what do you guys think about the heavy bullets in the 338-06 rig???

what about the gs custom semiwaddcutter???

any experience on big bears???

any advice on any bullet 250 gr. and over...

thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
what do you guys think about the heavy bullets in the 338-06 rig???

what about the gs custom semiwaddcutter???

any experience on big bears???

any advice on any bullet 250 gr. and over...

thanks!

I don't know about the .338-06 and bears, but there is a similar cartridge used in Africa, called .338 Sabi, and this cartridge is designed for the use of the heavier .338 bullets. if you search "338 Sabi" on the Internet, it should get you there.

I like the 210gr NP in mine as an all purpose bullet, I've taken quite a few animals w/ it. The various 250gr bullets are very accurate but a bit slow for anything but woods hunting. I have used them but not gotten any shots....yet. At .338-06 vel. you don't need a premium 250gr but the NP is very accurate in my rilfe, then again so is the Hornady. On wetpack tests, the Hornady is the softest, the old style Speer GS is also very good. I have a box of 275gr Speers but haven't tried them out yet, kind of hoarding them since they are no longer made.
If I were going in big bear country, I would load 250grNP @ 2450fps from my 22 1/2" bbl. Great penetration.

My opinion is that if you intend to use the .338-06 you're better off with 210 gr. bullets or lighter. If you want to use 225 gr. or heavier bullets you're better off with a .338 Win. Mag., .340 Wby., etc.

Case capacity still counts...........

AD

Well, I carry and hunt with a 338/06. It is my only wildcat, but I love it...

A few bullets are available over 250 grains but they get kinda specialized. The old 275 Grain Speer SMP was a great bullet, but it is no longer made. I have a 3 boxes of them I am hoarding. However if truth be known, the 338 caliber bullets of 250 grains are just fine my in my opinion.

I load my 338/06 and get better velocity than a lot of other guys claim to in here. However, if you want long range, load the 200 to 210 grain bullets. I have never had much personal use for the 210 Nosler partition, because I have not needed it, as the other bullets available do the job. If cost is no object, I concur with the others here it is the best overall performing bullet...

In the 338 bore, I don't think you need the magnum or need premium bullets. They all have high sectional density and weight and the 338/06 does a good job on velocity. I load 200 grain bullets at 2900 fps, 225 grainers to 2750 or so, and 250 grainers to 2650 fps.

My favorite two powders, are H 380 and IMR 4064.

H 380 is the velocity and accuracy king for my uses. I load 65 grains with the 200 grain Hornady SPs or Nosler Ballistic tips, 63 grains with the 225 grain Hornady, and 60 grains with the 250 grain Hornady SP.

IMR 4064 is the flexibility powder. If one loads 50 grains of 4064, it gives 2550 to 2600 fps with a 200 grain bullet, 2500 to 2550 with a 225 grain bullet and with a 250 grain Round Nose, it gives me 2500 fps. So it has only a 100 fps velocity spread between the 200 and 250 grain bullets. Check it out via the Hornady and Sierra manuals.

I use to use the 225 grainers most often, but I have migrated to the 200 for flat shooting needs and the 250 grain round nose for all around use.

The 338 mag doesn't give all that much more velocity in my book, but everyone seems to think I overload the 338/06 and under load the 338 Mag.
Everyone is a critic!

Good luck and
cheers and good shooting
seafire

great stuff guys...

thanks for the reloading tips seafire.

i look at the conley precision web site for the ammo and like the specs they are showing for this round.

any other experienced 338-06 ers out there...anyone use the g.s. custom stuff???

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
great stuff guys...

thanks for the reloading tips seafire.

i look at the conley precision web site for the ammo and like the specs they are showing for this round.

any other experienced 338-06 ers out there...anyone use the g.s. custom stuff???

I've had good luck with the 250 A-frames and RL-19 for about 2500fps. Don't let anybody tell you they aren't good to 300 yards because they are.

With my 22" bbl'd 338-06 and H4350 (I think it's about the "ideal" powder) I got 2,550 fps with 250's, 2,700 fps with 225's and 2,780 fps with 210's... the 210 NP makes a LOT of sense in the 338-06 and would be my first choice... it shoots about as flat as a 150 grainer in a 308 Win but has more authority. If I wanted more penetration than a 210 NP (why?) I'd substitute the 210 TSX.

BA

I am currently building a .338-06 which is a very good cartridge, in a light rifle, such as the little Brno21H I am working with; this rifle will be 7.25 lbs all up, with CRF, integral scope bases, Talleys and so forth. The ONLY advantage of the .338-06 over the superb .338 Win.Mag. is one can use it in these very light CRF actions, the Husqvarna 4100 is another example. In a standard weight Mod. 70 or Mauser type, such as the FN, the .338 Win. Mag. is a better choice and 2700+ fps-mv with 250s is easily attainable.

I much prefer the 250 NPs for my .338s, especially the Partition Gold Moly Free and this will be what I will try first in my .338-06 and 2500-2550 fps-mv. is enough for me. This is a backpacking mountain rifle for solo hunts in very rugged country and it is about as good as it gets for this, IMHO. While an '.06 will kill anything, I always hunt in areas where Grizzly attacks are increasing; the admittedly slight additional stopping power of the .338-250 is better for this purpose....at least, it makes me feel better and that is actually quite important.

Allow me to present you the .338 Sabi (similar to the .338-06), and the reasons for its creation -the use of heavy and slower moving bullets for African game:

http://www.sabirifles.co.za/sabi338.htm

Here's some food for thought. I recovered several bullets from the dirt backstop at the range and weighed them.100 yds. 225gr Accubond at 2700 FPS 143-114gr for 63%-50%. 185 TSX at 3000FPS 175-172gr 90-91%. Nothing scientific here just my notes.

hey gerard...what about using the flat nose bullets with the 338-06??? i am thinking of big bear medicine when needed. in a pump action 7600 i think this would be killer (sorry for the pun)

great responses, keep em comming.

cant the 338-06 do the same velocities as the sabbi with the 300 gr. bullets. i too am in the camp of heavy bullets at moderate speeds of impact camp.

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
hey gerard...what about using the flat nose bullets with the 338-06??? i am thinking of big bear medicine when needed. in a pump action 7600 i think this would be killer (sorry for the pun)

great responses, keep em comming.

cant the 338-06 do the same velocities as the sabbi with the 300 gr. bullets. i too am in the camp of heavy bullets at moderate speeds of impact camp.

This was already done several years ago. I bought a book about ten years ago, if memory serves correctly it was called Big Bore Rifles and Cartridges, I think it was Wolfe Publishing. In one of the chapters in the front there was an article from a gunwriter living in Alaska that did that conversion and it worked quite well. I may be wrong but it seems to me that a smith in Washington did the work.

Loaded with 250 gn bullets to 2400 fps, this is just the old .318 W-R, which had a most enviable reputation in Africa. Modern users include Craig Boddington and Gregor Woods, and in their books both report it quite effective. (OK, the .318 used .330 bullets giving it a wee better SD, but if you must, then paper patch the modern Woodleighs.)