Ok so I am in the process of tuning in my 338 Rum I have on hand hornady 285gr a max's. I also have 300gr smks, my question with those are they ok to shoot deer and elk as close as 100 yards and as far as 1200 yards? I ordered some Barnes 285 tsx bullets which I know are good for hunting but there load data shows the max velocity with Magnum powder to be 2592 fps seems pretty slow especially when you may take a 1200 yard shot the drop is tremendous with that slow velocity and bc. Can you load them more than the max? What bullet would you recommend for hunting at long distances with minmal drop? The reason I don't go lighter is because of drop I have a scope with 87 moa of internal total travel and standard rings so I don't think I would have enough adjustment to shoot lighter bullets way out there.
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Long range 338 hunting bullets
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Cold Trigger Finger
Well-Known Member
I don't think a mono metal bullet can b driven too fast. I had a load that was very good with 275 gr Kodiak Bonded Core bullets @2850 fps from my 26" barreled Rem 700 in 338 RUM.. That was with 7828. I wanted to try Retumbo but couldn't find any . I would imagine the 285TTSX should b able to go close to 2800 fps from a 26" barrel.
We're it me . I would work up a load with the A Max. Use it for a guide and start the Barnes 10% below and work up. The thing to remember with mono bullets is most of them need at least 50 thousands jump to the lands. I would start at 70k and work from there on the seating depth.
Have you checked GS Custom or Cutting Edge Bullets?
I came to the conclusion that for normal big game hunting I really couldn't improve on the Remington factory 250 gr A Frame ammo. It chronographed consistently@2950 fps from my rifle.
It's not unheard of to have a stalking load and a long range load. Trick is to get your LR load and your close range load to have the same zero at say 100 or 200 y/m.
We're it me . I would work up a load with the A Max. Use it for a guide and start the Barnes 10% below and work up. The thing to remember with mono bullets is most of them need at least 50 thousands jump to the lands. I would start at 70k and work from there on the seating depth.
Have you checked GS Custom or Cutting Edge Bullets?
I came to the conclusion that for normal big game hunting I really couldn't improve on the Remington factory 250 gr A Frame ammo. It chronographed consistently@2950 fps from my rifle.
It's not unheard of to have a stalking load and a long range load. Trick is to get your LR load and your close range load to have the same zero at say 100 or 200 y/m.
revturbo9967
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- Mar 25, 2015
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im shooting 300 gr accubonds right now. i have yet to get any grouping with them but i believe its from other issues. once i get my rifle squared away i will give it a go again
bigngreen
Well-Known Member
The 250 Bergers have been performing awesome both on deer and elk with the 338 RUM users I've built for!!
Thanks guys, has anyone loaded Barnes 285 bullets bc of .585 (not the best but) Barnes emailed me the load data and it shows magnum powder pushing it with max load at 2,591 fps and that is just too slow does anyone know why there data has slow velocities? gun)
revturbo9967
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i have no info on the load data but what about the barnes long range bullet? higher bc
to add, many guys have to experiment to the end of the world and back to find good velocities. ive found numbers provided by manufacturers to be to specific to their testing. the 285 barnes may have a higher velocity out of your rifle, you just need to try it out.
Cold Trigger Finger
Well-Known Member
I've had strange results from the Barnes data in other carts.
I agree that you just need to try them. What load and velocity are you getting from your 285 A Max load? . I can get 2600 fps from that bullet out of a 338 Win mag so I'm positive you can beat it by a lot with the RUM.
I have noticed that Barnes really likes some rounds and must hate others.
In their loading manuals they list loads for the 375 Whby that are slower than some loads listed for the HandH. There are many others as well.
If nothing else try the Hogdon reloading site.
I agree that you just need to try them. What load and velocity are you getting from your 285 A Max load? . I can get 2600 fps from that bullet out of a 338 Win mag so I'm positive you can beat it by a lot with the RUM.
I have noticed that Barnes really likes some rounds and must hate others.
In their loading manuals they list loads for the 375 Whby that are slower than some loads listed for the HandH. There are many others as well.
