Anyone who has shot a lot of bigger stuff with a .338 W M want to comment on bullet selection in regards to both weight and type???

I have shot a moose and an elk with a 338. Both fell to 225 grn bullets. The Elk was with a 225 Hornady and the moose was with a Barnes TSX. Both did the job with no problems. I have also shot several deer with my 338's with 200, 225 and 250 grain bullets.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
Anyone who has shot a lot of bigger stuff with a .338 W M want to comment on bullet selection in regards to both weight and type???

I used the 230 grain FailSafe for a long time but had the occasional problem with expansion. I switched to 250 grain Swift A-Frames about five years ago and I use the same weight for everything.

I have been a fan of 250s for over 20 years and am perfectly satisfied with Nosler's partition in that weight. Only a fool would argue that lighter .338 bullets don't work, but if less bullet is needed I'll dig out my trusty 30-06.

I used both the 230 failsafe and the 250 partition with great success. I also like the heavier bullets. 200's work but not like the heavier ones!

I have taken several brown bear with 250 grain Sierra game kings and I won't use any other bullet in my primary .338 guide back up gun.

I will be carring this gun and load on a guided bear hunt next week in case a back up will be needed. the following week I will be going on a brown bear hunt for myself. this is the first time in years I've had time to hunt bears for myself and I will be useing my .338 double rifle loaded with 250 gr. Hornady interlocks. This rifle shoots this bullet well so I'll be useing it. If this thread is still going then I'll post a report.

I don't recall shooting anything else big with this bullet hear in AK. I have shot some black bear with it but no moose.

The only other big game I shot with the 250GK's was a gemsbok. worked well then also.

SWIFT A FRAME would be my pick.

I'm glad to read a favorable report of the 250gr gameking. I always wondered about that bullet in the 338. I have several boxes of those bullets, but just avoided loading them because of Sierra's rep for core/jacket seperation. I figured someday maybe I would use them on hogs or something, since they are easier to put down than a bear.

I really like and trust the Swift A-frame. It's just a matter of preference as to weight. I have no problem with using the 250 gr, however my choice is the 225 gr. With the 338, I figure I might as well take advantage of the speed, and with the 225 gr A-frame I'm pretty confident it will remain intact.

My 338 is unusual in that it is a 12" twist rate. I have loaded and tested a variety of 225 gr bullets, which I consider the ideal weight in this caliber, including the Swift, and Hornady Interbond and Interlock and Nosler Accubond. I also shot some 200 gr Ballistic Tips which were very accurate, and Speer 200 gr and their 225 gr BT bullets. I shot about 20 Nosler Partition 210 gr bullets for accuracy and to use them up and took one deer with it - DRT - over 200 yards. They were all accurate in my rifle, and I think adequate.

For big game like moose and bear, my last choice would be the 200 gr bullets. The Swift is my first choice for reliabiity. I got some astonishing accuracy from the Hornady interbonds, and the Nosler Accubonds. I'm talking about three shots touching each other at 100 yards, but I didn't test at longer distance. These bullets made it look easy. However, I think the credit mostly goes to having a good day at the range, luck, and not-to-deminish the fact that it's a Lilja barrel, which I paid dearly for.

I mostly used the rifle for hunting sitka deer in a place where lots of brown bear roam, and of course all the bullets mentioned were great for deer. If the opportunity looked right, excluding that 200 yd shot, I would always choose a head or neck shot to avoid meat damage. I never had to shoot a bear with one of my 338 loads - thank gawd.

To me, the 338 is what all 300 magnums want to be when they grow up, and a good option to skip the 300 magnums altoghether, especially with the 225gr .338 bullets. The only cartridge I can think of that maybe better, compared to setteling for a 300 magnum, would be something in 8mm, like maybe the new 325 short magnum. I think it's too bad that there isn't a 323 Norma mag, or a 323 Steyr. Either would just about optimize the 8mm bullet, and settle the issue of chosing between a 300 mag or 338 mag.

KB

originally posted by Kabluewy

quote:

I think it's too bad that there isn't a 323 Norma mag, or a 323 Steyr. Either would just about optimize the 8mm bullet, and settle the issue of chosing between a 300 mag or 338 mag.

