Is the .338WinMag a suitable LRH cart ??

[Gustavo]

First of all, I love my .300WinMag but last last week after seeing a fantastic group from a friend's .338 (Ruger KM77) I started to take another look at this cartridge.

I found that with a 185gr Barnes XLC or TSX and from a 24" barrel the MV could reach easily 3350fps... with almost BC and SD figures close to a .30 cal bullet of 180 gr

In my .300WinMag a 180gr FailSafe reaches 3180fps with a max load of Re22

Well, simple is as simple does...and a .338 bullet of 185gr launched 200fps more than the .300WinMag 180grainers will deliver more energy and a flatter trajectory, and all we know that comes with elevated MV

In short, I used to think that my .300WinMag was a fantastic vehicle for Long Range Hunting, but what about this .338WinMag load???

Please, any advise is welcomed!

Gus

 

[ceg1963]

Gus, that sounds aweful fast for a .338 185 grain out of a 24" BARREL?

 

[Gustavo]

Ceg, that data comes close to what is published in the last edition of the Barnes manual for the XLC (coated) bullet. If I don't remember wrong, the published velocity was about 3310 fps---

 

[royinidaho]

Yep, I'd say the 338 Win is a long range hunting rifle. I'm working a factory Rem 700 up for that purpose at the moment.

I'm not too sure about those light bullets. The BC gotta be low compared to the 250gr bullets and probably fall out of the air 3 or 400 yards out.

I'm shooting the 250gr Sierra Gameking at 2800 fps into 1/2" @ 200 yds and delivering 2000 fpe out to 820 yds. When I get things all worked up, me the rifle, drop chart and practice so I can hit what I'm shooting at at the 820 mark I'll ship the action off and get something built that will push the 250gr Wildcat bullet at between 3150 and 3175. That will put 2000 fpe at 1000yds and not require any come-ups when using the Mil-dot scope.

All that velocity with the 185 sounds tempting but I've been there and done that, they just don't reach out as well.

 

[budlight]

The .338 cal. has scored some exceptional BR scores. But it was done with 300 grain VLD bullets with large volume cases like the the Lapua and larger.

When I have used a .338 win mag I always loaded 250 and 275 for BR testing and then out hunting.

 

[brian b]

Gustavo,
The best combination I have seen for a .338WinMag is the 225gr Accubond for a hunting round (great B.C. and energy)
B

 

[rost495]

Have loaded 225 x for a friend and also shot 230 failsafes in his 338 Win Mag. Long story short, the only time I used the gun was 2 shots at my caribou, both at 802 yards, both hits. Not much trouble there the shots seemed easy(factoring the slope the shots were much closer to 650 yards horizontal)

I'm trying to save to get Kirby to do me a 338 off the 300 RUM case for my next rifle.

Jeff