I am getting ready for my first african hunt, and am trying to get my gun ready. I got a new Kimber with a #5 taper Shilen barrel. My partner and I are both using 338's and want to shoot the same load, for convenience. The bottom line, is he wants to shoot Swift 225 gr. A frame bullets and I am the one doing the load development, and I can't make them shoot in my gun. I have tried a number of powder combinations, so far with no success at all. I hope someone can help me. By the way, I have a Schmidt and Bender Scope, with Talley rings, and I shot bench resst for several years, so I'm not a rookie fabout reloading, and I've looked at all the normal things, I just wonder if another bullet would be the way to go. I'm not at all married to the A-frame, and I've had some good luck getting TSX's to group. Thanks. Rusty from Ga.

Rusty, the 2 things I would tell you to look for on a 338 Win mag is what powder and shoulders.
IMR-4350 about 69-70grs will usually make just about any 225 gr bullet that's going to shoot, shoot in a 338 Win Mag. If you haven't tried it you might before you give up on the swifts.
Are you using Virgin or once fired brass? I was getting odd inaccuracies with a very accurate 338 and I traced it down to the fact that the shoulders on Virgin brass were as much as -.040 headspace. Once fired cases that I sized to headspace off the shoulder shot 1/2 MOA or better (70grs IMR-4350 and 225 Accubonds), but virgin brass needed fire-forming. Next batch of virgin brass I get I'm going to bump the neck out to 35 and size down to where it will headspace off the 35 neck for the first shot.

Don't know if this will help but it worked for me. - The 225gr Accubond load dropped an elk at 511yds...............................DJ

Just pulled my records. For my 338wmag I had two loads. The 225pt with just past the max in the Nosler book for IMR4350. The other was the 210 and max H414. I used the Nosler Part and BT for years. I have switch to the Accubond for both heavy and thin skinned. I have yet to have an issue. For plains game they are hard to beat. Between my wife and I we had 5 one shot kills last month.

Rusty

I have had great accuracy with the load recommended in the Nosler #5 manual as the "most accurate powder tested" which is 72.5 gr RL19 behind the 225 gr TSX, Fed215M WW cases. Like any bullet the TSX has it's failures but those are mostly with small bullets going way too fast or loads that don't stabilize the bullet and those long bullets keyhole.

Hey dj

How are you going to move the shoulder that far forward? If you set your die to size the case body and not hit the shoulder it will move the shoulder forward only 3 or 4 thousand'ths. Once fired cases will typically move the shoulder about 85% of the headspace distance. I have only been able to completely close the headspace gap by sizing the case body after the 2nd firing.

imr 4350 is a great powder for the 338 magnum,i use it more than anything,but on a lark i tried vitavoy N-150 and it shot great,reloader-19 is very talked up also,you noted you had good luck with Barnes TSX,seeing your the loader i think you should pick the bullet...(peroid)..noslers 210 partition would be on my short list also,swifts a-frame is a great bullet,but theres others just as good some better! your friends letting you do the reloading ,he should also conseed to your shooting knowledge also.how many rounds through your Shilen tube,is she broke in? regards jjmp

Very good advice given.

As you know, any one bullet… I REALLY wanted the 225gr North Fork to shoot in my .338 Win Mag. I just couldn’t get the consistency out of it with MY bore (tried RL19, RL20, H4350, & H4831SC). The guy that took the ones I had left has had stellar results, most do. The NF is a great bullet. It just didn’t get along with my bore. It happens. Sounds like the same with the A-Frame for you. If you can’t get the A-Frame to shoot, I’d highly recommend giving Mike over at NF a call and having him send you 50 of the .338-225s. If eland or other very heavy PG are on the menu, I’d look hard at a NF or TSX.

I have found H4350 and RL19 to be exceptional powders in my .338.

The load that will accompany me to BC for an elk hunt this fall is:

Win Case
Fed 215 Primer
70 gr H4350
225 gr Woodleigh Weldcore Protected Point
2780 fps
Accuracy is stellar.

Substituting the 225 gr Hornady Interlock for the Woody results in equal accuracy and the same POI. Makes for one heck of an economical practice round.

woodleigh weldcore PPs are a "no bs bullet"

quote:

Originally posted by woods:
Hey dj

How are you going to move the shoulder that far forward? If you set your die to size the case body and not hit the shoulder it will move the shoulder forward only 3 or 4 thousand'ths. Once fired cases will typically move the shoulder about 85% of the headspace distance. I have only been able to completely close the headspace gap by sizing the case body after the 2nd firing.

Woods, My plan is to open the neck up to 35 caliber and resize the top down to 338 and create a 2nd shoulder to headspace against. I haven't tried it yet.
You mentioning that yours have only moved 85% of the distance is interesting. I'll have to go back and double check some of my once fired Virgin brass to see if mine are doing the same. IIRC I wasn't having the problem but thanks for mentioning it, I'll double check to make sure.........................DJ

Rusty Carr ; Did you break in the new barrel properly ?. I agree with djpaintles and others . IMR 4350 or H 4350 is real hard to beat for the 200 - 225 projectiles in 338 Win Mag . Regardless of Manufacture . Best of Luck ...

