Reloading 338 win mag

[rjthehunter]

Well after making a move and finally settling down again I was able to get the ball rolling with reloading. With a nice shop in the garage to do it, and some free time, I ordered everything I needed to get started.

After researching for awhile, I decided to start with RL19 powder, Federal 215 primers, 200 sst Hornady bullets, and some brass I've saved from Hornady sst I had been shooting for several years prior.

I decided to stick with the SST bullets as I've had pretty good luck with them through the gun thus far. I've also read good things about nosler accubond and am willing to order some of those also (if I can find anyone with some in stock).

Looking for any advice before the powder, bullets, and primers come in. What's everyone else using for powder in larger rifles? I know there's a few guys on here who shoot 338s also, what are you shooting for bullets and why? Also, why did you go with a specific weight bullet?

I've shot the SSTs out to 500 yards with pretty good results. But I'm hoping to develop a more accurate and consistant load I can shoot further with. I enjoy shooting at longer ranges but once I get past 500, factory ammo isn't doing it for me anymore.

 

[Dan O]

I've had good results with Fed 215 primers and IMR 4350 powder. I've had good results with 210 partitions, 250 partitions, 225 Barnes X bullets. I have not gotten good results with 225 Accubonds. Currently I have been shooting Barnes 225 grain TTSX and have great results with them. I've stayed with Fed 215 and IMR4350 and it has been consistent. Re 19 has also showed positive results with the 225TTSX. Hope this helps.
Dan

 

[rjthehunter]

I've had good results with Fed 215 primers and IMR 4350 powder. I've had good results with 210 partitions, 250 partitions, 225 Barnes X bullets. I have not gotten good results with 225 Accubonds. Currently I have been shooting Barnes 225 grain TTSX and have great results with them. I've stayed with Fed 215 and IMR4350 and it has been consistent. Re 19 has also showed positive results with the 225TTSX. Hope this helps.
Dan

Thanks Dan, 4350 was the other powder I was considering. I'll see how this shoots then if there's room for improvement I'll try the 4350. I'll have to try some of the 210s as well, I'm trying to stick to the lighter side of bullets as I am currently shooting mostly deer with the rifle

 

[1_pointer]

The load I use is one I picked up from outdoor writer John Barsness. Nosler 200/210gr BT or Partition over 65gr RL15. Not the fastest, but I should be about 2900fps or so and it has yet to not work. FWIW, with the performance I've seen out of the 200gr BT I'd not pay more for an Accubond in the same weight.

 

[D4570]

I can't give all the details because it is an unpublished load.
A very good friend is a custom rifle smith that makes wildcats and custom Sammi rifles.
He worked a load for My boys 338/378 WB he built for him.
It uses Reloder 26, lots of it, and 225-grain TTSX BT.
He gets very close to 3200 fps and at 500 yards a softball size group.
I know the win mag is a smaller case but I use R26 in my 8mm rem mag too and it may be worth a try...

 

[Don Fischer]

I think 4350 just works in everything. Lot of powder's out there now I've never heard of or even seen. I started loading about 1965 and the rule of thumb back then called for a case that size nd heavy bulet's to use a slow powder. Had a couple 338's years ago and actually don't remember what powder I used but did use CC! 250 primer's. Another old rule with primer's was big case's of slow powder and ball powder got magnum primer's. Had always wanted to shoot 250gr bullet's in those 338's but recoil kept me from it. I don't do well with recoil. So I ended up using Hornady 225gr spire point's. great shootng bullet but as I recall pretty destructive. I guess someone makes a 185gr bullei in 338 now. Personally can't see a use for it, simply gonna fly to fast and be pretty destructive I think. Use a heavy bullet though and the 338 mag should stop about anything. Come to thing of it, back then I think someone made a 275gr bullet for it also. Oh a new powder, well new to me, I'ed think about is RL-22. Slower than RL-19. I have used it in a couple rifle's and it worked well for me.

 

[rjthehunter]

I can't give all the details because it is an unpublished load.
A very good friend is a custom rifle smith that makes wildcats and custom Sammi rifles.
He worked a load for My boys 338/378 WB he built for him.
It uses Reloder 26, lots of it, and 225-grain TTSX BT.
He gets very close to 3200 fps and at 500 yards a softball size group.
I know the win mag is a smaller case but I use R26 in my 8mm rem mag too and it may be worth a try...

