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I have a new custom rifle in .338-06, & am struggling finding an accurate load. I've used Speer 225 grain bullets and Woodleigh 250 grain bullets - both with IMR-4064 powder - but am getting terrible accuracy (> 3" at 100 yds). What is the best powder for the .338-06 ? I know the mounts are tight, but the scope is a Pentax - maybe not the best. What loads are you getting good accuracy from ? ____________________________ .470 & 9.3X74R Chapuis' Tikka O/U 9.3X74R Searcy Classics 450/.400 3" & .577 C&H .375 2 1/2" Krieghoff .500 NE Member Dallas Safari Club | ||
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Frank I have used the 225 gr Speer with W760 powder. I would suggest starting about 55 grs and work up . I had a 338-06 that was very accurate with a max load of 60 grs W760. | |||
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I have good luck with Hornady 225 grain spire point and imr or h 4350. Have also used h414. | |||
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W760 and Re17 work very well. | |||
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Have you eliminated everything else before you waste a lot of powder and bullets? Torque on action screws, barrel not touching stock? I always shoot some factory ammo over chronograph first to get a base line for velocity and accuracy. I had good luck with 210 tsx and H414 | |||
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I would get some 225 grn accubonds and load up 3 rounds from min to max in .4 grn increments with both h4350 and varget. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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I have used W760, H4350 and RE19, of the 3, H4350 gave the best accuracy with Nosler 210gr Partitions, which is all I use in this cartridge. The other powders were not far behind in the accuracy department. Definitely 'Minute of Deer' good enough. Cheers.  | |||
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I've used 4320, 4350 and have now settled on RL17. Bullets used ranged from 225gr Nosler and Hornady to the 210gr Scirocco which I now use with the RL17. If you're interested in the recipe let me know. Hope this helps you. | |||
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I used only IMR-4320, it got me the highest velocity and best accuracy in several 338-06s but that's been a number of years ago. IMO, a good barrel will shoot about any combination of powder and bullet, I hate a barrel that's finicky or won't shoot, so I ditch them and invest in a new one..but that's just me, not for everyone. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I had an issue with my custom 338-06. I found there was excessive clearance from the Sammi neck dimmention to the measured case neck on my loaded ammo in both Nosler and Norma brass. It went back twice to have the chamber set back and recut to no avail. This affected the alignment to the bore, especially with mono metals. The only bullets that were any good were 210 partitions because they were soft. Try wrapping a single layer of clear packing tape around the case neck only, chamber a round to see if it peels back. Keep adding layers one at a time until the tape peels back. This is explained in detail on the GS customs bullet website. | |||
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I'm a fan of RL-15 for the 338-06. | |||
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