338 Win. Mag 265 Gr. Accubond Long Range load test

[Hunter2011]

Now that Nolser has introduced their 265 Gr. AccuBond LR, can the old 338 be turned into a new creature as far as mid-long range shooting? Well, that's what I have endeavored to find out. I came into this project understanding that the 338 WM was not necessarily designed to shoot the long bullets of this day, but has been adapted in such a way that it works pretty well. I know some may say why not just buy a new rifle in 300 WM. My response is I already have a 300 RUM (Superior to the WM ballistic wise) that can fling a 220 ELD'X at 3000FPS. When I say long range I mean 350-650 yards. Which in this day is hardly considered a long shot.
I normally shoot a 225 AccuBond that is going about 2800 on the dot, but last year I shot a cow elk with that load at 355 yards, clipping the heart and punching through both lungs. When I shot I was astonished because the elk didn't lurch or stumble but just took off and ran about 100 yards before slowing down and eventually toppling over. When I got up to her she was dead as a rock, but I could not identify an entrance or exit at first glance. Long story short, I believe the lack of velocity prevented full expansion of the bullet which was expected because its a larger cal., premium hunting bullet made for high weight retention at 3000+. So I resolved to shoot a more fragile bullet that would expanded more at lower velocities and i think the 265 Gr. Acb LR might just the the ticket.
As far as know I'm the first person to ever load and publish my findings using the LR in a 338WM. Last week ordered some .338 AccuBond LR from Grafs. for $60/100ct. I did a seating test and found that the the average of touching the lands was at 3.559. So I decided to seat .064 off at 3.495. Over the week after looking at several different manuals for 250,275,300 Gr. loads I settled on working up to 72.0 Gr. of H4831SC. This is going up pretty hot for a 265 grainer, but I want to see how fast I can them them(optimistic goal 2600) before I get pressure signs.
I'am excited to see how they fly and how fast they go. I will try to get to the range in the next week and publish my results.



This is load is published strictly for experimentation. Any attempt to replicate this load is not recommended. Hunter2011 will not be held responsible for damage done to person(s) or equipment involved in replication of loads published. Think smart, load smart, shoot smart, safety first.

 

[JD338]

The work very well on WT deer. I shot a buck with this bullet out of my 338 RUM with a MV of 2915 fps and got impressive results.

JD338

 

[desertcj]

Looking forward to seeing your results. At those velocities, I would also look at the 285gr Hornady Eld match. Ya, ya, ya....match bullets for hunting. Whaaaa, lol. The results I've read about say differently!

 

[DrMike]

Looking forward to seeing your results. At those velocities, I would also look at the 285gr Hornady Eld match. Ya, ya, ya....match bullets for hunting. Whaaaa, lol. The results I've read about say differently!

Though the bullet is assuredly frangible in comparison to other, more robust bullets, that amount of mass pushed at those velocities will kill rather efficiently.

Welcome aboard, Hunter2011. You're doing some interesting thinking. I should imagine that 2600 fps can be achieved. Consequently, with the 285 grain Hornady ELD-M, 2600 appears to be achievable with some of the newer powders.

Cartridge          : .338 Win Mag.
Bullet             : .338, 285, Hornady ELD-M 33381 G7
Useable Case Capaci: 66.509 grain H2O = 4.318 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch = 84.84 mm
Barrel Length      : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm

Predicted Data for Indicated Charges of the Following Powders.
Matching Maximum Pressure: 61500 psi, or 424 MPa
or a maximum loading ratio or filling of 112 %
These calculations refer to your specified settings in QuickLOAD 'Cartridge Dimensions' window.
C A U T I O N : any load listed can result in a powder charge that falls below minimum suggested
loads or exceeds maximum suggested loads as presented in current handloading manuals. Understand
that all of the listed powders can be unsuitable for the given combination of cartridge, bullet
and gun. Actual load order can vary, depending upon lot-to-lot powder and component variations.
USE ONLY FOR COMPARISON !

