Qustion for all, I am currently building a custom 338-06 primarily for Elk/Deer combo hunting here in Colorado. My dream has always been to hunt Alaska, never really considered hunting for bears until the wife stated she would love to have herself a bear rug. Sounded like a great deal to me...hunt Alaska and keep the wife happy. Now for the question: hunting with a good guide (with a dependable stopping caliber) is the 338-06 good enough to take a large brownie? As for bullet choice i have bought some 250gr nosler partition golds at a great price and since I do not need these for elk would they be a good choice for Big Bear? I have read alot on this cartridge and know it has plenty oomph out to any range the guide would limit me to. Should be able to reach very close to 2600fps with the 250's. What do you think?

If the 30-06 is enough gun for the big bears, and most will concede it is, then the 338-06 most certainly is as well.

I believe a more realistic max velocity with 250's in the 338-06 is 2500 fps, but there is nothing wrong with that. You're shooting the same bullets as the 338 win mag, you simply loose a bit of range due to reduced impact velocities way out there.

I'd say you have a fine choice for big bears. The bullet will still be doing well over 2000 fps at any range you should shoot a bear at.

From what I've seen with my 338-06 on elk with 210 grainers. I would not hesitate to use mine on big bears with a premium 250gr bullet.

SDhunter, are you using the nosler partition 210? how do they shoot for you and what velocity are you able to push them? I am new to the 338-06 but have been reloading now for 21 years...my biggest mistake so far is not owning an ohler chrono. My rifle will sport a 24" barrel I have researched the hornady's 200's and 225's, but would really love to find a dependable load for both deer and elk..saving the 250's for bear.

With 250s your vel well between 2400 and 2500. plenty to kill anything you want to shoot.

Get your chrono and shoot many claim near 338wm vel from their 338-06s I haven't seen it.

P dog I agree with your point I did not buy a 338 Winmag and do not expect to get the same level of performance from my 338-06, I mainly wanted a better mountain rifle for here in colorado something light enough to haul over hill after hill and still have some serious smack out to 400yds for that ever elusive big bull. I do not need a 338-06 for any deer on this planet, but will someday hunt the great bears and moose. Now to my question do I need a 250 or would say a 210 or 225 partition or swift be a better choice? Should I go for the higher velocity ??

A Nosler 225 gr. Partition will give you all the penetration you'll need even on the grizzlies or moose. The 210 gr. would probably get the job done, but would be better suited to elk and black bear sized game. I would still load up with the 250 gr. bullet if I was to chase the Kodiak or Alaska Peninsula Brownies.

If it was me, I would make two loads, a 250 gr. Partition for the big stuff and a 200 gr. Ballistic tip for deer, sheep and caribou size. You will note that when you sight it in, the 200 gr. bullet, it will hit about 1-1 ½†higher at 100 yds than the 250 grainer. So, assuming you’re getting 2800 fps out of the 200 gr. bullet, 2500 fps with the 250 gr. and use a +/- 5†point blank range (for the 200 grainer), you can expect the following with the 200 gr. sight setting from each respective load:

100 yds 200 yds 300 yds 400 yds

200gr
100 yds 200 yds 300 yds 400 yds
+4.1†+4.5†-1.3“ -14.6â€
2572 fps 2359 fps 2159 fps 1969 fps
2941 fpe 2472 fpe 2068 fpe 1721 fpe

250gr
100 yds 200 yds 300 yds 400 yds
+3.0†+1.2†-8.1†-26.3â€
2316 fps 2142 fps 1975 fps 1821 fps
2980 fpe 2548 fpe 2169 fpe 1840 fpe

200gr: zero 285 yds, max point plank range 335 yds

250gr: zero 220 yds, max point plank range 275 yds

NOTE: The max point blank range is +/- 5†for the 200 grain, but because sighting is for that load only, it is +3.2â€/-5†for the 250 grainer.

