Working up a load for my "new" 1992 Browning Bar 338 Win Mag.

[BankWalker316]

I'll have my "new" Browning Bar 338 Win Mag this coming Monday 6/06/26.

ANY PET LOADS OR RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHERE TO START?

I have (100) new Peterson brass, WLRM as well as Magnum Remington primers. I'll be using the WLRM to start with. I have (100) 225 Nosler AccuBonds and (250) 210 NP. The NP have not been delivered yet but that's the load I'm gonna be shooting when all us said and done.

I've already worked up 3-shot test loads using the IMR4350, H4831, RL19, H380. I started somewhere around the middle of the low & high powder charges up to within 1½ grains of max on one particular powder. BUT then I read that Peterson brass had less case capacity and thus higher pressures and blah blah blah. So I'm gonna pull bullets and start lower.

I have IMR4350, SW4350, IMR4895, H1000, H4831SC, H380, Varget, RL 19 & 22, StaBall 6.5, and N-560. I have a minimum of 8 lbs each of IMR4350, H4831, and N-560 so those are my preferred choices for building this load. I'm deer hunting in Alabama so I don't need elk or bear loads.

I try to kill at least 1 deer a year with my 223, 22-250, 6.5 Grendel and CrippleMoore, 30-30, 270, 280, 7mm magnum, and 308. I completely understand that I have no need for a 338 to kill a deer. I've just wanted one for 35 years and I'm not getting any younger. I found one at a price that I couldn't refuse so I bought it.

One more thing. I paid over $160 for 100 Peterson brass. I have well over a thousand 7mm magnum brass with various head stamps. Can anyone tell me if I can properly and safely fire-form 338 brass from 7mm brass using a Browning Bar rifle to do so? Something like 15-20 grains of BD, some Cream of Wheat or grits to the bottom of the case neck, and then stob some candle wax in the remaining neck space??? I assume that will work even though it's an automatic?

I know this is a lot but I was trying to give all of the particulars to help avoid questions and useless comments explaining how I didn't need a 33 caliber cannon and a 210-225 grain bullet to kill a 180 thin-skinned deer. I'm neither a newby to reloading or hunting. Thanks in advance.

 

[JD338]

Bank
Welcome to the 338 Club. Not a bad place to be. FWIW, there’s no such thing as overkill. I use a custom 700 338 RUM as my main crop damage deer rifle. The 250 AB absolutely crushes those bean bandits.
The 210 PT at 2900-3000 fps is an excellent bullet that opens up well, even on deer and penetrates deep. You are able to hunt most anything in NA. Keep an eye out for the 200 gr AB and/or BT (Ballistic Silver Tip seconds).
The 210 PT and 200 BT/BST shot to the same POI in my 338 RUM.
RL19, IMR4350 and H4831SC would be good powders to start with. The 225 AB is another good option that won’t disappoint.
You shouldn’t have any issues sizing up 7mm Rem Mag cases to 338 but I would recommend annealing the cases first and neck up to .308 and than .338 to prevent splitting the necks.
I’m my experience the 338 hits hard and kills fast.

JD338

 

[RL338]

My 338 WM is in a Wby Vanguard and is a little stinker for consistent groups. H4350 is where I was focused on last year. The 210gr TTSX does soot well in this rifle.
As for brass I’m running 7mm RM Peterson. As JD mentioned , expand to 308 then 338 load and shoot.

 

[Blkram]

Unfortunately, over time, I have misplaced my 338 Win Mag reload data...

But a quick look at records shows that the Federal factory ammo was doing approx. 2830 fps withe the 210 gr Partition, and 2800 fps with the 225 gr AccuBond. I used the 210 Partition ammo and handloads exclusively in my first 338 WM (LH Rem 700 BDL), and used the 225 gr AccuBond ammo in my second rifle (Sako LH AV). Both factory loads produced sub-MOA groups in these rifles. It is one of my very large big game animal favourite cartridges! I have taken moose, elk, grizzly bear and black bear, and bison with this cartridge.

A quick look at the Nosler reloading data says that Re-19 is the most accurate powder tested with the 210 gr Partition, starting at 72.0 gr for 2860 fps, to a max of 76.0 gr for 3020 fps, out of a 24" barrel.
The 225 gr AccuBond's most accurate powder tested is also Re-19, starting at 70.0 gr for 2641 fps to a max of 74.0 gr for 2784 fps.
Nosler also lists IMR 4350, and IMR4831 for both bullets as well.

While have never taken a deer with the 338 Win Mag, a friend has, and it dropped the big bodied whitetail with authority! And there was very little bloodshot meat on the animal from the less than 100 yard shot.

 

[Cneelk]

I used 73 grains of rl 19 and 210 swift scirocco, case was full, bullets were fast and slapped around deer, along with quickly killing elk. It was a bolt rifle not sure how the bar would react to that load. Keep us posted

 

[BankWalker316]

Unfortunately, over time, I have misplaced my 338 Win Mag reload data...