7 loads produced a Loading Ratio below user-defined minimum of 90%. These powders have been skipped.
Powder type          Filling/Loading Ratio  Charge    Charge   Vel. Prop.Burnt P max  P muzz  B_Time
                                      %     Grains    Gramm   fps     %       psi     psi    ms
---------------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------
Alliant Reloder-26                 105.7     69.7     4.52    2601   100.0    61500    9767   1.283  ! Near Maximum !
Norma MRP                          106.3     68.0     4.41    2574   100.0    61500    9893   1.286  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N560                    108.0     67.6     4.38    2563    98.4    61500   10138   1.286  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate MAGPRO                    108.4     70.6     4.58    2558    97.2    61500   10218   1.290  ! Near Maximum !
PB Clermont PCL 517                110.5     72.3     4.69    2556    98.9    61500    9961   1.277  ! Near Maximum !
SNPE Vectan SP 12                  110.4     72.2     4.68    2556    99.0    61500    9944   1.277  ! Near Maximum !
ReloadSwiss RS 70                  102.6     67.0     4.34    2554   100.0    61500    9546   1.280  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-22                 108.2     67.1     4.35    2544    99.5    61500    9744   1.292  ! Near Maximum !
Raufoss RA15                       108.2     67.1     4.35    2544    99.5    61500    9744   1.292  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP5/NP ~approximation       108.2     67.1     4.35    2544    99.5    61500    9744   1.292  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester WXR                     111.2     67.4     4.37    2543    99.4    61500    9762   1.293  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP15                        111.2     67.4     4.37    2543    99.4    61500    9762   1.293  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 7828 SSC                       106.2     66.9     4.33    2541    98.6    61500    9749   1.281  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 7828                           112.0     66.7     4.32    2534    98.6    60943    9733   1.287  ! Near Maximum !
ReloadSwiss RS 60                   96.2     61.9     4.01    2530   100.0    61500    8683   1.288  ! Near Maximum !
ADI AR 2213                        107.0     66.3     4.30    2526    98.5    61500    9675   1.283  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot Magnum                     107.7     71.9     4.66    2522    99.7    61500    9295   1.284  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-23                 111.1     66.7     4.32    2519   100.0    61500    8750   1.298  ! Near Maximum !
ADI AP 2214                        110.9     70.6     4.57    2515    98.6    61500    9542   1.281  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-25                 112.0     68.3     4.43    2513   100.0    56709    9425   1.325  ! Near Maximum !
Elcho 17                            95.2     61.2     3.97    2511   100.0    61500    8622   1.297  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-17                  95.2     61.2     3.97    2511   100.0    61500    8622   1.297  ! Near Maximum !
Rottweil R905                      109.3     66.5     4.31    2507    98.3    61500    9459   1.298  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-19                 104.5     64.1     4.15    2497    99.4    61500    9238   1.299  ! Near Maximum !
PB Clermont PCL 518                100.8     63.8     4.13    2497   100.0    61500    8986   1.304  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP5 NT ~approximation       110.7     69.2     4.48    2495    96.6    61500    9561   1.289  ! Near Maximum !
ADI AR 2209                        103.8     63.3     4.10    2495    99.3    61500    9165   1.292  ! Near Maximum !
ReloadSwiss RS 62                   98.7     63.4     4.11    2494   100.0    61500    8699   1.315  ! Near Maximum !
PB Clermont PCL 511                 96.8     63.2     4.09    2493   100.0    61500    8909   1.305  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot Hunter                     100.0     63.3     4.10    2492   100.0    61500    8897   1.305  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP14 ~approximation         105.3     64.5     4.18    2491    99.4    61500    9174   1.300  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-16                 101.8     60.8     3.94    2490   100.0    61500    8478   1.310  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H414                        94.3     61.2     3.96    2486    99.9    61500    8896   1.309  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester 760                      94.3     61.2     3.96    2486    99.9    61500    8896   1.309  ! Near Maximum !
Somchem S365                       102.0     62.2     4.03    2482   100.0    61500    8216   1.313  ! Near Maximum !