I find this useful in that I can switch from one load to the other without having to change a thing and the bullets are different enough to easily tell them apart in the field even by touch alone. You can use the heavy bullet for close to medium range on large/heavy game and the light bullet for medium to long range on medium/large game.

kadg358,
My hunting load is 2730fps with the Nosler 210gr par. I could get a little more velocity but I own two 338-06's and this load shoots well in both guns.

I am also getting 2850fps with the Barnes 210gr TSX. This is right at absolute max for my Model 700. My other 338-06 is a remington pump that I had the barrel rebored.

I think you will really like the 200-210gr bullets for elk/deer. I have had real good experiences with the 338-06 and elk. I have shot three elk over the past three years from 125 to 270 yards. It is maybe a little more than what is needed for deer, but is does the job with authority.

Now this is just opinion because I haven't shot anything with 250gr bullets (not even paper). But I think any of the 250gr premiums will work on bear. Just talk to the guide and make sure he is comfortable with what you are shooting. Most importantly make sure you are comfortable with what you are shooting. I bet you could even use a premium 225gr bullet.

I hope you get as much enjoyment out of yours, as I have out of my pair.
Chad

Thanks to all for the information, I have read in droves all the good press on the Nosler 210 in .338 I was really hoping to hear from one who's been there done that. SD thanks alot you have made my mind up, i was hoping the 210's were tough enough due to the respectable velocity with which they can be driven. As I've said this rifle will primarily be for ELK/Deer. 210's it is. (and I will feel better with the 250's for bears...I've never hunted them)

358, If you are loking for a tough bullet then try the Barnes TSX or their new one MRX I think. These bullets in 210 or 225 gr.will get about 2700-2800 fps and should be the cats meow for anything in North America.

SDhunter - could tell us what loads you're using for those bullets (Nosler 210, Barnes 210)? What's your suggestion for the Nosler 225g & 250g?

I haven't started reloading yet but I'm strongly thinking about it since I've purchased a .338-06 recently.

mmagi,
I used Rel 15 w/ the Nosler 210gr Par. I think it is 56 grains?

I used Varget with the Barnes 210gr TSX. I think that is 56.5 gr.

I also have a load for Hornady 200gr SP for deer. That is running about 2725 fps. I and can't remember what powder Rel 15 or Varget.

I will check when I get home and edit my post.

I don't have any suggestions for the 225's or 250's yet. I would have to consult some loading manuals and start from scratch. I just haven't gotten around to working up loads for those yet.

SD

I have a 338-06 that has been to Alaska 4 times and Africa twice. I have used several of the bullets mentioned above and now simply use the 210 partition. For some reason my gun likes IMR 4064. Took me a lot of experimentation to figure it out. I have used it for sheep, moose, griz, and several plains game animals over the pond. This is my meat rifle that seems to get used more than most. I am not sure if it will do anything more or less than a 338 Mag but for some reason the gun just kills anything it is pointed at.

great post roscoe...

i think with the modern bullets and powders the 338-06 is all you need to HUNT with unless you want to go bigger just for prefrence or you want to have a stopper gun. i.m.o. the rem pump in 338-06 is a great meat gun it just lacks style. mine is in 30-06 but would like to rechamber.

SDHunter - thank you for the information.

Roscoe - Wow. All that with a 210g Nosler using IMR 4064? Even grizzlies.... wow. That says alot.

Not all the kills have been with the 210 Nosler...but that is all I will shoot now. I have used X bullets, BT, and even the 275 grain Swift and killed animals. The reason I settled on the Partition is because it shoot the best and seems to kill as good as any other I have used.

Don't know much about the .338-06, but most of the guides I know won't take a client out with anything less than a .338 Win Mag for the big coastal Brown Bears. First shot is to break the shoulders, not to kill the bear, that's what the second shot is for. They want the shoulders broke so their client don't get eaten. For an Interior Grizzly I might carry a .338-06, I do carry a .35 Whelen, sometimes. I usually carry a .338 Wim Mag during the summer and fall here in the interior. I would not carry anything less than a .338 for the Coastal Browns.

There is not a bear made that a 338-06 would not break the shoulders on with a 250 Nosler Partition on a sane distance shot.