But a quick look at records shows that the Federal factory ammo was doing approx. 2830 fps withe the 210 gr Partition, and 2800 fps with the 225 gr AccuBond. I used the 210 Partition ammo and handloads exclusively in my first 338 WM (LH Rem 700 BDL), and used the 225 gr AccuBond ammo in my second rifle (Sako LH AV). Both factory loads produced sub-MOA groups in these rifles. It is one of my very large big game animal favourite cartridges! I have taken moose, elk, grizzly bear and black bear, and bison with this cartridge.

A quick look at the Nosler reloading data says that Re-19 is the most accurate powder tested with the 210 gr Partition, starting at 72.0 gr for 2860 fps, to a max of 76.0 gr for 3020 fps, out of a 24" barrel.
The 225 gr AccuBond's most accurate powder tested is also Re-19, starting at 70.0 gr for 2641 fps to a max of 74.0 gr for 2784 fps.
Nosler also lists IMR 4350, and IMR4831 for both bullets as well.

While have never taken a deer with the 338 Win Mag, a friend has, and it dropped the big bodied whitetail with authority! And there was very little bloodshot meat on the animal from the less than 100 yard shot.

Thank you. I've always dreamed of shooting elk, moose, and especially grizzlies. Unfortunately we just don't see that many of those critters in SE Alabama.

 

[BankWalker316]

Bank
Welcome to the 338 Club. Not a bad place to be. FWIW, there’s no such thing as overkill. I use a custom 700 338 RUM as my main crop damage deer rifle. The 250 AB absolutely crushes those bean bandits.
The 210 PT at 2900-3000 fps is an excellent bullet that opens up well, even on deer and penetrates deep. You are able to hunt most anything in NA. Keep an eye out for the 200 gr AB and/or BT (Ballistic Silver Tip seconds).
The 210 PT and 200 BT/BST shot to the same POI in my 338 RUM.
RL19, IMR4350 and H4831SC would be good powders to start with. The 225 AB is another good option that won’t disappoint.
You shouldn’t have any issues sizing up 7mm Rem Mag cases to 338 but I would recommend annealing the cases first and neck up to .308 and than .338 to prevent splitting the necks.
I’m my experience the 338 hits hard and kills fast.

JD338

Thank Thank you. Is it possible to fire form 338s from 7mm brass while using my new BAR & 15 or 20 grains of BD, Cream of Wheat to the bottom of the case neck, then a wax cap filling the neck?

 

[Blkram]

Thank you. I've always dreamed of shooting elk, moose, and especially grizzlies. Unfortunately we just don't see that many of those critters in SE Alabama.

I wouldn't think so...but then again, I have never been to Alabama!

 

[BankWalker316]

Unfortunately, over time, I have misplaced my 338 Win Mag reload data...

But a quick look at records shows that the Federal factory ammo was doing approx. 2830 fps withe the 210 gr Partition, and 2800 fps with the 225 gr AccuBond. I used the 210 Partition ammo and handloads exclusively in my first 338 WM (LH Rem 700 BDL), and used the 225 gr AccuBond ammo in my second rifle (Sako LH AV). Both factory loads produced sub-MOA groups in these rifles. It is one of my very large big game animal favourite cartridges! I have taken moose, elk, grizzly bear and black bear, and bison with this cartridge.

A quick look at the Nosler reloading data says that Re-19 is the most accurate powder tested with the 210 gr Partition, starting at 72.0 gr for 2860 fps, to a max of 76.0 gr for 3020 fps, out of a 24" barrel.
The 225 gr AccuBond's most accurate powder tested is also Re-19, starting at 70.0 gr for 2641 fps to a max of 74.0 gr for 2784 fps.
Nosler also lists IMR 4350, and IMR4831 for both bullets as well.

While have never taken a deer with the 338 Win Mag, a friend has, and it dropped the big bodied whitetail with authority! And there was very little bloodshot meat on the animal from the less than 100 yard shot.

I've killed countless deer with everything to 222 Rem up to 375 H&H magnum. However, this fall with be the 1st time that I ever drop one with a 338. Hear in Bama we can kill 2 does per day and 3 bucks per season. Counting my crop damage permit hunting during the late 80s thru the 90s I've killed 1,031 deer. I'm bored with shooting deer and that's why for the past 5 years I've bought a new rifle to hunt with. Pretty soon I won't even be able to kill one deer per season with each of my rifles, lol. I guess that I need to just sell all of my reloading equipment, components, and all my guns except for my dove guns and retire from deer hunting. I'm pretty sure that between 410 bore, 20, and 12 gauges I have over 400 boxes of dove loads. I could probably safely sell my shotgun reloading stuff as well.