Raufoss RA4                        102.2     62.7     4.06    2472    99.2    61500    8971   1.303  ! Near Maximum !
Norma 204                           99.0     62.7     4.06    2472    99.2    61500    8971   1.303  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP4 ~approximation          102.2     62.7     4.06    2472    99.2    61500    8971   1.303  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H4831 SC                   105.6     65.4     4.24    2472    97.9    61500    9106   1.298  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H4831                      109.9     65.4     4.24    2472    97.9    61500    9106   1.298  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N550                     96.5     60.5     3.92    2470   100.0    61500    8594   1.320  ! Near Maximum !
Norma URP                           99.4     60.3     3.91    2468   100.0    61500    8465   1.316  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP19 ~approximation          99.4     60.3     3.91    2468   100.0    61500    8462   1.316  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 4350                       98.7     60.5     3.92    2466   100.0    61500    8417   1.332  ! Near Maximum !
Somchem S385                       104.8     64.9     4.21    2466    99.7    61500    8800   1.320  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 3100                      108.2     66.3     4.30    2458   100.0    61500    8533   1.331  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester Supreme 780             103.0     66.6     4.31    2455    99.2    61500    8780   1.305  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4831                           104.3     61.3     3.97    2454   100.0    61500    8275   1.325  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N165                    110.2     66.8     4.33    2451    99.6    61500    8597   1.310  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP4 NT ~approximation        99.8     62.1     4.02    2451    99.9    61500    8616   1.317  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP30                        112.0     68.7     4.45    2447    97.7    51379    9893   1.391
Norma MRP 2                        112.0     68.7     4.45    2447    97.7    51379    9893   1.391
Vihtavuori N570                    112.0     72.4     4.69    2446    92.0    50101   10598   1.397
Rottweil R904                      102.9     62.2     4.03    2443    98.5    61500    8732   1.309  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4955 Enduron                   106.6     63.6     4.12    2437    98.1    61500    8813   1.309  ! Near Maximum !
Lovex S070                          98.9     60.0     3.89    2435    99.9    61500    8436   1.329  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N160                    109.9     64.6     4.19    2430    98.4    61500    8583   1.311  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon Hybrid 100V                102.1     60.5     3.92    2430   100.0    61500    7768   1.317  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H380                        91.6     57.4     3.72    2426   100.0    61500    8142   1.330  ! Near Maximum !
Somchem S361                       101.9     66.5     4.31    2419    97.8    61500    8597   1.320  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP3                          92.0     57.0     3.69    2415   100.0    61500    7828   1.342  ! Near Maximum !
Norma 203 old                       92.0     57.0     3.69    2415   100.0    61500    7828   1.342  ! Near Maximum !
Rottweil R907                       96.5     58.0     3.76    2413    99.7    61500    8295   1.327  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP7                          96.5     58.0     3.76    2413    99.7    61500    8295   1.327  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4007 SSC                        93.4     58.1     3.76    2413    99.7    61500    8290   1.327  ! Near Maximum !
Lovex S065                          97.7     58.6     3.80    2412   100.0    61500    8086   1.332  ! Near Maximum !
Rottweil R903                       94.0     57.0     3.70    2410   100.0    61500    7748   1.342  ! Near Maximum !
Somchem S355                        94.1     56.5     3.66    2406   100.0    61500    7772   1.337  ! Near Maximum !
Lovex S071                         112.0     64.9     4.21    2406    99.9    56861    8470   1.378  ! Near Maximum !
ADI AR 2217                        112.0     67.9     4.40    2396    97.1    52526    9234   1.375
Hodgdon H1000                      112.0     67.9     4.40    2396    97.1    52526    9234   1.375
Alliant Reloder-33                 112.0     74.5     4.83    2379    91.0    46876   10303   1.442
Accurate 4064                       91.4     54.8     3.55    2371   100.0    61500    7300   1.369  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 7977 Enduron                   110.8     67.2     4.35    2370    90.9    61500    8398   1.319  ! Near Maximum !

