338 win mag bear bullet

[rain4est]

Comment:
Use enough gun is the best advice that one can give in my view: shot placement cant be guaranteed, but if the power, caliber and penetration are well over the minimum, the job will get done. After having tried many calibres, over nearly 40 years hunting, I retained the 338 lapua magnum 250 grs nosler partition for long distance on medium game, 375 HH mag 300 grs Remington A frame on mediuum game at shorter distances (up to 150 yards) or where think bush is to be encountered, and 460 weatherby Mag for big and/or dangerous game (Africa).
The shocking effect of the 375 HH is considerably better than the 338 LM's, so chances of loosing wounded game are quite remote, and the shocking effect and damage caused by the 460 Weatherby are impressive.

I can confirm that the 460 Weatherby can create phenomenal damage with 450 gr Barnes TSX bullets. On brown bears, entry is usually a typical ~1/2" hole. If you hit bone, the exit can be between 2" and 8"+ in diameter. They rarely go far when hit with these. On one hunt, the 450 gr TSX entered the hind quarter on a brown bear, broke the main hip/ball socket of the hind leg, took out the top of both lungs, broke the opposing front shoulder, and exited with a 4"+ hole (backup shot on a runner).

Ballistics: It has over 7,000 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle and runs 2,650+ fps. It also holds that energy & velocity - 5,850+ ft lbs @ 100 yards/2,400+ fps, 4,800+ @ 200 yards/<2,200 fps, and 3,900+ @ 300 yards/<2,000 fps.

Back to the OP bullet choices for brown bears... I prefer the Barnes-X TSX/TTSX as they hold together, penetrate farther, and do-so consistently. The Swift A-Frame and the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw also do a great job, as well.

 

[edward hogan]

I have a custom mold that throws a hardcast roundnose .339 bullet at 293gr. Testing the same almost straight wheelweigh alloy, water cooled, from my .454 Casull 445gr flatnose in a well-seasoned (not rotted in any way) slab of Cottonwood, I got 27" penetration, and no deformation of the bullet. Such performance inspires confidence. Hammering the 300gr .452 Hornady mag bullet and my cast on a steel anvil, my cast was more resistant to deformation.

If up close and in the alders is your style or habitat, I like the .375 Ruger. I load the 350gr Barnes in mine. I see penetration as the biggest requirement and prefer big bore diameters. Shooting in open country, like mountainside something like the 250gr Sierra Gameking (BTSP) would be a good choice. Hard to go wrong with Nosler or Barnes, but Sierra uses thick jacketing, as does the Hornady spitzer 250; that matters. The old roundnosed Partition and Hornady 250g bullets will work at all but extreme distance.

Get some trial-packs and test em out. Always worth searching for Phil Shoemaker's posts on the net; always about bears...

 

[the hunter]

I think this guy^may be a PETA puller if you know what I mean.

He must have deleted it, I went back and can't find it.

 

[Pdvdh]

I think this guy^may be a PETA puller if you know what I mean.

He must have deleted it, I went back and can't find it.

Too late. We preserved his Post in later Posts #44 and #51.

 

[Winefly]

I reload all my ammo.

But in Factory loads I'd be looking for shells containing 1) Swift A-Frame, 2) Trophy Bonded (Speer), 3) Nosler Partition, and 4) Nosler Accubond - in that preferential order. Those are the ones I believe are loaded in Factory ammo, that I can think of at the moment.

Behind those 4 bullets, I'd consider a Barnes TTSX or TSX. The Barnes will penetrate deeper, but likely with less immediate shock effect. Still a good bullet, all in all, in those larger calibers.

May I suggest
http://woodleighbullets.com.au/info-reference/dangerous-game

 

[zb338]

My Son has shot almost every big game in N. America. All with a .340 Weatherby.
He used handloads I loaded for him with Nosler Partitions. No game ever got away
from him. On a few occasions he had to shoot the animal twice but it never went
anywhere. He shot Grizzly, Brown Bear and a bunch of black bear as well.
Zeke

 

[Pdvdh]

May I suggest
http://woodleighbullets.com.au/info-reference/dangerous-game

If we include bullets available for the hand loader, that opens the door to more good ones. I only identified the bullets reasonably available in factory shells in the U.S.A.

 

[del2les]

I reload all my ammo.

But in Factory loads I'd be looking for shells containing 1) Swift A-Frame, 2) Trophy Bonded (Speer), 3) Nosler Partition, and 4) Nosler Accubond - in that preferential order. Those are the ones I believe are loaded in Factory ammo, that I can think of at the moment.

Behind those 4 bullets, I'd consider a Barnes TTSX or TSX. The Barnes will penetrate deeper, but likely with less immediate shock effect. Still a good bullet, all in all, in those larger calibers.

