338 Win Mag and bordom

[bamadawg2009]

So its after deer season and Im sitting around the house and an idea pops into my head why not try some 250gr berger OTMs in my 338 win mag. My load I've shot ever since I got the rifle has been 70.5 grains of H4350 topped with a 180gr nosler accubond, these shoot very well out of a plain jane stock Ruger 77 hawkeye well under an inch. I just want to see if I can get a little more power out of this gun for our huge deer in florida 200lb beasts on the top end.

Anybody have any load experience with the Berger 250gr OTMs in the 338 win mag?

 

[varmintH8R]

If your deer are shaking off 180 gr NAB's I will not be coming to Florida anytime soon!

I anchored a monster season before last that dressed out at exactly 2 bills with my bow . . . BUT . . . that is really not what this post is about, is it? Boredom and bigger bullets!

I think your idea of a 250gr OTM in the 338WM is interesting, so I did a quick look. Berger has recently put new 338 load data on their website, and the 250 OTM is included in their data. I would check it out and start there - they did not have H4350 listed but they did have IMR4350. The data is not interchangeable, but like any load where you start low and work up it may give you a frame of reference.

Good luck, and let us know your results.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I've used the sierra 250 with rl19 under it for a number of years in my #1 in 338 win. I've pretty well gone to the 225 hornady sp or nosler ab as of late though as they are 2900 fps vs. the 2700 fps from the 250. I never tried the Berger but the scenar match wasn't my rifle's friend for some reason.

 

[bamadawg2009]

If your deer are shaking off 180 gr NAB's I will not be coming to Florida anytime soon!

I anchored a monster season before last that dressed out at exactly 2 bills with my bow . . . BUT . . . that is really not what this post is about, is it? Boredom and bigger bullets!

I think your idea of a 250gr OTM in the 338WM is interesting, so I did a quick look. Berger has recently put new 338 load data on their website, and the 250 OTM is included in their data. I would check it out and start there - they did not have H4350 listed but they did have IMR4350. The data is not interchangeable, but like any load where you start low and work up it may give you a frame of reference.

Good luck, and let us know your results.

Yeah Im thinking the first deer I shoot that shrugs off a 338 180gr NAB, Ill be moving to a 375H&H.
Truth be told I havent even shot a deer with this gun yet, its just one of those deals I couldnt pass up and now its just a safe queen. I guess Im holding on to it just in case the Game department/RABBIT SHERIFFS ever open up bear season again in the state I already have my bear gun.

Now to the subject at hand I was just considering the 250 OTMs to see if I could squeeze a little bit more accuracy out of it. I also was considering the 250 Sierra MKs if I cant get some Bergers.

 

[Topshot]

Use the 250gn Berger Elite Hunter.
The BC of these bullets is awesome!
It will add 300 yards to your maximine distance and they work unreal on game out wide! Very destructive.
This bullet has transformed my .338WM into a long range hammer!

 

[bamadawg2009]

Use the 250gn Berger Elite Hunter.
The BC of these bullets is awesome!
It will add 300 yards to your maximine distance and they work unreal on game out wide! Very destructive.
This bullet has transformed my .338WM into a long range hammer!

Ive looked at these to, I guess once I get over the $$$ sticker shock factor, Ill give them a try.

 

[Stanm70]

My last deer was 247 pounds and was taken with a 243. I cant Imagine needing a 338 for anything less than a genetic anomaly.

 

[bamadawg2009]

Its not the fact of needing a bigger gun its just the fact that I want something bigger. I shoot deer all the time with a .223 and kill them dead as a hammer. Ive never killed a deer with this rifle, but I have it if someday I decide to go say grizz. hunting soewheres then Ill need a totally different bullet from the berger. Im just trying to sqeeze a little more accuracy out of it is why I want to try the bergers or sierra MKs.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

My last deer was 247 pounds and was taken with a 243. I cant Imagine needing a 338 for anything less than a genetic anomaly.

Deer are fickle critters. One will fall dead when you sneeze at it. I've heard of hits with a 22 lr at a couple of hundred yards killing them (but I've never done that crap myself). The next will take two or three hits square in the boiler room with a 300 win at 1/4 mile and need a couple more hits before it goes down. Been there, saw that one.

 

[badandy970]

I shoot 250 gr. game kings, I have big brown bears here though.