338-06 bullet and powder of choice

A

ackertjosh

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Bruce County Ontario
So i just recently purchased a 338-06 from a very nice gentleman here on CGN. With the gun also came some 225gr SST, Lapua brass and the dies.. Ive been looking alot online about this caliber and seems that powder that works well in the 30-06 seems to work just as well in the 338-06. As im not interested in purchasing new powder(since i have PLENTY) on hand what ones would you recommend out of what i have on hand.. Also along with the 225gr SST what projectiles would you all recommend? Ive been looking at the new 185gr GMX alot and really like it.. Velocity, flat trajectory and seems like the perfect due all weight for moose and deer all though moose will be its main quarry.

Powders on hand.. IMR4320, Varget, Benchamark, IMR4831, IMR4007SSC(no affected by recall) BL-C2, H4895 and maybe a coupke others i cannot remember off hand.

Thanks all!!

Josh
 
I just got into the .338-06 this past summer and have tried a few different powder and bullet combinations. With my limited testing so far I've found for cheaper target practice/plinking or hunting as well, the Speer 225gr SPBT with IMR4320 is the ticket! My very first outing with the rifle I managed a 7 shot group that measured 1.01", with the first four shots making a little cloverleaf. That was without playing around with seating depth and powder weight.

I've also used H414, W760, H4350 and VV N150. I only had enough to try 8 rounds of n150, but it warrants more testing. I've got a bunch of powders still to test, including BL-(c)2 and Varget, and some n550.

Have fun with the new rifle! If I could only have one powder for the .338-06 it'd be IMR4320 as it has been the most accurate and consistent so far.
 
IMR 4064, Imr 4350, H4350, and my favorite in this cartridge W760 (H414)

For bullets the Hornady 225 SP has worked very well for me as has the 200 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. I have finally settled on the 210 grain Barnes TTSX as my "go-to" bullet which I launch at ~2800 fps out of my 24" barrel.

Exit from 210 TTSX on moose taken at 200+ yards:
210_TTSX_Exit.jpg



338_06_June_2010.jpg
 
Thanks all!! much appreciated. I called a couple of the LGS and no one had the TTSX or the GMX in stock.. really nothign but accubonds at 72.95 for 50.... i dont f*ing think so lol. Obviously they had some sierra Spitzers. 29.95 for 50... i dont think thats to bad.. im just gonna hold out and get what you guys prefer when they come available. so keep the suggestions coming :D... Thanks!!!
Boo.. That exit is very impressive. and that 3 shot group... i just hope i can get close to that with the materials i have on hand.

Thanks all again!!!
Josh
 
The 200 grain Ballistic Tip - now discontinued - & 200 grain Silver Ballistic Tip (same bullet just a different colour) are very tough bullets with an extremely thick jacket. I shot a couple of deer with them and have to say they worked beautifully with a loonie-sized entrance and exit. There was also virtually no blood-shot meat and you could have literally eaten up to the hole.

The modest velocities of the 338-06 don't put a lot of stress on bullets so pretty well any cup & core bullet such as the Sierra should perform well.



ackertjosh said:
. and that 3 shot group... i just hope i can get close to that with the materials i have on hand.
Click to expand...

That particular rifle shoots pretty well any bullet quite well. Bevan King who built the barrel and chambered it for me did an absolutely perfect job on it.
 
Thanks all!! i will look into the Noslers and Sierra(as they truly are my favourite bullets). I have always said.. if you u cannot get a bullet to shoot.. try a sierra... if then they dont show are group.. look at the gun or the person pulling the trigger... i know this is just my experience but i honestly have not had any luck using them on game other then varmints.. and thats only cause i have been to busy working to actually hunt lol.

As for this gun. it was on the EE. Custom built by a guy in AB.. has not seen much use and the seller says it shoots very well.. i have a custom 7mm-08 that looks almost identical to this 338-06, so my gunsmith will be very excited to see this rifle. If it shoots anything like the 7mm-08 my groups will hopefully look like yours..

So im guessing since the SST is a Interlock bullet with a fancy tip it should work just fine for moose and yet me gentle enough as a back up deer rifle.

Josh
 
Ok, one thing to remember is the 338-06 is of course derived from the 30-06. Why on earth would you settle on a bullet weight that can be used in the 30 caliber parent with better effect as far as BC/SD?

The whole point of the 338-08 witch is a fancy name for the 338OKH was to shoot heavy large diameter bullets at similar velocities to the 30-06. It was developed when bullet construction left quite a bit to be desired and small diameter bullets had a bad habit of breaking up or not expanding properly. It does a very good job of it to.

I find 2800fps to be a bit of an exaggeration but what the hell. It likely isn't impossible. All I know is I haven't been able to come anywhere near that velocity with a 26in barrel out of my Model 70 or Ruger #1.

The 225gr bullet out of the 338 and even the 250gr are about perfect IMHO. The SST bullets work very well as to the monoliths.

The 338 bore is larger than the 30 bore so it should be using faster powders to get the best velocities. I also use magnum primers.

Some of my best accuracy came out of a surplus ball powder from Ammo Mart (Higginson's). This was a powder equivalent in burn rate to VN160. Yes it was only around 2550fps but those cloverleaf groups were very consistent.

I do approach 2700 though with 63.0gr of H414SL10 which is another surplus powder very close to W760 but just a bit slower and is one of the early temperature resistant powders. The same weigt of H380 gives similar results. This is out of a 26in bbl, using CCI 250 primers.

Each rifle is an entity unto itself. In both of my rifles each used the same reamer and each chamber is very tight with .002 headspace. I had RCBS make up special small base dies for these chambers. I can get more powder into the cases but velocity barely increases even when the case is full to the base of the powder with slight compression. There is a point of no return and pressure is high enough to flatten the primers.

