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HiWall
.275 member

Reged: 01/11/03
Posts: 85
Loc: Brisbane, Qld

Bullet Selection .338Win Mag
#16762 - 15/07/04 07:03 PM

Just starting out loading for my new Ruger 77 in .338 Win Mag and looking for opinions on the more suitable projectile for hunting Water Buff and scrubbers in the N.T.

My first preferences are the Woodleigh 225gr PP or the CT Failsafe 230gr. Which would be more suitable, the standard type jacket/core Woodleigh or the built up CT Failsafe??

Is there any downside on using the coated Failsafe interchangeably with uncoated bullets or are there accuracy/cleaning issues??

Anyone used the new Barnes TSX .338 bullets??

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blackbearhunter
.333 member

Reged: 15/06/04
Posts: 273
Loc: swamp

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: HiWall]
#16933 - 20/07/04 09:18 AM

I have hunted with the 338super grade winchester a few years,The 250 grain Federal high Energy woodleigh,250gr.Rem core-lock,250gr.nitrex,250gr.Nosler Federal premium all shot & preformed on game perfectly.All one shot instant kills.The High Energy Federal 250gr. woodleigh is a awsome round,I would recommend it for anything!I did shoot_try_

the 225Hornady heavy magnum Rounds but my rifle did not strike matches with it Like it did the others.I would shoot the bullet my rifle liked the best in a premium bullet & I would shoot 250grain ammo.Good Luck & you certainly have one of my favorite Hunting calibers,I highly recommend the 338.........

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Safarischorsch
.275 member

Reged: 28/02/04
Posts: 98

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: HiWall]
#17907 - 12/08/04 08:37 PM

I would use Trophy Bonded Bullets or this bullets:

http://home.snafu.de/l.moeller/Kupferjagdgeschosse.htm

The swift A-frame should be fine, too.

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DPhillips
.375 member

Reged: 09/10/03
Posts: 819
Loc: Alaska

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: Safarischorsch]
#17920 - 13/08/04 02:39 AM

The Trophy Bonded bullets Speer is making today are not the same quality as the ones Jack Carter made years ago, in my opinion.

The CT FailSafe bullets are great if you can get them to shoot. I have had a 338 in the past that just refused to shoot them well. Luckily my current 338 loves them.

Check some of Mike Brady's North Fork bullets. I've got a few different weights that I'm about to start loading up. So far, all reports have been outstanding from North America and Africa.

Of course there is the Standard by which all other bullets are judged, the Nosler Partition. There is nothing wrong with the Partition and they very well could be as good as it gets.

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buckeyeshooter
.275 member

Reged: 04/02/04
Posts: 54
Loc: ohio, USA

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: HiWall]
#17922 - 13/08/04 03:15 AM

For water buff---I would probably use the Woodleigh 300 grain bullets. They offer both softs and solids. I also like the Barnes 250 X.
The woodleigh's have a great reputation.

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ALAN_MCKENZIE
.400 member

Reged: 24/03/04
Posts: 1214
Loc: Western Australia

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: buckeyeshooter]
#17951 - 13/08/04 10:04 PM

Buckeyeshooter said:-
"For water buff---I would probably use the Woodleigh 300 grain bullets. They offer both softs and solids. I also like the Barnes 250 X.
The woodleigh's have a great reputation."

Buckeyeshooter I would be very interested in any experiences you have had with 300 gn projectiles in a 338 rifle particularly if they are Woodleigh's.
Alan

--------------------
"Dogs always bark at their master"
Sir Seretse Khama.25th June 1949

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Marrakai
.416 member

Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3612
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: HiWall]
#17976 - 14/08/04 11:10 AM

HiWall:
The .338 is a very good cartridge for undisturbed buffalo, but I would not go below 250-grains just to be on the safe side. Even then, I would be trying to stay away from the big shoulder bones. Remember, the cartridge is no stopper, so as with anything under .375, take care placing the first shot. You really need to wreck both lungs, pump, or spine with that first shot.

In Australia, THE premium bullet is the Woodleigh. Why pay freight/import/foreign-exchange when you can get Woodleigh Weldcores for around a buck each?

The Failsafes with their complicated design have turned into a bit of a 'gadget' IMO, with little inverted cups added to correct initial performance problems. I'm sure they work well nowadays, but simple bonded-core performance is what all these new bullets have been trying to equal for years.

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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buckeyeshooter
.275 member

Reged: 04/02/04
Posts: 54
Loc: ohio, USA

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: ALAN_MCKENZIE]
#17977 - 14/08/04 11:46 AM

Alan,
I have been doing load development with the 300 Woodleigh. I can give you the information I have so far. I used the 300 grain Winchester loading in the late 70's on elk and moose with great success. Obviously, the woodleigh bullet is a better one.
I use Winchester cases, CCI large rifle mag primers in this caliber.
IMR-7828 70 grains at 2512fps shoots into .95 inch at 100 yards.
IMR-4831 65.2 grains at 2517fps shoots into .78 inch at 100 yards.

I am looking forward to using this bullet on bear in the spring!!

