What bullet for 338 rum for deer hunting under 300 yards?

[BigNate]

When I saw this title I started laughing, fully expecting this to be a joke!
You need a .223! If you're a over-gunned kinda guy, and want to stick with the. 338" get a .338 Federal!
If you must use the RUM, use a solid.

 

[Aussie Hunter Steve]

Has anyone tried the 185's - GMX or TTSX? Could have a MV of 3,400+ fps. Very flat shooting. I'm curious.

I've used the 185 TTSX culling donkeys. They work really well, but too expensive for mass shooting operations...

 

[Salmonhead]

I run a 338 RUM regularly and use the 210 Swift Scirocco. Im running it at 3,338 fps and it is devastating to everything I shoot with it. Deer dont have a chance, antelope.... same. elk only take a couple steps if any at all. Moose, hammered. Black bear, no chance. All ranges have been inside 650 yards. That bullet can handle the velocity. I shoot quite a few deer every year inside 100 yards where we hunt in Michigan. They just dont twitch ever again. Hefty charge of H1000 over a Fed 215m, seated out at .050 off the lands.

 

[VLD Pilot]

BLOW A DEER APART??? LMMFAO I needed that laugh in the morning

225 accubond running about 3300 fps is the arguable the best killing setup from 0 feet too over a 1000 yards and by that I mean shoot em head on or hard core angled or right through both shoulders etc.. not just perfect broadside calm and picking daisy's type shots..... that combo has laid to rest truck loads of animals from coyotes too giant AK brown bear and everything in between ... i have yet too see anything throttle animals like that setup does

I watched a guy kill a mule deer doe with a 50BMG bolt gun using the 750 Amax bullet. Looked like a muzzleloader bullet going in and a larger exit but not real impressive. I'd guess that same bullet would have done more damage with a more resistant animal such as a buffalo or moose. Certainly didn't blow the deer apart but the again, it wasn't a 338 bullet either.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

.338 bullet jackets are so heavily constructed most would act like a fmj on a light framed whitetails...I shot on with an original Barnes x-bullet at about a 100 yards, in .338 out .339, didn't mushroom at all at 3000fps..

 

[Aussie Hunter Steve]

.338 bullet jackets are so heavily constructed most would act like a fmj on a light framed whitetails...I shot on with an original Barnes x-bullet at about a 100 yards, in .338 out .339, didn't mushroom at all at 3000fps..

No, not at all- I've shot numerous fallow deer, ranging from 100-200lb with 338's and there's a lot of bullets that open up easily and do a great job.

 

[ed209clark]

My dad and I have been hunting deer with a 338 RUM for years, he had heart issues, and with the snakes in SC he didn't want to go looking for them after dark.

Sadly he passed away two years ago and I miss him every day!

Dad used only two loads that the Remington custom shop gun liked, the factory 250gr a-frames @2850fps 1/2 MOA out to 600 yards… big hole, lots of blood but he always shot them in the neck so he didn't waste meat and they never went far lol.

His favorite load that didn't kick like the 250'S was 180gr accubond over 95gr of IMR 4831( crono'd @3460fps), dad killed a ton of deer with it until his precipitous health decline about 10 years ago, when he switched to a light weight 7mm-08 140 gr accubond over 46.0 gr IMR 4350 also half moa that I had built for him.

It was alway about shot placement with the old man because he loved eating them but in the end he shared with me that he like the shorter lighted guns better because they were easy to handle in a tree or stand, but cutting coyotes in half with the "big boy" as he called it, was priceless! He never did get a shot at meer or moose but he certainly brought enough gun if one had appeared, like a big horn ram did once in MT, but that's another story… no he didn't shot it!

I've also shot a 250 lb boar here in Florida with the 180gr AB at 55yards in the front shoulders and it did not pass through! do to the expansion on its thick hide and bones, and velocity of the bullet… he hit the ground hard(like Hollywood movie sideways hard) and absorbed the -3000+flbs of energy and still ran 25 yards!!! something to think about with tougher animals with lighter faster bullets… I wouldn't have believed it, if I hadn't see it myself.

 

[Northkill]

Almost hate to post here, but

What bullets would you guys recommend for a 338 rum for deer sized game under 300 yards? Used for under 300 yards and or in the woods. I currently have 4 338s and the rest I shoot long ranger with currently running 300 match kings and 270 eldx.

Man, can't we just answer the OP'ers question without getting all tangled up about whether his gun will work or not? Just assume that's the gun he has available for the situation he's asking about. If you have a suggestion give it. If not, read on. Don't push him into the little boys room. I'm with the guys that are suggesting a mono. At the ranges you suggest, you can run a lower recoiling lighter 205 or 225 Shock Hammer, kill em fast, and save the meat too. Good luck with this hunt, Rquick.

 

[VLD Pilot]

What bullets would you guys recommend for a 338 rum for deer sized game under 300 yards? Used for under 300 yards and or in the woods. I currently have 4 338s and the rest I shoot long ranger with currently running 300 match kings and 270 eldx.

I was kinda posed with that dilemma last deer season when I decided to hunt deer in my home state of Michigan using my 338 LM. I decided to run 230 ELD-X bullets at a mild 2900 fps. Accuracy was great and recoil was mild (relatively speaking without the brake). Unfortunately I didn't connect with a deer while hunting with it BUT I think it was a great set up for woods whitetails out to 300 yards.

 

[Avery r]

250gr Accubonds

 

[Salmonhead]

I have been running the 210 swift scirocco at 3340 for about 13 years now. It works on everything from prairie dogs, antelope, deer, bear, elk and moose. Bullet never fails. Shots from point blank to 650 for me.

 

[memtb]

I'd suggest the bullet you are presently using.....unless it's one of the thin jacketed, fragmenting kind! My wife uses Barnes 225 TTSX's @ 2950 fps mv for all of her hunting.....antelope/deer up through elk. Just guessing that you're 200 fps or a bit faster..... the TTSX's should work nicely for you! memtb

 

[model7fan]

Accubond

 

[Furlock Bones]

I honestly don't see the point.