Hunting with .338" Boolits

[TCLouis]

I noted in another thread that someone was quite successful with the Lee 338 boolit even though it is a round nose style. I find the Lee C338220 RNGC boolit to be very accurate in the 338 Mag with 39.0 grains of 3031 or M9 (THIS IS NOT A LOAD RECOMMENDATION AND MAY CAUSE THE UNIVERSE TO END IF YOU ATTEMPT TO COPY IT IN YOUR LOADINGS).

I finally located a RCBS .338X200 FNGC and could never get the accuracy I did with the Lee.

I did finally find a ok loading and have not chronographed it but am guessing 1700 fps or so/ test will be this fall for shots where I hunt that are typically 25-75 yards.

All that to ask, what have been your hunting results with .338" boolits.

[Glen]

My hunting experiences with .338" cast bullets are summarized, in part, here:

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell338GEF.htm

More recently I shot a 300+ lb hog with the Mountain Molds 235 FP (cast fairly hard) at 1700 fps, and it killed him, but not as quickly as I'd expected, and a finisher was required. That story should be printed up in HHI's "The Sixgunner" sometime soon.

PS -- the HP did a better job

[Doughty]

I think .338 is THE caliber for cast boolit rifle hunting. I shoot mine at 2400 fps out of a .30-40 case necked up to .338. I admit to using my Marlin .45 Colt for close in whitetail hunting but for everything else it's the .33 Krag. I also acknowledge that some think .35 is the best caliber. And if I couldn't have a .338 caliber rifle I would probably go back to a .35.

[John F.]

Hi, Old Vic,

Quick question: Are you using a Krag bolt action for this hunting? If so, did you
have your rifle rebarreled, or rebored? If rebored, who did the work and would you recommend them?

Thanks much,
John

[Doughty]

John,

It's a 1-12 Lilja barrel on a Ruger #1 action. I put the gun together. I can highly reccomend the barrel if you wanted to but one on your Krag action. I think John Taylor (a forum contributor) over in Washington does re-boring. He hasn't done any work for me personally, but he has done some for friends. Based on that I would reccomend him. Don't know that the Krag action would handle pressures high enough to get a 220 grain boolit up to 2400 fps though. Of course a lot could be done at lower pressures and velocities.

[John F.]

Old Vic,
Very nice rifle!! Thanks for the good info -- am thinking to have my Krag's barrel rebored to .358", but .338" would be nice too...

Out of respect for the design and the 100+ year old, case-hardened action, I will
definitely be keeping pressures on the lower side, although it should still be effective on deer and hogs with the right bullet.

Thanks again,
John