Will a 338 win mag stabilize the 265 and 285 barnes x bullets? How about the 300 accubond?

you shouldn't have a problem

I think most 338's use the same twist rate, so you could probably stabilize any of the bullets.


That said, I don't know if the 338 Winmag can push a 265 or 285 bullet fast enough to really get anything beneficial over the 225?

I would think the 285 would be the extreme penetrator for a 338 of any case. How much more than a 225 I haven't heard.

I would think the 285 would be about 400fps slower than the good old 225.

I really can't see an advantage to shooting a heavier bullet than the 225 or 250.


I've always shot through moose, and bear with a 225, even when hitting a shoulder, I've yet to recover a TSX 225. The 285 has a better BC, but I think launching it slower would limit both your range, and the performance you could expect.

I've been shooting all those bullet weights in my 338 with no problems, even the 300gr Accubond is very accurate, albeit quite slow in the velocity stakes, juat over 2400fps in my 26" barrel.
I only shoot 225gr Accubonds for most large deer hunting, but have used the 250gr Partition on Kodiak bears, they work very well, far better in fact than you would think.
The Barnes bullets are long, maybe you should get their lengths and punch the info into a twist calculator and see what comes out, the standard twist in .338 is 1:10", it may not stabilise those long bullets.

Cheers.

All of the bullets will stabilize in 10-inch twists, but the long bullets (265TTSX,285TSX) are seated very deep into the case of a 338WM, limiting max velocities a bit. More importantly, the stability is marginal compared to the 225TTSX. The 225TTSX already has a .514BC and is good to go at 2800-2850fps at any range out to 400yards, or 600+ yards if one insists. We've only shot about four animals with the 225Ttsx, so far, and penetration and damage have been impressive. One Hartebeest diagonally thru inside shoulder, heart, exited, as well as all broadsides. I can't see a need for a heavier bullet in this calibre unless wanting a SUPER-BC for ranges that I've never shot or needed in Africa. For general hunting the 225TTSX does it all and I wouldn't hesitate for long to use on a buffalo if the situation arose. (Thirty years ago I used 250 NP and 275Speer.) (Larger calibre are much preferred, of course, not heavier bullets in the 338.)

I too have a hard time imagining a need for a heavier bullet than a 225 grain in my .338 Win Mag. I do realize some peoples preference for slow and heavy and I'm sure that works, but I've found for my shooting/ hunting needs and the distances I may shoot the 225 grain Sierra has done everything I've asked of it.
I've only recovered one bullet and that was a 320 meter shot on a Blue Wildebeest, penetrated over 30" and the recovered bullet weighed 204 grains (found just under the hide at the hip). All other bullets on all game have exited the animal and resulted in very dead animals, lots of one shot kills.
I have some 250 grain bullets on the shelf but have not found the need to have to develop a load for them. My 225's group well under an inch and are going 2860 fps from a 21.5" barrel.
I'll just stay with the 225 weight.
If I need more bullet I'll also move up in caliber.

It goes back to that ballistic coefficient thing again in the newer bullets. High BC equals more energy and speed at at a distance even if the original speed of a lighter bullet is faster.

I have tons of 250-275 round nose 338 bullets. My current 338 is a 700 with the 1 in 10. It's headed for a rebarrel to 375 RUM some asshole before me put a homemade swiss cheese muzzle brake in the end of the barrel.

I have a good stock of 338 projectiles but that's it. I bought it to rebarrel for the low price of $300.

I love 300 grain bullets in my Edge and Lapua, but in my Win Mag I shoot 225 TSX bullets and never found them lacking.

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
I love 300 grain bullets in my Edge and Lapua, but in my Win Mag I shoot 225 TSX bullets and never found them lacking.

Same here.

The 225 TTSX has a BC of .514 and can be pushed significantly faster than the 265-285 that the 225 bests them all the way to 1,000 yards.

I was thinking for elk in the timber.

quote:

Originally posted by RMiller:
I was thinking for elk in the timber.

The 225gnTTSX will do everything that could be wanted of a 338 calibre in the timber. If more dropping and anchoring power is wanted, then a larger calibre is wanted. Nothing wrong with a 416. For price Ruger offers a 416 and a 375 in a very handy rifle, Alaskan or African. But a 338 is a wonderful calibre, fully sufficient for timber elk, and the 225TTSX bullet has the advantage of guaranteed penetration even up very close. It will not splatter or separate a core and cup at close range. More importantly, the 225 has more stability than the heavier, long bullets up close.