I do believe that over 2700 is achievable. Whether it is achievable at safe pressures I can't say.

There is a great way to check your velocities without a Chronograph. When you have a consistently accurate load at 100yds. shoot at 200 and 300 without adjusting anything and aiming for center. Measure the drop at two hundred and 300. Then go to the computer or a Hornady manual and check the drop against their tables. That is about as close as any chrony can get and not only that gives you a measurable trajectory path which you should be intimate with when out hunting and the game is over 200yds off.
 
bearhunter said:
Ok, one thing to remember is the 338-06 is of course derived from the 30-06. Why on earth would you settle on a bullet weight that can be used in the 30 caliber parent with better effect as far as BC/SD?

The whole point of the 338-08 witch is a fancy name for the 338OKH was to shoot heavy large diameter bullets at similar velocities to the 30-06. It was developed when bullet construction left quite a bit to be desired and small diameter bullets had a bad habit of breaking up or not expanding properly. It does a very good job of it to.

I find 2800fps to be a bit of an exaggeration but what the hell. It likely isn't impossible. All I know is I haven't been able to come anywhere near that velocity with a 26in barrel out of my Model 70 or Ruger #1.

The 225gr bullet out of the 338 and even the 250gr are about perfect IMHO. The SST bullets work very well as to the monoliths.

The 338 bore is larger than the 30 bore so it should be using faster powders to get the best velocities. I also use magnum primers.


BearHunter. First of all i agree with what you are saying about the use of heavier bullets.. The main reason i got the 338-06 was really just to have something different. Kinda the same reason i have a 222-6mm(222 rem necked up to 6mm). How many ppl out there can say they have them.. and since you got the bigger bore midaswell shoot the bigger lead right... im definitely going to shoot the heavier lead but i find 200-225gr is where the 338-06 shines without crippling bullet performance. i could be wrong here and thats why i was hoping for everyone to cyme in(as you are.. and thanks) but a 250gr bullet i understand is more designed for 338 winmag velocities and unless your shooting within 200 yards you wont be getting proper bullet performance at ranges past 200yrds.. This is why i though dropping down in Grains and gaining velocity would possibly be the better route.. the reason for looking at the GMX and lighters non lead projectiles was to try and get the best of both worlds.. Higher BC, better velocity and more penetration and creating a larger hole.. This was sorta my thoughts but based on the latest dollar and rising bullet prices the premium bullets might just have to stay on the shelf until i win the lottery LMFAO! so maybe going for the 225 cup and core bullets is my best route.

Thanks again all for the advice and input.. keep it all coming!!!
With Regrds
Josh
Click to expand...
 
with varget and 200 nbt I can reach 2800 with a 23 inch douglas barrel. using win 3006 brass the case life is good with 7 to 8 firings before the primer pockets loosen up. I'm also hitting 2725 + with 225 sst's. will be trying some 250 sierras soon. I curious to see what speed they run. all rifles are different. my last 338 with a 24 inch barrel couldn't reach these speeds.
 
bearhunter said:
I find 2800fps to be a bit of an exaggeration but what the hell. It likely isn't impossible. All I know is I haven't been able to come anywhere near that velocity with a 26in barrel out of my Model 70 or Ruger #1. s off.
Click to expand...


What's not to believe? Barnes shows 2820 fps with the 210 TSX

http://www.barnesbullets.com/load-data/


210_tsx_338-06.jpg
 
my current load is 210gr Barnes TTSX over Hodgdon's CFE223. I don't think I will be changing anytime soon! Best powder I've found so far and the bullet performs

12046675_10153221220287992_1080677009583231449_n.jpg


Of what you've listed I would try in this order :

BLC-2
H4895
IMR 4320
Varget
IMR 4007ssc

Benchmark & IMR 4831 not suitable applications
 
Boo, in your post you mentioned 225gr bullets and a 24in bbl and 2740fps. I agree you can get faster velocities with lighter bullets. I just went by what you posted.
 
Josh, I fully understand your motivation and have often been guilty of the same practice. The new monolithic bullets weren't available to me when I built my rifles.

Do yourself a favor and look up the 333OKH.


Yep, the .333 OKH was created by Charles O'Neil, Elmer Keith, and Don Hopkins and it is the predecessor to the 338-06. Lots of good info there. Keith used to like 275 and 300 grain bullets. His reasoning was good. The bullet construction back then was not nearly as sophisticated as it is today and availability was sparse as well.

The monolithics are fine bullets and as per the pic perform extremely well. Because of their longer bearing surfaces recoil is hardly diminished but because of that extra length they perform well at longer ranges.

My old stand by has always been the 225gr Hornady Spire Point. I have only ever recovered one bullet and that was in a moose at over 300yds. That same weight bullet was used to shoot a moose at 20 yards and it went through, between both ribs and killed a cow elk on the other side. I kid you not, those big heavy bullets really penetrate. On the other hand almost impossible to find 30cal 220gr bullets penetrate even better. the thing is the old 220gr 30cal bullets don't hold together as well as they should.

If my shoulder were better, the 338-06 would be the cartridge of choice for me. Everything from small White Tails and Black Bears to Moose and Elk have been taken with my rifles. Only one required a second shot and that was my fault.
 
Thanks all for the replies. Bearhunter i have read about the 333OKH but will read the article you are talking about.

As for now i will use my 225gr SST and try the 200gr Spitzer BT from Sierra. what ill do is try BL-C first. and if not carry on to the next lol... sounds like a perfect excuse to to play to me hehe....

Thanks all again!!!
Josh
 
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