Are the .338s becoming pointless?

[codyadams]

Those Bulldogs look just like Alco bullets. I wonder if there is any correlation.

I'm pretty sure Alco have a lead core, and also have a rebated boat tail. I have also heard that their bc's are really inflated, but I have no first hand experience so I can't speak on that, however I chose not to try them because some long range shooters much smarter than myself said that the bc's were not even close.

 

[VLD Pilot]

I'm pretty sure Alco have a lead core, and also have a rebated boat tail. I have also heard that their bc's are really inflated, but I have no first hand experience so I can't speak on that, however I chose not to try them because some long range shooters much smarter than myself said that the bc's were not even close.

I wouldn't necessarily put all your eggs in the BC basket. Yes, high BCs are attractive and we all look at those numbers and often or most times purchase based on those numbers. Many times I've found out that it's the bullet with a few digits lower in BC that gives the better accuracy and consistency. That said, many times as well, the highest BC bullets do give top results. In short, don't rule out the slightly lower BC bullets. Berger are good examples. Some are higher than Berger but do not impress most competition shooters. Berger has that market cornered.

 

[codyadams]

I wouldn't necessarily put all your eggs in the BC basket. Yes, high BCs are attractive and we all look at those numbers and often or most times purchase based on those numbers. Many times I've found out that it's the bullet with a few digits lower in BC that gives the better accuracy and consistency. That said, many times as well, the highest BC bullets do give top results. In short, don't rule out the slightly lower BC bullets. Berger are good examples. Some are higher than Berger but do not impress most competition shooters. Berger has that market cornered.

There was very little information on the Badlands bullets, but what I could find was good. I understand BC isn't everything, but it is certainly a factor, especially when shots average in the 600+ range, so I gave them a try. So far we have 4 animals taken with them, and they have been doing fantastic. Accuracy has been easy to acquire and very good, and terminal performance has been great thus far, though 4 is a small test pool. I should have at least 4 more pronghorn/deer/elk by the end of season, and be able to give a better idea of how they do.

I'm one of those guys that likes to try and test new or different things in the firearms world, and pass on whatever information I get to my fellow sportsman. When the 147 eld-m first came out, myself and my friends/family took 14 animals with them in two different guns, and I posted a thread on it, as I knew terminal performance was a big question with them. All reviews I saw on these badlands bullets were good, but I was only able to find 3 or 4 accounts. The BC of the bullet stacked up well when compared against the 250 berger, 300 berger, 265 ablr, and 285 hammer, which were the other bullets I was considering. Wind drift at 1000 yards when compared to the 300 berger, which is the .338 bar to meet for flight ballistics so to speak, is only 1" more drift, literally the same hold off at that range, and much flatter, less recoil, and still very accurate.

So, part of why I went with them was curiosity, and so I could pass information on to my fellow sportsman. Plus....they just look flat sexy.

 

[Swamplord]

Swamplord,
Copper frags found where? Near entry side hide?

copper petals were found inside the chest, just past the ribs, bullet expanded as it passed the hide, as bullet opened up inside the boiler room, it shut down operations with extreme violence, evidence of destruction was torn, shredded lungs & liver along with ripped out piping to heart and other machinery disconnected with extreme prejudice, the second moose was a "Texas Heart Shot" secondary follow up shot on a bull running away after a solid "behind the shoulder" hit with a 7mm Rem Mag by my dad ( boy I hate those f&$kn things) bullet hit the big hindquarter bone, opened up and shed the petals as it traveled in a straight line the entire length of the bull moose and broke through the heavy neck bones and I found it against the hide when skinning, bull was smashed face down hard, fastest & coolest kill shot I've ever seen,
can't say the same for the 7mm turd

 

[Swamplord]

I am thinking that would be awesome in a Single-Shot Specialty Pistol!!!!

