hunter7mmRM
CGN Regular
- Location
- Northern Alberta
Hey does anyone have experience with any of the mentioned bullets at lower velocity? I'd like to try lead free, but am concerned about expansion farther out.
338 Federal Reloading - premium bullet performance? Accubond, E-Tip, TSX, Fusion, CX
- Thread starter hunter7mmRM
- Start date
Check this site out.
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.338+Federal.html
Looks like the 160TTSX is your ticket if you want lead free.
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.338+Federal.html
Looks like the 160TTSX is your ticket if you want lead free.
I have been using the 210gr TSX for 15 years now on everything from whitetail to elk at ranges from 12yds to 200. Zero issues and super dead animals every time. Only recovered one from a good sized bull elk and it showed typical TSX expansion and retention.
I wouldn’t push this combo out too far tho. Not sure how far you’re looking to use a 338 Federal at? If I were going to be stretching things out then I’d probably go with the 160 TTSX.
I wouldn’t push this combo out too far tho. Not sure how far you’re looking to use a 338 Federal at? If I were going to be stretching things out then I’d probably go with the 160 TTSX.
I have taken 4 big game animals with my 338 Federal with factory ammo to date; 1 with the 210 gr Nosler Partition at 120 yards, and 3 with the 200 gr Uni-Cor, at 150, 80, and 123 yards. All were complete pass throughs so no recovered bullets to share info on expansion and weight retention.
I do plan on working up a load with the 200 gr AccuBond, so hope to have some experience to share in the future.
As long as you keep the velocity above 1900-2000 fps, you should have no problems with expansion.
For lead free, have you tried the Hornady CX bullets or Barnes 185 gr TSX in your rifle to see how they perform?
If your rifle produces the factory spec of 2700 fps with the 185 gr TSX ammo, you will be good to approx. 350 yards with enough velocity for reliable expansion.
I do plan on working up a load with the 200 gr AccuBond, so hope to have some experience to share in the future.
As long as you keep the velocity above 1900-2000 fps, you should have no problems with expansion.
For lead free, have you tried the Hornady CX bullets or Barnes 185 gr TSX in your rifle to see how they perform?
If your rifle produces the factory spec of 2700 fps with the 185 gr TSX ammo, you will be good to approx. 350 yards with enough velocity for reliable expansion.
hunter7mmRM
CGN Regular
- Location
- Northern Alberta
Actually don't have the rifle yet so I don't have any first hand experience. It Should arrive any day! I would really like to use leverevolution powder since I have an abundance of that. I'm also leaning towards using the 200gr AB for reliable expansion through the whole velocity spectrum. Might grab some 200gr ETip as well to try.
That’s my fav bullet in my T3 SS Lite 338 Fed at over 3000 fps ! Just plain kills Stuff . RJ
2230 is the BEST ? powder I have found in the 338 Fed as does Barnes bullets in there loads !
Last edited:
What is the rifle your obtaining ? RJ
hunter7mmRM
CGN Regular
- Location
- Northern Alberta
Sako 85 is what's coming.
Back in the day, before the 338 Federal was made legitimate, we called it the 338-08.
We didn't have the light bullets or monolithic bullets available to play with so just went with what was available on a regular basis at the local gun shop.
Usually, the selection was limited to Speer, Hornady, or Nosler.
The rifle I built is on a 98 action has a rather heavy barrel, a take-off, which had been chambered for the 338 Jordan. Someone's dream.
It was a simple conversion as it only entailed setting back the shoulder and cutting back the chamber for the appropriate length. I did this with the dies that came with the barrel as well.
The barrel length was cut back to 20 inches to keep weight and balance practical, and mounted in a Hogue stock, with a 3-9 Leupold.
This rifle shoots like a dream, very little felt recoil and accurate.
I load Hornady flat base 225 grain Interlocks at 2400 fps, using W748, over 250 CCI primers.
The problem with this cartridge is getting enough appropriate powder into the case for good performance.
That's why I settled on W748 for the bullets I use. The ball powder allows me to get more into the case.
My load uses 46.5 grains of W748, which is just slightly compressed, which this powder seems to prefer for the most consistent results.
We didn't have the light bullets or monolithic bullets available to play with so just went with what was available on a regular basis at the local gun shop.
Usually, the selection was limited to Speer, Hornady, or Nosler.
