The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Medium Bore Rifles 300 Grains in the 338-06?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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Anyone done a load using 300 grain bullets in the 338-06? I was thinking 300 Lapua Scenars, 300 Sierra SMK, and 300 Nosler Accubonds. | ||
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What are trying to do with it? For hunting BIG game up close a soft 300gr. would work fine. For longer ranges a 250 would be about right. For Loooong range target shooting I'm not sure the 06 case has the caoacity for the 300 gr. | |||
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I agree, if you need a round nose bullet for really big bears or moose, and only own the 338/06, go with it. For long range work, try something lighter, the case capacity is just not there. | |||
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A 250 grn 338 RN has an SD of .313...you could probably achieve about 2500 fps in a 338-06. The above load would pack a helluva a punch. I don't think going to 300 grns and dropping say 150 fps is going to make much difference in the field. 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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Mike is right on this, and I should take a copy of his "What I have learned..." by my computer and consult it before I post any future answers. I know that the PH's I talked with in Namibia who are involved in elephant culls like the 300gr Bronze solids in their 338WinMag's due to the great penetration (350gr for the 375H&H). That was the only reason I could see to go with the 300gr bullets in any 338. | |||
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Have any of you ever shot F-Class at 1000 yards? I use a 30-06 and shoot 230s, 99% of the competitors are shooting a 308 or a 223. I don't think case capacity is a problem. Elmer Keith used 300 grain bullets in his 333 OKH. As well as 300 grain bullets in his 400 Whelen. Out to 500 yards I wouldn't hesitate to kill anything that walks with it. Then again I shoot 1000 yards almost every weekend. I really appreciate your help, but I was looking for actual users, not speculation. The BC's of the 300 grainers are fantastic. The problem is my F-Class rifle is also pulling double duty as my hunting rifle here in Australia. As I can only own one on the kind of visa that I have. Sambar are big enough that I want more caliber. The 180 Accubond is one of the best shooting rifles in my 30-06. | |||
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MOA I use a 340PDK. More like a Gibbs on steroids. My case is about 11-12% larger than the 338-06. I can move most 250s at around 2700. I was given a partial box of the Lapua. 112% compressed loads of MRP got me right to 2400. Then again I probaly only had about 25 loads. I bet a 338-06 would be pressing to make 2300. That darn 1.75" bullet eats a lot of powder space. Maybe long throated single shot you could do better. I never worried about 1000yds so have no clue if the 300 would gain you anything over a good 250. A 300 in a 411 is a heck of a lot easier to move fast than a 300 .338. My same case has no trouble moving a 300 .411 at over 2700fps. As usual just my $.02 Paul K | |||
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That's too bad, thanks for the help. The problem with the Tikka T3 is that it has shit for magazine space. | |||
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I'd be happy with 2300. I need to get the calipers out and see what I can get away with on length. | |||
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Just playing with some numbers on the JBM Ballistics calculator and if you loose more than 100fps going from a Lapua 250 gr to the 300gr the higher BC can't over come the velocity reduction at least at 1000yds. I was to lazy to check othere distances. As to 2300 assuming a 24" you are pushing 63-65000 and heavy load compression. QL only gave me one load that with a OAL of 3.34 24" and 63000 max actually calculated over 2300 (2330) everything else topped out in the 2250-2270fps range. So my 2300fps quote was probably very optimistic. As usual just my $.02 Paul K | |||
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What does it say in the 400-800 range. 99% of our F-Class matches are at that distance. | |||
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Here is the link to the program. If you select the bullet in the top box you don't need to worry about filling in the bullet info just drop down to velocity. http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi As usual just my $.02 Paul K | |||
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Well, with a 300gr bullet you're sure not going to be light on penetration! Is there any concern that such a long bullet might bend and not penetrate in a straight line as some extra heavy for calibre bullets have? Dean ...I say that hunters go into Paradise when they die, and live in this world more joyfully than any other men. -Edward, Duke of York | |||
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Good question, not shooting elephants with it so I don't know how much the size of the animal would matter. | |||
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The Scenar and Match King are target bullets. The Accubond a hunting bullet. These are going to be very long bullets and my need more spin then a 338-06 is set up for. That Accubond would pack a thump though. | |||
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If you wanna hunt with it, I've had good luck with 300 SMKs, although they were starting well over 3000 fps. 300 grain Bergers should be plenty fragile and have the best BC of all. Love shooting precision and long range. Big bores too! Recent college grad, started a company called MK Machining where I'm developing a bullpup rifle chassis system.  | |||
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Yup everyone is pretty much correct. I have 1 .338-06 and one improved version. Love them both. I suspect that twist will play the biggest roll in deciding. If used for hunting the twist may be fast enough for good shooting at longer ranges, but the bullet may not be stable enough for straight penetration. You will just have to do some testing. Elmer Keith always like the heavier bullets, and I'm right there with him. However that said with modern bullet designs, 250 grains is where I stay. If I had to pop and Elephant with one, I'd use a 300 IF it maintained stability going thru flesh and bone however. Good luck1 I think it'd s the best caliber bar none! | |||
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DW, Is your 338-06 Ack or what? I was thinking about building a 8.5x63 Reb (338-9.3x62). Any difference in how many times you can use the cases in the ack improved? | |||
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Hi, I have both a standard .338-06 and the AI. Love them both. Thinking about having my Kimber 30-06 re-bored to the standard .338-06. The AI is about 150 feet faster, but can't tell much practical difference between the two. The AI does not seem to stretch brass at ALL however. I like the .338 over the others because of bullet choice mainly. Cheers, and good luck. | |||
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I built one for a customer with an 8" twist. 300's are not a problem even at the relatively sedate velocites the '06 can achieve.  Aut vincere aut mori | |||
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Thanks! I had not thought to go that much twist, but I think you are righ about it. | |||
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I only reloaded 225gr AB's and TTSX's in my 338-06AI. Love the rifle. If needed, my loads used to fireform new 338-06 brass will work in a pinch. | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Medium Bore Rifles 300 Grains in the 338-06?
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