Medium to heavy grain bullets

[Ruffgrouse]

Just bought a new Ruger M77 in stainless. 338 Win Mag.
I have shot a 7 mm for the past 26 years and have used the
same loads for every thing I have ever shot.
Elk, Bear, Pronghorn, Deer, Moose, Sheep, gophers, coyotes ect.
Shot the same gun, same loads for 26 years.
65 grains of IMR 4831, Nickel cases, CCI 250 mag primers
and the 150 Nosler Partitions. The gun loves them and so do I !!!
I am going to the Yukon in the fall for Grizz and Moose so I thought,
"I need an early christmas present to my self" !
I know that the 7 mm is more than enough gun, but a guy only lives once !
What I'm looking for is ideas on new rounds to shoot out of her and what you
guys might be using.
I know that Barnes makes the STX. Has anyone had anything good or bad to
say about them ? I am looking at using 225 grain bullets.
Any other ideas ?
I know that I can stay with the 225 gr Nosler Partitions but am I missing out
on something newer? I have nothing bad to say about the partitions and have had great luck. The front core of the bullet always breaks away and I get good bullet weight retention on the back end. Most of the time the bullet never comes out and I find them on the far side, stuck on the hide. Just what I like.
Let me know if you are shooting this cal and what you are using. I haven't
worked up loads for 25 years !!!!!!!

[twofifty]

Originally Posted by Ruffgrouse

Just bought a new Ruger M77 in stainless. 338 Win Mag. I have shot a 7 mm for the past 26 years and have used the
same loads for every thing I have ever shot.
Elk, Bear, Pronghorn, Deer, Moose, Sheep, gophers, coyotes ect.
Shot the same gun, same loads for 26 years.
65 grains of IMR 4831, Nickel cases, CCI 250 mag primers
and the 150 Nosler Partitions. The gun loves them and so do I !!!...

I have nothing but a comment for you Ruffgrouse. Darn, after 26 years hunting those species with your 7mm RM, you must know the holdovers for those 150gr PTs every inch of the way out to 500 yards! The proverbial one man-one rifle hunter.

What kind of glass are you putting on the new Ruger?

[Cowtown guy]

I can't comment on the calibre but I use the TSX's and I love them. They shoot well for me in my 7mm Rem (150 TSX) and the .257 Roberts(100 TSX). I will tell you that if you load them they will probably not be accurate until you back them off at least 5 thou from the lands. I am actually 7 though back in the .257 and 7.5 thou back for the 7mm.
I have always had complete penetration except for 1 bullet in a cow moose that was a quartering away shot. The bullet traveled through 30 inches of moose and lodged in the hide on the opposite side. The wound channel has always left little room for doubtful tracking. I don't think I have had an animal go more than 30 yards or so.

I will tell you that if you load them they will probably not be accurate until you back them off at least 5 thou from the lands. I am actually 7 though back in the .257 and 7.5 thou back for the 7mm.

Barnes recommends to start at .050" and most people that I know seem to have the most consistent results from .030" to .070".You are one of the rare ones to have the most consistent results at .007" to .0075"

[BC7stw]

I don't use a 338 myself but I hunt with 2 fellows who do, one uses partions and the other uses grand slams for moose, the fellow using partions sometimes gets fragmentation, the grand slam guy loves them, he has taken at least 8 moose with them, 4 over 50 inches, I have seen the recovered bullets from both and would prefer the grand slam if I had to pick between the 2.. I use 160 grain grand slams in my stw and have had great success with large moose and bears. Hope this helps. I am new to this forum thing, hope this ends up in the right place, my apologies if it does not.

