338 WM and 275gr Swift A-Frame

4fifty8

4fifty8

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Bow Valley AB
  • results today with 275gr SAF, Re19 & IMR 4064
  • Ruger Hawkeye 24" 1:10 barrel / Leupold Mark AR 1.5-4x20mm
  • Re19 load 50 fps faster burns 17% more powder
  • 100 yd POI same both loads smaller groups could fine tune

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I’ve used that exact bullet in the .338 Win on such things as moose and grizzly. It hits like an invisible freight-train, esp compared to the 215 gr TSX that I’d tried first.

As an aside, in a Kimber you don’t have to ask anyone if the gun went off. ;)
 
Very cool. That’s a looonnnggg bullet. No problem with penetration using that bullet. How the recoil compared to the 416? I’ve been wanting a 416 for a while
 
A Frames preferred good performance on game. Settled on IMR 4064 less powder less blast only gives up 50 fps mv. 338 275gr@2450 fps vs 416 350gr@2500 fps not a huge difference in recoil.
 
sharp shooter said:
That’s not far off from a 375 H&H
Click to expand...


When the .338 was conceived in the Elmer Keith days; and introduced by Winchester it was as a heavy bullet caliber going after the 375 H&H market. Thing is, the market and the users determined that when they did what they really did instead of what they dreamed about, they were happier with the lighter loads, higher velocity and less recoil.
 
I use the Swift A-Frame in several chamberings these days, and besides the lower BC, they are
about the best true "hunting" bullet out there. The results are boringly consistent, and very
effective as long as the shooter does his part.

OP, That 338 load will be very persuasive, I am sure. [on both ends, lol] Dave.
 
Pretty good bullets A-Frames recovered from Elk note impact speeds > 90% retained weight. 338 275gr should be excellent brush-buckin' penetrators.

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Dogleg said:
When the .338 was conceived in the Elmer Keith days; and introduced by Winchester it was as a heavy bullet caliber going after the 375 H&H market. Thing is, the market and the users determined that when they did what they really did instead of what they dreamed about, they were happier with the lighter loads, higher velocity and less recoil.
Click to expand...

That has pretty much been my own personal experience - was happy to get 338 Win Mag as "step up" from my 308 Win - for 8 or 10 years was the only two that I had - 308 Win and 338 Win Mag - I took a couple elk with factory 225 grain in 338 Win Mag, first elk was with 165 grain 308 Win. Had worked up some loads with 250 grain Sierra and 250 grain Partitions. I still have some 250 grain Partitions on hand. I found a really accurate (for me) load with 225 Accubond at about 2,800 fps - same as my 165 grain in 308 Win - so is pretty much what it gets fed. I now have a 9.3x62 that throws the 250 Accubond at about 2,650 fps - and still to finish up a load for it with 286 Partition. I live in Western Manitoba - really no good reason for more than a 30-06 (or 308, or 270, or 7mm Rem Mag, or ...), but "good reason" never seemed to be part of it...
 
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338 win mag is an under rated all around round. 200 for deer, 225 as a do it all for most areas, 250 for elk and bison, 275 and 300 if you want to get the 9.3x62 guys attention.


I had a pic of an old Winchester catalog showing the brand new 338, advertised as a brush hunting round, featuring a charging grizzly. It had a 275 or 300 grain load listed along with a 250
 
I am old enough to have read Jack O'Connor in Outdoor Life magazine expound on 130 grain 270 Win and Elmer Keith in Guns and Ammo magazine expound on 338 Win Mag and similar with 250 grain and 275 grain for identical uses. Elmer thought 338 Win Mag about the perfect antelope or elk rifle cartridge. Jack wrote the same thing about the 130 grain 270 Win. So, I am sure both earned mucho dollaro for their articles. And both of them are reputed to have pulled off hellacious long shots with their "babies". Is a thought that Jack's wife (Eleanor?) used 7x57 on their African safaris, I guess? So, to each to his own - I will not argue, either...
 
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I have some 275 speers on the way. The favourite bullet of old Elmer

Should handle the relatively low velocities alright, I’ve heard more than one old bushman pine nostalgically for them.

One hell of a SD on em

H4350, 4831 of both flavours and Varget standing by
 
I used to load that very bullet in my .338 RUM over a huge dose of H1000. It accounted for a number of moose and elk. It is an unbelievable performer.
 
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