Elk season is coming. How many of you guys are taking to the hills w/ a .338 bore & what kind?

I will be hunting w/ my .338-06 Ruger M77. I will also take my #1 along for open area hunting/backup. It is a .338x74keith.

I hunt moose in bear country with my .338WM. Most of my moose have dropped to 230-grain FS bullets, and two years ago to a 250-grain Nosler partition. This year I will probably use 250-grain Swift A-Frame bullets, or 225-grain XLC (if I can get them to shoot). I am still experimenting with the XLC, while the A-Frame bullets have been easy to load, and accurate so far.

I have been thinking of a .338-06 as a gift to my oldest son, perhaps by next year.

By the way, the .338WM is one of the most popular cartridges in Alaska, as well as the .30-06, and the .300WM. Gun writers will brag about bigger guns for Alaska, but most folks here use these three cartridges.

[ 08-18-2003, 09:29: Message edited by: Ray, Alaska ]

Fred-

Not this year, but as you know, I just built my 338-06 with elk in mind for 2004. All that I have to do is draw that tag....

I have in the past used my 338-06 on elk using a Nosler 210 partition. It does a great job and has plenty of penetration.

This year I will be taking the 338-06's little brother. It is a 338-08. I will be using either a 200 gr Hornady or the 210 partition.

I'm gonna be using some 225 gr. Northforks in my .338 for moose & elk. Leaving about Sep't. 1st for moose (gotta remember to get a grizzly tag for that trip). Then it's on to Afognak Island for elk on the 5th of Oct. Boy, the weather's gonna be brutal for that one. Still working on the load I'm gonna use though. Gotta love it. Bear in Fairbanks

I've been using my Ruger 77 in .338 Win. Mag., for elk, since 1974, when I bought it new. I'll be using it again this Oct., in an Idaho Controlled Bull Elk unit, for which I and my two hunting buddies were fortunate enough to (finally) be drawn.

I've also killed a bull elk with my old .280 Remington, Rem. Mdl. 725. That is the rifle which is always along on my elk hunts, as a backup. (Had to use it last Fall, after taking a spill on an Idaho mountainside, and bashing the 'scope on my .338, against a rock. I'm a "backup rifle" believer.)

My load for the .338 is the 210 gr. Nosler Partition in front of 78 grs. Norma MRP.

Works just fine.

Good luck to all. L.W.

I had a .338Winnie built up on a Springfield '03 action and was already for elk. Only problem was I didn't get drawn

However, I did get drawn for deer, so I'll just have to go with the knowledge that I'm slightly over-gunned

I've only fired 30 rounds through it so far, and this weekend I got it to just over MOA shooting 230 Failsafes. But I want to get some 250 Noslers and see how they shoot. I'd really like to get it zeroed in with 250's and leave it there.

Off to Colorado for 1st season, 338-378 in tow, stoked with 240gr Northforks.

330 Dakota, 210 Partition. I don't know why but the 338 seems about perfect for elk. 2 bulls so far with a 338 Win, worked superbly. The Dakota is that and a bit more.

I'll be a weanie to the Mag crowd. 338/06, with 250 grain RN Hornady bullet at 2650 fps, for brush and 250 grain Hornady SP for open country.

I think the 338/06 crowd is a wise crowd. No down size to a 338 bore bullet. Love how the '06 case does not compromise much to the Mag case except, less powder consumption and a lot less recoil.

My backup gun is either a 7 x57 with a 175 grain Round Nose, or a 6.5 x 55 with a 160 grain Round Nose. Both in a Model 70 Featherweight.

Lean, yeah, I've been down that "took a fall, banged up my scope" trip myself. My backup rifle last year & this is also a .280 built on a M70. Took a fall coming across a frozen stream & whacked the crap out of my scope on a tree. When I got home I checked zero & it was OK. Got to love those Leup. VXIIIs!

