Do any of you hunt with a 338 Winchester in Ruger No. 1 and cast bullets. If you do please share your loads, the game you hunt and results.
Do any of you hunt with a 338 Winchester in Ruger No. 1 and cast bullets. If you do please share your loads, the game you hunt and results.
NRA Benefactor Member NRA Golden Eagle
I have a mold for mine that I’ve dabbled with. It’s an NOE GC design but don’t recall the load I worked up as I was shooting it out of a Ruger M77 which I eventually sold. Probably need to get my Ruger No 1 in 338 WM back out and play with it some. I think it needs a scope but I’ve got a few hanging around I could pop on there. My game would be whitetail and hogs.
Thanks for your information.
NRA Benefactor Member NRA Golden Eagle
I have two molds for my 338 WM which is an old T/C rifle. One mold is the Lee 220 RNGC and the other is an NOE 224 gr semi point gas checked with Loverin style grooves. Both are extremely accurate but the Lee boolit isn't stable at velocities less than an MV of 1650 fps so I have kept the velocity at 1750. On the other hand, the NOE boolit's shape allows it to be stable at 1500 fps so I launch it at 1600 fps which makes the gun more pleasant for those nearby because the muzzle blast from the brake is tamed down. At either of those two velocities, I consider both to be deadly on deer, black bear, and elk out to 150 yards and beyond given my 30 years hunting with a muzzleloader. Both projectiles will bounce a 5 gallon paint bucket with regularity out to 600 yards using iron sights, a good rest, and when my old eyes are fresh in the morning. Both 5744 and RE-7 powders are what I use.
My 338 win mag is on a Mauser action. 24 gr of 2400 gets me above 1800 with the lee 220 gr. Very accurate. Cast at about 10 bhn ( 50/50). It handles deer very well. Never recovered a boolit but I can tell by the exit holes that expansion definitely occurred
Some people live and learn but I mostly just live
I have a Lyman 33889 that I have played with some. It shot well in a .338-06 that I had. I think 35.0 grs of IMR 4895 might make a good starting load in the Winchester case. Mine is a Mauser also. The barrel is a Douglas.
USMC 6638
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 |