 

[Blkram]

I've killed countless deer with everything to 222 Rem up to 375 H&H magnum. However, this fall with be the 1st time that I ever drop one with a 338. Hear in Bama we can kill 2 does per day and 3 bucks per season. Counting my crop damage permit hunting during the late 80s thru the 90s I've killed 1,031 deer. I'm bored with shooting deer and that's why for the past 5 years I've bought a new rifle to hunt with. Pretty soon I won't even be able to kill one deer per season with each of my rifles, lol. I guess that I need to just sell all of my reloading equipment, components, and all my guns except for my dove guns and retire from deer hunting. I'm pretty sure that between 410 bore, 20, and 12 gauges I have over 400 boxes of dove loads. I could probably safely sell my shotgun reloading stuff as well.

That's a fair number of deer!
As DrMike would say, "that might not be a record, but it is a good start!".

 

[BankWalker316]

That's a fair number of deer!
As DrMike would say, "that might not be a record, but it is a good start!".

I killed my 1st one at age 11. It was a Sunday morning. The dogs were BOILING and coming straight to and old county road at the corner of a dirt road. My dad dropped me off from his 1973 2WD stepside Chevy truck with an Remington 870 loaded with Remington 2¾" 9 pellet 00 Buck. He made the left turn and took the 1st crossing on that dirt road. Just time dad got out of sight the 5 point busted out of the woods and immediately locked up and stopped in the ditch. I put 7 of the 9 pellets in his neck. I walked right down the double yellow line of the road with the gun shouldered and the bead on the deer. A white Cadillac loaded to the gills with church goers came to a rolling stop behind me as I was walking up to my deer. I gave them no more than a peripheral vision glance as I kept my attention and my gun barrel trained on that deer laying in the ditch. Those were good times, lol. I truly miss those days. I grew hunting like a modern day thug. You'd go to prison today for the same things that people wouldn't even call the law on you for back in the day. Back in the day we shot deer out the windows of vehicles day and night with or without permission. We shot deer during the summer on crop damage permits etc. Don't get me wrong. I've killed hundreds of deer completely legal but my stats were heavily padded from days long gone by and bt means that bare no long acceptable. I just thought that I'd explain how I amassed so many kills. I've never been a GREAT hunter or woodsman. I always referred to myself as an opportunistic killer with exceptional shooting skills. It's hurry & panic that causes most misses. I've just never had those problems. I can look at the racks after he's on the ground.

 

[BankWalker316]

I wouldn't think so...but then again, I have never been to Alabama!

Dang shame too.

 

[JD338]

I've killed countless deer with everything to 222 Rem up to 375 H&H magnum. However, this fall with be the 1st time that I ever drop one with a 338. Hear in Bama we can kill 2 does per day and 3 bucks per season. Counting my crop damage permit hunting during the late 80s thru the 90s I've killed 1,031 deer. I'm bored with shooting deer and that's why for the past 5 years I've bought a new rifle to hunt with. Pretty soon I won't even be able to kill one deer per season with each of my rifles, lol. I guess that I need to just sell all of my reloading equipment, components, and all my guns except for my dove guns and retire from deer hunting. I'm pretty sure that between 410 bore, 20, and 12 gauges I have over 400 boxes of dove loads. I could probably safely sell my shotgun reloading stuff as well.

Maybe take up golf

JD338

 

[BankWalker316]

Maybe take up golf

JD338

Lol, I can't afford another habit.

 

[Blkram]

Maybe take up golf

JD338

Skinning golf balls seems a difficult proposition...hard to keep hold of them...and it would take quite a few to fill the freezer!
Probably tough to chew, and nasty taste to boot!

 

[BankWalker316]

Skinning golf balls seems a difficult proposition...hard to keep hold of them...and it would take quite a few to fill the freezer!
Probably tough to chew, and nasty taste to boot!

I'm afraid that a pressure cooker wouldn't help one bit.

 

[BankWalker316]

It's refreshing to be on a forum where we can joke around and cut up.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

I've killed countless deer with everything to 222 Rem up to 375 H&H magnum. However, this fall with be the 1st time that I ever drop one with a 338. Hear in Bama we can kill 2 does per day and 3 bucks per season. Counting my crop damage permit hunting during the late 80s thru the 90s I've killed 1,031 deer. I'm bored with shooting deer and that's why for the past 5 years I've bought a new rifle to hunt with. Pretty soon I won't even be able to kill one deer per season with each of my rifles, lol. I guess that I need to just sell all of my reloading equipment, components, and all my guns except for my dove guns and retire from deer hunting. I'm pretty sure that between 410 bore, 20, and 12 gauges I have over 400 boxes of dove loads. I could probably safely sell my shotgun reloading stuff as well.

Tood bad we don't live closer. It would be interesting to see what you put in your yard sale