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338 WM light bullets?

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07 December 2001, 16:47
Shane in WI
338 WM light bullets?
Any one load 180's or so for your 338? I'd like to try some for antelope or long range deer. Would the Balistic Tip's be too explosive for med. skinned game?
Just wondering on your experiences.

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Shane Marquardt

08 December 2001, 06:03
<BigBores>
I shot a deer with a 200 BT once...never again. Quite a mess. Seemed to kill him very dead though.
08 December 2001, 06:40
R Flowers
Shane: I have never tried the 180 grain bullets, but have shot some stuff with 200 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips.

In my .338 Win Mag I load 74.5 grains of IMR 4831 with the 200 Nosler and use Fed 215M primers. This is close to max in my gun and gives right at 3000 fps.

I have shot several wild hogs with it and have complete pass throughs on all. I have wanted to shoot a deer with it, but the deer have not cooperated. It SHOULD be a great long range deer bullet.

I have shot deer with both, the 215 and 250 grain Sierra bullets and have been well pleased with them as well.

I had a friend who used to insist on shooting 200 grain Hornady SP bullets in his .338 Win Mag and they were terribly destructive on deer.

Hope this helps, R F

08 December 2001, 13:55
<Wolverine>
I am just relating second hand info, as I have not used the 200 BT's on deer yet. Several sources have indicated that wound channel and weight retention for the 200 BT is very similar to the 210 Partition. The 180 BT is also built tougher than those in smaller calibers. The result should be a large wound channel with good penetration. I will test my theory next fall.

Last year a full-house 185 gr Barnes XLC load made short work of a large Kansas doe on a lung shot. Complete penetration with half-dollar-sized exit hole.

[This message has been edited by Wolverine (edited 12-08-2001).]

28 January 2002, 16:37
<steve223>
I use Barnes 160 gr X bullets in mine for Deer and Antelope,They arent near as explosive. Just my 2 cents
Steve

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Elvation and Windage