What would be wrong with an 8x68. I've seen one shot kills on brown bear from some of my European clinets. It seems like a real powerhouse. I guess you could also try a 8mm rem mag or 8x75.

ledvm ----- I had a .338 Win and loved it, but opted for a .340 Wby when going for Moose in big Bear country. In my opinion the perfect bullet for both is the 240 grain North Fork, if it shoots well in your rifle. I have shot all bullets manufactured in this country and the North Forks are as tough as the toughest and more accurate with my rifle. Good shooting.

I've shot a 338 WM for over 10 yrs now and only used the 210 Par. 2 elk, 8 nilgai, too many hogs to count. I do not think you can go wrong w/ any of the partitions. Find the one your rifle likes best and it will work.

For the .338 and game up to & including moose & grizzlies, you want the 225 gr. NorthFork. IF you're going after a brown bear then it's a 240 gr. NorthFork. Load the 225 to 2800 fps. Tho the 240 is only another 15 grs., Mike designed it primarily for brown bears. He told me it wasn't quite as accurate AT LONGER RANGES as the 225 but up close & personal (say 100 yds. or so)is where it shines.
The 225 is more accurate than the equivelent in a Partition in my experience.
Bear in Fairbanks

I shoot NF's in my .458 but have lost contact with them. Are the alive and kicking? If so, how do you get ahold of them. I thought Mike shut the company down.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
I shoot NF's in my .458 but have lost contact with them. Are the alive and kicking? If so, how do you get ahold of them. I thought Mike shut the company down.

He consults only--
new owners-
http://www.northforkbullets.com/magento/

North Fork is alive and well. I ordered from them last month. Prompt delivery. Had a good discussion w/ the new owner. He told me Mike still does most of their testing for them.

Remington Safari Ammo with 225 gr. Swift A Frame. Eland on down to the smaller antelope no problem. I wouldn't have a problem with the large animals where legal.

210 Partition is my projectile of choice in the 338 WM... it works out of proportion to all the SD/BC/Bullet Weight Theories.

I prefer 225 Triple Shocks.

I"ve been hunting with a .338 win mag since 1985. I've almost always shot 225s in either Nosler Partition, Trophy Bonded Bearclaw or Barnes TSX. Currently, the Barnes TSX's are what I'm shooting in that rifle, as I get real nice groups with them and like their performance.

I never had a single problem with the Noslers or TBBs, just wanted to change for the sake of change. I've never shot lighter bullets than225s in this rifle. Never had a problem with animals going very far, either.

I have 900 of the 230 grain FailSafe bullets in .338. Those work on a par with my beloved North Forks.

LD

I'm a bit embarrased to come off like some kind of one bullet for everything freak, but for the life of me I can't figger why anybody'd want to use anything other than the TSX.

I used the TSX in Zimbabwe again this last month for buffalo, kudu, impala, wildebeeste and bushbuk, and here at home this month for bear and moose. The Swift is certainly a great bullet but I will use the TSX.

Over the years I've used three bullets in the .338 Win Mag ... 225 gr Barnes X, 250 gr Woodleigh PP, and the 250 gr Nosler Combined Technology Partition. All three are terrific bullets. Of the three I'd choose the one that shoots best in the rifle.

Though there is no question the lighter bullets work in the .338 Win Mag, I usually use them in a .338-06.

225gr TB Bearclaw for me. Perform well from 15 feet out to 300yds. Also have used 225gr swift a frames,210 nosler part,225gr Barnes tsx. All have taken big northern whitetails for me. But i keep going back to TB Bearclaws. Thay just shoot so well out of my BAR

How about a Barnes 160 gr Tipped TSX at 3300 fps?

That would not exactly bounce of an....... heck it would not bounce of anything I guess!

quote:

Originally posted by aliveincc:
North Fork is alive and well. I ordered from them last month. Prompt delivery. Had a good discussion w/ the new owner. He told me Mike still does most of their testing for them.

They still sport "cast bullet type" BC's?

Indeed they do.

North Forks are designed to kill game efficiently and expeditiously.

It is possible to kill an animal with a Berger VLD bullet. Then you can have all the BC you ever dreamed of.