'

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HiWall
.275 member

Reged: 01/11/03
Posts: 85
Loc: Brisbane, Qld

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: buckeyeshooter]
#18139 - 18/08/04 06:39 PM

Have done a little load development with the 225gr Woodleigh PP and am very happy with the accuracy so far, will adjust seating depths on my most accurate loads to see if I can get any improvement.

Will definately get some 300gr Woodleighs to try out, hadn't really thought of this option for some reason - I guess years of using pointy bullets has put them to the back of my mind.

Also have had some promising results with the Sierra GameKing 250gr bullets. Will give them a try on some smaller ferals as they are around 2/3's the price of the Woodleigh. At the worst they will make a good practice round and I don't think a big boar will run too far after being hit.

Have fitted a Pachmayer De-Celerator to the Ruger, range sessions are a little 'trying' with the standard butt plate.

Marrakai, I think you have just convinced me that I need to get a .375

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Marrakai
.416 member

Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3612
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: HiWall]
#18156 - 19/08/04 01:00 AM

...and a .416, and a .450, and a .500, and a......

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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atkinson6
.375 member

Reged: 26/01/04
Posts: 678
Loc: Idaho

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: Marrakai]
#19378 - 23/09/04 08:28 AM

I have settled on two bullets and two loads for my old .338 Win.

210 Nosler with a big dose of old surplus 4831 for 3005 FPS across my chronograph for 10 shot average...

300 gr. Woodleigh with the same powder for 2400 FPS, both solids and softs.

I have shot a lot of game from Duiker to Cape Buffalo, Bear, Bison, Eland with this old gun and it works everytime.

Its a great plainsgame rifle with the Noslers and if I run into a trouble making Buff, elephant, Lion or whatever, it will do in a pinch with that big Woodleigh bullet in soft or solid...

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ALAN_MCKENZIE
.400 member

Reged: 24/03/04
Posts: 1214
Loc: Western Australia

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: atkinson6]
#19389 - 23/09/04 12:43 PM

My hunting mate tested the Woodleigh 300 gn round nose soft and solid projectiles at 2300 fps in the NT very recently with perfect results on buff (solids) and on some rather large feral pigs..
You cant ask for more than that!

To hunt buff with anything less than a 250gn projectile is asking for trouble.
Al

--------------------
"Dogs always bark at their master"
Sir Seretse Khama.25th June 1949

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jro45
.300 member

Reged: 25/12/03
Posts: 192
Loc: DE, USA

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: HiWall]
#21767 - 06/12/04 04:57 AM

I bought some Woodleigh 250 gr bullets for my 338 RUM but haven't loaded them yet. Was glad to read that they are a good bullet. Caught them on a special Midway sent me. But I don't think I would use them for shooting Buffalo not when I have a choise.

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ALAN_MCKENZIE
.400 member

Reged: 24/03/04
Posts: 1214
Loc: Western Australia

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: jro45]
#21805 - 06/12/04 11:47 PM

The main thing with the Woodleigh bullets is to stay within the recomended muzzle velocities for best bullet performance.
I have observed that Americans are always talking about high muzzle velocities,it maybe OK for light varmit rifles but is not nessasarily so with heavy calibres.
Just my thoughts.

--------------------
"Dogs always bark at their master"
Sir Seretse Khama.25th June 1949

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allenday
.333 member

Reged: 18/04/04
Posts: 318

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: HiWall]
#21807 - 07/12/04 12:59 AM

Mickey's right, if you can get the 230 gr. Fail-Safe to shoot in your rifle, it's an awesome bullet.

Other than that exception, as well as the 240 gr. North Fork, I'd use premium 250 gr. bullets only since you have buffalo on your game list. The 250 gr. weight is to the .338 Winchester what the 180 gr. is to the .30-06. It's the basic all-around, do-everything bullet weight, and it gets the job done in a fine, workman-like manner.

I've had uncommonly good luck with the 250 gr. Nosler Partition over the last 24 years that I've been shooting the .338. It shoots surpisingly well in a great many rifles, and it performs superbly on game. You can count on it........

AD

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39985
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: HiWall]
#21809 - 07/12/04 01:44 AM

In reply to:

Marrakai, I think you have just convinced me that I need to get a .375

HiWall

I would skip the .375 and go for a .416.

A .338 and a .416 would have to make a great two rifle combination most places anywhere on Earth.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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HiWall
.275 member

Reged: 01/11/03
Posts: 85
Loc: Brisbane, Qld

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: NitroX]
#21977 - 09/12/04 03:21 AM

Will find someone who will let me have a few shots from a .416, if I stay under my hat just maybe I might go there as well.

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luv2safari
.400 member

Reged: 09/11/03
Posts: 1408
Loc: United States

Re: Bullet Selection .338Win Mag [Re: HiWall]
#22074 - 10/12/04 06:29 PM

I've owned two 338 Win Mags...a very early Ruger 77 and presently a Ruger MK II SS. Both loved 250 Noslers, and so do I. I also like the 250 Speer Grand Slam.

--------------------
Hunt with Class and Classics

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