225gr-250gr 338 Elk Bullet for 338 Win Mag?

[hawlejr]

Shot a cow @ 250 yards last fall with my .340 and 225 gr Nosler E-Tip. Very accurate bullet and devastating hit. 2 broken ribs with lots of splinters therefrom causing massive internal chest damage, and a nice hole out the other side. Bang-flop. Load was 80 gr of N160, but I get great results with many powders. As long as you can shoot it accurately, better to be a bit overgunned than under!

 

[Rob L.]

I suppose with your .338 Win Mag set-up you could shoot just about any bullet successfully for elk and just about anything in your sights. Shot placement is always number 1. Then there are those times that you run into an individual critter that has more heart and stamina than others, just like people who survive supposedly lethal wounds. Sometimes it's NOT the fault of your bullet or shot placement!
I've shot a number of different bullets through my .340 Wby and killed animals with all of them over a number of years. I've settled on 225gr Barnes TTSX over RL22 because of accuracy, so not just for killing power. The other bullet I like is the 210gr Barnes TTSX over RL19. But like I said, most all the Sierra, Nosler, Speer, Barnes have all killed game easily.

 

[AggieHunter]

As the title says. I am searching for ideas about a good elk bullet for a 338 Win Mag in the 225-250gr class bullets. I was really looking for 225-230, but 250gr would be ok too. I am planning to load it to shoot no farther than 500ish yards. I have started a load with 230gr ELDX but have been reading mixed reviews on them for elk. I knew the smaller bullets were a little fragile, but thought the bigget ones might be better.

I like mono coppers, but in 338 cal they are well over $1 each.

I have a box of 250gr Nosler Partitions, but they are almost $2 each if you can find them and they are not exactly aerodynamic.

Rifle is a Ruger M77 MK2 All weather paddle stock with 24" tube. I just added a brake and Arken 4x16x44 EPL.

Thanks
Harley

I shot a free ranging elk in West Texas in Oct 2022. I was using my 300 PRC w/Hornaday's 225 EDLM (yes a match grade bullet) in the chest. 1 shot kill (I have the video to prove it). At 500 yards are less, you will be fine w/Nosler Accubond, Sierra Gamekings, Bergers and or the Hornaday. It's all about shot placement. I would also argue that the old 270 Winchester would be just fine at 500 yards. You don't need that monster caliber unless you want to shoot something at 1,500 yards or further. Don't let anybody talk you into something that you aren't comfortable w/. I ould be very comfortable shooting an elk w/my 300 PRC, 7 WSM or my 280 Ack Imp.

 

[Catskills]

I've killed dozens of elk and a number of deer and antelope with the 210 partitions. I wouldn't over look them given your range cap.. They were dead reliable on game. IMR 4350 and RL 19 were easy to get >3,000fps.

 

[memtb]

Just sold two boxes that I wasn't going to use,didn't lose anything and I didn't make a penny either. It was a fellow member here I'm not gonna abuse anyone like that.

Good man……good karma beats bad karma every time!

I was just giv'n ya a hard time…..I've got stuff from 30+ years ago I'll never use.Yes, I'm a hoarder……or am I just a paranoid prepper? memtb

 

[338 dude]

Good man……good karma beats bad karma every time!

I was just giv'n ya a hard time…..I've got stuff from 30+ years ago I'll never use.Yes, I'm a hoarder……or am I just a paranoid prepper? memtb

I know brother, no offense taken at all! I believe in karma too.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Late to the conversation, but I had been running 3 338WM, Win Model 70 EW, Kimber 8400 Select and a Win Mosel 70 Super Grade.
All 3, and previous rifles, ran RL 19 with either 225gr Accubonds or 250gr Partitions.
Either are adequate to 600+ yards, so your 500 yard limit is well within those parameters.
I also like the Barnes TTSX in whatever weight you choose.
Before the supply ran out, I had also used Berger 230gr OTM, but had issues with them not expanding and even one grenading inexplicably.

Cheers.

 

[Hoss50]

I shot a free ranging elk in West Texas in Oct 2022. I was using my 300 PRC w/Hornaday's 225 EDLM (yes a match grade bullet) in the chest. 1 shot kill (I have the video to prove it). At 500 yards are less, you will be fine w/Nosler Accubond, Sierra Gamekings, Bergers and or the Hornaday. It's all about shot placement. I would also argue that the old 270 Winchester would be just fine at 500 yards. You don't need that monster caliber unless you want to shoot something at 1,500 yards or further. Don't let anybody talk you into something that you aren't comfortable w/. I ould be very comfortable shooting an elk w/my 300 PRC, 7 WSM or my 280 Ack Imp.

I am only working on this 338 Win Mag because it was my dads and I have it sitting here getting no use. Might as well get it setup to be a 500 yard and under elk hammer.

my Dad and I used to like the monster calibers so they are already in the safe. I have started going lighter for my rifles and putting brakes on the monsters to tame them out.

My go to rifles are in 257 weatherby and 6.5x55. Much more tame than this 338 before the brake was installed.

 

[hicountry1]

225 accubond

 

[Hoss50]

I picked up a box of 225gr Hornady CX bullets today to try too.

When I find some accubonds and will probably order some Hammer Hunters.

 

[Hoss50]

Have you considered the 250 berger?
I run 300s in my 338 edge and they hit stuff like a freight train.

I have, but looking at load data (that may be a little neutered) they are barely getting 2600fps.

 

[Hoss50]

Late to the conversation, but I had been running 3 338WM, Win Model 70 EW, Kimber 8400 Select and a Win Mosel 70 Super Grade.
All 3, and previous rifles, ran RL 19 with either 225gr Accubonds or 250gr Partitions.
Either are adequate to 600+ yards, so your 500 yard limit is well within those parameters.
I also like the Barnes TTSX in whatever weight you choose.
Before the supply ran out, I had also used Berger 230gr OTM, but had issues with them not expanding and even one grenading inexplicably.

Cheers.

I found a 12 bullet sample pack of 185gr Barnes TTSX that I forgot I had, so I just loaded 6 of those at 2 different charge weights with H4350 to see if it shows promise.

 

[Wolf76]

I have, but looking at load data (that may be a little neutered) they are barely getting 2600fps.

Bergers load data is castrated. Nosler shows 2700s. If you load longer coal, I'm sure 2800 is on the table.
This is my issue wth the 338wm. Bigger+ less aerodynamic bullets with less case capacity than the 300wm. Same issue with the RUM and Nosler cartridges. I'm certain its for legal reasons because it makes no sense otherwise.
Good luck in your search.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I picked up a box of 225gr Hornady CX bullets today to try too.

When I find some accubonds and will probably order some Hammer Hunters.

I think anything heavier than 225g in the wm just makes it slow. For quite a few years we recommended the 210g Hammer Hunter. I think this is the best bc to velocity ratio for the wm. That said I think the 205g Power Hammer would be my do all normal range bullet in the wm. Not too many things with legs that I wouldn't use this on.

.338 Cal-205gr Power Hammer™ - Hammer Bullets

We designed this bullet with the .338 Winchester Magnum in mind. We put a 2mm hollow point in this one, that is relatively deep, for about 60% weight retention and to ensure easy expansion. This bullet will load very nicely for feeding from the magazine and have a great velocity for hunting...

hammerbullets.com