Both of my .338s, one a custom I built, the other a Ruger African dote on the 300 gr. Woodleigh and 210 Nosler! That's quite a spread but they both shoot an inch in both rifles for 3 shot groups. The both shoot the 300 gr. Nosler Accubond, but the custom rifle with a longer magazine and throat handles the long accubond bullet better..It crowds most rifles magazines and requires deep seating in most so you probabl lose considerably velocity.

Bob Hagel had considerable experience with .338s of various capacities for many decades. He found that the 210 Nosler penetrated about as well as the 250 with less recoil and flatter trajectory. During the 27 years I spent in Alaska I shot moose, caribou and grizzly with the 210 in my .338s, always performed.



.

I loved the 210 in my 338wmag. In my 340PDK I find the 200 Accubond does everything I want.

Elmer Keith thought that 275 and 300gr bullets were the norm for his 338 rifles, one of his favorite calibers.

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Elmer Keith thought that 275 and 300gr bullets were the norm for his 338 rifles, one of his favorite calibers.

Yes, thirty years ago the 275gnSpeer and 300gn Barnes were great bullets and still are. They worked on buff (personally only used the 300 on wrthog, but the Speer worked on buff, so the 300 would have.) Now we have the 225gn TTSX with equal penetration up close and a .514BC that can be used at any hunting distance. If Elmer wouldn't have been impressed, surely Jack would have!

I have shot the 300grain Woodleigh only in my .333Jeffery which resemble the .338Win in casevolume. For distances up to 200meters the 300grain works just fine. Never had the need for a lighter bullet but I can see a lighter spitzer boattail bullet could add some versatily to that very caliber as far as longrange potential. But for that I have another gun.

I seem to remember that many moons ago Winchester offered factory 300 grain loadings. A good friend used them very effectively on a 65"+ moose and a big brown bear. He had a pre 64 model 70 Alaskan that loved them. I shot some and remember the recoil was stout!

I've also seen reference to 300gr factory loads.

Mine is on the way and I will shoot 250s for bushveld hunting as that is the heaviest in the bullets I shoot, but a 275 or 285 that will stabilise would be a great short range load. If you can get the length you can check stability with an online calculator or most ballistics packages.Swift makes an A-Frame in 275gr I think.

Yes, Swift makes a 275 gr. SAF for the 338. I love this load for Africa as most shots there are less than 200 yards anyway.

We used this load in Zambia this past summer on a Zebra stallion. Entered the front and full exited.

We brought the load along for Buffalo in case it had to replace my 404J for whatever reason.

Most animals were taken with a 250 gr. NP however. It's all good.

My 1963 Gun Digest shows Winchester at that time offered a 300 grain Powerpoint load at 2450 fps for 4000 fp of muzzle energy. The reason for this was to extend the capabilities of the cartridge upwards to better fit it for its role as a modern international cartridge.

Both of my .338s are sighted in for the 210 Nosler and 300 gr. Woodleigh...The Ruger shoots them both to the same POI exactly, the custom rifle shoots the 210 3" high at 100 and the 300 Woodleigh one inch high at 100. both are about perfect and I see no need for other than those two bullets..Mostly use the 210, but in the thick of Idaho I love the 300 gr Woodleigh.

Sometimes I wonder why I even own other rifles for big game hunting. but I could never be content with just one. one of each has been my norm!

quote:

Originally posted by RMiller:
Will a 338 win mag stabilize the 265 and 285 barnes x bullets? How about the 300 accubond?

mine stabilises the 300gn Woodleigh, both solids and soft points, so I should think you won't have any issues. You should get around 2400fps, with H4831SC, or H1000, and around 2450 with Reloader 22.

quote:

Originally posted by 338User:

quote:

Originally posted by RMiller:
Will a 338 win mag stabilize the 265 and 285 barnes x bullets? How about the 300 accubond?

mine stabilises the 300gn Woodleigh, both solids and soft points, so I should think you won't have any issues. You should get around 2400fps, with H4831SC, or H1000, and around 2450 with Reloader 22.

Stability is primarily a factor of length, along with shape, density, speed, and spin. The 265TTSX and 285TSX are very long with high BC's. They should be stable in a ten-inch twist, I've had no problem with those bullets on paper. They are especially designed for long range where a marginal stability is actually good. But for large game up close extra stability is preferred, especially over the first hundred yards where a bullet needs to settle down, go to sleep, and may touch a blade of grass or a leaf. The 300 Woodleigh would be more stable up close than the sleek 265 and 285, but will lose velocity faster. Under 600 yards the 225TTSX is the bullet to beat. It's awesome.