338 performance

[Bob S.]

Yeah I thought about that after I wrote it. It wasn't the thumper that caused the dislocation, I got thumped by a horse. One of the hazards working with the critters. Its too bad I can't even raise the arm to shoot if I wanted to. I don't think I could take the recoil right now, talk about developing a flinch. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img] I will get better and that rifle will be sweet when I'm done with it.

[mjs3240]

Cowboy
The longest shot I have taken to date on game was with my 338 Win Mag Ruger 77. I got it at a steal for $250.00 from a gentleman who won it at a Mule Deer Foundation dinner. I installed a Burris 4-12 compact with their ballistic-plex reticle on it. I developed a load that sent the 200 grain Nosler Ballistic tip bullet out the muzzle at 3040 FPS. I took a Dall Sheep in Alaska last year at a lazed 427 yards. The first shot went over the ram which was laying down. He stood up and my second shot took out both lungs and exited his liver. The shot was taken with him quatering toward me. The sheep layed down and did not get up again.
MJS

[Jon Bischof]

mjs..: Did that Ballistic Plex reticle help you make that 2nd shot? In other words, were you using the 400 yard mark on the reticle or spacing the sheep between the 400 and 500 mark?

[mjs3240]

JCB:
Yes the Ballistic Plex scope helped me make the 2nd shot. I placed the scope on the Ram between the 400 and 500 yard cross hatches. I am a believer in Ballistic Plex scopes and lazer range finders. I was using a Leica 1200 range finder which is an outstanding product. I have been competing in Silhouette matches for the past 12 years so I am not unfamiliar with long range shooting.
MJS

[Warhawk]

I'm a big fan of the .338, and thank Elmer Keith for introducing me to this great caliber. I bought my first 338 after a bad experience on a monster whitetail with a .270 Winchester.

My current 338 is a Remington 700 stainless mountain rifle. It wears a 3-9x Leupold Compact scope. The biggest game I've killed with it was a 300 pound Kansas whitetail in 2001. The deer was on the run at about 50 yards and skidded to a stop on his nose. I've killed about 20 other whitetails with 338's. My "deer load" uses a 200 grain Nosler ballistic tip and my "big game" load uses 250 grain partitions. I've killed deer out to nearly 400 yards with the 200 BTs and have never had to blood trail one.

I'm planning to put together a heavy barrelled (Sendero?) in 338 Ultra Mag for long range shooting.

[Jon Bischof]

mjs: I also love my Burris Ballistic Mildot reticle; it has silmilar markings on the lower vertical crosshair as the Ballistic Plex, but it also has Mildots on the horizontal to help with wind correction. It shure makes longer shots quick and easy without having to crank turrets.

Warhawk: Wow sounds like you are going to build a serious long-range .338. You will be thankful for the extra weight when you shoot that Ultra-Mag. Wouldn't want to try that in a 9 lb rifle--ouch!