Looking for suggestions on load data for my 338 win mag. I am headed for Africa at the end of May and I am trying to work up a load. I will be hunting plains game Eland, Kudu, Waterbuck, Nyala, warthog, etc. I have tried the following with out great results so I was looking for some advice.
225gr accubond with 71,72,73,73.5, and 74gr of H4831, also 64 and 65gr of 414

225gr hornady interbonds with 72,73,and 74gr of H4831
I am shooting a Tikka T3 with lam stock out of a leadsled with no wind, the best groups have been 1.89" with the acc and 73gr H4831. Maybe I am being a little anal but would like to tighten up the groups.
Thanks for any help I can get.

I've had the best accuracy with 250 grain swift A-frames and 67 grains of IMR 4831 in my 338. I've also had a difficult time finding an accurate round with my 338 win. I'm shooting a vanguard stainless. 1.89" is pretty good from what I've experienced with my 338 win. I've got about 1.25" with the above recipe.

I recomend you try RL-19 in your .338.
It is an often recomended powder , for that round. Its a good cartridge.. I am thinking of having my model glass bedded and a better pad installed.
...tj3006

Give IMR 4350 a try.

My Win likes IMR 4350, 225 Partitions and Fed mag primers.

Try shooting it without the stock breaker (Lead Sled). I've heard those not only crack stocks, but affect accuracy. I've never used one myself.

2K: Here's what I worked up for my .338WM for my trip to Namibia in 2007. 225gr Barnes TSX FB
in front of 68.0gr IMR 4350 wi Win. LRM primer for chrono'd five shot avg. of 2923fps. Result was one shot kills on the three critters I took wi that rifle(Win M70 Classic S/S): oryx, kudu & mtn zebra. I am sold on the Barnes bullet; it is what my PH had recommended. He thinks it is the best bullet for large thick skinned antelope. Good luck on your trip- AND listen for the slap of your bullets as they strike home. Only sometimes have I heard the slap of the bullet here. I heard it each time on the game I shot except for a springbok I shot wi my .270 Win- and it was a long shot of 350-400 yds.

250 gr Nosler Gold Partion, moly 69 gr H4350
I get 2600 fps with a 24" barrel.
No recoil pain at all with a Limbsaver.

For my .338 Mag. it's a 225 gr. Norhtfork and 73 grs. of Rldr-22. Gives me 2800 fps. Very effectice on moose. Bear in Fairbanks

My Tikka t-3 lite likes r-19 and 225 TSX. I also get good results from the 250 Nosler partition and r-22.
I have found the lead sled makes no dif in group size if you do your part.

IMR 4350 with Sierra 215 spbt will shoot .75 moa out of my Win model 70 with a BOSS, yes a Win with a factory BOSS.

quote:

Originally posted by Thomas Jones:
I recomend you try RL-19 in your .338.
It is an often recomended powder , for that round. Its a good cartridge.. I am thinking of having my model glass bedded and a better pad installed.
...tj3006

+1

Using 73 gr Re-19, my old stainless Ruger, with it's springy canoe-paddle stock, will shoot 225 Hornady's (2800+ fps) into 1 MOA all day long.

It's boring . . . but in a good sort of way.

Thanks for all the replies it looks like it is time for me to get busy and try some different bullets and powder I will let you know how it turns out

225 grain TSX with 72-74 grains of Reloder 19. With a conventional 250 soft point: 73 grains of Reloder 19, or a stout load of IMR 4350. I used a stout charge of IMR 4350 with a 250 grain lead core. It worked very well indeed.

I am also having difficulty finding a good load for the 338... does anyone have any experience with Hornady 225grn Interbonds? I am using H430, but my results so far are poor,

thanks

My rifles like IMR and AA 4350 with 225 gr Barnes X bullets and 250 gr CT Nosler Partitions.

I have one load that is all I have needed so far. The usual cautions of work up carefully apply. My load is 70 grains of RL 19 under a 210 grain Barnes TSX. I use Win Brass and a Federal mag primer. Chronographed velocity is 2900 fps. I get very good accuracy with a low extreme spread. I believe the 210 grain bullet to be so close to the 225 that no animal will know the difference. DW

quote:

Originally posted by Maxx:
I am also having difficulty finding a good load for the 338... does anyone have any experience with Hornady 225grn Interbonds? I am using H430, but my results so far are poor,

thanks

Don't feel bad about not having good results, as I have not found the right load either.

I get good groups with imr4350 & 225Hornady spire points..also same powder with nosler 250gr.Particians,Hope this helps but all imr -powders have been good for me as well as varget..on many calibers..

Double K:

There's nothing about a .338 (other than recoil) which won't let it shoot right along with any other game cartridge. Each gun is a rule to itself, but you should be able to get your groups well below the two inches or so you're getting currently.

