.338 225 pt Recipe Question

[RodeoCowpoke]

I have been reloading a recipe for my 338 and I am in need of help.
I am using 76.5 gr of imr 4831 with a cci 250 primer pushing a 225 nosler pt with a OAL of 3.445 in my ruger m77 mk1, resulting in 5/8 inch 3 shot groups with only minimal groups attempted. I started out a 74 gr and worked up to 77 gr and backed off to 76.5 with the 5/8 in group results.

I do not have a published recipe for the Nosler PT and the imr 4831 at all and I want to know if any of you have any idea if I have pushed the envelope too far on pressure???. I am relatively new to reloading but I do not think I see any signs of excess pressure (???).

Also can any one tell me what ballistics to expect. Currently I am 2 inchs high at 100 yd... 200? 300? 400? Where is zero?

I am new to your forum and have found the reading good and useful.

 

[303carbine]

The most accurate load for my Ruger MK11 .338 is 73 grains IMR 4831 under a 225 Nosler Partition lit up with a Federal Mag primer. The chronograph reads out at 2812 which is fine by me for velocity. :grin:

 

[RodeoCowpoke]

Hi,
Thanks for the reply carbine.

Did you have a recipe to start with on your 73 grain 4831 load for the 225 pt? Or did you go from scratch (more or less). I had been shooting a 225 Hornady sp pushed by 69.4 imr 4831 and whinchester primer when I went looking for a Nosler Partition bullet recipe. I know I need to buy a nosler Load book but I have not found one yet locally and I have almost no time to change before I leave foe elk camp if the pressure would be too high to feel safe with.

Thanks again and keep the replies comming.

 

[R Flowers]

Well, you did not tell us what cartridge you are shooting. I am making a basic assumption here that you are loading a .338 Winchester Magnum. Correct??

If you are loading that much IMR 4831 behind a 225 Nosler Partition in a .338 Win Mag you are surely pushing your luck.

The latest Nosler manual shows a max load of 71 grains for a velocity of 2807 fps when loading their 225 Partition.

The latest Speer manual shows a max load of 70 grains for a velocity of 2811 fps when loading their 225 grain boattail.

The latest Hornady manual shows a max load of 69.8 grains for a velocity of 2800 fps when loading their 225 Spire Point.

In his great book "Pet Loads" Ken Waters suggests that a load of 72 grains of IMR 4831 behind a 225 grain Hornady gives 2794 fps and is "near max".

Having said that, maybe your Ruger will accept that much powder with no problems. I dug out my old book by Bob Hagel titled Game Loads and Practical Ballistics for the American Hunter. He tested a Ruger chambered in .338 Win Mag and listed loads that are much higher than any other book I have ever seen. His load for a 225 Hornady Spire Point is 77 grains of IMR 4831 for a velocity of 2897 fps.

If you are not seeing any pressure signs maybe its ok. Have you reloaded any of the cases you used that load in? If you did, were the primer pockets still tight?

You really need to find yourself some good loading manuals.

In so far as the trajectories, it is hard to say until you actually chronograph that load.

Hope this helps, R F

 

[RodeoCowpoke]

R.F.

Thanks for the information. I just found and ordered a copy of the "Game Loads and Practical Ballistics for the American Hunter" book you mentioned. I am also backing off the load for the time being. Do you know any more about the author than this book alone. I am afraid I do not.

I am going to pursue the load due to the fact I believe my gun seems to handle it. But I am going to do it slowly and hopefully I will find that the load will actually be fine for "My Gun". I have a buddy with a crono and is willing to help

I wonder if the older "heavier" guns are built to handle the potential of hotter loads. I could have bought any gun I wanted in the .338 cal when I was shopping. But I have always liked the old work horse Ruger M77 mk1 with the adjustable trigger and tang safety. I topped this one off with a Nightforce 3.5 to 15 and with the groups I have had with the reloading, the gun has been a great investment. This makes 3 guns in the m77 mk1 for me now, 7mm and .06

I am looking forward to reading the book and value your insight and investment of time to look at the books you had on the shelf.

Thanks again R.F. your comments are welcome any time

Rodeo

 

[R Flowers]

Bob Hagel is a very interesting author. He is quite opinonated and is a little like Elmer Keith in that bigger is always better. Not so much in caliber like Keith, but he ALWAYS felt a magnum caliber was better than a standard caliber.

The only other book I have by Hagel is "Guns, Loads, and Hunting Tips". It was published in 1986 by Wolfe Publishing Company 6471 Airpark Drive, Prescott, Arizona 86301. It is also a great book to read and to have as a reference.

Bob Hagel used to write for the Handloader and Rifle magazines that Wolfe Puflishing puts out as well.

I like the .338 Win Mag a lot myself, having owned two now. My first one was a Ruger Number One and it was a great gun, but did have its problems. I could never get the trigger down like I wanted it and I never could keep the scope from slipping in those Ruger rings. It would take a lot of shooting, but it would eventually move. When Remington came out with the 700 Classic in .338 Win Mag I had to have one. It is a great rifle, one of my favorites.

The last elk I shot with the .338 I used the 225 Partition and was well pleased. No problem killing the bull and I found the bullet when we skinned him out. It weighed 68% of its original weight, it was just under the hide on the off side.

Good luck on your loading and hunting