 

[DrMike]

I don't have the data set with the 265 grain ABLR available, but 2500 fps with the 300 grain AB appears to be possible.

Cartridge          : .338 Win Mag.
Bullet             : .338, 300, Nosler AccuBond 54851
Useable Case Capaci: 65.676 grain H2O = 4.264 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.340 inch = 84.84 mm
Barrel Length      : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm

Predicted Data for Indicated Charges of the Following Powders.
Matching Maximum Pressure: 61500 psi, or 424 MPa
or a maximum loading ratio or filling of 112 %
These calculations refer to your specified settings in QuickLOAD 'Cartridge Dimensions' window.
C A U T I O N : any load listed can result in a powder charge that falls below minimum suggested
loads or exceeds maximum suggested loads as presented in current handloading manuals. Understand
that all of the listed powders can be unsuitable for the given combination of cartridge, bullet
and gun. Actual load order can vary, depending upon lot-to-lot powder and component variations.
USE ONLY FOR COMPARISON !

7 loads produced a Loading Ratio below user-defined minimum of 90%. These powders have been skipped.
Powder type          Filling/Loading Ratio  Charge    Charge   Vel. Prop.Burnt P max  P muzz  B_Time
                                      %     Grains    Gramm   fps     %       psi     psi    ms
---------------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------
Alliant Reloder-26                 104.6     68.1     4.41    2528   100.0    61500    9558   1.316  ! Near Maximum !
Norma MRP                          105.3     66.5     4.31    2504   100.0    61500    9683   1.320  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N560                    106.9     66.1     4.29    2495    98.8    61500    9972   1.318  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate MAGPRO                    107.3     69.1     4.48    2491    97.7    61500   10071   1.322  ! Near Maximum !
PB Clermont PCL 517                109.6     70.8     4.59    2491    99.3    61500    9802   1.308  ! Near Maximum !
SNPE Vectan SP 12                  109.5     70.7     4.58    2491    99.3    61500    9783   1.308  ! Near Maximum !
ReloadSwiss RS 70                  101.7     65.6     4.25    2485   100.0    61500    9341   1.312  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-22                 107.2     65.6     4.25    2475    99.7    61500    9561   1.326  ! Near Maximum !
Raufoss RA15                       107.2     65.6     4.25    2475    99.7    61500    9561   1.326  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP5/NP ~approximation       107.2     65.6     4.25    2475    99.7    61500    9561   1.326  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 7828                           111.3     65.5     4.24    2474    99.0    61500    9588   1.313  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 7828 SSC                       105.3     65.5     4.24    2474    99.0    61500    9588   1.313  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP15                        110.1     65.9     4.27    2474    99.7    61500    9581   1.326  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester WXR                     110.1     65.9     4.27    2474    99.7    61500    9581   1.326  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-25                 112.0     67.4     4.37    2468   100.0    58690    9253   1.338  ! Near Maximum !
ADI AR 2213                        106.1     64.9     4.21    2461    98.9    61500    9522   1.314  ! Near Maximum !
ReloadSwiss RS 60                   95.2     60.5     3.92    2456   100.0    61500    8496   1.322  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot Magnum                     106.8     70.4     4.56    2456    99.9    61500    9122   1.316  ! Near Maximum !
ADI AP 2214                        110.0     69.2     4.48    2452    99.0    61500    9397   1.312  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-23                 110.0     65.1     4.22    2446   100.0    61500    8565   1.332  ! Near Maximum !
Rottweil R905                      108.2     65.0     4.21    2440    98.7    61500    9306   1.331  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-17                  94.2     59.8     3.88    2437   100.0    61500    8433   1.332  ! Near Maximum !
Elcho 17                            94.2     59.8     3.88    2437   100.0    61500    8433   1.332  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP5 NT ~approximation       109.8     67.8     4.39    2432    97.2    61500    9443   1.321  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-19                 103.5     62.7     4.06    2429    99.6    61500    9068   1.332  ! Near Maximum !
ADI AR 2209                        102.9     61.9     4.01    2427    99.6    61500    9000   1.325  ! Near Maximum !
PB Clermont PCL 518                 99.8     62.4     4.04    2427   100.0    61500    8791   1.337  ! Near Maximum !
PB Clermont PCL 511                 95.8     61.8     4.00    2423   100.0    61500    8714   1.339  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP14 ~approximation         104.3     63.1     4.09    2423    99.6    61500    9006   1.333  ! Near Maximum !
ReloadSwiss RS 62                   97.7     62.0     4.01    2423   100.0    61500    8505   1.350  ! Near Maximum !