Can't go wrong with this list, and personally, I use the TTSX 225gr in my 338WM and have never had it fail.

 

[TG-5150]

This subject, although on s long range forum; is depicted at ranges around 100 yards. That being said, I would want a lever gun in .444 marlin, 45/70 , or 450 marlin. There are a few basic wildcat cartridges off these, but that's not the O.P.s intent here.
Optics could range from a ghost ring to 2.75 power. In Alaska, although I have never hunted there, I would think humidity and temp swings would b the biggest battles, as far as optics are concerned.
I'm 47 and I bet a ghost ring is on its way out in the next ten. Jmho

 

[WildRose]

Last year I got the opportunity to help guide in the Bristol Bay area of Alaska for brown bear. It was a great experience and it's about all I think about now. Headed back in August 19. Our first client we had was shooting a 338 win mag and I thought nothing of it. Well after poor performance on a brown bear at 100+/- yards, tracking it into an alder patch and having to finish her with a 375 Ruger mag. Skip ahead a couple days to bear number two. Shot at about the same distance, bear takes off into the alders never to be seen again, ending the hunt for the client, costing him a trophy fee and really upsetting me. I don't like to leave a wounded animal in the field. It got me thinking is 338wm enough gun? It wasn't till the next day we flew out of camp I saw his bullet selection, 200 grain sst....I'm guessing here is our problem. Caliber is discussed with the client but never bullet selection. No, as a helper/assistant and now apprentice working towards my guide license its not my place to suggest what bullet to use. With the clients we have, alot of them have little hunting experience, they go buy a fancy gun in a large caliber and the first box of bullets they see and go for it.

So going forth in preparation for the bear hunts we are now wanting to suggest bullets for the clients to use for a given caliber. 338 and 375 are by far the most used. I was thinking Nosler partition? but after that I don't really know. Thought about Barnes, but will they expand at close range? Would like some more input on 338 win mag, 375 hh and 375 Ruger. Factory ammo, I doubt any of these guys reload.

Hope you made it through my long/short story and don't bash on me......I'm far from a writer!

The SST is a highly frangible bullet made specifically for light skinned game and would be a terrible choice for bears. I'm just glad no one was hurt.

For large/dangerous game I'll never shoot anything again except tough bonded bullets or an expanding mono like the Peregrine.

Even a solid would be preferable to something as frangible as the SST, NBT or any of the various VLD/Target type bullets on the market for this application.

 

[MagnumManiac]

In the early to mid 90's when I had lots of surplus money, I hunted/guided many Kodiak/Brown/Grizzly/Polar bears. The bullets I used at the time in 338's, both the magnums and 338-06, were the Speer 275gr Semi spitzer as a client/backup option and the old style 250gr Partition with the machined cannelure.
I also used a 375 Weatherby as a back up with a 300gr Woodleigh.

Nowadays, if I were doing it again, the Speer was discontinued many moons ago now, I would still use a Partition in 250gr, but seeing as though the 250gr and 300gr Accubond are available, I would opt for either of those, preferring the 250gr weight for the 338-06/338WM size and the 300gr for anything bigger like the RUM/EDGE or bigger.
I would absolutely love to see my 338-416 Rigby Improved take down a huge Kodiak using a 300gr Berger OTM..............anyway just a dream right now.

IMHO, in a 338, the lightest bullet to use on bear is a 225gr HEAVILY constructed bullet, like a Barnes, Accubond, Partition, Core-Lokt or Swift A-Frame.
Cup and core without bonding should be avoided. Unless it's a Berger.

Cheers.

 

[Frenchie1]

Is a 250 too much for a 338 wm? Gun has a 1-10 twist. I'm thinking of trying a 250 partition

250 partitions in my 338 work great on elk! Have never had any issue at 400yds or less anyway. We hunted deer on Kodiak island several years ago and was the first time being in the land of the giants and I have to say, after seeing some of those brutes, i was questioning my 30-06 choice of calibers for that trip.

 

[rain4est]

Most folks, here in Southeast Alaska, hunt Sitka blacktail deer with nothing less than a .30 caliber magnum with a heavily constructed bullet (Barnes, etc.) - as the brown bears enjoy dinner bells (i.e. rifle shots) similar to Kodiak, except we have a lot more brush for them to hide in.

 

[Frenchie1]

Hey Dakotakid,
So I was reading in my Nosler #1 reloading Manuel. And under the 338 win mag and I quote, " if I was
Required to use one caliber for the worlds hunting situations I would chose a 338 win mag loaded behind a 250 grn partition. " just my two cents. That's good enough for me. 338 is more than capable for big bears.

Darrin

* That quote steered me to a 338 many years ago!