338-06
- Thread starter laker
- Start date
My 338-06 is my favorite cartridge. 
With 225 grain Partitions @ 2700 fps it is one hell of a powerhouse capable of taking any animal in North America and most of those in Africa. . With the 200 grain Ballistic Tip it is a great deer / sheep rifle and is very capable of shooting out to the far side of 400 yards.
I have found H4350 , IMR 4350 and IMR 4064 to be the best performing powders in my rifle.
With 225 grain Partitions @ 2700 fps it is one hell of a powerhouse capable of taking any animal in North America and most of those in Africa. . With the 200 grain Ballistic Tip it is a great deer / sheep rifle and is very capable of shooting out to the far side of 400 yards.
I have found H4350 , IMR 4350 and IMR 4064 to be the best performing powders in my rifle.
taylorce1
Handloader
- Jun 3, 2007
- 1,080
- 0
I like it I have one built on a 1903 action that I picked up a couple of years ago. I haven't shot it as much as I should be and I haven't tested the bullets like I've wanted too either, just seem to be too busy. I've found RL15 to be a very good powder for my .338-06 as well and so far all I've used is 200 grain Hornady SP bullets as I got a lot of them from the person I bought the rifle off of. I've been meaning to try the 210 Partitions but have yet to buy any.
I had a 338-06 a few years ago. I shot a couple of whitetails, a couple of aoudad, and a bull elk. I used the 200 gr. Ballistic Tip for everything. That was a much tougher bullet than most people would think.
But, for some reason, I sold it to a friend. My Dad borrowed it from him, and killed his cow elk the next year.
I missed the gun so much, I bought it back this fall. I really like the cartridge, and like the way this rifle is set up. I was crazy for letting it get away.
My rifle likes RL15 and bullets in the 200 to 210 gr. range very well. I haven't got the chance to try anything else. A 250 gr. bullet at 2500 fps. would be a smasher in the elk timber. This cartridge, along with a couple of others, taught me you don't need 3000 fps to kill stuff. Elmer Keith swore by a very similar round, the 333 OKH.
Last, don't let anyone tell you it's a "short range" woods cartridge. I shot mine out to 400 yards on steel targets with the 200 BT. It does just fine at longer range, if the nut behind the bolt isn't loose! By the way, I think the 200 AccuBond has replaced the 200 Ballistic Tip.
Recoil is very tolerable for this stone cold killer. It's nothing flashy. With Nosler bullets you get plenty of penetration, golf ball sized exit wounds, nice blood trails, which you really won't need if you hit the critter right. They never ran very far with me. What else could you ask for? If you want something bigger than a 30 for NA and plains game, and you don't buy into lots of magnum hype, this is your round. Can you tell I'm sort of partial to it?
Good luck. I think you will enjoy it.
Steve
But, for some reason, I sold it to a friend. My Dad borrowed it from him, and killed his cow elk the next year.
I missed the gun so much, I bought it back this fall. I really like the cartridge, and like the way this rifle is set up. I was crazy for letting it get away.
My rifle likes RL15 and bullets in the 200 to 210 gr. range very well. I haven't got the chance to try anything else. A 250 gr. bullet at 2500 fps. would be a smasher in the elk timber. This cartridge, along with a couple of others, taught me you don't need 3000 fps to kill stuff. Elmer Keith swore by a very similar round, the 333 OKH.
Last, don't let anyone tell you it's a "short range" woods cartridge. I shot mine out to 400 yards on steel targets with the 200 BT. It does just fine at longer range, if the nut behind the bolt isn't loose! By the way, I think the 200 AccuBond has replaced the 200 Ballistic Tip.
Recoil is very tolerable for this stone cold killer. It's nothing flashy. With Nosler bullets you get plenty of penetration, golf ball sized exit wounds, nice blood trails, which you really won't need if you hit the critter right. They never ran very far with me. What else could you ask for? If you want something bigger than a 30 for NA and plains game, and you don't buy into lots of magnum hype, this is your round. Can you tell I'm sort of partial to it?