Ramshot Hunter                      99.0     61.9     4.01    2422   100.0    61500    8703   1.339  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-16                 100.7     59.4     3.85    2417   100.0    61500    8288   1.345  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H414                        93.4     59.8     3.88    2417   100.0    61500    8703   1.343  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester 760                      93.4     59.8     3.88    2417   100.0    61500    8703   1.343  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N570                    112.0     71.5     4.63    2417    93.5    51923   10615   1.407
Bofors RP30                        112.0     67.8     4.39    2411    98.5    53342    9812   1.402  ! Near Maximum !
Norma MRP 2                        112.0     67.8     4.39    2411    98.5    53342    9812   1.402  ! Near Maximum !
Somchem S365                       100.9     60.7     3.94    2408   100.0    61500    8036   1.348  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H4831                      108.9     64.1     4.15    2406    98.4    61500    8969   1.331  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H4831 SC                   104.7     64.1     4.15    2406    98.4    61500    8969   1.331  ! Near Maximum !
Norma 204                           98.1     61.3     3.97    2404    99.5    61500    8811   1.336  ! Near Maximum !
Raufoss RA4                        101.3     61.3     3.97    2404    99.5    61500    8811   1.336  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP4 ~approximation          101.3     61.3     3.97    2404    99.5    61500    8811   1.336  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N550                     95.6     59.1     3.83    2399   100.0    61500    8409   1.354  ! Near Maximum !
Somchem S385                       103.8     63.5     4.11    2398    99.9    61500    8625   1.354  ! Near Maximum !
Norma URP                           98.4     58.9     3.82    2397   100.0    61500    8279   1.350  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP19 ~approximation          98.4     58.9     3.82    2397   100.0    61500    8277   1.350  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 4350                       97.7     59.1     3.83    2395   100.0    61500    8228   1.366  ! Near Maximum !
Winchester Supreme 780             102.0     65.1     4.22    2389    99.5    61500    8629   1.339  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 3100                      107.1     64.9     4.20    2389   100.0    61500    8348   1.365  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N165                    109.2     65.4     4.24    2385    99.8    61500    8436   1.343  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP4 NT ~approximation        98.8     60.7     3.94    2383   100.0    61500    8441   1.351  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4831                           103.3     59.9     3.88    2383   100.0    61500    8093   1.359  ! Near Maximum !
Rottweil R904                      102.0     60.9     3.95    2377    98.9    61500    8588   1.342  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4955 Enduron                   105.6     62.2     4.03    2373    98.5    61500    8680   1.341  ! Near Maximum !
Lovex S070                          98.0     58.7     3.80    2367   100.0    61500    8257   1.363  ! Near Maximum !
Vihtavuori N160                    108.9     63.2     4.10    2365    98.8    61500    8445   1.344  ! Near Maximum !
Lovex S071                         112.0     64.1     4.16    2362   100.0    58978    8317   1.391  ! Near Maximum !
ADI AR 2217                        112.0     67.1     4.35    2360    98.0    54236    9172   1.387  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H1000                      112.0     67.1     4.35    2360    98.0    54236    9172   1.387  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon Hybrid 100V                101.0     59.2     3.83    2358   100.0    61500    7598   1.353  ! Near Maximum !
Hodgdon H380                        90.7     56.1     3.64    2357   100.0    61500    7964   1.364  ! Near Maximum !
Somchem S361                       101.0     65.1     4.22    2355    98.3    61500    8470   1.353  ! Near Maximum !
Alliant Reloder-33                 112.0     73.6     4.77    2353    92.7    48578   10344   1.451
Bofors RP7                          95.6     56.8     3.68    2347    99.9    61500    8132   1.360  ! Near Maximum !
Rottweil R907                       95.6     56.8     3.68    2347    99.9    61500    8132   1.360  ! Near Maximum !
IMR 4007 SSC                        92.6     56.8     3.68    2346    99.9    61500    8127   1.360  ! Near Maximum !
Bofors RP3                          91.0     55.7     3.61    2344   100.0    61500    7658   1.377  ! Near Maximum !
Norma 203 old                       91.0     55.7     3.61    2344   100.0    61500    7658   1.377  ! Near Maximum !
Lovex S065                          96.7     57.3     3.71    2344   100.0    61500    7911   1.366  ! Near Maximum !
Rottweil R903                       93.1     55.7     3.61    2339   100.0    61500    7578   1.377  ! Near Maximum !
Somchem S355                        93.2     55.2     3.58    2335   100.0    61500    7603   1.372  ! Near Maximum !
ADI AR 2225                        112.0     68.2     4.42    2323    99.3    46653    9617   1.476
Hodgdon Retumbo                    112.0     68.2     4.42    2323    99.3    46653    9617   1.476
ReloadSwiss RS 80                  112.0     73.6     4.77    2313    92.4    46360   10208   1.481
IMR 7977 Enduron                   109.9     65.8     4.27    2311    91.7    61500    8329   1.351  ! Near Maximum !
Accurate 4064                       90.4     53.6     3.47    2300   100.0    61500    7137   1.404  ! Near Maximum !

