The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old November 1, 2013, 04:19 PM   #1
Marshall Warren
Junior Member
 
Join Date: November 1, 2013
Posts: 3
338-06 handloads

I recently bought a 338-06 A-Square. It has a Mauser action, Shaw barrel and Bell and Carlson stock. I'm having trouble finding a load it likes. I want to use 200gr Hornadies with RL15. Or 225gr Winchester PSP with RL15. I use RL15 in my 375 H&H and have a lot of it on hand. However, I am open to any suggestion. I also have RL19, IMR 4350, IMR 4320, IMR 4064. I don't have any 414. Any help would be appreciated.

Marshall
Marshall Warren is offline  
Old November 1, 2013, 06:08 PM   #2
ligonierbill
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 20, 2007
Posts: 2,437
Every one of the powders you have is listed by major bullet makers. The classic load is a Nosler Partition 210, and they get their best velocities from Re-15 and IMR 4320. Also the Accubond 200. If you can find them, you might also try Sierra's GameKing 215 over IMR 4350. These are all at or near 2,700 in the manuals. I have found the Accubond and GameKing to be accurate in my .338 WM.
ligonierbill is offline  
Old November 1, 2013, 08:54 PM   #3
Marshall Warren
Junior Member
 
Join Date: November 1, 2013
Posts: 3
338-06 Handloads

For some reason when I use the max loads listed in the Nosler manual for 200-210gr bullets the velocity is below what they show and accuracy is poor. It could be the the rifle. It is used and you never know till you try it. Thanks for your reply.

Marshall
Marshall Warren is offline  
Old November 2, 2013, 04:56 PM   #4
jmr40
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 15, 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 10,792
I used to own a 338-06. I never loaded any, but found some loads using Varget with bullets 200 gr and lighter that gave some impressive speeds. With heavier bullets there were better powder choices. I no longer load for it and no longer have the info, but check out Varget for lighter bullets. RL15 is very similar to Varget and it might work just as well, Never used it, so I can't say. I know that in my 308 Varget and RL-15 give me the best results with almost identical speeds and accuracy.

I used H4350 with good results with 225 gr bullets in the 338-06.
jmr40 is offline  
Old November 2, 2013, 08:30 PM   #5
GeauxTide
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 20, 2009
Location: Helena, AL
Posts: 4,415
Steve Timm wrote an excellent article in Handloader #109, which stimulated me to get my 700 converted. I had a 22" Shilen barrel installed, throated for 250 Noslers. I've chronyd 200 Hornadys at 2810 with an extreme spread of 26fps. I agree with Timm's findings about 4320 being the best for 200's. The loads are several grains above the manuals. His starting load was 55gr, which produces 2694 for me. I stopped at 57gr at the above mentioned 2810. The cases had normal expansion and tight primer pockets. His maximum was 59gr. He was using the old 200 Power Points.
GeauxTide is offline  
Old November 3, 2013, 07:47 PM   #6
Marshall Warren
Junior Member
 
Join Date: November 1, 2013
Posts: 3
338-06 Handloads

Thanks for that info. It is the kind of info I was looking for. I use I4320 in my .416 Taylor and 350 Rem Mag with excellent results so I'll try a few rounds with it. Maybe I'm looking for tighter groups that this rifle is capable of, but is has been professionally full length bedded, has a Timney trigger and a Leupold scope. I'm looking for sub moa groups. So far 1 1/4 has been the best, but with low velocity.

Some handloads came with the rifle. They are 250 Nosler partitions with 57grs/I4350, I can get an honest 1" group with them at about 2450fps. This rifle and load killed the brown bear that killed a hunter here is southeast Alaska a few years ago. So I would like to keep it for my deer and moose gun just because of its history. However, I would rather save my 250 Nosler bullets to us in my 338 Win Mag.
Thanks, Marshall
Marshall Warren is offline  
Old November 6, 2013, 12:21 PM   #7
Wyoredman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 6, 2011
Location: Wyoming
Posts: 1,350
I think that you may see better velocities with the heavier bullets by going to a slower powder. I have found that R-22 works really well for the 220gr 8mm bullets in my .325 WSM.

Try the slower powder.
__________________
Go Pokes!
Go Rams!
Wyoredman is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:10 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.07105 seconds with 10 queries