Just picked up a rifle in 338-06 AI, need suggestions on what powder others have had success with in this caliber. I have some 200 gr nosler accubonds and 200 gr hornady sst bullets.

Thanks

I saw great accuracy with both IMR4064 and RL-15 in my plain-jane .338-06, with 200 - 250gr bullets. IMR4350 gave better velocities with the heavier bullets, though.

Mine is the plain 338-06,but at least this might give you some reference on where to start and go up from there.My rifle also shoots 200gr Silver Ballistic Tips and Accubonds the same point of impact.I've only shot 200gr Nosler Silver Ballistic Tips,180gr and 200gr Accubonds and 210gr Nosler Partitions.They run around 2800fps and it shoots about as flat as a 30-06 with 165gr bullets.The 225gr would probably be a good bullet too,but it would be a little slower and would be about like a 200gr in the 30-06.As for powders,just about everything between Varget to 4350.I use a WLRM Primer in mine.I really don't see much difference between the WLR and the WLRM primers,so I quit buying standard primers and just shoot the magnum primers in my 308 Win,30-06,338-06,7mag and 300 mag.Some of the powders I shoot are ball powder and they recommend a magnum primer.
Here are some of my loads:
180gr Accubond 58.0grs Varget 3010fps
180gr Accubond 60.0grs Big Game 2940fps
200gr Accubond 60.0grs 760
200gr Accubond 62.0grs H4350 2740fps
200gr Accubond 63.0grs Hunter 2730fps
200gr Accubond 59.5grs BLC-2 2830fps
200gr Accubond 56.0grs Varget 2849fps
210gr Partition 54.0grs Varget 2721fps
200gr Accubond 59.0grs CFE223 2807fps
200gr Accubond 59.0grs Big Game 2812fps
200gr Accubond 61.0grs Accurate 4350 2661fps
210gr Partition 59.0grs Accurate 4350 2777fps

Thanks for sharing

With my 200gr & 210gr bullets I’ve tried IMR4320, IMR4064, RL15 & Varget. I’ve settled on 4064 as a nice blend of accuracy & velocity in my rifles. I plan on trying Ramshot Big Game & Hunter sometime soon.

I have an Ackley Improved 338-06, which is not to be confused with a standard 338-06. They're different animals. In data to follow, bullets are seated approx. .010 -.015" from the rifling in all loads. Velocity is instrumental at 10' not corrected to MV. All groups were 4 shot, rested from a bench. The rifle has a snug chamber which was throated short for 210 Ptns seated to 3.340". Speer 200s to the same OAL, & 200 CT BTs are at 3.360" OAL to fit the magazine & feed. WLR primers in all loads. Seating depth will make an accuracy difference. Note that Accubonds often seem to like some jump, but not always.

***Approach my loads with caution. My stuff is different than your stuff.***

My favorite load so far... H4350 poured slow, case tapped & settled as possible can fit 66 gr in my fireformed cases. It just gets to 3000fps out of my 25" barrel with 200 Speer Sptzr, the 200 CT Ball. Tip, & 210 Partitions. Except for OAL on the CT, these 3 bullets are virtually interchangeable in my rifle. Speers are used for development cuz they're the cheapest & I have a pile of them. All 3 shoot around an inch or less for 4 shot groups with a 1.5-5x scope. More magnification would likely shrink groups further. After 6 or 7 firings primer pockets remain snug.

Other loads...
Acc.2700 pressured out around 63gr @2850fps with Speer 200s.
RL19 filled cases with 66 gr @2821fps with the Speers.
With RL17 I've seen 2967fps @ 63.5 gr. with the Speers. Accuracy wasn't as good as H4350.
RL16 ran out of case capacity @ 65gr. for just over 2900fps with the Speers. Fair accuracy.
W760 pressured out with 66.5gr @2917fps. with the Speers at around one inch groups.

My lot of WW brass holds 72.6 gr of water full to the top after fully fireforming. 325 WSM is very similar in case capacity & bullet weights. Using Nosler starting loads & working upward 1/2gr at a time, the velocity/charge weight of the 2 cartridges is also very similar with the few loads I've done this way so far. Also, I'm now using reformed Hornady 35 Whelen brass for the loads below.

Initial tests show...
IMR4451 & 200 Speer reached 2828fps with 63.5gr. & a 3/4" group, Will continue upward with this powder as possible.
Big Game @65gr gets to 2987fps with the 200 Speer with what looks to be be good accuracy so far. Will test further.

Just today I tried Sierra 215 SBTs with Big Game which seemed to get a tad warm @63gr & 2886fps. Best accuracy seemed to be around 2850fps, but the wind was terrible at the range today.

Good luck with your Ackley. Mine all like to be run toward the higher side. When run warm with the above powders ES is usually in the teens or less with single digit SDs.

Edit... I forgot the 180 Accubond loads tried last week with Big Game to 66 @3102fps & c.1" to 1 1/4" groups. The bullets were .035" from touching the lands. No real reason to do much else with this load as I got the bullets for the 338 Federal that I dont have yet. Just wanted to see what they would do.

