WidenersLee PrecisionRotoMetals2Inline Fabrication
RepackboxMidSouth Shooters SupplyPBcastcoReloading Everything
Titan Reloading Load Data
Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: .338 Win Mag Deer Cast Bullet Load

  1. #1
    Boolit Man forrest-hunter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Spring, Texas
    Posts
    81

    .338 Win Mag Deer Cast Bullet Load

    what is a 50-50 alloy- I have lead, lyman #2 and linotype - I will be using the lee mold- should I use the lyman #2 or linotype to cast the bullets - also, should I size and lube with lee sizer and liquid alox or lyman sizer with heater - I will be using a gas ck.-have been using liquid alox for pistol bullets and pan lube for BP bullets - new to using lyman sizer with heater

  2. #2
    Moderator
    Texas by God's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    14,316
    50/50 can be anything but usually means half ww and half lead. The Lyman #2 in a .338 would be fine for hunting as is. The Lee sizer and tumble lube alox works fine for me. The .338 at .33 WCF levels will put a deer down easily I imagine. Have fun!

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Southwest MO.
    Posts
    1,886
    I have 2 .338 cal rifles. A 338 win mag and my homemade 34-57. With a bhn of about 10/12 and going 1800/1900 fps the Lee boolit handles deer VERY easily. Quite accurate and pleasant to shoot also.
    At these velocities I don't have any trouble with the LLA either.
    Some people live and learn but I mostly just live

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Lake Havasu City, Arizona
    Posts
    21,289
    If you're going to hunt with the bullets I suggest mixing lead (60%) with the #2 Alloy (40%). If you're just target shooting then mix the lead with the #2 at 50/50 % and WQ the bullets to harden out of the mould.

    A good NRA formula 50/50 lube sold by Lar's White Label (LsStuff at bottom of this page) will serve you nicely w/o having to use the heater. Same with the Lyman Alox lube you may have got with the Lubrasizer. The Lubrasizer is my 1st choice for lubing and GCing. I don't care for or use the MolyLube as it gets pretty messy.....

    With that Lee bullet I would look at using H4895 starting at 35 gr and working up in 1 gr increments until accuracy goes south which will happen way before you reach a max pressure load. I would use a 1 1/2 gr Dacron filler.
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Quilcene, Washington
    Posts
    3,660
    My lead alloy for my 338 WM is the same as for all my other boolits, 60% pure and 40% chilled birdshot. It works as well with the 220 gr boolit for targets and certainly plenty for even the largest deer at any terminal velocity over 900 FPS. My 338 won't stabilize the Lee boolit at an mv of less than 1650 but at an MV of 1800, it is very accurate to 400 yards and beyond. I have kept things simple and just sized with the Lee push through and lubed with the standard Alox.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master

    TCLouis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Middle TN
    Posts
    4,404
    39.0 grains of 3031 and that Lee boolit seemed to be pretty dang accurate and was somewhere around 1800 fps.

    I always doubted the Lee's RN performance on game and so I cheated using the old Hornady 33 Winchester bullet.
    Gave the mold away before trying to do something to flat nose them.
    Never could get the RCBS to be as accurate, but Wine Lover gave me a couple of loads that tightened the groups up.
    One is the 5744 load right out of AA's manual, the other was a SR4759 load.
    Amendments
    The Second there to protect the First!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check