While some guns "like" or "dislike" certain bullets, my Sako TRGs simply dotes on both the 225 grain Partition and Accubond. I used the 225 Partition on my Namibia plains game hunt in 2007 and was pleased in every way with it. Both bullets shoot under an inch and I use a stiff load of H4831 with them -- just like yours.

Before going off chasing other powders and bullets, take a look at your gun's bedding and action screws torque to make sure that the problem is not there. Also, a recoil-absorbing bench rest like the Lead Sled or similar (I actually built my own years before the Lead Sled was available) will do wonders for your concentration and bench shooting accuracy. The .338 can be punishing off of the bench, so try a recoil rest before concluding that your loads are at fault.

There are few "poor" bullets for the .338 and nearly anything in the 210-250 grain range you find that shoots well will do fine on plains game. However, there are none better than the 225 Partition, and while I haven't shot anything with it, the reports of the way the Accubond behaves place it near the top of the heap.

By the way, how do factory loads shoot in your gun, and could there be some problem with your loading technique that is not letting you get the best accuracy?

quote:

However, there are none better than the 225 Partition,

I favor the 250 grain partition, but other than that I've had no headaches making a 338 shoot. IMHO it's one of the least fussy cartridges going. Near maximum loads seem to perform best and generally are the most accurate too. A well placed 250 grain partition at 2700f/s will stop anything on this continent.
FWIW, I've seen several MOA 338s when paired with Nosler's 250 grain partition and H4831...

I have a Tikka whitetail hunter in 338wm, blued synthetic. It shoots right around an inch with 210TSX over varget. I know that I could get more velocity with a slower powder, but it works for me.

Stone I did try some factory federal premium accubonds in 225gr and they were not very accurate at all 3". I do use a lead sled when shooting for groups so I do not believe it is operator error. I have a very light trigger 2.25lb so no jerking the trigger most times it is a surprise when it goes off. Bedding and action screws are ok. So with that said I think I just need to spend more time at the range and on the press until I find the magic combo. Also I am not that concerned with speed more with grouping then anything. I just really like the way the Accubonds perform out of my 300 mag so I thought I would start there with the 338.
Thanks again guys.

Double K,

Sounds like you're doing all of the right things. Sometimes a simple change of bullet weights will help. Nosler makes the Accubonds also in 200's and 250's. You might try one of those weights. Some people will try to tell you that a 200 grain bullet is too light for a .338. But if it shoots well, you'll like its flatness and slightly lessened recoil. A 200 grain Accubond between 2900 and 3000 fps will flatten any African plains game (as will the 250 -- use whatever shoots best).

I've been able to get sub 1 inch groups using 225 grain Barnes Tipped TSXs and IMR 4350 in two different 338s. I used to use RL 19 and RL 22 but found IMR 4350 more accurate.

DoubleK,
I was picked for a WY LE bull elk hunt in 08. My all time favorite rifle is my beloved M700 in 338wm. I was quite fortunate as this rifle shot great right out of the box. I have reloded using all suitable powders for the 338 and 225 grain bullets made by IMR, Hodgdon, and Alliant. In the end my 338 shot best with compressed loads of RL-19.

This rifle shot MOA or better with bullets in the 215 to 225 grain weight range made by Hornady, Nosler, Speer, and Sierra. Untill I tried the Accubonds, the 225 grain Hornady Interloks were the best performers.


For my 08 elk hunt I desided to give Noslers new Accubonds a try. I went through several wight charges up to a max load of 77.0 grains of RL-19. I saw absolutely no increase in accuracy from 75.5 grains to 77.0 grains (in .5 grain incraments) so I chose the load of 75.5 grains of RL-19. The load I took hunting is:

<>75.5 garins RL-19
<>225 Grain Nosler Accubond
<>Federal #215 large rifle magnum primer
<>Winchester brass, new never fired

I also always seat my bullets as long as I can and still have them feed perfectly out of my magazine. This usually puts me .007s to .008s off the lands.

I wish I could post the pictures of my saved targets from this load as they litteraly have to be seen to be beleived. One of these days I will learn how to post pics, especially now that I have a good digital camera, a cannon Power Shot, SX100 IS. This cammera came compleat with awesome soft wear for posting pics, I just have to learn how.

This loading will shoot 1.25 to 1.5" three shot 200 yard groups all day.

I did develope a awesomely accurate load using 250 grain Speer Grand Slams, but much to my utter disgust I am unable to find that load data, only the old target that I listed bullet weight and type only, no powder type or charge weight, which is EXTREAMLY unusual as I, 99% of the time list the all the exact same load data on all my targets, as well as load data sheets, just incase I loose one or the other.

Hope this was helpfull, and best of luck on your hunt, stay safe.