.338-06 AI loads?

[DJWright]

Just starting to load for my .338-06 AI. Suggestions? Will probably play around with bullets in the 225 gr. weight range.

[Catfish]

I have never used a .338-06 imp. but got this data from an old Ken Waters artical. For the 225 gr bullet he list these loads as max. so start down atleast 10% and work up.H-4895 55 gr. vel.2,753. IMR -4064 55.5 gr. vel. 2,780. IMR-4320  56 gr. vel 2,802. W-748 56 gr. vel.2,654. Vel. listed was from a 24 in barrel. Primer used was Rem. 9 1/2 in all loads except the 748 which used the Rem. 9 1/2 mag.

[HTS]

i use 200 GR speers in mine and they seem to shoot the best with imr 4320 out of a 25'' tube at 57 gr.i get just about 2900 fps.iwas thinking about playing around with some varget in it but i havent yet.like the other poster said.i read the ken waters article in pet loads on the 338-06 rcbs improved its pretty much the same chamber as the AI with a 30 deg shoulder instead of 40.its a great place to start your load development.

[DJWright]

Thanks for the comments guys. Gives me a good starting point.

[bigswede]

I just worked up a load for my 338-06AI with 22" barrel.  I shoot 200 gr Hornady sp, reformed R-P brass, CCI 200 primers, and IMR 4895.  I tried H4350 and RL15 previously, great accuracy not the velocity i wanted.  I started with Hornady load data for the unimproved version and slowly worked up, I ended up with 59.5 gr IMR 4895.  I shot a .650 inch 3 shot group with a velocity of 2950 fps chronographed.  The only pressure sign was half flattened primers.  There was no hard extraction or any kind of case swelling.  I plan on using this as my hunting load.

[crash87]

Good choice the 338/06 IMP. I just received back my own in said caliber and have researched it, I think anyway,  thoroughly.
A good start point would be a quote from R.A. Boone who penned an article in the 1994 edition of the Handloaders Digest 13th edition. Whereas he says,
     "The rule of thumb whereby 5 percent is added to the starting loads of the standard 338/06." 
He also used and apparently had good success with IMR 4064. He envisioned this cartridge as a elk hunters dream with 200/210 gr bullets only. I like Ken Waters article, and have read it more than a few times, but, I believe his loads are a bit conservative, but are safe in his rifle, so I will go with that. I might add Ken's articles have been with me for a good long time, not to head his advise is ill advised.
    Another good article on the standard 338/06 is by Steve Timm, Hunting with the 338/06. This was a "Handloader" article Issue unknown, I have it in Wildcat Cartridges Volume 2. Here they like IMR 4320 with 200-225 gr bullets and IMR 4350 with 250's. I talk of Kens loads being somewhat conservative because of the velocity's I read in Timms article on the standard cartridge, he, using a 22" vs  Ken's 24" barrel. Timm also goes into a "little" detail on their rifles, throating, Which I have found personally can make a small to a huge difference. Another example of different rifles behaving differently, to a given load.
   I just started fireforming loads myself utilizing surplus military powder WC860, My rifle is throated for a 225 gr bullet to be seated flush with the base of the neck. Filling to that point, with the slow burning powder. Need a little warmer weather to check velocity's, I'm hoping, as with my 7 mag, that this is not only a good fireforming load, but also a good reduced load, as it gives good accuracy and 7X57 velocity's in my big 7.
    I've kicked around building a 338/06 for way to long, I then decided on the Ackley version, simply because We have around this loading bench, 30/06 and 35 Whelens, just looking at the Ackley leaves no doubt as to what we are putting in our rifles, add to that, as with my 257AI, they just look like there going 3000fps, standing still, to cool  CRASH87