I plan to start using some “real” bullets in my .338 Win Mag. The first bullets I tried were the 180 gr. BT’s that I had from when I had a 338-06. Those bullets shot so well and with all the talk about how the over .30 caliber BT’s being tougher than the under .30, I just stuck with them. I did not get to try them on a cow elk last year unfortunately but the 180’s did a great job on a whitetail. I have some 210 gr. Partitions and also plan to try the Barnes 210 gr. XLC’s. if either one of these will shoot in my rifle they should work just fine on my 2004 elk and mule deer hunt. If not I guess I’ll move up to the 225’s.

What powders are you guys using with the 210 gr. bullets? I have RE19, RE 22, IMR 4831, H4831sc, H4350, IMR4350. Has any one had success with powders faster than IMR4350? I had great luck with RE15 with the 180 gr. BT’s.

C-ROY

C-Roy

I too have been using 180 grain Nosler BT's in my 338's with great luck using 66.0 grains of Re15. I also tried 65.0 with the 210 Partition with good results. Next, I am going to try 66.0 grains because 65.0 shows low pressures in my rifles. I am partial to staying with Re15 due to the recent changes required by the US military to make this powder temperature stable like Varget. This combination is a very pleasant load to shoot in the 338 WM. Good Luck, Steve

I've always had the best luck with powders that give you a full or near-full case (high loading density). I would suggest H4831 with the 210 Nosler. Some people like the heavier bullets, but there's practically nothing you would hunt with a .338 that the 210 Nosler won't take care of. I think it's a bullet especially well-suited to elk.

I agree with Stonecreek about filling the case... however, in my 338 WM's, H4831sc won't get the velocity I want before I run out of case capacity. I use either H4350 (or IMR) and RL22 exclusively in the 338WM. In my 22' bbl I get 3,030 with the 210 NP and 78 gr's of RL22.

Brian: When the US Military switched over from the 168 Sierra to the 175 Sierra in the match/sniper ammunition they also switched powders because IMR was having trouble delivering 4895 in consistent powder lots. They first went to the military equivalent of 748 and then after a series of testing switched to Re15. About this time Alliant was given the contract to run the Lake City plant which may had something to do with the change of powders. However, Alliant made changes to the powder to reduce the temperature influences. I started using this powder in my 338's simply because I was using it in my 308's and wanted a light bullet load for deer in my 338's. It proved to be an excellent powder giving extremely good accuracy in both my rifles. I tested the 180 BT's on phone books from 50 meters to 250 meters and they proved to be a very good tough bullet. Better, in fact, than several well known 225 grain bullets. However, I agree, that the 210 Partition is a better all around bullet for the 338. With this powder, loading density doesn't appear to be an issue as I test all my riles at 200 meters and these loads consistently give below 1" grouping for 3 shots. Good luck, Steve

I prefer bullets that are over 200 grs. in weight for the .338 Win. Mag., with the 210 gr. Nosler Partition being one of the best all-around bullets at the lighter end of the scale. In fact, Bob Nosler once told me that he felt the 210 Partition was the "flagship" bullet of the Nosler line.

I've been loading the .338 Win. Mag. since 1980, and to this day I have not found better powders for it than IMR 4831 and IMR 4350. My powder of choice with all bullets between 200 and 250 grs. is IMR 4350. It produces the velocities that the .338 Winchester was originally designed to achieve, but it doesn't fill the case nearly so much and does not produce the heavily compressed load densities that the slower powders do. Since it doesn't take up as much room, load density is about ideal, plus recoil is less and barrel life is longer with IMR 4350, and it provides more velocity than faster powders such as IMR 4895.

AD

Allen: I apologize for changing the gist of this thread but was wondering if you'd post your powder charge of IMR-4350 for a 225 gr. bullet. How's the accuracy? Thanks, Bear in Fairbanks

C-ROY,

I can't disagree with anything that Allen has said but I also have shot the 338 Win. since '80 and my experience has been different.

The rifle I had the most experience with was a Brown Precision custom 700 with a 22" Shilen barrel. The rifle was throated long enough so that the slow powders did not have to be heavily compressed. A factory throat might be long also. You would just have to check it.

Anyway 76gr. of RL-19 gave the 210 NP 2940fps and 76gr. of H-4831 clocked 2820fps with the 225 SAF. The same load of H-4831 would drive the 250 NP at 2740fps. I was never able to get enough IMR-4350 in the case to produce the above velocities.

All the above loads were safe in my gun but yours might not tolerate them. Of course you know to back off 5gr. or so and work up. BTW all the listed loads gave fine hunting accuracy.

Finally I think you will really like the 210 NP. If I had to pick 1 bullet out of all I have shot at big game it would be on top of the heap.

I use (if memory serves) 76 gr of RL19 behind the 210 gr Nosler, which gives me 2950 or so on the chrony. Nice shooting accurate load out of my 24" barreled Ruger 77 Mk I. - Dan

I get 3005 FPS with RL-19 and the same with 4831 and 4350 but RL-19 does it with less pressure...

The 210 Nosler is a wonder bullet on elk...I have shot many elk with it and much plainsgame in Africa of elk size..It simply works and penitration is fantastic, equal to the 250 gr. Nosler for some reason...

I only use two bullets in the 338 these days, they 210 Nosler at 3000 plus and the 300 gr. Woodleigh RN at 2550 FPS...they work.