Reloading powders for .338-06.

[wildlife112]

What are some favorite reloading powders for 185 gr. TTSX Barnes bullets for elk at 300 yd. +/-.

 

[TMill308]

I reload for a .338-06 AI and the best powders when I worked up my loads were IMR4064 and IMR4320. I was using the 210 Nosler and 225 Hornady though.

 

[wildlife112]

I reload for a .338-06 AI and the best powders when I worked up my loads were IMR4064 and IMR4320. I was using the 210 Nosler and 225 Hornady though.

Would you consider the 185 gr. Barnes TTSX to be too light on elk for deep penetration at 300-400 yds.?

 

[TMill308]

I dont have any personal experience with the TTSX, but I would think it would work well. Being a solid copper bullet it doesnt need as much weight to penetrate well. The velocity increase should help a little with a flatter trajectory also.

 

[wildlife112]

I dont have any personal experience with the TTSX, but I would think it would work well. Being a solid copper bullet it doesnt need as much weight to penetrate well. The velocity increase should help a little with a flatter trajectory also.

If I went up to the 225 gr. TTSX I would loose approximately 100 fps. Which do you think would be of more importance, 100 fps faster or 25 gr. heavier? I've read that the Barnes bullets require more speed to open up but I don't know if that little gain in speed would be significant.

 

[TMill308]

I really dont know the answer to that. You would have to look at the speeds youre getting with both bullets, and run the numbers. I get about 2800 with the 210s and 2740 with the 225s. Thats with the AI version and 26 inch barrel. Elk are tough animals and I tend to lean toward a heavier bullet.

 

[Dr. Vette]

I'd go with the 225. For my 338-06 I plan on using the 225 Sledge Hammer.

This week I finished load development on a friend's 338 WM with the 225 TTSX, and it hits like a freight train. No sense in going lighter, else you may as well use a 30-06. He plans on using it for elk this year since it performed so well for us. 0.67 inch 4-shot group at 200 yards.

 

[baldhunter]

Here are a few of my loads.
59.0grs of Big Game or CFE223 with 200gr Accubonds or Silver Ballistic Tips.Those two bullets shoot exactly the same out of my rifle.I'm getting a little over 2800fps standard 338-06.
Another good load was 54.0grs of Varget with 210gr Nosler Partition for a little over 2700fps.I using once fired Winchester 30-06 brass necked up for my cases and I'm using a WLRM Primer.

 

[baldhunter]

Took this 300lb red deer hind with the 200gr Accubond.

 

[ofbandg]

I have loaded the 185 gr TTSX and the Hornady 185 GMX using BL-c2 and got 3000fps and accuracy in my rifle which is a custom Mauser with a 22 inch barrel. I haven't used in on anything yet. My go to load is the 180 gr Accubond which I have found to be deadly on big mule deer. My wife has taken Elk with the 185 gr TTSX in her 338 Federal which chronographs about 2800 fps, but she only shoots at ranges less than 200 yards. The BL-c2 is an old powder, and I would like to change to a newer and cleaner version, but it seems cartridges like this are always the last to get tested and the data provided. Nice to see a few CFE loads show up.

 

[RAGGED EDGE]

I think you'd be well served with the 210 gr. Barnes. If some of the newer powders allow 2800 fps in your rig (I stopped loading for it in 2005) you'd really be good to go. The ONE large Nilgai bull I killed with that bullet (TSX) and caliber took the slug in front of the left hip, and it ended up in the right front shoulder. The range was 210 yards. If I'd had a little more velocity I'd have gotten an exit wound and the 1/4-mile trail would have been much easier to follow in the south Texas brush. Chronograph read 2650 with that load.

 

[zb338]

Love the .338 bore. Looks like you have a sweet shooting rifle there.

 

[laker]

Id be looking at one of the hammer bullets

 

[baldhunter]

I did some other load test.In my rifle,just about any powder I used between Varget and 4350 shot well as long as I kept the 180gr bullets around 3000fps.The 200gr bullets around 2800fps and the 210gr Partition bullets around 2700fps.I like the 200gr Accubond or Silver BT.The length of the bullet is about the same as a 168gr 30 cal Nosler Ballistic Tip it has a decent B.C.and at around 2800fps it shoots fairly flat.Energy level it close to a 300 Win Mag with a 200gr bullet out to around 300yds.This was some of my results.
180gr Accubond 58.0grs Varget 3020fps
180gr Accubond 60.0grs Big Game 2940fps
200gr Accubond 61.0grs A4350 2660FPS
210gr Nosler Partition 59.0grs A4350 2780fps
210gr Nosler Partition 60.0grs Win 760 2818fps