.338 WM - 1:10 twist - what load to start with? Advice?

MackForce

MackForce

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Hey grabbed a Savage 116 Alaskan Brush Hunter.
1:10 twist, 20" barrel in 338 WinMag
Looking for loads for Big game.
Im looking at 250 grain, 225grain, 200 grain (and maybe 180 grain for moose).
Im starting with factory loads for this season. So I wont be getting too picky, just need a nice shot for the light.
Where would you guys start for sighting in an accurate big game load and one to practise some distance with, maybe 300 yds max.
These rounds are pricey so I don't want to start from scratch if anyone has a decent recommendation.

Thanks again
 
When I had my .338 I was using 68 grs. of IMR 4350 with a 250 gr Nosler partition. That gave me 2700fps out of a 24" barrel. I sold the rifle before I could do any testing with lighter bullets. Nothing against the calibre, just didn't like the rifle.
 
9.3mauser said:
When I had my .338 I was using 68 grs. of IMR 4350 with a 250 gr Nosler partition. That gave me 2700fps out of a 24" barrel. I sold the rifle before I could do any testing with lighter bullets. Nothing against the calibre, just didn't like the rifle.
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Thanks.
I was looking at ballistics charts and I noticed the 250gr was running flatter than the 200 and 180 (hypothetically with a good tail wind in Arizona....)
 
reloader 19 is a charm but the 338 doesn't seem fussy and many powders work well. 430 or 4831 work well. i feel the 338 mag is best with 225's or 250 grn. lighter bullets work best in the fed or 330 06.
 
H4831 is also a good powder .........must be close to RE19 in burning rate because data as in charge weight was identical for the accuracy loads.Harold
 
Sask_Hunter said:
This was a hammer in mine. The blue box federal factory 225s shoot pretty good too.
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I've hunted with my old Ruger M-77 for 15 years & it seems to shoot everything !
My current load is 225 Accubonds ,215 primer,69.5 gn.H4350 ,2730 fps =0.928" group
210 nos are great too.
Best factory load was the Fed.premium 250gn. = FIVE shots in 0.891"
 
210 ttsx with imr4350 is the most accurate in mine, the load data is on the Barnes website. I ran over 3000 fps with this powder before reaching the max load, no pressure signs with easy extraction, but I backed off the powder to a mid level load. Start at the min load for all of this advise. I found for accurate factory loads, my gun liked the fed. premium 180 accubonds and the Barnes vortex with 210 ttsx. I always try the 225 accubonds in every 338WM before any other bullet, just because of the good b.c. in a great bullet.
 
Mine liked 210(PT), 225 (Hornady) and 250 (PT).
The 250 Nosler with a max load of IMR4831 produced 2750 fps which was 50 above book.
Federal Blue box 225 grain will be a good starter.
 
My .338 likes 225 gr. Nosler Partitions over 76 grains of R22. This seems to be an accuracy load for several bullet weights. Moving up to a 250 bullet noticeably increases felt recoil

Jim
 
I'm of the opinion that the best range for bullets in the 338s are the 210-250gr projectiles. I doubt that you would have any problems with a Nosler Partition in that weight range. You could go with a Barnes as well or any one of a multitude of premium bullets. I prefer premiums in case of a shot where you will test bullet construction. Any hunting bullet will reliably kill animals at 100-300 yards, but the premiums hold together better when you run them into something close at full steam.
 
For factory I'd start with the 210 partitions. Personally I think that is all you need for any animal. Extra penetration does not help when the bullet whizzes out the other side and the 210 even does that.
 
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