The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - New Hunting Rifle

ligonierbill · July 28, 2014, 06:24 PM

Yeah, I got a Savage "Weather Warrior" in .338. Not pretty, but its function is flawless and it's accurate. One caveat - it's kinda light. Not for the recoil sensitive. My "go to" load is a SGK 250 over 71.2 gr Reloder 19 for 2,700 fps (Std 8.2). I have tried everything from 200 Nosler Accubonds to 275 Swift A-Frames, and they all shoot well (<1 1/2"). I am working with Barnes' 210 TTSX. It goes 2,860 over 70 grains of IMR-4350 with a Std of 10, but I haven't fired a serious group yet. If I could find the Sierras, I would probably stay with them. Moderate velocity avoids meat damage up close, and the outstanding BC of these bullets carries, literally, a ton of energy way downrange.

PS: Reading Elmer Keith's autobiography, and he has just concluded that a 30-06 with 220's is no elk rifle. Seems his rounds failed to penetrate his bull end to end! He'd love the .338/250 combo. No disrespect to the '06; I think it's plenty. And Elmer killed elk with much lighter calibers. But it's hard to beat the .338 Win Mag.

July 28, 2014, 06:24 PM	#11
ligonierbill Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2007 Posts: 2,456	Yeah, I got a Savage "Weather Warrior" in .338. Not pretty, but its function is flawless and it's accurate. One caveat - it's kinda light. Not for the recoil sensitive. My "go to" load is a SGK 250 over 71.2 gr Reloder 19 for 2,700 fps (Std 8.2). I have tried everything from 200 Nosler Accubonds to 275 Swift A-Frames, and they all shoot well (<1 1/2"). I am working with Barnes' 210 TTSX. It goes 2,860 over 70 grains of IMR-4350 with a Std of 10, but I haven't fired a serious group yet. If I could find the Sierras, I would probably stay with them. Moderate velocity avoids meat damage up close, and the outstanding BC of these bullets carries, literally, a ton of energy way downrange. PS: Reading Elmer Keith's autobiography, and he has just concluded that a 30-06 with 220's is no elk rifle. Seems his rounds failed to penetrate his bull end to end! He'd love the .338/250 combo. No disrespect to the '06; I think it's plenty. And Elmer killed elk with much lighter calibers. But it's hard to beat the .338 Win Mag. Last edited by ligonierbill; July 28, 2014 at 06:32 PM.