What do you think about 338 bullets less than 200 grains?

If you're goingto use less than 200 gr. bullets that's what a 30-06 is for.


Just kidding. I only use 250's in my 338 for now but will probably try some of the lighter (maybe 225 gr.) TSX bullets this winter to see how they work. I know some people develop loads with the 185 gr. bullets for deer hunting etc., to be honest I use a 7x57, 308 Win, or '06 if that's what the hunt calls for. I just can't see any reason for using a really lightweight bullet in the 338.

If you have only a .338 and nothing smaller or just prefer the .338 for your deer hunting the 180 grain bullets are good for that purpose.

It's hard to believe one has a .338 and nothing smaller but that's life sometimes.

Personally, I far prefer a smaller rifle for the purpose intended for the 180 grain bullets in the .338.

I never said I didn't have anything smaller. Just asked about less than 200gr bullets that is it.

Ok let me be more specific. The 160gr X bullet or the 185gr X bullet on something bigger than deer. Does anyone have any experience with these. I may not even use them myself I just wanted to see what people thougth and if anyone had actually used them or not.

I'm not a big fan of the 'X', just can't get it to shoot in my rifles as well as many other bullets. So for me, nothing less than 200gr Speer in my .338-06 for deer size game. I go up to the 210grNP, my favorite or 250gr for thick cover. In the 338mag, I prefer the 225gr on the light end. If I want really flat, low recoil, I shoot my 7mm Dakota.

Jarrod,

To answer your specific question I havent used the "X" Bullets in those weights you describe but have actually used bullets from 160-200 gr. in my 338's that I have swaged on my own I dont really like "X" bullets so I make my own light 338 bullets.

Aloha!!!

This is theory only, as I don't know what rifle or the twist rate of your barrel, but I have used 200 grain Hornady interlok in my 338RUM with great success. I think the lighter weight X bullets would work because they are longer than jacketed slugs, that is if you can get the desired accuracy. I think the jacketed bullets would be too short to stabilize with the 1 in 9 1/2" twist in my barrel.

quote:

Originally posted by Jarrod:
What do you think about 338 bullets less than 200 grains?

A total waste of your time.

Jarrod-I kind of figured you'd catch a bit of advice and flak instead of answers from experience on this one. It's just peoples nature I guess.

I'll pitch in and try to address your question.

Yeah I've worked with the 160's/175/185 in the original X's and I've also worked with the 180 Noz BT and the new 185 TS.

I've shot them in the following rounds (338/06,338/300 WSM,338 WM and the 340)

The 180 NBT's shot incredibly well in each of those guns, and will work just fine on most shots from big to little game.We've shot a lot of chucks and PD's with this head. If I were to try a hard angle shot on a elk I'd want a harder bullet preferably the 185 TS.

We did shoot some elk with the original X out of a 338 WM @ 3200 and they killed just fine.

I do believe that the new 185 TS is one heck of a bullet and should be capable of doing some incredible things. It shoots quite well in the two 33's I am presently working with (340 and Fat Bastard that is what I call my 338/300 WSM).

I've got 2 boxes of 180 Accubonds coming today and can't wait to get them a rocking. I've plenty of confidence that they'll work just fine.

I like to load the lighter weights for a couple of reasons.
* I am a gun looney and like to play with different things
*my wife handle the rounds a bit better with the lighter bullets
*they are quite accurate and my rifles get a lot of working in the chuck and yote fields (I've worn out 3 340 tubes so far if that gives you any idea of how much I use them)

The old orginal X's I found would not shoot in all tubes. But when they did shoot boy did the shoot.

The new TS is another cat, it doesn't foul, and it is very accurate and it works incredibly well on game from long to short.

If you want to use them then I say Powder River let er buck!

For what it is worth though I do use the new 210 TS for all comers anymore when it comes to serious hunting.

But absolutely nothing wrong with working up and using the lighter slugs at least IMO.

Good luck there Amigo

MD

Don't let the naysayers get to you.

To answer your question, I think the 185 gr Barnes TSX would work wonderfully on game larger than deer. Terminal performance of barnes bullets can't be beat, just if you can get them to shoot. The TSX's seemed to have solved this problem.

A casual acquaintance and his daughter successfully used their 338-06's with the Nosler 180 BT's to each kill a buffalo out on the SD prairie. I would suspect that the new 180 gr accubond would be even better.

In my 338-06's, I experimented with some 180 BT's at the range and they shot beautifully out of both my guns. I think they were pushing a shade over 3000 fps.

And to refute an above statement, a 180 gr 338 caliber bullet @ 3000 fps will do a better job than a 180gr 308 caliber @ 2700fps out of an 30-06. Simply put, bigger diameter, bigger hole and faster.

quote:

Originally posted by SDhunter:
Don't let the naysayers get to you.
To answer your question, I think the 185 gr Barnes TSX would work wonderfully on game larger than deer. Terminal performance of barnes bullets can't be beat, just if you can get them to shoot. The TSX's seemed to have solved this problem.

