The Accurate Reloading Forums
?Loads for a .338 Win. Mag?
03 May 2004, 07:34
BIG SAM?Loads for a .338 Win. Mag?
I finally decided what to do about the .300 Ultra that wouldn't shoot.
I have sent it to Jim Kobe to have it re-done into a .338 Win Mag. I have talked with Mike Brady at North Fork and I have decided for my application of this rifle in Africa, I will go with his .240 grain bullet.
What recommendations for loads do you have for the .250 and .225 grain bullets for this caliber?
Many thanks in advance.
Kwa heri,
Sam
eclemmons@hotmail.com03 May 2004, 07:44
FURociousWith 225gr bullets I've had good luck with 68gr of H4350. H4831 ran way to slow. Hodgdon powders are limited in my area, so I go with AA4350. 70gr AA4350 gives me what I require; accuracy and velocity.
03 May 2004, 08:34
Bear in FairbanksSam: Good choice. I use Rldr-22 in my .338 along with the 225 gr. Northfork for elk & moose. If I were to go after a BB, I'd probably go with the 240 gr. NF.
To work up my loads, I first started with 225 gr. Hornadays (they're inexpensive & accurate) and loaded 3 rounds each in 1/2 increments of powder. I shot these for accuracy over the chronograph. I noted the point at which velocity began to flatten out & compared that to the accuracy. For me, this point was 75.5 grs. of powder. I then followed Mike's (at Northforks) procedure for working up loads with his bullets and found the 70.5 grs. of powder gave the same velocity with his bullet as 75.5 grs. did with the 225 Hornaday. I've gotta double check this again just to be sure but that was my procedure. BTW, he also told me that his 240 gr., .338 bullet was not that accurate beyond about 200 yds. and that it was designed for use on the large bears. So far, I've been very pleased with his bullets & am contemplating trying them out in my .270 Win. I really think you're gonna like your .338. Later, Bear in Fairbanks
Give Varget a try. This is a MAX load in MY rifle. It has proved to be very accurate in my rifle. The target is at 100m. I have duplicated the above target at 100m, and a 200m target turned out virtually the same. Recoil is extremely light.
The particulars are:
225 Hornady seated to the cannalure
Varget @ 64.7gr
Fed210 primer
WW Case
Velocity: 2830fps
Turok
03 May 2004, 09:13
BFaucettQuote:
What recommendations for loads do you have for the .250 and .225 grain bullets for this caliber?
The load listed below was not an attempt to develop a max velocity load with a 250 gr bullet. It�s basically a factory velocity duplication load. It does give very consistent velocities and good accuracy.
Cartridge: .338 Win Mag
Firearm: Ruger M77 MkII
Barrel: 24"
Bullet: Nosler Partition
Bullet Weight: 250 grs
Powder: IMR-4831
Powder Weight: 69.0 grs
Case Make: W-W
Primer: WLR (not magnum primer)
C.O.L.: 3.30
Chronograph summary for 10 shot string
Average Velocity: 2,651 fps
High Velocity: 2,664 fps
Low Velocity: 2,633 fps
Extreme Spread: 31
Standard Deviation: 8
03 May 2004, 18:12
Phil T.Of course you have to follow your own rifle's recommendations, not necessarily ours. Every rifle is different.
My 338WM likes the Hornady 225 over 74 grains of Reloader 22. My chronograph tells me that in my rifle, I'm getting the velocity Alliant says I"ll get with 3 more grains of powder.
My rifle shoots 250 grain Sierra or Hornady bullets well with Hodgdon's max load of 71.5 grains of H4831SC.
I'll bet your rifle has its own preferences.
My 338 is an enfield with a 24" Douglas barrel.I shoot 70gr of IMR4350 with a 250gr Hornaday.Velocity averages 2660fps and shoots 7/8" groups consistantly.
04 May 2004, 14:54
BIG SAMThanks to all.