Good luck. I think you will enjoy it.
Steve
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,389
- 3,304
With 200 gr AccuBond at 2800 you ca do everything more or less.
Cartridge : .338-06 A-Square
Bullet : .338, 200, NOS BalTip 33200
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch or 84.84 mm
Barrel Length : 22.0 inch or 558.8 mm
Powder : Alliant Reloder-15
Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !
Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms
-20.0 84 45.20 2251 2250 33237 7296 91.2 1.386
-18.0 86 46.33 2306 2361 35482 7513 92.4 1.350
-16.0 88 47.46 2361 2475 37878 7723 93.4 1.314
-14.0 90 48.59 2415 2591 40434 7925 94.4 1.273
-12.0 92 49.72 2470 2709 43162 8117 95.3 1.235
-10.0 94 50.85 2524 2830 46076 8301 96.1 1.198
-08.0 96 51.98 2579 2954 49188 8473 96.9 1.163
-06.0 98 53.11 2633 3079 52514 8635 97.5 1.129
-04.0 100 54.24 2687 3207 56072 8785 98.1 1.096 ! Near Maximum !
-02.0 103 55.37 2741 3337 59881 8922 98.6 1.065 ! Near Maximum !
+00.0 105 56.50 2795 3470 63962 9046 99.1 1.035 ! Near Maximum !
+02.0 107 57.63 2849 3604 68339 9156 99.4 1.005 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0 109 58.76 2902 3740 73040 9252 99.7 0.977 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+06.0 111 59.89 2955 3878 78095 9332 99.9 0.950 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0 113 61.02 3008 4018 83538 9397 100.0 0.923 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0 115 62.15 3060 4159 89410 9446 100.0 0.898 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 105 56.50 2909 3759 76296 8736 100.0 0.963 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 105 56.50 2635 3084 52010 8930 94.2 1.129
Cartridge : .338-06 A-Square
Bullet : .338, 200, NOS BalTip 33200
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch or 84.84 mm
Barrel Length : 22.0 inch or 558.8 mm
Powder : Alliant Reloder-15
Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !
Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms
-20.0 84 45.20 2251 2250 33237 7296 91.2 1.386
-18.0 86 46.33 2306 2361 35482 7513 92.4 1.350
-16.0 88 47.46 2361 2475 37878 7723 93.4 1.314
-14.0 90 48.59 2415 2591 40434 7925 94.4 1.273
-12.0 92 49.72 2470 2709 43162 8117 95.3 1.235
-10.0 94 50.85 2524 2830 46076 8301 96.1 1.198
-08.0 96 51.98 2579 2954 49188 8473 96.9 1.163
-06.0 98 53.11 2633 3079 52514 8635 97.5 1.129
-04.0 100 54.24 2687 3207 56072 8785 98.1 1.096 ! Near Maximum !
-02.0 103 55.37 2741 3337 59881 8922 98.6 1.065 ! Near Maximum !
+00.0 105 56.50 2795 3470 63962 9046 99.1 1.035 ! Near Maximum !
+02.0 107 57.63 2849 3604 68339 9156 99.4 1.005 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0 109 58.76 2902 3740 73040 9252 99.7 0.977 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+06.0 111 59.89 2955 3878 78095 9332 99.9 0.950 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0 113 61.02 3008 4018 83538 9397 100.0 0.923 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0 115 62.15 3060 4159 89410 9446 100.0 0.898 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 105 56.50 2909 3759 76296 8736 100.0 0.963 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 105 56.50 2635 3084 52010 8930 94.2 1.129
- Nov 4, 2004
- 25,464
- 9,304
This is very similar to the great old 35 Whelen. The advantage of the 338-06 is a better selection of bullets. Loaded up with a 200 gr AB, you are set to shoot out to 400 yds. The 225 gr PT and AB will give you more than enough penetration for NA.
Good luck with your new barrel, let us know how she shoots.
JD338
Good luck with your new barrel, let us know how she shoots.
JD338