Having had the pleasure of chatting with Mike (Brady) many times over the last four years, I feel pretty secure in saying that he took a clean pice of engineer's paper and drew up the top ten attributes of a reliable killing bullet for game. BC didn't even make the top ten.

After being horrified to have Woodleigh soft points turn into silver dollar shaped globs of metal just from hitting bison on the ribs, I pulled all my woodleighs and replaced then with North Forks (I took the expander out of my Rigby dies and then used a custom Buffalo Bore Type "M" style die on the neck. The North Forks and swifts were inserted and put in to the correct depth. Final touch was a custom Lee "Factory Crimp" die.

After that, I had bang/flops only; even on a tough old cow bison that had eloped from the pasture and led me a merry chase for two days and thirty miles.

Many North Fork bullets are designed for elephant and other buffalo species at hand shake distance. The smaller diameter soft nosed North Forks work well out to three hundred yards without needing reading glasses to check your drift and drop chart on the stock, nor a lazer range finder. There are other bullets that do a tremendous job out to the far side of forever.

quote:

They still sport "cast bullet type" BC's?

To answer your question directly POP the BC's of North Forks have never been measured. They are probably better than cast lead bullet BC's - barely.

LD

I know.... I was just being a smart azz.....

But you gotta admit a Partition, GS Custom, a Hornady interlock round nose, or even a TSX would have acted the same...... Just as reliable and dependable.

POP ----- I have used the North Forks for years in places where the animal hunted scratch, bite or gore. The reliability of the bullet when nut cutting time comes is what I want. I use a test box (wet packed file paper with two plastic notebooks and a Bison hip bone) that culls the weak performers. The bullets that passed that get the accuracy tests. Survivers were Swift A-Frames-Barnes X,XLC-TSX-Nosler Combined Technology Partition-Trophy bonded bearclaw-North Fork. The North Forks won 8 of 10 loads for accuracy. That is the reason I use them. Their toughness with pin point accuracy has not been surpassed through my rifles. As you say "others act like them" but for me none act like them when you consider all aspects that matter to me. We use them yearly on Elk and trips to Alaska-Canada-Africa when possible. Good shooting.

Wow Lawndart, I have not seen you post for quite a while. Good to have you back!

- mike

Well...I am ordering some 240 gr. North Forks. I just like bigger bullets. Going to start off with some R-19 unless someone talks me into something else.

both my friend and i have used 210 noslers on both species of elk here in washington state. we have each taken 10 elk with one shot kills using a 210 nosler. perfect expansion every time. my friend has been shooting a 338x378 weatherby for the last 3 years and has been using the 250 sierra game king and has had great result with 2 dead elk with both being a one shot kill and no problems with the sierras

NF suggested R-17 for 240's. Anyone shot any of that?

Sorry POP, I'll get off my soap box. Just flogging the North Forks.

High mho. It is great to be able to post a little bit here and there.

I went on a plains game hunt in south Africa last month and used my Beretta Mato in 338 win mag on several plains game. I would have liked to use 225gr swift A frames but they didn't shoot as well as the 225gr trophy bonded bear claws. The Trophy bonded bear claws performed flawlessly with better than 95% weight retention and excellent penetration.

quote:

Originally posted by lawndart:
Sorry POP, I'll get off my soap box. Just flogging the North Forks.

High mho. It is great to be able to post a little bit here and there.

Ahh! we are all passionate about what we like.

I bought my first .338WM in January, 1968 and have now owned 12 rifles so chambered and currently have 5. I have loaded for these and several others and used a number of powders and bullets.

I have come to use only 250 gr. slugs and find NPs and SGKs both fast and accurate in all of my rifles, loading them to 2750-2800 with either RE-22 or H-4350. I hunt where Grizzly attacks are fairly common and just feel better with the bigger bullets.

The ,338WM is my longtime favourite round of the many I own and shoot and it is, IMHO, probably the best all-around choice for a serious BC hunter. I am just now cleaning up one of mine after packing it for over a week in BC rain and I felt pretty good a week ago this morning when standing on fresh Grizzly tracks on a salmon spawning river in NWBC, with it in my mitts.

A good crf .338WM, Leupy 1.75x5 MHD, auxilliary irons, 250 NPs and I am happy to hunt anywhere in Canada for any game we have.