstanding accuracy.
Trump Won!
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