Ernie, let me know of you would like to mess with the 338 Headhunter in a specialty pistol and I will let you use my personal reamer and supply you with some factory brass as well

 

[Pdvdh]

copper petals were found inside the chest, just past the ribs, bullet expanded as it passed the hide, as bullet opened up inside the boiler room, it shut down operations with extreme violence, evidence of destruction was torn, shredded lungs & liver along with ripped out piping to heart and other machinery disconnected with extreme prejudice, the second moose was a "Texas Heart Shot" secondary follow up shot on a bull running away after a solid "behind the shoulder" hit with a 7mm Rem Mag by my dad ( boy I hate those f&$kn things) bullet hit the big hindquarter bone, opened up and shed the petals as it traveled in a straight line the entire length of the bull moose and broke through the heavy neck bones and I found it against the hide when skinning, bull was smashed face down hard, fastest & coolest kill shot I've ever seen,
can't say the same for the 7mm turd

Wow on the performance of the 270gr BD bullet on the 2nd moose! Very impressive, and good to know.
Thanks much for providing those details.

I've likewise been pleased with the terminal performance of the 196.5gr .308 and 145gr .284 Bulldozer bullets.

My 10-twist .338 barrel causes me to shoot the .275gr Bulldozer, which performed well on a brown bear in 2019. Thinking I may have to get an 8 or 8.5 twist barrel so I can stabilize that .270gr Super Bulldozer.

Agree the 7mm Rem Mag lacks authority on large bull moose. Particularly on quartering shots, let alone Texas heart shots.

 

[Pdvdh]

Deleted "double post"

 

[Ernie]

The new Badlands 285 gr 338 cal target bullet is the ICBM and the hunting hp aluminum tip version is the 270 gr Super Bulldozer.

The cartridge is called the 338 Headhunter and yes it does exist..... along with the 300 Headhunter and others coming ...

Designed for Remington 700 actions on a mag boltface (300 Win Mag etc) with approx. 140-142 gr case h20 capacity to directly compete with the 33 XC (138 gr h20) without requiring an expensive custom 338 Lapua sized action/boltface, you can run the Headhunter reamer into a RUM/Edge chamber and good to go in single shot mode with no other action or boltface mods ...... View attachment 213104View attachment 213105

The 338 Headhunter in a Center-Grip XP-100 or in a Rear-Grip specialty pistol. I am getting all tingly thinking about it.
What twist rate would I be looking at to properly stabilize the 285 and like-minded bullets. Give me an idea of how many grains of "XYZ powder with what weight bullet.
MV's with bullet weight and barrel length please. Typical brass life? I know some don't want to post specifics, so you can email me if you want: [email protected]
I am interested. The biggest center-grip I have built is a 333AX in a XP.
My biggest rear-grip is a 375 CT.

It is kind of fun smacking steel at 2K+

 

[VLD Pilot]

8

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

Out to 1K a 7 or 30 cal magnum is all one needs for 95% of deer and elk hunting. A 338 is going to do, and give you absolutely nothing over them inside that. Past 1K is where the 338s/300g bullets start to seperate from the 7s and 30s in my opinion anyway. I've had them all, and went back to the 7 mags because I shoot them better, and they kill elk to 1K just fine when you put the bullet in the chest. Maybe one day I'll do another 338 EDGE, but for now I love my 7-300 win mag and 180s at 3000fps out to 1200 yards.

 

[Pdvdh]

Sometimes it's that 5% that makes all the difference.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Out to 1K a 7 or 30 cal magnum is all one needs for 95% of deer and elk hunting. A 338 is going to do, and give you absolutely nothing over them inside that. Past 1K is where the 338s/300g bullets start to seperate from the 7s and 30s in my opinion anyway. I've had them all, and went back to the 7 mags because I shoot them better, and they kill elk to 1K just fine when you put the bullet in the chest. Maybe one day I'll do another 338 EDGE, but for now I love my 7-300 win mag and 180s at 3000fps out to 1200 yards.

Right back to that phrase again. Beware of the man with just one rifle ! If you shoot it best, stick with it. Bigger isn't always better in many situations.

 

[Pdvdh]

I shoot ground squirrels with 7mms.

Big game with big power. As in 338s

 

[RH300UM]

I shoot ground squirrels with 7mms.

Big game with big power. As in 338s

You can't have too much gun, ever!