Wow! Talk about delivering a wallop and a whack!

 

[SJB358]

I am watching this thread pretty close. RL26 got amazing speeds with the 225 Partition and 250 Partitions. I think we should be able to easily get into the 2600 range with the 265. I did 2650 with the old 275 Speers and RL22. Keep us up to date.

 

[jason miller]

I loaded up a few 300 grain accubonds with RL26 last year just to see if they could hit 2500 fps. They did. And my rifle only has 22.5" of barrel. It took a lot more than 68 grains, though- I think it was something like 74 grains. I also loaded them to 3.500", which could make some difference.

I'd definitely agree with the others that RL26 should produce top velocities with anything over 200 grains in the 338 WM.

 

[FOTIS]

Let us know how they work out

 

[Hunter2011]

Hey guys! Thanks for the positive feedback regarding this experiment! If I can't get to my goal with reasonable accuracy, I will definitely pick up some Reloader 26 and see what that'll do.
As far as shooting match bullets.... I would prefer not to shoot em at elk just because I'm afraid of the lack of expansion... Don't tell anyone this.... But this year I actually loaded up some 225 Hornady SST's for elk just because they're a way more fragile and should till pass through at 2500-2600FPS. I'm seating those at 3.395 and I'm still struggling to get under an inch at one hundred. LOL

 

[truck driver]

Still struggling to get under an inch at 100yds.
I didn't read what brand rifle your shooting but just curious since I had problems getting my 338Win to shoot consistently at 100yds till I did some trigger work and restocked it in a H&S Precision stock with a full metal action block.
I'm a firm believer that heavy recoiling calibers need to be in a solidly bedded stock to produce good accuracy and be consistent.

 

[MtEmilyhunter]

Hunter2011,

Rl17 is working very well in my 338 win mag with the new bullets. My existing load with the 250 AccuBond was 69.5 grains with a velocity of 2825. This was load was worked up from a starting load of 65 grains and has not shown any pressure signs in 5 different rifles. Received my 1st box of the 265’s the last week of October.

Started at 64 grains of Rl17 and have now worked up to 69.5.

2696 FPS for 68.5 grains
2704 FPS for 69 grains. 4 of 5 shots were exactly 2704 FPS. 1 shot 2712

Did not measure velocity on the 69.5 load...... but had 2 shots touching with the 3rd off by 1.25 inches @ 200 yards with a little wind. Very happy with the load so far. Not showing any signs of pressure in 2 different rifles.

Rl17 might not be the most obvious choice in powders..... but it has worked great for me. Barnes is publishing it in some of their heavier bullets for the win mag and Nosler has some loads for their new 33 as well.

Velocity obtained puts it at a hot load based upon other published velocities...... so use caution when working up your loads.

