.338 Win Mag load data

[wiseguy]

I am planning on taking my trusty .338 mag on a spring bear hunt in the coast range in April. A typical shot is between 250-500 yards. I am currenty shooting 73 gr. of Reloader 19 with 210 Partitions, I am sighted in at 2" high at 100. I don't think that I am getting the velocity I see in the manual for this load, I shot a 10" group at 500 but they were 30" low. If this sound right I will stick with it. might try going up 1/2 to 1 grain as well. I absolutely love these loads for Elk they really eliminate the tracking factor!!
WISEGUY

 

[JD338]

The 210 gr PT is a great bullet. I have used it in my 338 RUM to take a 5 pt Bull Elk, 2 Mule Deer , and a Black Bear. All were instant kills with complete penetration.

For the big bears, you might want to consider the 225 gr PT.

Regards,

JD338

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

Sounds about right for drop. What kind of scope are you using?? Might be able to shrink that group depending on scope used.

 

[grizz007]

coastal like in Alaska? You mean the big bears right? At what distances? Your selection of caliber is correct but I would pick the bullet weight upto 250grn. Get in as close to be ethical and sure of a kill. cheers.

 

[wiseguy]

the scope is a vari-xIII 2.5 -8.
I will be hunting in the coast range of Oregon near Mapelton.
the bears are 200-400lb black bears.

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

nice scope, i have the same on my 222 rem and love it!! your load is perfect for oregon black bears. i've killed 3 in oregon with a little 25-06 at ranges most people wont shoot deer at, let alone a black bear. they really are not that hard to bring down. the 1 big one though, i was glad I had my 300 RUM. you might be able to shrink the group size, but with an 8x scope at 500 yards, your exact aiming point is kinda hard to get exactly the same each time. the right target helps immensely though. I like to get a big piece of paperboard and use a black marker and draw a 5" square. it helps bracket the crosshairs a lot better then a circle. that might help with your grouping to, try it. it helps with mine.

 

[khh]

I have owned 2 338 WM 1 was a model 70 26" barrel and my current one which is a 700 24" barrel . I have always had trouble getting them up to speed . I have never came close to the velocity listed in the nosler manuals with any weight bullet or powder . I shot RL 19 & 22 they always gave me top velocity. I have personally seen how sensitive they are to tempetrue piticularly 22 so I changed over to to Hodgdon , which seems to be more consistant. The hodgdon manual matched much closer. 210's topped out at about 2900 the 250's about 2700 . that was about all I could get before I started seeing pressure sign's. With out chrono'ing your load you have no way of knowing what your really shooting at but 100 fps. really doesn't flatten the trajectory that much . I will tell you though I have mostly been disapointed when I chrono'd my loads as far as what the book said they would be shooting at. I once loaded IMR4831 and 200 gr. BT Nosler book lsited that load at something around 3000 fps . 3 shots chrono'd 2695, 2699 & 2685 . Thinking I had messed up the charge I loaded another one rechecked the charge that one went 2707. Thats the farthest I've ever been off but most are 100 fps or so short of the nosler data. Good luck on your hunt sounds like fun . 10 " group at 500 I think is pretty darn good I'd worry more about a range finder than the load. KH