Well, Haven't Done That In About 30 Yrs.

[memtb]

We recently received the "custom" turret from Leupold for my wife's .338Win. It's a box stock Win. 70, push-feed, SS, from the early 90's. I worked up a load last year using Barnes TTSX's at 2900 plus. We had the dial set-up with 300 yrds. as the zero, same sight-in that we've used for many years. We'll probably not use the turret unless it's a "ranged" long shot! I shot two rounds, went to the target (300 yrds) and was very pleasantly surprised (1 & 1/8" center to center). Made a slight adjustment and fired two more to verify the zero. This is when the "de jah vue" moment occured! Trying very hard to duplicate the first group (if you can call 2 shots a group), I relaxed, controlled my breathing, held the rifle "very" lightly (trying not to introduce any torque to the Win. plastic "Mattel" stock) and touched her off. It was at this moment the 3.5-10 Leupold introduced itself to my forehead "OUCH"! The following round didn't make for a great group. These two came in at 2 & 1/2", still not bad, but I'll always wonder what it could've been!! memtb

 

[Engineering101]

This is pretty unusual. Not that you got whacked by the 338 Win Mag but that it is your wife's rifle! I was working up some loads for that exact rifle with the 210 grain TTSX a few days ago. The whole thing with scope weighs in at 9 pounds and I have to say the recoil got my attention and you can certainly get bit by the scope of you are not careful. I don't think I know of any women using a stock 338 Win (not braked). I know Cori Brooks shoots everything with hers but she has a brake on it. Your wife must be a tough one to handle that rifle.

What load did you settle on? Seems like a good one.

 

[mountainman56]

Ah yes, the old Weatherby smile. Never have drawn blood but I've seen a few who have. I did have my Leupold come back and touch me once when shooting my 300 weatherby uphill. It can definitely introduce a flinch.

 

[memtb]

Engineering101 – Yes it's a pretty light weight rifle and I haven't weighed it with the new 3.5x10 but as best as I can remember, it went 8#12oz (scoped, loaded and slung) with the old Leupold, 2.5x8. And yes, it seems like a pretty sweet load for the rifle. My chrono (if accurate) has it at 2990 fps and still requires a decapping pin to get the primer out. I would recommend sneaking up on this load – Federal Safari Brass, Barnes 225 TTSX, Federal 215 Primer, 78.5 grains RL22. I always work my load up on a hot day so I (or my wife) won't get any surprises. As for the wife, don't tell her that the gun recoils!! Actually, she does real well with it; however, she really doesn't like shooting it from the bench except for sight in verification.
Mountainman56 – When I got my first .375 H&H, all I could afford for a scope was a $37. or $39 Bushnell. Every time I came back from bench work with the rifle, I was bleeding between the eyes. I finally learned "NOT" to relax so much behind the rifle. I actually believe my head was whipping forward and hitting the scope on recoil. I guess it's true, if you're dumb, you gotta be tough! - memtb

 

[Engineering101]

memtb

Wow, 2,990 fps, that is smokin'. If my calculator is working today, that bullet is carrying 4,466 ft lbs at the muzzle which is about 12% over what Barnes says you can get out of a 338 Win with that bullet.

Crazy question. Why don't you throw a small brake like a Vias on that beast and make it fun too shoot? Those brakes don't add much to the weight or the muzzle blast due to their design so you if you shoot it without ear plugs now you can keep it that way. My braked 338 RUM is cranking out 5,000 ft lbs and it is a pussycat to shoot. My niece used it to knock a 120 pound gong off the pegs from 440 yards. it is debatable which weighs more, her or the gong. I asked her what she though of the recoil and she said, "What recoil"?

 

[Tikkamike]

Ha I have been there! Actually I do it all the time..not every time I go shooting but its not uncommon . I forget when I am shooting a heavy recoiler and just kinda let it ride the bags and it rides them right into my face...

 

[upacreek]

Look back in the elk hunting section from November 20, 2013. There is a picture of my bloody face. Heading is opening day, 2 down........or something. Then saturday, getting really steady on my 400yrd target dang thing came back and bruised my nose.

 

[Leslie Sapp]

I watched my brother get a scope cut from a Winchester Model 70 in .243.! The Bushnell scope even had a rubber eyepiece on it. He was actually bleeding from a nice clean semicircular cut over his eye. I still haven't figured out how he did it...

 

[memtb]

Engineering101 – The wife refused to put a brake on because of the noise. When I first got my .375 AI, I was doing some extensive bench work with it using a brake...can't even remember which brand right now. She was standing behind me and slightly to the side and could feel the concussion and saw the dust storm it created and immediately decided she did not want anything to do with that. Later I made the huge mistake of firing it in a hunting situation without ear protection and thought I had ruptured an ear drum due to the blast; therefore, brake was removed never to be seen again. On the Vias brake, it is something I will study and we may consider although she is still empathic that the recoil isn't even noticed in a hunting situation.
I never did any "number" crunching but was pretty amazed when we worked up to 2990 fps. Yes, that is smoking fast but I've always thought Barnes was a little conservative in their load data. We're getting our best groups with no "apparent" pressure issues. I cannot guarantee that the chrono is spot on but with other rifles and hand guns, it appears to be in the ball park.



Mike – I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who seems to occasionally make this mistake. On a slightly different topic, I bought some 250 TTSX's for my AI but have been working a ton of overtime and am afraid that my hot weather for load development has passed me by this year. I guess I'll have to fill a cow tag with the old 270 grain TSX's.



Upacreek – never fortunate enough to just get a bruise, I always seem to get the cut between the eyes.


Leslie – I was pretty amazed when I got cut as her Leupold has a similar rubber ring on the eyepiece. -memtb

 

[Engineering101]

memtb

I shot my 338 RUM one time without hearing protection. It has a very aggressive brake (Kirby's medium painkiller which has backwards directed ports). It is very effective but you could not accuse it of being quiet. My right ear rang for about 2 hours after that mistake. Fortunately that ear was already damaged from way to many shotgun rounds without hearing protection.

I have a better idea for you regards load work up. Get an aggressive brake (like the 4-port Muscle brake I have on my 300 RUM) for your big boomers. Also get a knurled nut to use in place of the brake when hunting. That way you can work up loads without getting beat up and still hunt without the hearing protection.

 

[memtb]

Engineering 101,

Thanks for all of the helpful hints. We really don't shoot the "Boomers" that much during the year, mostly to verify zeros prior to hunting season. That said, I was supposed to test/develop a load using the 250 TTSX in my rifle this summer. Too much work and home projects, interfering with the good stuff. I am truly considering some type of brake for the wife's rifle so we can (hopefully) start shooting more during the off season. She doesn't like the idea, but I'm sure that it would be more fun for her to shoot more with less recoil. Thanks again memtb