338 Win Mag Bullet Choice

[steved]

Hey all, just want to say that I just found this site and its way cool.

I'm looking for some advice on which bullet will perform the best in a 338 Win Mag. I have Weatherby Vanguard on order and now I'm trying to figure out if I want to use the PT 225, PT 250 or AB 225

This gun will me mainly used for Elk and Moose and maybe some black bear. Any advice is welcome.

Thanks

 

[NOSLER]

The 225 Partition is a great bullet for all. But the main question will be which one will shoot best in your gun.

 

[fredj338]

The range & type of game you hunt, as well as which bullet shoots in your file, should make your decision for you. I like the 250grNP for close work out to 200yds or so. If I am hunting more open areas, then the 225gr or 210grNP is a bit flatter shooting. My .338-06 won't shoot a 225gr anybrand bullet but loves the 210grNP & 250gr anybrand. My .338mag likes everything so far, but I am sticking to the 225grNP for an allround load.

 

[R Flowers]

I agree with the other guys. None of those bullets are bad choices. I would let the rifle tell me which one it likes the best.

I have settled on the 225 Partition and it works great. I get 3/4 inch groups with it all the time. I tried the 225 Accubonds but the groups were awfull. In fact I tried the 225 AccuBond in 5 rifles before I found one that would shoot it worth a darn. But, a .338 RUM that I tested shot the AccuBond into less than half an inch!

Again, you just have to test. My Remington 700 Classic in .338 Win Mag shoots the 225 Partition the best of those three bullets, while my buddies Remington 700 BDL in the same caliber shoots the 210 Partition the best.

R F

 

[Thebear_78]

I was just doing some playing around with a ballistics program tonight and found that the Federal premium load using the 225gr AccuBond @ 2800fps will work out almost pefectly for the Burris Ballistic plex reticle. If that load is zero'd at 25 yards it will be 2 3/4" high at 100, 2" high at 200, and within a half inch of the lower cross marks at 300, 400, 500, and 600. I'm going to try to duplicate the federal loading, I think it will work really well for carabou and moose.

 

[Greg Nolan]

I've been using the 225 grain for over 10 years as a compromise for large mule deer and elk. The results have been excellent on the deer and ok on elk. A perfect shot goes without question but when a quartering shot is THE shot of the trip the extra penetration and shock of the 250 grn. is well worth the minor differences in recoil and trajectory. In fact if you check the differences in trajectory they are less than 2 inches at 300 yards (I don't know if i can see that difference at that range with a scope) and the improved ballistic co-efficient will catch you up beyond that range. The energy also is greater the farther out you shoot. Just think about that dark timber 75 yard shot at the shoulder bone. At that moment, which bullet would you choose to have loaded? :?:

 

[NTM]

Get great accuracy with the 225 AccuBond-took a nice 30" moose this fall with it.

 

[Richracer1]

What do you guys do with the excess bullets when they don't shoot well?

I have a Browning Stainless Stalker (338 WM), 26" barrel with the Boss. I currently load 250 PTG w/71.5gn of H4831SC-Fed215M. It groups OK at 100 yds, (Boss tuning still needed) but I wouldn't hesitate to take it out for elk right now if I could. Been hauling it out for CA pigs to get use to it.

I'm a little hesitant to spend the 25 bones per box of bullets only to have them sit around if they don't shoot well, same goes with powder.

 

[FOTIS]

Try 225 AccuBond or Partition or 210 Partition. Shoot whatever shoots the best. :wink:

 

[GooseHunter Jr]

I shoot the 180 and 225 AB's out of my .338 Win Mag and absolutely love them....work great!

 

[john-brennan]

I have used both 225gr.AccuBond, Partition and both were accurate in my m700 rem. but settled on the Partition cause i have used it in all 5 of my big game rifles and they have never let me down on exspansion and penatration, my load is 78gr. H4831 with win.mag.primers for 2950 fps. This is a MAX!!! load.

 

[Richracer1]

I have used both 225gr.AccuBond, Partition and both were accurate in my m700 rem. but settled on the Partition cause i have used it in all 5 of my big game rifles and they have never let me down on exspansion and penatration, my load is 78gr. H4831 with win.mag.primers for 2950 fps. This is a MAX!!! load.

Just pointing out that Nosler advertises 75grains of H4831SC as the MAX for a 225grain bullet. Please be careful.

 

[john-brennan]

I REALIZE THAT BUT MY m700 has been free bored so that might have an effect on loading but 78gr is what mine takes with out any pressure signs, 2950fps is what my chrony shows, most of the data you will find can be loaded higher in good strong actions just have to be carefull. ( 1/2gr increments.)

 

[JD338]

steved,

I shot a 200 lb Black Bear last week with the 210 gr PT out of my 338 RUM at 10 yds. Took out the shoulder, heart, lungs and an exit hole in the ribs the size of a quarter.

Pick the bullet that shoots the best in your rifle. Any one listed will work for what you are hunting.

Regards,

JD338

 

[muskegman]

If you're looking for a one-load-do-all combo for moose and elk I'd go with the 250 gr PT or PT Gold. I personally use the 250 gr PT and 73.0 gr H4831SC for hunting big game in Alaska. It's never failed me yet.

MM

 

[Greg Nolan]

congrats. JD338 on the bear! Pictures? What color was your bear?
Sounds like the same performance I had on the cow elk at 30yds. It's nice to be able to have complete confidence in a bullet like that.

 

[Shooter2000]

I am still experimenting with this selection my self. I have a Browning with a Boss and so far I have loaded 200 gr BTips with the boss set to 3.25 and found best accuracy is roughly 3/4 @ 100yds.

I cant remember the specifics right now about the loads. I do know I am using IMR 4350 and Noslers!

I have shot 3 Mulies, 2 Whitetales, and 1 Antelope using the Nosler / Combined Tech. 200 gr BTip coated bullets and everytime almost guarenteed the deer have been dead before they hit ground. I havent had one deer even start to walk using these bullets. I have shot from 100 yds to 425 and exact same effect they drop in their tracks. The terminal damage is perfect.

for example:
@ 180yds on a large mulie, bullet went through both shoulders, while inside, it angled up ??? hit the spine destroyed it and found bullet on other side between shoulder blade and just penetrating hide. That is the weirdest one I have seen yet. I didnt weight the bullet so I cant tell you exactely how much retention was left but guessing I would say 50%.

Now this year I am loading my own and I am excited to try to find the best accuracy load for this gun and get the boss set so I can keep less than 3/4" groups @ 100 yds for when that 400 yd shoot presents itself again I am very confident!