.338 bullets

[jmayton]

So I'm having an old 1917 Enfield rebored and rechambered to .338-06.  I don't really need something that big, but it gets the rifle operational again.  I will primarily use it for whitetail, hogs, an occasional mulie, and possibly elk some day.  I'm wanting some real world experiences with various .338 bullets in the 2200-2500fps MV range out to about 400yds. 

[AtlLaw]

Well, I'll give you What I know...

I tried the Remington 200 gr PSP @ around 2550 and was never excited about it's accuracy.  It wasn't bad mind you, just didn't set my heart all a twitter.  Disregard!  That was my Whelen!     I hate being senile... 

Since probably all of my hunting time I have left will be for deer, I tried the now discontinued Nosler 180 gr. Ballistic Tip.  Tim gave me the tip to try it with BL-C(2).  I get stellar accuracy with that bullet loafing along @2700 fps and can kick it up to around 3K fps if I want.  But why?  It flattens deer as is!    'course, it mite make a fair antilope gun at that velocity...  

I'm gonna try some 225 gr stuff when I can but just for grins.  I won't go any higher in bullet weight in my 338/06 for a number of reasons, none of which would probably apply (or make sence) to you.  

[Jim n Iowa]

I have very good results with a 215g Sierra for every thing in the deer family in my .338 mag. It would probably do well for elk and moose.
Jim

[Drilling Man]

  Most .338" bullets will do fine on elk/moose on rib shots, but will not penetrate as deep as i prefer on that big of an animal.  I prefer at least the 210NP for those animals, and the 250NP is even better.

  For deer, i prefer the 200 speer, but you will be so over gunned for deer, pretty much anything will work.

  DM

[jmayton]

   but you will be so over gunned for deer, pretty much anything will work.

Yeah, the deer fall quite handily to my .223, so I know it's extreme overkill, but I will hunt with it some just to be able to shoot it.

[banjoman]

Both of my 338-06's do quite well with the Hornady 200gr spire points or Nosler 200gr Ballistic tips. If I were to chase a moose I would probably go with the Nosler Partitions or Accubonds

[bigswede]

I have the AI version of the 338-06 with a 22" barrel, I absolutely love it.  I shoot the 200 gr Hornady SP.  This is the first year I had it and it performed exceptionally well.  It killed a spike bull, a fork horn whitetail, and my mom shot her mulie buck with it also.  All 3 were one shot kills, the elk was even a frontal shot and that 200 gr Hornady took it right off its feet.  It is now one of my favorite rifles.  I have heard the 210 NP is a great bullet in the 338-06 also, but the Hornady shoots so well and much cheaper, that it will be my go to hunting bullet.   With the muzzle velocities you have listed in your original post you must be planning on shooting some of the heavier bullets, you will have a hard time keeping up enough energy out to 400 yds besides the trajectory will not be very good.  If you like bigger bullets try a 225 boattail at 2600 fps. It will kill everything you plan to.  Good luck with your build and let us know how it turns out.

[jmayton]

I have the AI version of the 338-06 with a 22" barrel, I absolutely love it.  I shoot the 200 gr Hornady SP.  This is the first year I had it and it performed exceptionally well.  It killed a spike bull, a fork horn whitetail, and my mom shot her mulie buck with it also.  All 3 were one shot kills, the elk was even a frontal shot and that 200 gr Hornady took it right off its feet.  It is now one of my favorite rifles.  I have heard the 210 NP is a great bullet in the 338-06 also, but the Hornady shoots so well and much cheaper, that it will be my go to hunting bullet.   With the muzzle velocities you have listed in your original post you must be planning on shooting some of the heavier bullets, you will have a hard time keeping up enough energy out to 400 yds besides the trajectory will not be very good.  If you like bigger bullets try a 225 boattail at 2600 fps. It will kill everything you plan to.  Good luck with your build and let us know how it turns out.

I'll have to disagree on the 400yd+ ballistics with the bigger bullets.  Generally, the bigger, longer, higher BC bullets do much better at the longer ranges than their smaller counterparts.  It may start slower but will arrive faster once you cros that 400yd mark.  I don't discount the smaller bullets, but they simply don't have the BC to fly well past 400yds.  I will look at the Hornady, though, it sounds like it may fit the bill nicely.

[bigswede]

I have the AI version of the 338-06 with a 22" barrel, I absolutely love it.  I shoot the 200 gr Hornady SP.  This is the first year I had it and it performed exceptionally well.  It killed a spike bull, a fork horn whitetail, and my mom shot her mulie buck with it also.  All 3 were one shot kills, the elk was even a frontal shot and that 200 gr Hornady took it right off its feet.  It is now one of my favorite rifles.  I have heard the 210 NP is a great bullet in the 338-06 also, but the Hornady shoots so well and much cheaper, that it will be my go to hunting bullet.   With the muzzle velocities you have listed in your original post you must be planning on shooting some of the heavier bullets, you will have a hard time keeping up enough energy out to 400 yds besides the trajectory will not be very good.  If you like bigger bullets try a 225 boattail at 2600 fps. It will kill everything you plan to.  Good luck with your build and let us know how it turns out.

I'll have to disagree on the 400yd+ ballistics with the bigger bullets.  Generally, the bigger, longer, higher BC bullets do much better at the longer ranges than their smaller counterparts.  It may start slower but will arrive faster once you cros that 400yd mark.  I don't discount the smaller bullets, but they simply don't have the BC to fly well past 400yds.  I will look at the Hornady, though, it sounds like it may fit the bill nicely.

Well we'll have to agree to disagree.  The 338-06 simply doesn't have the oomph of the magnums to get the big bullets going fast enough to start with.  According to the Hornady ballistics calculator, my 200 gr bullet at 2950 out shoots my buddies 338 winnie with a 250 gr slug.

[jmayton]

bigswede, I have to confess that for the most part you are right.  I ran both (your load and a 250gr Sierra GK (.563 bc) at 2400fps) through the handloads.com ballistic calculator and the changeover point for velocity is 600yds.  At that point your 200gr begins to die off, but still shoots flatter all the way to 1000.  it drops subsonic at around 900yds, but is 50" flatter at 100.  So to 600, your load is superior and that's further than I would ever try to shoot an animal.  So thanks for the info.  I'll most certainly check out the Hornady's.

[bigswede]

I had the same thoughts as you when I first starting playing with .338 calibers.  The bigger ones have such a high bc, but if you don't have a decent velocity behind them they don't perform as I would have liked.  Don't get me wrong, a 250 gr pill out of the the 338-06 is gonna knock the stuffing out of anything it hits within its effective range.  I just wanted something out to 400 yds like you, most of my shots are not that far, but sometimes the situation comes up.  Another great thing about the 200 gr Hornady is that they are usually around $30 for a box of 100, and as I said earlier they perform very well.