My 338 needs the brass to be fireformed. Shoots 1"- 1 1/4" with virgin bras but drills it after the first fireing. Throw in some 250 Noslers in front of 74-75 grs Rel. 22, I bet it drills them too.

a friend of mine and myself have shot 338 win mags for over 20 years and have tried most bullett and powder combos out there.we have rugers,remingtons,winchesters and tikkas.the loads we have stayed with is either imr4831 or 4350 with a 210or 225 nosler partition and either cci or federal magnum primers and winchester brass. we consistantly get less than 1/2 inch groups even with virgin brass. the only other sujestion i have for you if your friend is stuck on the swift 225 is to try a stoney point o.a.l. gauge and try starting at the rifeling and decrease the o.a.l to see if you can get a group that you are happy with. not to say or imply that other bulletts are bad but we have at least 17 one shot kills using noslers on whasington state elk.

Over the years my experiences with the 338, and I've owned three of 'em, have all been positive. It has never been a fussy cartridge to make shoot well, and I guess that's the reason I'll never be without one.

The above posters are correct in saying that IMR 4350 is one of the best powders, and almost all of my loads have revolved around it or RL 19. I have used IMR 4350, 4831, RL 19&22, and a few of the V-V powders with good results.

Have you guys that recommend IMR 4350 ever used H 4350?

I'm just wondering if there is much difference. I started with H4350 bc that's what I shoot out of my '06 and I had 8 lbs on the shelf. Never tried IMR 4350. Maybe someday...

I was using IMR4350 in my .338 and switched to IMR4831 using the 250 nosler partition - group size, if I did my part, decrease between .4" to .7" @ 100 yard range.
The 225 did not change group size with that powder change; all I shoot now is the 250 partition w/ 4831 - less fuss, very consistent.

ymmv

Rusty you there? let us know what your trying,.....nimrodrx,i think ones as good as the other,sure sounds you hit a great combo with your loads and rifle,good luck up there in that B C country, Great team-work here guys, regards jjmp

Just a thought to simplify your situation:

Why the need to shoot the same load? I have hunted plenty of times 2x1 with others also using a .338. I never once thought there was any inconvenience to each of us having our own ammo!

I think you are making it more complicated than it needs to be. Use what you prefer and what shoots best in your gun. It will give you the confidence in your own shooting.

I have had good results in my Ruger with the Woodleigh 225 gr protected point and 67 gr of AR2209........................that bullet is excellent for what I need.

Sounds as though my load is pretty mild, AR2209 and 4350 are very close and most folks seem to put 70 gr of the 4350 it seems behind a 225 gr pill.

I'm and old .338 fan from way back..The 225 IMO is neither fish nor fowl...I would use the 210 Nosler or the 250 Nosler or maybe one of the great Woodleigh bullets..or even a 200 gr. TSX if you like monolithics...

the Northforks are awesome. I have used them on all the plainsgame and even some DG...IMO and experience, the Northforks are the most accurate bullet I have ever used in the larger calibers and one of the most dependable....

Your doing the loading and if you want to use the same load in both guns then he has to go along with the program, if a bullet won't shoot in a rifle, use another bullet, there are plenty of good bullets out there. I never try to make a bullet shoot, it will or it won't IMO. besides I hate picky guns.

Another 338 lover here. Your rifle may not like the Swift bullets, it happens. My 338-06 does not like any 225gr bullet over any powder charge, like Ray, it's either 210gr or 250gr. If your rifle won't shoot w/ H4350, IMR4350, IMR4831 or RL19 under the Swift, I would look to another bullet. I am a big fan of the Nosler Partition & have had good luck w/ the 225grNP in my 338x74K. My next choice would be the 225gr NAB. How is your rifle shooting w/ factory ammo?

Just used 250gr partitions on my trip. Only one bullet recovered. Good results.

The last poster said it just right. My gun just apparently doesn't like the Swift bullets. It does however seem to really like the 225 gr TSX, and therefore I will load it and not look back. My hunting partner, who by the way is still a working man and I am the one working up the loads, will just have4 to enjoy the Barnes, or find the time to do it himself. Thanks for all the help guys, and I hope that a number of African plains animals get up close and personal with the Barnes. Rusty

I think your mistake , is in trying to get the 2 different rifles to shoot the same load. Obviously its not imposible, but one of you will likly be very happy with the load and the other , not so happy.
If your rifle shoots a 225 grain TSX I would think thats a prety good versital load...tj3006

One more vote for the 210gr NP. Also supurb, the fail safe 230gr if you can find the older ones with thr steel liner.