Headed to northern Colorado this fall for a combo elk-mule deer.
I'm taking my Model 70 in 338 mag and plan on using it for both critters.
I've always shot factory Winchester 230gr. Failsafes and get good accuracy with them, but I do reload and have a couple of boxes of Nosler Partitions, one with 225gr. , the other with 250gr.
Anybody recommend a good load for this combo hunt.
I'm leaning toward using the 225 Partitions

You don't need the 250's in the 338WM... a good 225/230 is all you need. I've used the 210 Partition on elk with good success, including my biggest six point that only offered an ass-shot. If the 210 Nosler is up to that task then the 225 certainly is. I've always thought the 225 grainer in the .338" bore is a match made in elk heaven.

BA

Completely agree with Brad. Look at the thread about using RL22 in 338's just a few spots away from this one.

72.0 gr. RL19 gives me about 2800fps in my rifle. FWIW I've used the 225 Partition and the 230 Fail Safe and I like the Fail Safe so much I've pretty much settled on it for everything. I don't even load 250's anymore.

I shot my last elk with the 225 Nosler Partition in my .338 Win Mag and it worked just fine.

I see no reason why this bullet would not work quite well on mule deer as well. I have shot a few wild hogs with the 225 Nosler and they performed just fine.

My favorite load for the .338 Win Mag when shooting the 225 Nosler Partition is as follows:

W-W case
Fed 215M primer
71.5 grains of H 4350 powder
Nosler 225 Partition
Velocity from 24 inch barrel equals 2880 fps
Groups usually under 3/4 inch
Weight retention on last elk shot = 82%

This should be a good load for the hunt you have in mind, good luck.

R F

I forgot to add powders used in my various 338's... all shot 225 grainer's best and fastest with H4350 and RL 22 (2825-2,850 fps w/ 22' bbl's).

RL19 and H4831sc never performed as well as the other two in my rifles.

BA

[ 05-15-2003, 20:05: Message edited by: Brad ]

If the failsafes shoot in your gun then use them, they are an excellent bullet and penitrate like the dickens...the 338 Win is my all time baby, just a well balanced round. I have killed Cape Buffalo with it on ocassions and it does'em up neat and tidy.

I love the the 210 Nosler, mostly because it shoots real flat and I use it in the more open country...It can be a bit destructive on deer sometimes..A failsafe ruins less meat.

I hunt elk in the Selway and in the black timber..My favorite bullet is the 300 gr. Woodleigh RN, it will literally flatten an elk from ANY angle and lengthwise....I have also had no trouble hitting with it at 300 to 350 yards, just hold 6" or so higher and drop them in...They never leave many tracks after the hit.

I have found that the 225-gr Barnes X bullets shoot very well in my TIkka .338, so I plan on using them for just about everything. Both RL-22 and IMR-4350 work well and shoot very tight groups, so I will chronograph the loads and go with the fastest.