If nothing else try the Hogdon reloading site.
Cold Trigger Finger
Well-Known Member
Take Aim at Rifle Reloading Data | Hodgdon Reloading
This is the link for the 338 RUM. 300 gr SMK data.
They also have data for the 275 gr Swift A Frame bullet. You can cross reference the 2 .
It looks like Retumbo is a great powder for the 338 RUM
This is the link for the 338 RUM. 300 gr SMK data.
They also have data for the 275 gr Swift A Frame bullet. You can cross reference the 2 .
It looks like Retumbo is a great powder for the 338 RUM
300RUM LNGRNGE
Active Member
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- Nov 10, 2011
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Aw the problem with barnes.......
Barnes are IMHO the best all around bullet when discussing a wide range of distances.
In my experience, they perform flawlessly every time.
The problem arrives when you try to get any speed out of them.
For some reason they pressure up way sooner than other lead core bullets and with an OK B.C. but not great, the issue of "how far away" will it maintain energy......
Someone mentioned that you may get better velocities with your particular rifle, and while that is true, it will most likely not be enough to make much difference.
If you want to use Barnes, best thing to do is run some numbers with fictitious speeds to see if dropping in bullet weight is a better fit. Also check on the Barnes LRX, not sure what they make for the 338, but may be worth a look.
These two bullets along with the 250 Matchkings and 250 or 300 grain Bergers are all deadly on deer and elk; from near to far. With 300 SMKs I have had full penetration on deer (shot through both shoulders) from under 50 to past 450 and on elk through the lungs out past 700. At 1006 yards I shot through one shoulder on a quartering bull and found the mushroomed bullet under the hide on the off side. At 1425 I hit a whitetail high shoulder and found the bullet under the hide off side.
These are from an Edge that usually averages 2800 fps.
I've developed very accurate loads in my 338 RUM with the 225 Accubond, 300 Accubond and 285 LRX.
The flattest shooting even at long range is the lighter/faster 225 Accubond and the largest drop comes from the 300 grain Accubond. Retained energy at long range becomes the limiter with the lighter 225 Accubond.
My go-to hunting load is the 300 Accubond with RL-33 at 2780 fps. ive shot this load accurately out to 1350 and have also killed two elk with it at very close range (15 yards and 35 yards) and the bullet performed perfectly.
I also am somewhat limited with only 40 MOA of vertical travel with my VX6 as I just have it mounted with Talley rings that obviously have zero cant. But with the 300 Accubond I still can dial out to 1440 yards and the faster/flatter 225 lets me dial out to 1530. This is at 8500 ft elevation which is about the average where I hunt.
The flattest shooting even at long range is the lighter/faster 225 Accubond and the largest drop comes from the 300 grain Accubond. Retained energy at long range becomes the limiter with the lighter 225 Accubond.
My go-to hunting load is the 300 Accubond with RL-33 at 2780 fps. ive shot this load accurately out to 1350 and have also killed two elk with it at very close range (15 yards and 35 yards) and the bullet performed perfectly.
I also am somewhat limited with only 40 MOA of vertical travel with my VX6 as I just have it mounted with Talley rings that obviously have zero cant. But with the 300 Accubond I still can dial out to 1440 yards and the faster/flatter 225 lets me dial out to 1530. This is at 8500 ft elevation which is about the average where I hunt.
Gerard Schultz
Well-Known Member
338RUML
It would depend to a large extent what the twist rate of the rifle is, which bullet would be best suited for your application. Let us know and then we can get closer to a workable recommendation. Our HV range expands from impacts as low as 1600fps and, on close shots, where they are still moving fast, the bullet will not break up badly and you still get the job done very effectively.
It would depend to a large extent what the twist rate of the rifle is, which bullet would be best suited for your application. Let us know and then we can get closer to a workable recommendation. Our HV range expands from impacts as low as 1600fps and, on close shots, where they are still moving fast, the bullet will not break up badly and you still get the job done very effectively.
It is a factory 1-10 twist. Thanks for the responses guys taking it all in.
Strange. I'm having the same issues, but the 250s are spot on.