Nosler brass
WLRM primers
3.34 O.A.C.L.

 

[Hunter2011]

MtEmilyhunter,

Wow!! Those are incredible velocities for a 265 pill!

I have a couple of questions.
First, what's your barrel length?
Second, how has RL17 worked for you with temperature fluctuations?
I've always stuck with Hodgdon or IMR powders because of the crazy reports about how sensitive Alliant powders are to temps-blah-blah-blah. Now that I look at Alliant's website it appears that RL17 and RL26 are pretty stable at different temps. Is this consistent with your testing?

I'm shooting a stock Win. M70 (circa '75) with a 24 in. pipe. With a 225 AccuBond and H4831SC I can stack em in there all touching at 100 yrds.

 

[MtEmilyhunter]

26 inch barrel length
Winchester model 70 extreme weather
Rl17 has been very temp stable in my rifle

Used H4831sc for years with the win mag......but could not get to the published velocity of 2780 before pressure signs. At 71.5 grains I ran into a sticky bolt. I had read a few posts of success with the Rl17 and the rest is history. My rifle consistently groups less than an inch @ 200 yards with the 250 AB......so I was hoping to get 2600+ with the 265’s. The scary things is that it looks like we might be able to go a little faster.


I need to check the 69.5 load for velocity this weekend. Hopefully it will be as consistent as the 69 grain load.

Good luck!

Gary

 

[desertcj]

Hey guys! Thanks for the positive feedback regarding this experiment! If I can't get to my goal with reasonable accuracy, I will definitely pick up some Reloader 26 and see what that'll do.
As far as shooting match bullets.... I would prefer not to shoot em at elk just because I'm afraid of the lack of expansion... Don't tell anyone this.... But this year I actually loaded up some 225 Hornady SST's for elk just because they're a way more fragile and should till pass through at 2500-2600FPS. I'm seating those at 3.395 and I'm still struggling to get under an inch at one hundred. LOL

By all means, carry On! However, with some research you will find that Eld-M bullets are expanding quite well. In fact, the only reason I'm planning on trying them on game is because they come in heavy for caliber offerings. 7mm 180gr in my case.

Also, I believe that you will find reports on RL17 to be all over the place. Consider RL16 instead....

 

[Hunter2011]

Hey guys! Thanks for the positive feedback regarding this experiment! If I can't get to my goal with reasonable accuracy, I will definitely pick up some Reloader 26 and see what that'll do.
As far as shooting match bullets.... I would prefer not to shoot em at elk just because I'm afraid of the lack of expansion... Don't tell anyone this.... But this year I actually loaded up some 225 Hornady SST's for elk just because they're a way more fragile and should till pass through at 2500-2600FPS. I'm seating those at 3.395 and I'm still struggling to get under an inch at one hundred. LOL

By all means, carry On! However, with some research you will find that Eld-M bullets are expanding quite well. In fact, the only reason I'm planning on trying them on game is because they come in heavy for caliber offerings. 7mm 180gr in my case.

Also, I believe that you will find reports on RL17 to be all over the place. Consider RL16 instead....

Yes, I have also heard rather positive reports about the killing performance the ELD-M and A-Max bullets. But like with anything different people prefer different things. So I've pretty much decided I don't wanna risk punching a 700lb animal with bullet made to punch holes in paper. All that to say, the ELD-M would most likely work pretty well for medium-long range elk hunting. But why not just shoot a 175 ELD-X in 7mm?

Again, it all comes down to proper shot placement.

 

[desertcj]

Why not a 175gr eld x? A significantly higher BC for one and I've also heard reports of the Eld X giving underwhelming terminal results. To the tune of the Eld-M actually performing better. None of that has a lot to do with your .338 experiment though. By all means, use what you are interested in and the LRAB is certainly a good choice.

 

[Nimrod84]

Great posts, Hunter2011 and MtEmilyhunter and welcome!

