338-06
- Thread starter Rembo
- Start date
I load mine with 225 grain bullets. I uses either the Speer 225SPBT or 225 Hornady SP Interlock. I was using 62gn VN160/CCI 250 primer but it's a pain to find. Now, I use 62gn H414SL10, a special slow lot of W760(H414). Get decent velocities, around 2600fps and good accuracy from both the Ruger #1 and the Win Mod 70, The same reamer was used for both rifles. The cartridges don't need to be tweaked for either rifle. Both take the same load and OAL. Makes things a lot easier.
Both barrels, are Shilen match grade with 1-10 twist rates.
I tried lighter bullets but felt it was redundant. I went to the 338-06 so I could load heavy bullets to decent velocities, reducing the bullet weights to 30-06 weights that shed their velocities faster, took away the purpose of the wildcat. Not that I'm telling you not to. Just IMHO.
Both barrels, are Shilen match grade with 1-10 twist rates.
I tried lighter bullets but felt it was redundant. I went to the 338-06 so I could load heavy bullets to decent velocities, reducing the bullet weights to 30-06 weights that shed their velocities faster, took away the purpose of the wildcat. Not that I'm telling you not to. Just IMHO.
Mine is not too fussy and shoots everything from 180 grain Ballistic Tips to 250 grain TBBC well. The best accuracy I have found is with the 225 Hornady SP @ 2740 fps using IMR 4350. (24" King barrel, long Weatherby type throat)
This fall I hunted with the Barnes 210 TTSX over Winchester 760 for 2800 fps and to say I am happy would be an understatement.
Overall the best powders in mine have been IMR 4064, IMR 4350, H4350 and W760. The one powder often recommended for the 338-06 - Reloder 15 - has only given so-so performance in my rifle. I would love to find some RL17 data to try as it should be a real winner.
This fall I hunted with the Barnes 210 TTSX over Winchester 760 for 2800 fps and to say I am happy would be an understatement.
Overall the best powders in mine have been IMR 4064, IMR 4350, H4350 and W760. The one powder often recommended for the 338-06 - Reloder 15 - has only given so-so performance in my rifle. I would love to find some RL17 data to try as it should be a real winner.
I tried 210 Partions and 225 Hornady SPs. The action is a FN Mauser, so the COAL is limited to standard 3.4. Using IMR-4350,H-4350, and W-760,I coundn't get the velocity,I ran out of room. With Varget and IMR-4064 the pressure signs were more than I was confortable with. N-550 worked but Big Game was just right. In that same group would be IMR-4007. RL-17 looks very interesting with it's high SD. A 225 standard gliding/lead bullet should do 2650 with a 24".
Tried lighter bullets in mine (180 Noslers) but in spite of shocking velocities, more than I expected, less than satisfactory groupings and recoil to go with it, went back to my original 225 Speers ahead of 63 grs of H414, Winchester large rifle primer, seated to max that my magazine will allow (leaves the bullet about 70 thou off the lands) 2800 fps from a .338 bullet of that weight is plenty - I'd rather have my .338-06 with a 250 Grand Slam in it than ANYTHING I can load in my .300 Mag if it came to up close and bear problems. Other one I like is the 210 TSX, again with 1 grain over book max doing 2900, but that's in my gun, Wouldn't recommend it to start with. No more expansion or primer flattening/cratering than with a much lighter powder charge with the same components. High end Husky action on mine, seems very strong. One of my favorite guns, and a truly misunderstood and underestimated chambering. Great caliber - seems to be the peak efficiency for the '06 case - without all the bellowing and pounding of a .338 Mag and a pile less powder to burn.
