Sighting in the 338

Alderman

Handloader
Apr 5, 2014
1,268
667
Got a box of handloads with the new rifle. Barnes 210 TTSX with a dose of IMR 4350. Normally I would be a bit leery to try somebody else’s ammo but from what I could tell it didn’t look like a hot load and some had been fired in this rifle. The spent brass looked fine to me.
The rifle hadn’t been shot since the previous owner mounted the scope.
I checked the torque on the scope mounts prior to shooting. The barrel looked clean so I didn’t do anything to it.
First shot at 15 yards was low but pretty good left/right.
Moved to 50 and shot one expecting it to be low off paper and it was.
Adjusted up and hit low on paper at 50 .
Adjusted and went low in the bull.
Over adjusted and went too high.
Adjusted down and moved to the 100 yard range.
First shot at 100 wasn’t too bad at about 2 1/2” high which is where I want it. Next two weren’t even close.

Let the barrel cool and shot three more letting the barrel cool between shots.
I was pleasantly surprised when the first two were touching. Knowing how I shoot I was happy just to put the third one close.

Don’t know if this gun needs some down a clean barrel to settle down or very well could be shooter error but am happy to put three under an inch at this point.

Shot the closer shots with a shoulder pad but shot the 100 yard shots with just a sweat shirt.

First impressions:

This gun is loud but doesn’t punish the shoulder at all. At least with these loads. I’ve never shot a braked gun before nor the 338 Mag. Was planning for a sort of slower 375 H&H type of recoil, but it was more like a 270 snappy kick.

Gun does heat up quickly. Pretty good breeze so the barrel didn’t take too long to cool.

First try with the Leupold VX-5HD scope. The field of view is pretty extensive on 2 power. The barrel actually shows up in the lower portion of the lens. At 10 power I was expecting more foregiveness in eye relief but there wasn’t much variation of eye distance allowed to get a good sight picture. I don’t know if the installed scope covers had anything to do with that.
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The quick focus combined with the duplex reticle really show the cross hairs well even to my crummy eyes.

Looking forward to working up some loads and possibly trying it on elk this Winter.

Wife snapped a couple of pics at the old shooting bench. I need to cut some grass and brush. I cleared out my new 100 yard range last week so I used it for the 100 yard shooting.
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truck driver":2wgadxnn said:
Nice when everything comes together.
What brand of rifle is it?
Ruger Mark ll


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I had a Hawkeye Stainless 338 that I worked up a load for that it shot into 1/2" at 100 yds using 210gr PT over 73.6 grs R17 3023 fps. Sighted in 3" high 100 and it was dead on at 400 in Montana.
 
That last group is getting serious. Good shooting. Keep practicing, elk would be in big trouble.
 
That's great shooting right there, everything you want out of a 338 in my opinion. I just ran a few patches through my old 338 last night so I can get it prepped for hunting season. 338's and elk go together pretty well in my opinion, you don't need the horsepower, but it certainly doesn't go to waste either.
 
Try the 185gr TTSX and for smaller animals the 165gr TTSX Barnes bullets.
The 338win mag really shines with 225gr Swift A-Frames and 71grs of IMR4350 with a Fed215 primer.
 
By the way the front shoulder looks off side the bullet performed well and the bull was not a fan.
 
str8meat":2kkttwvu said:
By the way the front shoulder looks off side the bullet performed well and the bull was not a fan.

Yeah, he didn’t seem to like it at all. Those 210 Swifts are pretty darned nasty on animals.
 
I hope you have a good .22 revolver on your hip in that "snakey looking field", lol. Borrow a brush-hog maybe?, If that was back in Est, Texas, the Red Bugs (chiggers) alone would eat you up! :)
 
Nothing poisonous out here. Actually did some trimming around the bench the next day. Property has been reforested and the tall grass helps the young trees grow and keeps them from too much elk damage.


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Just tormenting you pard, :) Having a private place to shoot is always good, no matter how you can get it! :)
 
preacher":2453ugeb said:
Just tormenting you pard, :) Having a private place to shoot is always good, no matter how you can get it! :)
It was definitely in need of some trimming. Feel very fortunate to have access to a couple of ranges on the property. Would be nice to have some more room as I’m pretty much limited to 100 yards.


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I had a Hawkeye Stainless 338 that I worked up a load for that it shot into 1/2" at 100 yds using 210gr PT over 73.6 grs R17 3023 fps. Sighted in 3" high 100 and it was dead on at 400 in Montana.
Yes love the 3” high zero at 100 yards used it for years for my distance shots while hunting.
 
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