The 338-06 fires the exact same bullets as the 338 win mag, only they leave the barrel ~200 fps slower. If anything, the 338 win mag would produce slightly better penetration than the win mag due to the lower velocity.

A quality 250 gr expanding bullet from a 338 or 358 doing at least 2000 fps will expand and penetrate to take out the shoulder of any brown/grizzly bear. Just because your shoulder doesn't take the same clout doesn't mean you aren't using the same bullets, nor that they won't do the same job.

Past 200 yds one would want the higher impact speed of the win mag, but nobody should be taking their first shot at a brown bear past 200 yds anyhoo.

I've never hunted big bears but something tells me that .338-05 pushing 250g Noslers is fine.

Paul H made a good point about the .338 WM vs the .338-06 and that the difference is about 200fps. At less than 150 yards, I don't think there would be much of a difference at all in breaking a shoulder.

I saw a hunting program recently where they were hunting grizzlies in Alaska. The hunter took a 9 footer (he was close to 20 years of age - at least that's what the guide estimated). The hunter used a .300 RUM. Bear went down with no problem. He took the shoulders right out of him. According to the hunter, the shot was approximately 75 yards.

Ok, Sorry for the delay. I finally dug out my information.

338-06: 22" barrel
210 Nosler Par
Win case (30-06 necked up)
Fed 210M
Rel 15 - 56.5gr
2725 fps

200 Horn SP
Win Case (30-06 necked up)
Fed 210M
Varget - 57.5gr
2720 fps

210 Barnes TSX
Win case (30-06 necked up)
WLRM
Varget - 57gr
2877 fps

Please start low and work up. The TSX load is right at max in my rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Sourdough:
Don't know much about the .338-06, but most of the guides I know won't take a client out with anything less than a .338 Win Mag for the big coastal Brown Bears. First shot is to break the shoulders, not to kill the bear, that's what the second shot is for. They want the shoulders broke so their client don't get eaten. For an Interior Grizzly I might carry a .338-06, I do carry a .35 Whelen, sometimes. I usually carry a .338 Wim Mag during the summer and fall here in the interior. I would not carry anything less than a .338 for the Coastal Browns.

That's true with some guides, but I remember reading some hunting stories about an outfitter setting-up their clients to hunt brown bears with their .30-06's and 220-grain bullets. The guides would get the clients to the spots on boats, and as close at 75 yards from the bear to be hunted.

For such a task I would use the 250 grainers loaded to produce between 2500-2600 fps, which should be plenty for the average bear shot.

But keep in mind that I don't hunt bears, and my experience relates only to what a read and questions I have asked to a couple of guides. I use a .338WM for all my hunting in Alaska (moose), and load 250 grainers to produce nearly 2700 fps at the muzzle. I do load a few 275-grain A-Frame "just in case," but even though i have seen large bears close enough to shoot (150 yards) I haven't had the time to hunt any (these creatures move fast through high brush).

quote:

Originally posted by Paul H:
The 338-06 fires the exact same bullets as the 338 win mag, only they leave the barrel ~200 fps slower. If anything, the 338 win mag would produce slightly better penetration than the win mag due to the lower velocity.

A quality 250 gr expanding bullet from a 338 or 358 doing at least 2000 fps will expand and penetrate to take out the shoulder of any brown/grizzly bear. Just because your shoulder doesn't take the same clout doesn't mean you aren't using the same bullets, nor that they won't do the same job.

Past 200 yds one would want the higher impact speed of the win mag, but nobody should be taking their first shot at a brown bear past 200 yds anyhoo.

Yes, the slower velocity will in fact help with penetration since it will expand slower. That's the principle used in the line of .338 Sabi rifles: "heavy and slower bullet", which should also be the case with the .35 Whelen, and 9.3x62.

I recently picked up a nice 338-06 on a 1909 Argentine mauser with 24" barrel. I was wondering if it is poosible to load it with the 225gr Barnes TSX and reach a muzzle velocity of around 2700fps?