I agree with letting the rifle decide. It seems that in the past, I have been able to ELIMINATE some of the assorted manuals choices of powder by getting some ideas from the forum. It is surprising how many calibers end up liking a few of the same powders over others.
Cheers,
Sam
05 May 2004, 03:44
JLHeard74 grns of RL22 and 250 grn Partitions.
05 May 2004, 13:15
BobReedHi Sam my 338 likes the 250gr sierra boattails the load i found to work real well in my gun is IMR4831 70.5gr federal mag primers and win cases oal 3.34 . my gun shoots this load very close to the target on the other post at 100 yrds . i was very happly suprised when i finally was able to shoot at 300yrds i got about 3" group . hope this helps . Bob
05 May 2004, 13:35
kutenaymtnboyMy best loads in 12 different rifles over 36+ yrs.
WW brass
CCI 250 primers
Nosler Partition Gold Molyfree-250 gr.
IMR-4350-70 grs.
or
RE-22-76 grs.
Both of these have given 2700+ fps-mv and excellent accuracy in my rifles. They are MAX., but, I have not experienced any undue pressures, start 7% below and work up.
05 May 2004, 13:53
<allen day>Kutenaymtnboy, I'm shooting about the same load as you in the .338 Win. Mag., only I use a couple of less grains of IMR4350. I still get over 2700 fps. It seems as though many .338s that don't shoot the regular Nosler Partition particularly well will shoot the Partition Gold somewhat better.
My friend Jim Carmichel of 'Outdoor Life' has shot IMR4350 in Winchester cases with 250 gr. Nosler Partitions and CCI 250 magnum primers in his .338 Win. Mag. for over twenty-five years, so your favorite loads are nearly identical . Everything from elk to Alaskan brown bear to lion and cape buffalo has fallen to that combo for Jim, and he's used it around the world.
Has to be one of the best big game loads of all time.....
AD
turok;
I like that group. I am going to try that in a problem 338 Winchester Model 70 I have. It appears finicky, and I have not shot the right mix.
I did shoot one group once with it that was like that, and I had several loads to test and on the way home, the 3 x 5 cards I had the info written on, got blown out the darn window on the freeway when a trucker passed me doing about 90 miles an hour.
So it goes! Uff da!
Cheers and Good shooting
seafire
Seafire,
My 338 appears to be rather finicky as well. The only other load that really worked well was the R22 load but funny pressures and powder availability have scared me away from it. Varget is now my powder of choice.
Below is the 3 shot 64 gr load @ 100m. It did pretty much the same as the 64.7gr load. I wish I could find the scan of the 200m group. It was virtually identical.
Turok
06 May 2004, 00:40
kutenaymtnboyYup, Allen, I doubt that this .338 load can be beat, I have tried most of the bullets available and this does it for me. If, one works alone in the wilderness, as I did for many years, it is simply more comforting to be armed with this combo than any smaller caliber, even a .300 Wby. I also find that there is less waste of meat with this as well.
I have two more old Mod. 70s to work up loads for and I will start with IMR-4350, these both have shorter throats than my original one and it's spare, so, I expect that I will top out about where you are. I have only loaded the Golds for two rifles as I have 600+ regular 250 NPs, but, they ARE more accurate in those rifles I have tried them in, trust good ol' Nosler, I love those guys.
I have read Jim Carmichael for years, very good writer and a guy whose knowledge I respect, very much. He has exquisite taste in custom rifles, as well.
06 May 2004, 05:21
Andre MertensHere's my rebarreled and restocked Win 70's petload :
250 Sierra GK / N 160 / 70.5 (MAX !!)/ WLRM primers. Chrono vel. is 2743 ft".
I'm getting fantastic groups with RL19 and the 225 Nosler Accubond in my .338 Win Mag.
Here's the same load at 200m. This was my 3rd time shooting at that range. The group came in at .90ish outside to outside, minus the .338 diameter and you've got a .552 group.
Turok
