I just ordered 100 of these and was wondering if anyone has used them in the 338-06.Whats your favorite powder and how fast are the going? I looking for something in the 2800-2900 range. My use for these will be for Elk this year in Colo.

Sorry no first hand with that bullet. My 338 wildcat has a little larger case. But 4895 & RL15 give me the best results with a 200AB. You might also check BL-c2

Rob, I've got a box sitting here ready to try out, just haven't had the time or the weather. I will start w/ the same loads that push my 210grNPs along @ 2750fps RL15 & H4350). I would expect to get 2800fps which is all I really need. The only reason I am trying them is to get a bit more accuracy from my hunting loads. If they shoot anything like my 380gr .404s, I'll be hooked. Range report to follow.

I don't have the load in front of me but I've been getting better than 2800 fps out of my .338-06 and 200 grain Hornady SP and RL 15. I think RL 15 should work just fine in you .338-06 as well. Let us know how the Northforks shoot for you.

I took my .338-06 on my elk hunt last year unfortunately I didn't get one. I hope to rectify that this year, my only dilemma is the .338-06 or 35 Whelen neither have been blooded yet. Good luck on the hunt.

IIRC I was getting well over 2800 with the Nos 210 part & 58 gr. 4064, very accurate load.

That load would freeze the bolt on my rifle. I don't doubt you are over 2800fps. I run out of room at 54.5gr. What kind of case life are you getting?

I have had real good luck with 200 grain Speers with 49.5 grains Vargot, Remy 9 1/2 primers.

I also have had real good luck with 225 grain Speer Grand Slams with WLR and 57 grains IMR 4831.

I am sure that I am not getting 2800 fps, but these loads are dang accurate out of my rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by fredj338:
That load would freeze the bolt on my rifle. I don't doubt you are over 2800fps. I run out of room at 54.5gr. What kind of case life are you getting?

I don't recall. It was a highly compressed load. Sold the rifle @ 10 years ago. I couldn't get pressures up to where they needed to be with the slower powders. Got soot back on the cases & low eratic velocities. I worked up to it slowly. It was a ruger old style action with a tapered Octagon Douglas bbl. You couldn't shoot it with Remington brass ). Worked fine with Win. Never any problems with pressure.
I had a hunting friend in CO who used a whelen. His load was to crank up the pressure til the primer pockets blew out on Rem brass then switch to Win & that was his load . He used a case full to the rim of (IIRC) 4895 and a 275 gr Barnes squashed down on top of it.
it was an FN action. Don't try this with a rem action.

I have chrono'd loads for IMR4064 at 2900 with a Nosler 200BT and 2800 with 54 gr of RL 15. 54 gr of Varget with the 200 Accubond at 2775. I'll probably start with RL 15 and Varget since I have both powders. I didn't receive the bullets today so it looks like sometime next week. I'll report back.

Rob, I have some loaded up & going to give them a try this weekend. I'm starting w/ H435, it's giving me sub 1moa groups in my rifle. RL15 is now 2nd best.

I finally had a chance to get to the range & do a bit of shooting. I ran some of the 338/200gr NFs through my rifle. My best loads w/ the 210grNP seemed like a good starting point. Both loads gave 3 shot groups right @ 1/2moa. Nice round groups, vel. just at 2800fps (I get about 2725fps w/ the 210grNP).
The loads are:
54 1/2gr of current RL15/CCIBR2/Norma 06 cases OAL 3.275"
63gr H4350-same
Nice thing is they shoot to the same POI as the 200gr Speer, just smaller groups.
I don't think I'll do much more fooling around w/ either load. I think I just found a new load for my next elk hunt.

Fred, Thanks for the report.
I should receive my NF's this week and will give you a range report after I complete my work. I'm going to try to go a little faster than 2800 but I'll see what happens. I get 2800 from 200 gr Nosler accubonds and RL 15. My Hornady book says 2900 is tops in 200 gr and RL 15. I plan to start at 53 gr and work up at 1/2 gr at a time. Chrono as I go.

Rob, I may try to push vel. up a bit, but how can I argue w/ 1/2moa? 2800fps is fine for me, the extra 100fps isn't going to matter much to the elk.
SInce you have been using RL15, have you noticed the recent lot (maybe last year) seems a bit slower than earlier lots? My go to load was 53.5gr under the 210grNP for about 2750fps. The lot I bought last year seems slower, 54.5gr is giving me about 2670fps w/ no pressure signs.

That's one of the reasons I went to H4350 and Big Game. I wasn't getting the Vel. out of RL 15 that I though I should with the 210 P. 54 gr. clocked 2660 for me. I wanted 2700 from that load or better.

Fred
51.5gr of R15 and a 210gr. part gave me 2685fps.

I have started to rely more on 4350 myself, Shot three 225gr hornadys @ just over 2600fps into one (big) ragged hole couple of weeks ago. Must have been a good day?

The lot of RL15 I used origanlly to work up my loads gave me 2750fps+/-. I used that one up about a year ago & this new lot seems slower. H4350 has given me slightly better accuracy & I can get back to 2750fps w/ a 210grNP.
My rifle does not like any 225gr bullet I have tried, nor does it like the 200gr Hornady. It's a sub moa shooter w/ 250gr Hornadys & H4350, go figure.

Well I received my Northforks yesterday. Loaded some with 60 gr H4350,60 gr Big Game and 54gr RL 15. Tomorrow I plan on getting to the range with my chrono for the first work at the workup. I'll let all know what data I get.My rifle is a 24" barreled Winchester PF in a bedded HS Precision Stock.

Updated from the range today. Clocked 54 gr RL 15-2840, 60 gr H4350-2827 BG load didn't register on the chrono due to sun angle. My most accurate was 225 SST w/58 gr of BG- 2783 over the chrono. I used that to foul the barrel but it flattened the primer so I'll back off that load. Another range session tomorrow.

Rob, waht was your accuracy like?

I shot for accuracy today seated .025 off the lands BG was the most accurate 1/2" 3 shots with 60 gr. I went to 60.5 in H4350 and 54.5 in RL15 I think I'll go back down, accuracy was not great 1.5 " in both. Fred, how far off the lands are you seating? Your Rifle must have a long throat as my OAL is 3.20

ROb, I seated them to 3.275" but I was just into the lands. I seat the 210grNP to 3.30" to be just off the lands. If you are getting 1/2moa @ 2825fps, I would be very happy w/ that.

Continued with load development today. I went back to RL 15, 54 gr. seated 3.21 Chrono'd 2855 groups very nice a 1/2" for 3 shots. I'll play with a couple of different primers to see what happens since for some reason I can't get the WLR primers I have been using. Fed 210M or CCI 200 are what I have. I'll see what happens tomorrow.
Rob