Sea, I can't get that kind of vel. out of the 250s on my .338-06, but 2500 is good enough if I'm hunting timber. If it's mixed terrain, I go w/ the good old 210GRNP.

I just finished building a custom mauser in 338-06 Ackley Improved for my Dad's hunt in Colorado in Oct. Will mount the scope and start building loads using the 210 Partition and Varget this weekend. Sure is going to be a fun one to shoot!! I might even use it for deer here this fall - just so I can hunt with it too maxman

Savage stainless in .338 WM with 230 grain Fail Safes.

I have a pre-64 M70 in .338, but my dad always seems to be the one who carries it come hunting season. That leaves me to carry my .340 weatherby. The 230 gr. fail safe is my all around bullet of choice for the .338 bores, but my .340 just loves 250 gr. partitions. It holds just under two inches at 200 yards with this bullet!

[ 08-22-2003, 00:33: Message edited by: DavidReed ]

Fred:

Recipe for the 2650 fps in a 24 inch barrel is H 380, 60 grains of it, and a Mag primer.

I think Sierra lists it in their manual at 2600 fps or so. The spire points in 250 grainers are pretty flat shooting. Same with the 225 grainers. I did notice a major trajectory difference in the 225s and the 215 grain Sierra when I first tried them. The 215 Sierra is my least favorite of the 338 bore bullets I have used.

Nothing wrong with the 210 Partition. Just don't think I need a partition on the 338 bore.
Of course if I was going after something that could eat me, then I would be packing the 225 grain partition, hands down.

Remington 700LSS in 338 RUM, 250 NP over H-1000 or 225 Hornady spire points over R-22.

I shoot two .340 Wby's, a weatherby and a Sako. My powder of choice is RL-19 with a Fed 215M primer. I have taken Deer, Elk and Moose with one of them. My bullets used are Nosler Partition Gold in 250 grains for the Moose, Barnes 225 Grains for several Bull Elk, and 240 grain North Fork for both presently. That North Fork is awesome in toughness and accuracy. Good shooting.

Headed to Colorado the middle of Oct. for elk and mule deer.
I'll take my Model 70 in 338 for that job. It really likes 230gr. Winchester Failsafes.

A month later is opening deer season here in Michigan. You'll find me in Yooperland with my 338-08 Winchester Model 88. Now this one I load with 200gr. Hornady SP's that do wonders on the deer.

Both wear good old Leupold 2.5-8X scopes

Same as jb above. 2nd hunt in colorado for mullies and elk. Custom .338 ultra on a rem action, 250g partition golds. Worked well enough last year to try and repeat.

[ 08-24-2003, 07:31: Message edited by: AJ300MAG ]

I've got two .338s as does my hunting partner. Each of us has a .338-06 and a .338 WSM. (Don't know which of us is the "monkey see monkey do" critter. )
Last year, we both got our Colorado elk with the .338-06s loaded with Hornady 225gr bullets.
This year, gotta use the .338WSMs (each of us has two elk tags so may use both calibers), but will use 210gr Sciroccos just for the heck of it.

I'll be using my .338-06 (hopefully) on an Elk this October. Was lucky enough to get a permit for Etolin Island (near Wrangell AK). It's a really nice shooter, had a old style Ruger M77 with manlicher stock rebarelled for .338-06, nice little carbine to carry, has a Vari-X III in 1.75-6 on it.

338 Ultra.
225gr. X bullet at 3050 fps.
I would be happy to carry almost any 338 bore though!

Jamie

I will be shooting my sako 75 S.S. in that cartridge, as for bullets well I zeroed it in with 250 gr. Noslers when I bought it in May of 1999, It still puts those bullets spot at 200 yards. The 250 gr Nosler has done fine work for me over the years on all manner of game.

I may use my M70 in .338-06 with 225 NP's or "cheat" and try my new pre 64 M70 in .300 H&H. A tough call.

FRED J. !!!!!! Don't forget to figure on a dinner one evening. Montana City sound good???
I need to show you my new .300 H&H.

Frank N.