[Donny Bear]

Also of the non 338 group but the TSX bullets are good performers in my 300 wsm 25-06 and 243 will also be runnig them in the 260 rem so I being a Nosler guy think the TSX is a good choice. JMHO

[Ruffgrouse]

Thanx guys.
I'll have to see which one it shoots better. The Nosler or the Barnes.
I'm putting a Leopold VX11, 2-7 or maybe a 3-9 in matt. I'll have to
put it all on the counter and have a look. Maybe a stainless finish will
look better.
It would be nice to have the 2 power in the bushes but a 3 power
is really not much of a difference. Kind of splitting hairs at this point.
The high end 9 power would be nice though !
I know that Shooter and an old "poster" Hibackpacker uses the 338 or maybe
the 340 I do recall. If they are out there still, maybe they can add a comment or two.
It would be nice to get some loading info on what the guys are using also.
Powder, primers and how many grains of powder with a 225 grain round.
I have a lot of IMR 4831 so I guess I am leaning towards that but it's not
writen in stone yet ! I would think that it would be an amazing elk rifle as well. Can't wait to break her in. Maybe a spring black bear hunt will be in order

[ROA]

I have taken a 4x5 elk a 50" moose and 2 black bears with the 225g Partition. I was able to shoot through both shoulders of that moose but did recover the one out of the elk. Both bears were 1/4 way and I got penetration out the far side.
If you liked the partition in the 7mag just use it in the 338 and expect more of the same kind of penetration and expansion. I am not a fan of the TSX for lung shots due to the smaller primary wound channel but you may be fine with that.

[Hunter]

Ruff - I was getting 1 inch groups with Factory Federal Premium Barnes TSX 225 grain last year with my .338 Win Mag. Gotta be happy with that. Shot one muley buck quartering away at 200 yards and the bullet was a complete pass through. No need to track as the deer never took a step. Good luck.

[roger]

i just bought 3 boxes of those tungsten 180MRX barnes for my 300short fat
WOW WOW...$84 a box
hope they are worth it, they are more $ than my weatherby factory
on a once in lifetime hunt...ammo is the cheapest part
or at least thats my story

[DAVE]

One load that i have used for quite a few years 250 gr grand slam 72.0 gr IMR4831 awsome on bears

[Cowtown guy]

Originally Posted by stubblejumper

Barnes recommends to start at .050" and most people that I know seem to have the most consistent results from .030" to .070".You are one of the rare ones to have the most consistent results at .007" to .0075"

You are right I made a boo boo. .075 and .070. That would be why I have the chart in front of my bench. Damn decimals!

[sportsman1]

I Switched From A 270 130 Grain Nozzler Bullet To A 338 Winchester Mag.
I Used Factory 225 Grain Swift A Frame Bullets On Two Bull Moose.
I Have Never Been More Impresed With A Bullet In 40 Years Of Hunting.
Booth Moose Dropped On The Spot And The One Bullet I Recovered
Expanded Almost Perfectly.
You Know Which Rifle And Bullet I Will Be Using For Spring Bear.

[Outcast]

I shoot the 210gr Nosler. Last 2 elk, both under 70 yards, good performance but thats all the experience I have with them.

My Dad shoots the 225gr Hornady. He has taken about 7 elk with them at various ranges. They work.....

[albertan]

The .338 Winchester magnum is one of my favorite rounds. Few .338's have a problem with Reloder 19. As such, it is the go-to powder with heavier bullets in the .338. 72-74 grains with a Barnes 225 grain TSX. 75 grains is usually accurate with lead core 225 grainers. Up to 78 grains with conventional lead core 225's will reach 2900 fps or more safely. It does kick at these velocity levels though. 72-73.5 grains will do the trick with 250 lead core bullets. IMR 4350 is usually almost as good without powder compression. I use 70 grains of IMR 4350 chasing a 250 grain Speer Grand Slam to get 2650-2660 fps. Factory velocity. The high end Reloder 19 load will get 2735 fps with a conventional 250 grainer. Accurate too. Work up slowly and stay safe. The last 100 fps seems to kick harder than the first 100 fps.

Does your .338 have a good recoil pad? This will make a huge difference in shooting comfort and probably grouping as well. A hundred bucks well spent.

Good luck.