handloading the 338 win mag

[LaCourse...@nlvmail.com]

Hello,

Does anyone have any experience handloading the 338 win mag with 275
grain bullets? The SD is outstanding at .344 and in a bullet with a
decent BC seems like it would do well at moderate velocities at normal
hunting ranges say to 250 yards.

Thanks.

[Bob Gourley]

The 275 gr. Speer was my favorite bullet for my .338 Win. Mag.
My rifle had a Wilson barrel on a '98 Mauser action.
I killed two elk with that rifle; the first,a cow, was standing quartering
toward me.
The shot was a little far back to hit the bone of the right shoulder. I
found the well mushroomed bullet on the skin of the left ham. The elk
traveled about 100 yards.

The next elk was running fast quartering toward me. The bullet entered
between the base of the neck and right front leg. There was a hole about two
inches in diameter in
the front ribs, the bullet then went on and tore about a third of the heart
away.
The elk dropped, then raised on her front legs and stuck one leg straight
out and sank to the ground. Before I got to her , she raised on her front
legs again and started swing
her head around. Kinda spooky.

I am pretty sure that I used RL22 for the loads. I had good luck with that
powder
even if I did have to use 4 or 5 grains more than book to get book velocity.
Sorry I can't tell you more; I've gotten rid of all my guns, books,
Targets,lathe etc.
My legs don't work as good as they did back in 1913 but my brain still works
if you have any questions.
Bob

[-ED]

There are some that will tell you that a .338 is good for all around
hunting -worldwide. It's a tad on the recoil side for targeting. But
if you absolutely must own one rifle, the .338 Win Mag was designed
just for that purpose...Deer, Elk, Bear..medium african. You didn't
mention what game you primarily hunt. If you're hunting elk, that's
bear country and you need a rifle not for the target in mind, but for
the danger that lives where the target does. Alot of people will tell
you that a 7 RemMag is fine for elk. Then you come across a fish-fed
bruin and that 7 Mag just ain't up for the defense. The 338 was made
for that rule and to serve as 'general rifle duty' in africa.

I love the 338. It's a tack-driver any day of the week with good
loads. It's recoil doesn't knock your fillings out. A 210 gr. Nosler
Partition with H4350 is hard to beat. Best Wishes

[LaCourse...@nlvmail.com]

Thank you for the reply. My question emanates from the reading I have
been doing the last couple of months. The book is "Rifles for Africa"
by Gregor Woods, shooting editor of Magnum magazine. He places
particular emphasis from field experience on momentum rather than
energy as indicative of overall killing power. Studies he reports on
reflect conclusions that the most momentum is derived from lower
velocity loadings with high SD bullets. Hence, my question concerning
the use of heavier bullets in my chosen cartridge at normal hunting
ranges to say 300 yards.

BTW, intended application is as a one gun cartridge for all NA hunting
and, hopefully, Africa in the future. I also was recently reading a SA
hunting mag called Insight where the author of the article determined
the 338 WM to be suitable for all African applications he used it for
including lion and buffalo using 250 grain Hornady solids. I assume he
was appropriately backed up by a PH with a stopping rifle if needed.

Other thoughts would be welcomed.

Thanks.

[nordrseta]

> My question emanates from the reading I have
> been doing the last couple of months. The book is
> "Rifles for Africa" by Gregor Woods

Woods' book is every bit the equal of Taylor's
_African Rifles & Cartridges_ or Boddington's _Safari
Rifles_. It is one of my favorites (but anyone with
dreams of Africa ought to have all three).

> BTW, intended application is as a one gun cartridge
> for all NA hunting
> and, hopefully, Africa in the future.

While the 275-300 gr bullets would be fun to play
with, especially if a fella spent much time in Alaska
or Africa, I'll guess a 250 Nosler Partition would
prove a better general purpose choice - the front half
is soft enough for deer, the back half is hard enough
for most everything else.

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[nordrseta]

I have a 375 H&H so I've never worked with the 338 Win
Mag. Speer used to make a 275 grain but these days it
looks like your only choice in that weight is the
Swift A-Frame, which ought to be a great slug for big
critters. If you're looking for something with even
more SD Woodleigh makes a 300 gr roundnose - soft or
solid - that ought to make quick work of just about
any game animal on the planet.

[LaCourse...@nlvmail.com]

I have no experience with the 375. If you were gonna use the 300 gr in
338 with a SD of .376 and muzzle velocity of approx 2400 fps what kind
of performance would you expect on large game?

Also, what is the application for you 375? All game or select?

[End User]

When I was in college, I worked in two gun store providing sales and
service for riflesand shotguns, as well as gunsmithing at my house. I
would get my rear chewed by the boss because I wouldn't sell someone a 7
RemMag to go elk hunting. He didn't care that I took the responsibility to
give the customer the 'proper' weapon. He wanted the sale only. It didn't
get me canned, but we butted heads sometimes. Humbly,He would admit that I
was correct. I want the customer to have a safe and successful hunt. Not
have a problem on advice I gave him.