A casual acquaintance and his daughter successfully used their 338-06's with the Nosler 180 BT's to each kill a buffalo out on the SD prairie. I would suspect that the new 180 gr accubond would be even better.

In my 338-06's, I experimented with some 180 BT's at the range and they shot beautifully out of both my guns. I think they were pushing a shade over 3000 fps.

And to refute an above statement, a 180 gr 338 caliber bullet @ 3000 fps will do a better job than a 180gr 308 caliber @ 2700fps out of an 30-06. Simply put, bigger diameter, bigger hole and faster.

Nobody is naysaying anybody, Jarrod asked for our opinions, and that was mine. I didn't criticise anyone else's opinion and I expect the same courtesy.

I haven't shot game with them yet but the 185 TSX chrono's 3000 out of my 338-06 with great groups.I have recovered several from the dirt back stop avg 171 grs. Similar to a 250gr partition take it for what its worth.

Like most of the others, I havn't taken any game yet with them but I tested some lighter weight x bullets and they were impressive to say the least. The 175gr X bullets once made looked way better in my little tests than the 200gr speer or hornady. Dave Scovill uses the 185gr TX in his 338 and seems to like it on game.

I just got 2 of the boxes of the 180 Accu's in my hand-I hope to run them thru "fat bastard" (my 338/300 WSM in the next couple of days. I've no doubt they'll rock.

I'll keep you informed

MD

In the latest Barnes reloading guide, Randy Brooks wrote the little speil about the 340QBY and he uses the lighter bullets preferentially it would seem. If these lighter bullets work well in the 340WBY, I imagine they would work great in the 338Win.

I have some loaded.For my 338 RUM The 185gr Nosler. I don't shoot Barnes don't like the all copper bullets.

I think the lighter 338 bullets give away too much SD & BC for that bore size. I don't shoot or recommend anything lighter than 210 Noslers for any purpose in the 338 Win. Mag.

AD

What is the biggest thing you would feel comfortable hunting with the 210 noslers

Any sort of deer, plus elk, moose, blackbear, African plainsgame thru eland, mountain grizzlies -- all of the above. Ask Ray Atkinson about his experinces with 210 Noslers sometime........

I've taken deer, hogs, and elk without any problems at all with 210 Partitions. I shot an elk last season nearly lengthways with a 210 Nosler, and the bullet exited with the elk on the ground post-haste. I shot a big five-point bull through both shoulders on another occasion, and I actually saw the elk's eye roll back in his head as soon as the rifle went off, and he hit the ground instantly, with the bullet exiting.

Bob Hagel, who used it extensively, once said that the 210 Partition performed better than it should -- better than many heavier conventional 338 bullets, and Bob Nosler once told me that he considered it to be the "flagship bullet" of Nosler's line, which is no light praise......

AD

I'm a fairly recent convert to the 210 Nosler's, and one of the reasons I tried them, is because of some of Ray's comments.

They work. Bang, flop. I wouldn't hesitate to use them on Inland Grizzlies, and if I had to, (wouldn't be my first choice) I'd use them on Brown Bear. A 250 grain bullet would be better for the big bears.

I second the above opinions.
I personally would be comfortable taking everything in N. America except the big bears with the Nosler 210 Par or the Barnes 210 TSX. For the big bears I would lean toward a 250gr bullet also, but feel a 210 gr bullet would do the job.

A 200 gr. monolithic is OK for most big game, but not dangerous game IMO....I like the the 210 Nosler for most all my .338 shooting..I use it at 3005 FPS with a case full or 4831...I also use the 300 gr. Woodleigh at 2500 FPS..Thats the only two load I use anymore, they have proven themselves to me and if it ain't broke why try and fix it....

I haven't tried them myself yet but if tests in my 270 are anything to go by I would happliy try the 185 TSX in my Dakota .330. never had any luck with the X bullets but as has been stated above the TSX is a whole different ball game.

Not too sure of others findings, but I still get fouling with the TSX but nothing like that caused by the "X"'s. I have found cleaning the .270 every 18-20 rounds keeps groups tight and consistent.

And the 210 grain Nosler partitions shoot great in both my 338s

I use the original x in 160 175 and 250 I like the 160 the best low recoil and loaded at about 3000 they are just fantastic on medeum game I rarely recover one but the ones i have have looked just like barnes propiganda photos and weigh more than when fired.

I like this bullet so much I built a round to use it called 338 HB uses a 223 case necked up to 338 160 x at about 2300 from a 16 in bbl .

These open efectivly at about 1900 so anything faster than that works great.

the trifecta on this bullet is my round the win mag and the lapua medeum fast and smokin.

If I can help you set up for this let me know