Recently acquired new. 3 round detachable magazine (+1 chambered). 24" 1:11 barrel. Complete with picatinny rail and LOP adjustment adapters.

https://www.eurooptic.com/bene...cludes-base-3-1.aspx

Installed Leupold VX-3i 1.5-5x20mm in Leupold Rifleman low rings. Bore-sighted. No receiver/barrel misalignment issues. Scoped rifle weighs 8.2 lbs.

Handloading for an autoloader could be problematic (p.77-79 Speer #11). For example proper burn rate powder required for reliable operation of the action. Trial-and-error approach likely needed. Plus using handloads voids the 10 year warranty.

Instead decided on Barnes VOR-TX ammo, 225gr TTSX BT at 2800 fps. Heaviest load currently available from Barnes. About equals maximum load speeds possible by handloading. Assumed with factory loads all R&D has been done for reliable operation in all action types including autoloaders.

Also have Federal Premium Trophy Copper ammo, 225gr at 2800 fps. https://www.federalpremium.com...pper/11-P338TC1.html Another copper mono bullet.

Range report to follow.

Interesting rifle.

Just the thing for dispatching multiple heavy targets in rapid succession....in 3-gun competition, for example.

So is this a recoil operated rifle like most Benelli products, or a gas operated gun? Looks like it might be gas operated with all the doodads under the barrel...

The pickiness with handloads is really related to gas pressure at the port- which if its recoil operated, is a nonissue.

I also would not use Barnes #1 as my choice of loading manual- they are based on the old X bullet, not the TSX.

Latest Barnes reloading data for 225gr TTSX: 2739 to 2878 fps top muzzle speeds. VOR-TX 225gr ammo claimed muzzle speed is within that range (as in Barnes #1).

https://www.barnesbullets.com/...7/08/338-Win-Mag.pdf

R1 utilizes their ARGO system = Auto-Regulating-Gas-Operated system.

https://www.benelliusa.com/argo

Bullet weight (and caliber) a bit light for my liking. Anyhow see if it does what I want it to do with Barnes VOR-TX 225gr ammo. If not then might see if it can fire 275gr Swift A-Frame handloads reliably. But at the expense of voiding the 10 year warranty?

Speer suggests medium burn rate powders better suited for reliable autoloader operation. However 338 WM top muzzle speeds require slow burn rate powder.

Just curious, but how would they know if you used handloaded ammunition?

Self-declare if I did. On general principle.

4sixteen. Have Superior load you some 275 Aframes that would technically be a factory load for purposes of Warranty.

Modern semiautos are more flexible than a garand. If you can recognize overcycling, and desist before beating the gun to death you shouldn't worry.

Superior Ammunition - didn't know such a service exists. Cool idea!

https://www.superiorammo.com/

Cor-Bon offers 250gr Swift A-Frame at 2600 fps.

https://shopcorbon.com/index.p...ber[338%20Win%20Mag]

Doubletap offers 300gr Woodleigh Weldcore at 2500 fps. Now we're talking!

http://www.doubletapammo.net/i...3_329&product_id=179

Sighted-in today. Ambient temperature 5 F. Took only 4 shots. Tally-ho!

225gr VOR-TX rounds calipered at 3.321"/84.35mm. Fits a bit tight in the magazine. Within standard maximum length (84.84mm) but not much wiggle room.
Might bind to cause unreliable feeding? 225gr Federal Premium Trophy Copper ammo OAL is nominal 83.5mm so no issue.

p.120: https://saami.org/wp-content/u...-14-Posting-Copy.pdf

In hindsight if I had known I would have purchased more 225gr Federal TC ammo. Instead of 225gr VOR-TX which should have the plastic tip ground down slightly to better fit the magazine. Bugger.

275gr Swift A-Frame bullet shown for comparison. No OAL issue. Preferred choice. For use when I'm ready to void the warranty and run handloads.