Lets talk .338 bullets

[shootnmoa]

My Browning A-Bolt Stalker likes the Hornady 225 SST. Rem. brass, R 91/2Mag primer, H4831, will give me one small hole at 100yds.

It also likes the Sierra 215 Game King.

 

[X-man]

I forgot to mention that I hope (if I get the draw) to go after a Grizz this spring, so If anyone has any experience with Grizz hunting, let me know what you used and how it worked out for you.
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I spent some of the best years of my life in hip waders looking for the perfect coastal bear...

I never used a 338 on grizz, but if I did it would be either the 250TSX, or 275 Swift. At high velocities Partitions tend to leave the front nose cavity in the entrance fur and then punch a small hole in the vitals. Wet bears are murder on bullets.
Mountain bears are usually much smaller and the dry fur is much easier to get through.

A 30-06 is a nice size for mountain bears.
If you hunt coastal bears I would prefer a 375. FWIW I pack a 416.

Although we now have to contend with a limited entry draw, we can still self hunt here in B.C.

 

[alaska]

I think for Elk/deer you would be better served with 200/210 TTSX in the 338.
For Moose and Large brown bear the 225gr TTSX is excellent. For Grizzly the 210 TTSX would be perfect. But moose is my main menu so the 225 Gr is my go to load in the 338 Win and 338 RUM.

 

[Combatpreacher]

I'm new to the 338 game, just got a Pierce Custom...so far Ive loaded the Nosler Accubond 200gr. with a light load (70gr. of RL19) and they are super accurate and pleasant to shoot out of my 26" Bartlein #3. I mostly hunt deer, and cant wait to see what this bullet does going that slow (30/06 speed) once it hits flesh.

 

[alaska]

I think for Elk/deer you would be better served with 200/210 TTSX in the 338.

I'm new to the 338 game, just got a Pierce Custom...so far Ive loaded the Nosler Accubond 200gr. with a light load (70gr. of RL19) and they are super accurate and pleasant to shoot out of my 26" Bartlein #3. I mostly hunt deer, and cant wait to see what this bullet does going that slow (30/06 speed) once it hits flesh.

What game are you hunting?

 

[Combatpreacher]

What game are you hunting?

Northern Michigan Whitetail... most average 160-180lbs... but Ive got a couple of real brutes on my trail cam that have to be close to 250 on the hoof. I'll probably use this load for Black Bear as well, but I have some time to experiment.

 

[alaska]

Northern Michigan Whitetail... most average 160-180lbs... but Ive got a couple of real brutes on my trail cam that have to be close to 250 on the hoof. I'll probably use this load for Black Bear as well, but I have some time to experiment.

For that 185 TTSX you don't need a heavy bullet you will have expansion problems
The 185 TTSX would work perfect for deer and big black bear
Nosler Ballistics silverTip 200gr I have a 7 foot black bear hanging on my wall I used

Suggest a 338-06

 

[Combatpreacher]

For that 185 TTSX you don't need a heavy bullet you will have expansion problems
The 185 TTSX would work perfect for deer and big black bear
Nosler Ballistics silverTip 200gr I have a 7 foot black bear hanging on my wall I used

Thanks, I'll give them a shot...pun intended!

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

I shoot a lot of 338 bullets... each of my 338 do a little something different:

33 Nosler 230 ELDs and 250 EH... good compromise caliber--pushes these bullet weights fast and a bit more than a 338 win mag but sure not in the league at the Lapua.

338 RCM great little gun mine has a 19 in barrel..it is short and compact...I only use 215 gamekings in it...accurate as heck it that bullet. I used some 225s in this gun but just liked how the 215s grouped and the velocity achieved.

