338 Win Mag

[NigelM]

Just caught me before bed, so this is a quick one with no reply before morning...

In the smaller calibres I shoot, 6.5mm and 7mm, if TV is over about 2600 fps I reliably get bang flops. Read any of Nathan Fosters blogs and he pretty much reports the same thing. As I said in the post, hopefully the much larger frontal area of the 338 will bring that threshold down to say 2400 fps because it imparts much greater shock, but I don't know that yet, so sticking with the 2600 theory for the moment.

Time will tell...

 

[Southern]

Made in NC?

Some were made in South Carolina at the FN factory, but in late 2015, they started moving production to Portugal.

I think all the Model 70s in .338 WM were nice: pre-64, push feed, the new CRF. I have no need for one, but almost bought a mint push feed last year because it was so nice.

The size is just right, to my eyes and hands. The finish, bluing, wood, is just very nice, and half the price of an equal Sako 85, for example. But I would take a Sako Bavarian with it's nice iron sights

 

[John Gryphon]

Some were made in South Carolina at the FN factory, but in late 2015, they started moving production to Portugal.

I think all the Model 70s in .338 WM were nice: pre-64, push feed, the new CRF. I have no need for one, but almost bought a mint push feed last year because it was so nice.

The size is just right, to my eyes and hands. The finish, bluing, wood, is just very nice, and half the price of an equal Sako 85, for example. But I would take a Sako Bavarian with it's nice iron sights

The one I sold earlier this year,regretting somewhat but 'spilt milk " applies here,you will see why.
I replaced it soon after with the same (m70 xtr 338wm) but with a syn stock.

 

[Southern]

View attachment 144305
View attachment 144304

That's what I'm talking about.

 

[John Gryphon]

That's what I'm talking about.

 

[NigelM]

Well today I finally managed to load up a few rounds to give the 338WM a try. Spud pulled out all the stops to get me all the reloading kit on Xmas eve (thank you Spud) and today was the first opportunity to play.

I have bought the Sierra 215GK to start with. They are harder than the average GK having been designed specifically for 338WM, they are only £36 a box and at 50m I think they might be a good bullet for Boar and practice.

I measured the life out of everything. I few interesting points came out. H2O capacity only 85.0gr against advertised 86.0gr - but it was unfired. Max COAL is 3.340" but the mag will take 3.600" so should be no issue with longer bullets. The 215's hit the lands at 3.390" so I set length at 3.370" giving me 20 thou jump. QL predicted that 68.7gr of RL16 should have me 99% case capacity and 2800 fps at a mild 51k psi with was in line with the manuals so I put 8 together. Energy was predicted at 3725 ftLbs at the muzzle which seemed hefty enough to start with.

I shot off quad sticks rather than the bench. Use will be freehand or sticks and I wanted to find out just how much the thing kicked before I sat down behind it. As it happened, I thought it was pretty mild mannered, not what I was expecting after everything I had read. No worse than a 300WM. I'm sure it will bite a bit harder with a stout load behind 250gr bullets, but this load is a bit of a pussy cat. Measured velocity was 2860 fps, a bit more than expected. Didn't play group sizes, just set up zero and had a play but it certainly didn't appear to be spraying bullets about.

Another couple of interesting points for the reloading anoraks, base to shoulder measurement grew by 17 thou on firing as the virgin brass filled the chamber which I thought was a lot and cartridge OAL grew by the same amount so a bit of trimming required before second firing. Shockingly H2O capacity grew by 2.5gr on the fired cases, taking it to 87.5gr.

Will get more into it on Sunday when I will get the bench out and work up a load. That might get a bit more "interesting". I'm going to have to shore up the back stop on the range first as the five shots I took blew the **** out of the railway sleepers and earth mound behind them that have happily coped with 6mm/6.5mm/7mm bullets for the past 5 or 6 years

 

[Cottis]

What brass is that Nigel?

All sounds like lots of fun (apart from the drudge of reloading the bloody things)

 

[Cottis]

D'oh, ignore that

 

[NigelM]

Hornady. Don't like it usually as it's a bit soft but the best option available. It will be interesting to see how it lasts.

I enjoy the reloading bit. Part of the game. And it means you can play with it for under £1 a pop with the Sierras.

Compared with the 6.5 Lapua the amount of powder it swallows seems a little obscene. However it delivers the same energy at 300m that the 6.5 does at the muzzle

 

[Cottis]

If it is as shoulder friendly as you say, that is going to get costly. Fun isn't cheap though right? Ha ha, enjoy.

 

[NigelM]

The biggest problem seems to be that it blows up everything you point it at. I can't use it too much as I'm destroying my little range.

 

[alberta boy]

The biggest problem seems to be that it blows up everything you point it at. I can't use it too much as I'm destroying my little range.

Yes , fun , isn't it ha ha . Glad to hear you're enjoying it . The lighter bullets make it a lot more shooter friendly , the main reason I settled on the 225 gr Noslers . It definitely kicks more with full house loads under a 250 gr bullet . One old boy I knew used to shoot coastal Browns using the old Winchester 300 gr loads , in two words or less , eye watering ...……. but it did slap down big bears with authority .

AB

 

[Southern]

I would think that the great lighter bullets of today, like the 225 grain Swift and Barnes, can really show off the long range muscle of the .338 Win Mag, while penetrating like a much slower 300 grain would.

 

[Dunwaters]

It’s a

You are very good at making sarcastic comments, why is my comment anymore stupid than yours, if I want to shoot something with less power I use something setup with less power, that way i dont have to alter scopes i dont have to adjust loads i put the ammo in the rifle and shoot whats so difficult to understand.

It’s already been said, you can load a big one down, you generally can’t load a small one up.
Even Remington got that, they produce reduced loads for the ultra mags.
I’m not having a pop or questioning your experience, just giving you the benefit of mine.
Yours to take or leave.

 

[sikadog]

Ok I'll leave it sorry

 

[Daz1986]

A lovely 338 browning over in my local dealer in east kent for a very good price on the second hand rail! I have though about it for myself but cannot justify the cash at the mo

 

[Konnari]

I have hunted with my Sako 75 338wm from time to time since 2006. Mostly with 225-230 gr TSX, Accubond and Oryx. It kicks a bit but you don’t notice it while hunting. It kills like a hammer og Thor and is superbly accurate. Today I much prefer 9.3x62.

 

[NigelM]

I have hunted with my Sako 75 338wm from time to time since 2006. Mostly with 225-230 gr TSX, Accubond and Oryx. It kicks a bit but you don’t notice it while hunting. It kills like a hammer og Thor and is superbly accurate. Today I much prefer 9.3x62.

That's what I wanted to hear

Mine is the similar. Sako 75 stainless synthetic. Still playing with loads at the moment but thanks for the tips on bullet selection.

 

[Konnari]

Try N-160 about 73gr. with all these bullets ! Bingo

 

[enfieldspares]

I can never see the point of loading anything down. If you do that you should of purchased a smaller rifle.

Less pressure. The greatest "point" of all the benefits of reloading some might say. If at maximum a .308 shoots a 180 grain bullet at 2,600 fps it'll be doing so at greater pressure and stretch and strain on the case than if I load my .30-06 to get a modest 2,600 fps with the same 180 grain bullet. It's no different from shooting 1 ounce #7 instead of it's potential 1 1/4 ounce #7 through a 70mm chambered 12 bore gun when decoying pigeons.