The rifle I built is on a 98 action has a rather heavy barrel, a take-off, which had been chambered for the 338 Jordan. Someone's dream.
It was a simple conversion as it only entailed setting back the shoulder and cutting back the chamber for the appropriate length. I did this with the dies that came with the barrel as well.
The barrel length was cut back to 20 inches to keep weight and balance practical, and mounted in a Hogue stock, with a 3-9 Leupold.
This rifle shoots like a dream, very little felt recoil and accurate.
I load Hornady flat base 225 grain Interlocks at 2400 fps, using W748, over 250 CCI primers.
The problem with this cartridge is getting enough appropriate powder into the case for good performance.
That's why I settled on W748 for the bullets I use. The ball powder allows me to get more into the case.
My load uses 46.5 grains of W748, which is just slightly compressed, which this powder seems to prefer for the most consistent results.
Last edited:
https://shop.hodgdon.com/accurate-2230/
just need this powder ! It gives Great velocity and acuracy ! jmo RJ
just need this powder ! It gives Great velocity and acuracy ! jmo RJ
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
A good source would be that Nathan Foster from New Zealand. Believe his site is ballistic studies. Terminal performance on different game animals with different ammo, reloads from many different calibers.
By reading the OP, if you want a monumental to perform, it needs to be fast. Given 338 fed, that means the small for bore 338 projectile. Nothing stopping you from packing a few 250 partition or similar for stoppers.
By reading the OP, if you want a monumental to perform, it needs to be fast. Given 338 fed, that means the small for bore 338 projectile. Nothing stopping you from packing a few 250 partition or similar for stoppers.
Last edited:
Both the woodleigh 180 grain and 200 grain are designed for the 338 federal, and velocity it pushes them. They would be the absolute perfect bullet indeed. Finding them is going to be tough though, hopefully since they are churning out bullets again us Canadian's start seeing them. I would pick a woodleigh over a lead free bullet everytime in the 338 federal, lead free need the speed to do their magic. Which the federal is lacking a bit on, but really shines with the lighter lead core bullets. I have been toying on getting a really short, long throated barrel chambered in 338 federal. And screwing it on my old savage 110, 30-06 rifle. And using the 265 accubond long range bullets in it. They work great in my 338 RCM, but would be perfect for a short barreled gun I can throw in the quad and take with me, and have the power and ability to expand at longer distances if I need.
What are you ever going to need a 265 grer to put down :
. lol RJ
. lol RJ
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
What are you ever going to need a 265 grer to put down :
I would imagine that bullet/caliber combo is close to factory 300gr 45-70. Would be awesome at.l close range, light bullets as the general load.
My general purpose rifle for about 15 years was a m700 in 375 rum. 260 partition @ 3050/sec. Put down anything you want, anywhere.
hunter7mmRM
CGN Regular
- Location
- Northern Alberta
Well I decided to just order a bunch of 200gr accubonds and be done. Instead of hoping for a higher velocity load with mono metals and hoping for enough expansion. Hoping to find a good load using LVR. So if anyone has QL and wants to give me a head start with figuring it out that would be great!
My computer is acting up with the QL program since I got Norton, so cannot help there at the moment...
But this is what I have found for load date for the 200 gr AB to try so far (Max loads) and velocities (24" barrel):
Re-17 50.6 gr 2652 fps
BL-C2 48.6 gr 2636 fps
Win 748 46.7 gr 2635 fps
CFE 223 50.0 gr 2675 fps
Power Pro Varmint 49.1 gr 2650 fps
It was suggested to me by a technician at Federal that 2650 fps would be the optimum velocity for this bullet.
I have not gotten around to trying this data, and working loads up to these charges in my rifle as yet (LH Sako 85 Finnlight II w/ Wilson 22" carbon fibre barrel)
Hope this helps!
But this is what I have found for load date for the 200 gr AB to try so far (Max loads) and velocities (24" barrel):
Re-17 50.6 gr 2652 fps
BL-C2 48.6 gr 2636 fps
Win 748 46.7 gr 2635 fps
CFE 223 50.0 gr 2675 fps
Power Pro Varmint 49.1 gr 2650 fps
It was suggested to me by a technician at Federal that 2650 fps would be the optimum velocity for this bullet.
I have not gotten around to trying this data, and working loads up to these charges in my rifle as yet (LH Sako 85 Finnlight II w/ Wilson 22" carbon fibre barrel)
Hope this helps!
