Jorge:
When I was looking for a good powder to work up loads in my .338 Mag., one of the guys here on the board recommended Rldr-22. I tried it with 225 gr. Hornaday's and was able to get consistant 1" groups. Better than any of the other powders including Rldr-19. My understanding is that THE powder for the .338 for years, was Norma's MRP. Don't know if it's still available or not, but it isn't common around Fbks. From the literature I've read, Rldr-22 was the "replacement" for MRP. I don't know about that, but I do know it works for me. Work up your load with the Hornaday's then go the 225 gr. Northfork & follow their instructions. I don't think you'd be disappointed. The only thing from you're posting I personally don't care for is the H-414 loading. I just don't like low density powder charges. The other one seems to be working fine for you. Perhaps you should stick with that. The above is just my experience. Good shooting. Bear in Fairbanks

Bear: another knowledgeable gent like you said the same thing about H-414's low density. Rl-19 looks like it works great. Rl-22 and MRp are the same. Maybe I'll give it a try for the hell of it. I do like the Swift A Frames. It hard to sell me on anyting else! Thanks for your views. That's what I like about this forum, posts like yours! jorge

Only powder I've tried with 225s is RL-22 and it shot great.

RL-15 is wonderful with 200s in my rifle. It does slosh around but I don't really care. I'm shooting a maximum load, which I assume wouldn't be published if it weren't safe; and I assume the same would go for your book-maximum H414 load.

I have owned, loaded for and shot 12 .338 Win Mag. rifles of my own and loaded for and shot several others over the last 36 yrs.; it is my favourite cartridge and I have owned almost 100 big game rifles from .243 to .375, including .348s. 9.3x74R and hot .45-70s. I have used a wide variety of powders and RE-22 is far superior to anything else in my current rifles, 4 Pre-64 Mod. 70 Alaskans and a Dakota 76. I only use 250 gr. bullets as I find they outperform anything lighter on larger animals, my favourite is the Nosler Pt. Gold Moly Free.

I see no point in using 200 gr. bullets in this cartridge for B.C. hunting and I could never get 210 Noslers to group in my .338s, in any case, I firmly believe in lotsa weight and power in Grizzly country, each to his own.

For anyone interested, my best load is: WW brass, CCI 250 primer, 77 grs.- RE-22, 250 Nosler Gold Pt. MF.; this shoots into .75 " @ 100 yds. The velocity from my Dakota
23" bbl. runs about 2720 depending on powder lot. I use 76 grs. in my Mod. 70s due to shorter throats and caution, but, they will handle the 77grs. Several very experienced hunter-reloaders I know here use this formula with excellent results.

I have tried RE-19 and it was o.k., but, I would go with H-4350 if I shot lighter bullets-partly because of results I have seen and also because I recently bought a new keg of it. I am definitely pleased with it so far in a number of rifles/calibers.

I had a good day at the range working up loads for the 338 Model 70( yep, the one I posted pictures forlast week). Now here's my question. With 225gr Swift A Frames the swift book recommends H-414 as the most accurate powder. I tried the max load of 66gr with a load density of 66 % and .7" groups. With RL-19 and 70gr with a load density of 94% and .8" groups, virtually the same and they shoot to the same POI.

According to the book MV for the 414 is 2723 and 2715 for the Rl-19 with 24" barrels. My Model 70 has a 25" barrel. The H-414 shot two touching and the one that opened the group up to .7" was horizontally displaced.

The RL-19 shot a nice little triangle right at .8" . Shot three different sets with basically the same geometry. I really like the lower load density of the H-414 powder but I've also read that magnum cartridges like to be "stuffed up" with powder. I also know the H-414 is probably more temperature stable that RL powders. The temperature here was a "balmy" 50 deg and the cases showed absolutely no pressure signs with easy extraction.

I also had good success using 250gr Nosler Partitions and Rl-19, with 1" groups. I really like the 225gr bullet. I think it's THE perfect bullet for large plains game. What do you folks think regarding powder selection? Thanks, jorge

If you are happy with the results why change anything?

Mine prefers RL-25 with 225's and H-4350 with 250's.

Of the two powders you are trying, I would prefer to load RL 19.

The H414 is not giving a very good load density at all, even if it shoots well. Also, since it is a ball powder, it is probably NOT more temperature stable than RL 19.

If you are concerned with temp stability, I would suggest you give H 4350 a try. It is one of Hodgdon's "Extreme" powders and is reported to give very good stability at most temperatures. It fills the case well and is what I load in my .338 Win Mag with 225 Nosler Partitions.

R F

Ricciardeli: I am happy with both, I just would like to pick the best powder for that specific caliber. I've always used RL-19 in my 338s and was surprised to even see H-414 listed as a powder for the 338, let alone as the "most consistent" according to the Swift book. On the load density, I guess I don't understand what that really means. Since H-414 only filled up 66% of the case and RL-19 filled 94% I thought the lower density was better. Can you explain pls? thanks jorge

I've only tried two powders in my .338 and only with 2 bullets, but they both shoot extremely well in my Tikka. The bullets were the 225 gr Hornady and Barnes X bullets. The powders were IMR-4350 and RL-22 - since all combinations shot into less than an inch, I don't know how much more I will experiment. Perhaps I'll try the H-4350 for temperature stability.

AS A RULE, (to which there are beaucoup exceptions) cartridges tend to shoot best when full of powder, it makes for more consistent ignition. Therefore, "HIGHER LOADING DENSITY IS BETTER." (Usually!!, but obviously, not always!!)



However, I really doubt if you'll find ANY load that'll shoot BETTER than your H414 load! If you like that bullet, and it should do for All N.A. game, why change anything?? I'd be tickled to death with your .338 and that load!!

Do a "Search" here. There's been quite a bit on powders for you cartridge.

I've gone through over a dozen 338's, mostly with 225g and 250g loads. In all but one the best accuracy and velocity was obtained using RL22. The one exception used N160 and the RL22 in it wasn't bad, it was just the N160 was a tad better for accuracy.

As I recall, the consensus here was RL22 with H4350 in there somewhere and IMR4831 down the line.

Nosler lists RL19 as their most accurate powder tested for the 225's. They list H4831 as the most accurate powder of 250's. I've never had any luck with it in any 338. I've done better with RL22 than with RL19 in all I've tried it in. While Nosler shows H414 for a load in 225's, their best accuracy was with 63.5g @ 2506 fps. That cartridge has a much higher potential than that with most other propellants which are appropriate.

Thanks guys, I'm just being "anal" I guess. Both loads shoot statistically the same, but the 414's apparent low density ( you can hear that powder sloshing around in there!) worried me a bit due to possible detonation. I look at it this way, at least I have TWO powders that work! jorge