Awesome information, thanks for sharing

Plain 338-06 loads that work for me, all 1 MOA or better:

180 Accubond w/ IMR 4064, 3000 fps
185 TSX w/ H4895, 2950 fps
225 Accubond w/ H4350, 2720 fps

tag

Standard 338-06, start at 60gr H-380 under a 210gr Partition, my load runs a very accurate 2800 fps from a 24in barrel.

Necked up WW 30-06 cases, CCI-250 primers, 3.340" COL.

Mine is a plain 338-06, I found Big Game gave me both the velocity and accuracy I was after.. I'm using 225gr Hornady. My velocity is 2650. I'm using small cased Federals. If it says Federal 30-06 it's really a 338-06.

Velocity and Accuracy together.... H380 regular large rifle primer.

this is from a Model 70 Classic, 270 rebored to 338/06

200 gr bullet: 65 grs H380, right at 3000 fps, 24 inch barrel

225 gr Bullet: 62.5 grains H 380, 2850 fps

250 gr Bullet: 60 gr H 380,2650 fps...

all Hornady SP bullets..

another good alternative : 50 grains IMR 4064

whats cool about this load.... @ 100 yds, 200, 225, 250 gr bullets, all have the same point of impact

and with that 50 grain load of 4064, with a 24 inch barrel, all have an MV of 2500 fps...

can't get much more versatility than that...

You don't say?

Thanks for bringing that to our attention - we're not the sharpest tools in the shed around here.

Yeah. I've noticed reading comprehension here is pretty poor. OP said he has an Ackley but most posters dont seem to have read that part.

I don't think it's too much of a stretch to post "plain" 338-06 data to get an idea of what may work in an AI. People are just trying to help with a possible starting point for powders and bullets. If I had an AI I'd look at "plain" data to see what might work to begin with. Just saying....

Solid advice. The AI version will have ~ 5% more case capacity. You can adjust your loads accordingly.

Thanks for all that have posted, I have enough good information to get started. I can adjust accordingly as the previous poster said.

GFY (Good for you), You get a participation trophy.



Another hearty GFY. Does your vast experience bring these conclusions, or was it just something you read somewhere? You can have a participation trophy too.

Both of you continue to reinforce my statement about reading comprehension & not contributing anything, but hey... I'm beginning to understand why Big Stick posts what he does when he starts drinking.

I'm off to the range to actually shoot a 338-06 Ackley Imp. to actually learn something.

Just remember that the 338-06 AI is not the same as the 338-06 or 338 Federal or 338 Winchester.

And stop acting all butt hurt . . .

I read the OP's post and was fully aware that it was an AI and not an A-Square. The reading comprehension mistake wasn't made by me. Nor did I jump to conclusions on the intent concerning anyone else's posts. As for "vast experience", yes I have loaded for the 338-06 for over 15 years, I wouldn't claim to have "vast experience", but I do know that if I was to work up a load for an AI tomorrow I'd look first to see what works in the A-Square due to its similarities and build up from there, (probably just like you did before working up some loads for your 338-06 AI). Or did you just pull almost non-existent 338-06 AI load data out of thin air and load up some cases? Participation trophy? GFY? Vast experience? Not contributing anything? Big Stick posts? Sounds like you need to head off to more than just the range to actually learn something, (like manners for starters).

Good luck with your 338-06 AI limibean. I hope you find a load combo that works out real nice for you.

I did my search in 2002 . But I was only able to find one strain guage OKed velocity. That's where the 2650 comes from. If a AI is 5%+, using the 1/4 rule, that gives a 2675 for a 225gr cup and core, Accubond is a cup and core.

No butt hurt here. It was a wonderful day. Oh & thanks for the warning about the different 338s. I never realized...

Another trophy for you.

All I have to say to your absolute stupidity in completely missing the point is... Blow me.

No trophy for you this time. You can go sit in time out for a while.

Downwind. No need to qualify your post. Yadda yadda yadda & Muskey breath seemed to want a tag team, so I'm just stirring shiddt but have grown tired of their bloviation. I dont doubt they'll be back (cranky women always have to have the last word), but I'm done.

I'm fairly sure an Improved would get you to 2800 with the 225 with 24" or longer barrel. The bigger bore improved cartridges dont seem to gain as much as the smaller stuff. I use case life as the final criteria for a load. What did you use for base line of your pressure/strain readings? The 06 is underloaded to around 60K & the 270 is at 65K if I remember right. In a modern bolt gun there's no reason not to go with 65K as max. Maybe you had some factory A-Square?

Hoping the OP finds what works in his rifle & wishing most of y'all a wonderful evening.

All I have to say to your absolute stupidity in completely missing the point is... Blow me.

No trophy for you this time. You can go sit in time out for a while.
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You bring nothing but joy, kindness and wonder to this forum. You're very special. The ideas and technical contributions you bring are amazing. The way you bring people together with your amazing charisma is impressive. The way you drill down, exactly to the point of discussion is astute. You truly make this a better place to visit. You must have an amazing, loving family life full of love. It shows with your interactions with others. Thank you for being here. Really, thank you. You're wonderful.

Strain guages are a very old hat now on rifles. The first to get a through looking over was the veritable 30-06, 2800 fps is something of holy grail with a 180gr for the 30-06 fans. Only one powder in a study did that at 60,000, the rest had to go over 65,000 . I'm using one.of those other ones, N560. So 2700 is much more realistic and at 270 pressures. As if moose and elk carry chronies.