What kind of barrel life is he getting? I've heard of guys being able to run around 3000 to 3100fps but it cuts their barrel life in half

 

[rjthehunter]

I think 4350 just works in everything. Lot of powder's out there now I've never heard of or even seen. I started loading about 1965 and the rule of thumb back then called for a case that size nd heavy bulet's to use a slow powder. Had a couple 338's years ago and actually don't remember what powder I used but did use CC! 250 primer's. Another old rule with primer's was big case's of slow powder and ball powder got magnum primer's. Had always wanted to shoot 250gr bullet's in those 338's but recoil kept me from it. I don't do well with recoil. So I ended up using Hornady 225gr spire point's. great shootng bullet but as I recall pretty destructive. I guess someone makes a 185gr bullei in 338 now. Personally can't see a use for it, simply gonna fly to fast and be pretty destructive I think. Use a heavy bullet though and the 338 mag should stop about anything. Come to thing of it, back then I think someone made a 275gr bullet for it also. Oh a new powder, well new to me, I'ed think about is RL-22. Slower than RL-19. I have used it in a couple rifle's and it worked well for me.

I saw the spire points on midway but hadn't shot them before. Maybe I'll see if I can find a few and do some shooting with them and see how they expand!

 

[D4570]

What kind of barrel life is he getting? I've heard of guys being able to run around 3000 to 3100fps but it cuts their barrel life in half

How many shots do you shoot hunting?
He has had it for a good number of years Still shoots fine.

 

[rjthehunter]

How many shots do you shoot hunting?
He has had it for a good number of years Still shoots fine.

Depends how many hunts I go on. But on a normal year close to home it's usually 2 shots for 2 deer. I want to get more comfortable with the rifle at longer ranges. So I plan on shooting a lot with it.

 

[D4570]

I'm sure it will outlast you.
Even a 1000 shots would be 500 years.

 

[338 win mag]

I've loaded 4350 and 4831sc with good results. 225-250g accubonds and partitions. Heard RL19 will yield great velocity and is good in a 338

 

[mdhunter61]

I don't reload and use factory ammo, but I have between 600 and 1,000 rounds through my Ruger Model 77 and still seems to shoot fine.

 

[GlockZ]

I also use IMR4350 or H4350, I switched from the Hornady 225gr SST's, because they blow apart, even out to 300yds, don't get me wrong, they work, nothing walks away after being hit by one of those SST's, just a lot of meat damage in my opinion. Now I'm using Nosler's 200gr Accubond, accuracy is a little better and there's a little more speed with the lighter weight, but still hits with authority.

 

[rjthehunter]

I also use IMR4350 or H4350, I switched from the Hornady 225gr SST's, because they blow apart, even out to 300yds, don't get me wrong, they work, nothing walks away after being hit by one of those SST's, just a lot of meat damage in my opinion. Now I'm using Nosler's 200gr Accubond, accuracy is a little better and there's a little more speed with the lighter weight, but still hits with authority.

That's what I'm hoping to find, 200gr accubonds. Small enough for deer, big enough for elk!

 

[Millsworks]

Reloader 19 is great choice for the .338 win mag, but R17 has proved itself to me to be accurate and give very good velocities across the range of bullets I load.
180-200gr. Bullets are my favorite in the .338, with 200gr. being what I think the perfect .338 bullet weight.

 

[Mtnhunter1]

While growing up, every adult male family member had a 338 WM over their shoulder. It's been a long time since I have reloaded for that caliber but decades ago IMR-4831 and 225gr Hornady spire points and 250gr Nosler partitions where always on the bench. Nosler for elk/moose and Hornady for everything else. Never did see the logic in shooting light bullets in a magnum caliber, they were intended for throwing the heavies into big critters! I will also second the destructive nature of the SST bullets,,,,damn things just ruin too much meat.

 

[GunTruck]

I have a Ruger M77 thumb safety in 338 Mag. I have only used 210gr Nosler partitions in it. After trying

4 or 5 powder I setted on Norma MRP it gave 3041 FPS and is very accurate. I would also recommend you try RL26

Every where MRP worked so did RL26, except a little faster. I use 215M primers.

 

[Sask hunter]

In my 338 I use a max load of IMR 4350 with 225 Barnes ttsx. Been a deadly combo for 6 bears, 3 elk and 2 moose over the last 5 years

 

[GoWyo!]

Howdy all,

I'm a big fan of the .338 (getting bigger working from home). I've had good luck with Nosler 200gr. BT's and 210 gr. Partitions over VV N165 out of my Sako AV. This rifle has the oem 23.5" tube. I just bought another Sako but in the full stock or Kokotukki AV. It has a 18.5" barrel. I've been scouring the web for loads with faster burning powders and heavier bullets. 250-275gr. I plan on using this carbine on my impending moose hunt this fall. (1 point shy of max here in WY. I'm due! )and grizzlies if and when WY opens the season. So, does anyone shoot/ load for a short bbl'ed .338?