338 Norma...270 ELDs this gun is bad medicine with these pills.

 

[Richard Crain]

I don't understand what you mean that the Barnes are not performing. They are the only perfectly forming 100% dependable hunting bullet on the market that shoots like a target bullet with an acceptable BC. The BC is not quite at the top of the heap, but close, and in hunting BC is only one of the factors to consider. Hunting is not target shooting. I have shot or guided hunters who have shot animals with virtually every bullet you listed. You said grizzly so eliminate most of those. Yesterday four of us were shooting some 338-300 ultramags that I built back in 98-99 time frame using the 225 Barnes TTSX. These have had quite a few shots through them. We were holding 1" groups out to 400 yards with them at velocities up to 3320 fps with low extreme spreads. The new Barnes with the cute little rings cut in them will shoot like a target bullet.

I honestly thought and hoped the 225 Accubond would be the answer but it has failed miserably out of several big 338's this season at various yardage out to 750 yards. Just blows all to crap when it hits something. The Barnes blows right through anything with a perfect mushroom every time. It is the premier hunting bullet on the market.

With your 338 ultramag you have a very good half mile rifle and most hunting is done inside that range. With the 300 matchking you can go beyond that but I like a bigger 378 case or something going that far. You mentioned grizzly, no 300 matchking. I shoot a lot of bullets and test a lot of stuff through all my contacts. With all things considered in a bullet to take everything in North America with a 338 ultramag I am convinced the 225 Barnes TTSX at .514 BC is the best hunting bullet available. BC is actually a little better than that I think. The next would be the Swift Scirroco 200 grain at .507 BC. The Swift is tougher than the accubond but still nothing beats the Barnes for performance on game so I list it number one. The BC on the Swift would be max. It might be slightly lower but very close to that.

With the 338-300 and the 338 ultramag I think they are best suited shooting the lighter bullets giving you a much better trajectory eliminating click adjustments out to 800 or so yards. Just use a mil dot scope and get on game quick. I would not have killed my big bull the other day with my 338 ultramag at 740 yards if I had to use clicks. Just didn't have time. If I am shooting the 300 matchking way out there I shoot a bigger gun that gets substantialy more velocity than the ultramag stuff.

 

[JTB]

We have taken 2 large bull elk with the 338 edge. One with a Berger 250gr and the other with a 285gr ELD-M. The Berger was delivered at around 200 yards and the ELD about 550 but both were extremely effective one shot drops. We don't hunt with the EDGE much because it is so heavy but it is a joy to shoot because of the heavier barrel and efficient brake. Gave the ELD-M a try because I found them very easy to dial-in and as a bonus, with a G1 BC of .829, they delivers efficient down range energy with minimal relative wind deflection. Could argue the jacket it too thin but, really, it's hard to stop nearly 300gr of fast-moving lead and copper from penetrating. Just don't want the jacket to prevent expansion with a pill that large. Mainly needed them delivered accurately.

 

[Classic12]

Having hunted elk with SMKs, they are far from ideal. I love the accuracy, but they did not expand enough Barnes 225 TTSX does well For brown bear

 

[D.Camilleri]

I have had excellent results with the 300 gr Berger OTM out of my rum running them at 2800+. The last deer I killed with this bullet was out of my 1-10 twist Bartein barrel and I recoved the bullet after breaking both shoulders at 570 yards. Bullet was perfect mushroom about .75 in diameter. Results from my 1-9.3 Broughton were a little different, violent expansion, instant DRT on multiple kills, several recovered bullets expanded to around 1.25. Last year I hunted with 300 grain accubonds, extreme penetration, but to be fair, I made a couple of bad hits. I recovered the elk, but a fragmenting bullet might have worked better on the bad hit. One the wounded cow elk, one shot penetrated all the way through the back straps and exited and ended up in the head. I should have dug the bullet out, but I didn't. Final shot at 15 yards blew through the chest cavity. Excellent bear round. This year I am trying the 285 eldm and hopefully will have a kill soon. I am getting outstanding velocity with this bullet and very good accuracy. Based on drops this bullet is going over 3000 with 100 grs of rl33 seated to 3.720 oal.