Deer Hunting Load 338 Winchester Mag With Lee C338-220-1R

[forrest-hunter]

338 Winchester Mag With Lee C338-220-1R -Casting with Lyman #2 - anyone use it for deer hunting - loads?

[richhodg66]

I'd want a softer alloy. I've found it's not that hard to do with .30 calibers, a .338 should be no brainer.

[Norske]

I've shot a half dozen whitetails with my 338WinMag, using 225 grain Hornady jacketed bullets. Very little expansion, but they all fell within 25 yards. I wouldn't worry too much about expansion. Don't hit a shoulder. It will destroy both shoulders (meat).

[Kosh75287]

Contact Hodgdon and see if their "60% rule" using H4895 will work in the .338 Winchester Mag. If they say yes, then 35.4/H4895/Lee C338-220-1R might work. No idea as to velocity, but probably over 1500 f/s. Possibly in the 1800 - 2000 f/s range?

[winelover]

I use either 5744 or 4796 in my 338 W Magnum with cast from a 200 grain Accurate mould, which is a clone for the discontinued RCBS mould.

Winelover

[TCLouis]

39 grains of 3031 behind the lee 220 grain boolit and it made a very small hole for the group at 50.
Seems like 1700 and change fps.
I never hunted with it because of the lack of a meplat that is always included in the mantra here for cast hunting boolits. The 200 grainer was never even close as accurate as the lee 220, but I did get some decent groups with 5744 and 4759 . . . . And no, I did not write down the loads and it was too long enough ago that I can not recall.


Winelover

4796 or 4759?

Cast up a bunch of the 200 grainers last weekend.

[quilbilly]

My 338 WM loves that boolit at about 1800 fps which will make it an excellent deer boolit beyond 200 yards. With that boolit, a terminal velocity of 1000 fps will do the job on any deer in North America if placed properly but don't expect a lot of mushrooming even with a softer alloy. That boolit is a serious penetrator. I have had good results with RE-7, 5744, 3031, and even Red Dot at the target range once I found out the rifle wouldn't stabilize that boolit below 1650 fps.

[forrest-hunter]

Finally had a chance to shoot some - used reloader #7 35gr velocity 1945fps - seems to be a good load for my rifle - will see how it does on deer in November - my 30-06 cast 170 gr on did 1748fps - need to increase to 2150 with either reloader #7 or imr 4198 -