Hunter2011, I understand the cow Elk you shot at 355 yards. Brings to mind what happen to me this year - will be putting a post up once I figure out pictures. In my case a 160 grain AccuBond (factory second with cannelure) from a 280 Rem had an expansion / integrity issue on a bull Elk at 100 yards. The bullet did not hit significant bone, and pretty much everything in front of the cannelure was gone. Shot was quartering away and there was about a 4" starburst pattern in the liver... Retained bullet weight was 92.2 grains (60%) so I can't say the bullet had an integrity problem... Bull went 20-25 yards before collapsing in view, so all ended well!

My initial thought was to consider the 150 and 168 grain ABLR for better expansion. But on further consideration I've seen enough weird stuff to put my personal emphasis on penetration followed by bullet expansion. And the AccuBond did it's job so I brought 4 boxes of regular Accubonds; as I'm betting the cannelure created a weak point.

Strangely my backup load used 162 grain SST's as well, and I did and do not have much confidence in them for hard angles on big game. They went along simply because that load used a more temp stable powder. The SST load is also more accurate; but when I'm dealing with about 0.6" vs. 0.8" 5 shot groups at 100 yards off a bench, I personally don't see a field accuracy difference. A friend on the hunt took a good bull at about 100 yards with a 30-06 and a 165 grain SST - no issues on his end.

Point being, good luck with the ABLR & please post your range / hunting results; for example, if those 225 grain SST loads did anything positive. Also keep in mind a sample of one might be a fluke or an actual problem / mismatch of capabilities.

 

[Hunter2011]

Hmm that's interesting... I'm glad all turned out well with that 160 load and the bull came down! Elk are tough! A lot tougher than most people think... Hence the reason I will NOT shoot an elk with a match bullet. There's been a lot of talk about how the ABLR isn't tough enough for the super close shots; I dunno if that's true or not and I'm not super concerned considering the fact that I'm shooting a heavy caliber slug at relatively low velocities.

As a side note... I shot a mule deer this past October at 153 yards with a 220 ELDX out of my 300 RUM, and the report about the lack of expansion apparently didn't apply in my case because there was a softball size hole on the exit side of the rib cage...

 

[Nimrod84]

Hunter2011, I can't comment too much on the ABLR as I haven't used them. But I've heard of 3 main concerns with them.

1. I've heard, and feel that it is fishy so take it as hearsay, that the ballistic coefficient on the ABLR is calculated for 3000fps+. If this is true, at your lower velocity the ballistic curve will not be as good as you projected.

2. The ABLR are designed to expand at a minimum 1300fps, but some reports indicate that expansion is minimal and not a sure thing below 1400fps-1500fps.

3. As you noted, when used in the Ultra / super mags and real close shots they may come apart. I think this is mostly in regards to lighter for caliber bullets, again as you noted. I agree with you that the 265 grainers at your anticipated 2600fps should perform well from 0-500 or 700 yards depending on atmospheric conditions and its actual BC.

I used an A-max on a deer once with results close to what you got with the 220 ELDX; it was enough to put me off of using target or frangible bullets on game.

 

[SJB358]

I will vouch for RL17 in the 338 with 200’s, 210’s and 250’s as well. It’s been nothing but an extremely good powder and having used it in the 10-20 degree temps and with the load workup occurring around the 70 degree mark I haven’t seen a POI problem out to 600.

RL19 was my old go to in the 338, but 17 beats it and allows a little more seating flexibility. This years bull succumbed to a 210 Scirocco at 2945 FPS. I’m pretty tempted to try out the 265 Nosler with some 17 in my 338. It has a 25” barrel and seems to do pretty well with the heavies as well. Looking forward to seeing more results from you folks.

Desertcj, there’s a fella on here that ran the 180 ELD M out of a 7 Mag and had some pretty fragile results on a sorta longish poke at a mule deer. A few others have seen the same thing from the 300’s as well. Not saying they aren’t great but from the few I’ve put into the jugs they are pretty explosive. Even more so than a Berger of similar weight. If that is what you’re going after then I think you’d like them. I’d just be a little hesitant to drive one fast into a bull elks front leg from something fast. Having seen a couple great Bullets get chewed up i guess I’m a little chicken to be honest.