I've enjoyed two people in all my reading. Jim Carmichael and Ross
Seyfried. They have great respect for the .338 and I can't help but to
agree with their studies. I've never been able to afford the safari
gambit, but it was a dream of mine for some time.
Getting back, I'm quite sure the .338 will fill your bill. But for
africa, I would take only the .375 H&H, for the simple reason would be
that I wouldn't like to trust my guide and backup. Firing on a lion with a
.338 would be the same risk as firing on a charging brown bear with a
.30'06. It's not a matter of pride. Its a matter of using prudent
judgement and respect for the game who's life is coming to a stop. Drop
the game now..no suffering. I've walked up on game I shot at long ranges,
being proud of my skill, only to come up to the game and find it crying
with tears. Not a good shot after all. I remembered that lesson. A
bigger gun and a better shot placement was the main thing I got from that
experience. It was a sport kill as well, not for the freezer.

The last time I read anything about .338, Winchester's new model 70 was
driving factory loads around the 1/2 inch mark.

It's a fine choice. Don't let others sway your decision for a lesser
rifle. Take time to get use to its recoil. Its not as hard as you think.
I can't tell the difference between my .338 Win and my .300 Wby.
Best Regards. -ED Alston

On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 06:36:53 -0500, LaCourse...@nlvmail.com
<LaCourse...@nlvmail.com> wrote:

> Thank you for the reply. My question emanates from the reading I have

> been doing the last couple of months. The book is "Rifles for Africa"

> by Gregor Woods, shooting editor of Magnum magazine. He places
> particular emphasis from field experience on momentum rather than
> energy as indicative of overall killing power. Studies he reports on
> reflect conclusions that the most momentum is derived from lower
> velocity loadings with high SD bullets. Hence, my question concerning
> the use of heavier bullets in my chosen cartridge at normal hunting
> ranges to say 300 yards.
>

> BTW, intended application is as a one gun cartridge for all NA hunting

[Jeff Olsen]

It'd be fun, albeit somewhat brutal, to work up some 275-gn loads for
the .338. Then you'd be all set if or when you got to go to Africa.
Once you were happy you had that load figured out, then you could work
up a more appropriate "continental USA" load, which I submit would use
a 225-gn Accubond or Partition. I get about 2850 fps with a
225-accubond from my XCR, and that's one heck of an elk load.

Probably the MOST important load you will work up for your .338 is your
inexpensive plinker load. In my case, that's a 200-gn Ballistic Tip.
A 180 or 200-gn bullet at moderate speed is the goal here- it'll punish
you less, so you'll shoot more, and the brass will last a long time.
My load goes about 2800 fps IIRC. I would go lower still, but that
load impacts 1/2" from where my elk load hits at 100 yards so that
makes it a useful plinker. Plinking loads are a PITA when they require
you to re-sight your rifle.

-jeff

[nord...@yahoo.com]

> If you were gonna use the 300 gr in
> 338 with a SD of .376 and muzzle velocity of approx 2400 fps what kind
> of performance would you expect on large game?

I suspect it would work great on any game for which it is permitted.
You'll give up some trajectory of course but I'll wager much more game
is taken within 200 yards than is harvested beyond it. I still expect
a premium 250, or even a 225, to be more generally useful, unless you
hunting in the bushveld where trajectory is no issue and the slower
velocity improves bullet performance. FWIW my PH in Africa, who also
apprenticed in Alaska, was of the opinion that the worldwide hunter
would be well armed with a 270 and a 338.

> Also, what is the application for your 375? All game or select?

I plan to use my 375 when I return to Africa. They next trip will
round out my spiral horn dance card. The trip after that will be for
buffalo. In the mean time it would be nice to need the H&H in Alaska.
I'll use it for whitetails in the mean time just to get familiar with
it.

[LaCourse...@nlvmail.com]

do you see an application for the 375 in NA? the African authors seem
to argue that it is appropriate gun as an all round weapon. In fact,
John Taylor wrote that it was originally built with three bullet
weights (235, 270 and 300 grains) to cover all African applications.
would this hold true in NA as well?

[nordrseta]

> do you see an application for the 375 in NA?

I understand there are more than a few in Alaska but
I'm not sure there's a job for it in the lower 48.
Were I chasing one of the great bears I'd pick my 375
before my 30'06.

> the African authors seem
> to argue that it is appropriate gun as an all round
> weapon.

It also has the traditional advantage of being the
minimum cartridge permitted for dangerous game in some
countries.

> In fact,
> John Taylor wrote that it was originally built with
> three bullet
> weights (235, 270 and 300 grains) to cover all
> African applications.
> would this hold true in NA as well?

It could, but the 338 is probably a better choice more
of the time, if only because it can shoot flatter with
lighter bullets that won't knock you around as much.
Me, I'm working up a 225 @ 2500 for the deer season -
essentially just a step ahead of the 30'06 - while I
get to know my H&H.