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338 Win Mag 1000 yard build questions

I'm in the process of putting together a 338 WM for 800-1200 yard target work. I have shot 300 WM at 1000 plenty, and have the desire for more energy downrange. A hammer if you will. There really isn't any other reason than wanting to play with .338 projectiles and not going superdeep down the cost rabbit hole of bigger 338's. What I can't seem to find is how a standard chamber does with 250gr and up bullet options ( smk's, bergers, hornady hpbt's) in regards to seating depth/case capacity. I'd really like some insight with shooters that have played with the heavies in the 338 WM. Barrel lengths vs velocity,
Realistic velocity with 250gr+ projectiles,
Twist rate, etc
Please give me an earful!
I know there are better options for this, I just like beating the hell out of myself as cheaply as possible.
 
My current .338 rifle is a wildcat based on the .280 Rem case. I have previously owned a .338 Win Mag, but I was a beginning handloader when I traded it off, so I never got a good feel for its true performance limits. My opinions and recommendations are based on my experimentation with my current rifle (and extrapolating a bit for the 338 Win Mag).

I am going to start with barrel length and twist. IME, the 338 bore is not particularly sensitive to barrel length. That is especially true for the smaller cased 338 chamberings. My 338 has a 26" barrel. Muzzle velocity at max vs an identically chambered rifle with a 24" barrel was a grand total of 26fps higher. IMO, going longer than 26" will gain you very little. The standard twist for the 338 Win Mag is 1 in 10. This has held up fairly well even for newer cup and core bullet designs. However, the availability of some very good lathe turned solids justifies going to something in the vicinity of 1 in 9. This will give you the flexibility to use the full range of the best bullets available, with no down side. My 338 wears a 1 in 9.3 Krieger and works well with a variety of bullets, light to heavy. Go with a heavy enough profile to accommodate a muzzle brake. I recommend a four or five port side discharge type brake. This will allow you to shoot in relative comfort.

Powder selection for the 338 Win Mag can be tricky if loading for max velocity with heavy bullets. Dense, high energy powders are the key for this. For a long time, the 338 Win Mag existed in a sort of No Man's Land in terms of case capacity. It didn't have enough capacity to utilize slower burning powders to push heavy bullets to useful velocities. But, it had too much case capacity to take full advantage when dense, high energy powders (such as RL-17 and H100V) became available. My .280 based 338 was able to achieve impressive velocities (relative to case size) with both 250 (2850+) and 285 (2650+) grain bullets pushed by RL26. The problem was that RL26 really needed a larger case to work properly. In my .280 case, RL26 fouled excessively and built up quickly, forcing me to discontinue its use. When RL26 is utilized in a combination of case capacity, bore diameter, and bullet weight that matches its burn rate, this problem goes away. Based on my experiences with RL26, I would expect the 338 Win Mag to offer near ideal case capacity to utilize it to its potential with 250+ grain bullets. Vihtavuori N560 will also work well. N565 may also be worth a try if you find yourself reaching max with N560 before filling the Win Mag case.

As for bullet selection, I believe the 250's will prove to offer the best overall performance from the Win Mag case. At the ranges you plan to shoot, even with proper throating and the right powders, I am not sure you will be able to push the 300's fast enough to offer enough advantage over the 250's to make it worthwhile. Something like the Hornady 285 ELD-M might work, but the amount of freebore required to make that bullet work will cost you performance with the 250's. I recommend that you start with the 250 Berger EH and/or the Cutting Edge 250 Lazer. You should be able to push either one well above 2900 from a 26" barrel, with accuracy.

For what you want to do, obtaining good brass will be critical to your success and is worth the time and trouble. Unlike the RUM or Lapua, tough, good quality brass is not readily available for the Win Mag. Norma is probably the best 338 Win Mag brass you will be able to find, but it is not especially tough. Necking up and fireforming Peterson or ADG 7mm Rem Mag brass may be your best option.
 
Thank you so much for the information. I figured the 300's would have me at a disadvantage compared to 250-285 range. There are a few spun pills that look promising, but as you have stated I think throating for them would cause issues with the shorter 250 offerings. I am new to this site community but I have been wowed by the amount of shooters willing to share good information.
 
A long throated chamber and the action to suit (3.6”+ mag box) will get you some extra velocity.
I have used the 285gr Berger in my 338WM and 300gr Berger. I just couldn’t push them fast enough so I went back to 250gr pills. I only have a 3.4” mag box to play with on all of my 338’s...I know I should build one on a Rem 700, but I am happy with them as is and shoot mostly 225/250gr
Accubonds.
Best powder I have used is RE19. It works in all 3 of my 338WM rifles.
600 is about as far as I want to shoot with the 338WM anyway, I have a 338-06 and 338-416 Rigby Improved to cover everything else.

Cheers.
 
This will be built on a Rem 700 action with pinned lug, in a KRG X-Ray chassis. Mag length shouldn't be a problem. Thank you for the input. I'm still very hungry for discussion lol
 
Does criterion make a good .338 barrel? I've shot their .308 and .277 blanks and they are nice. I've heard some barrel makers are hit and miss on .338 pipes
 
The 338 wm is to much of a rainbow, go to the 338 RUM or the Lapua if you need a 338 at these ranges.

Sorry I assumed you were talking about a long range hunting rifle, didn't realize you were thinking of a rifle for shooting plates on a KD range.
 
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I'd rather stay in belted or wsm parent case territory. The RUM, LM, weatherby, and edge are the rabbit hole I was referring to in my o.p. I like being in the last 20% of potential in a cartridge. If I wanted to shoot 1200-2000 I would go bigger.
 
I'd rather stay in belted or wsm parent case territory. The RUM, LM, weatherby, and edge are the rabbit hole I was referring to in my o.p. I like being in the last 20% of potential in a cartridge. If I wanted to shoot 1200-2000 I would go bigger.
For the distances you intend to shoot, I believe your approach is sensible. With currently available bullets and powders, the 338 Win Mag can be loaded to closely approximate 300 Win Mag/215 Berger performance in terms of drop and drift. That is hardly rainbow trajectory territory.
 
Would I really lose much by going to a 24" barrel? Length really isn't an issue, but with a 3" brake it will get big fast. If I decide to run suppressed it will be huge. Some numbers I'm coming up with in the 250gr wieght class is 18-22 fps per inch past 24" with several powders. Part #2: does a saami chamber have the freebore to get most case capacity with a 250gr VLD pill? Or should I just plan on throating it longer?
 
Would anyone happen to have 2 or 3 - 250gr + projectiles laying around so I can play with measurements for freebore/mag length? I already have some 250gr and 300gr SMK to tinker with. I will gladly compensate you for the bullets and any shipping costs associated. I'd like to measure: Hornady 285gr ELD-M, and Berger 250gr and 300gr Hybrid OTM. Please PM me if you can help. Thanks!
 
Anyone have any thoughts on 338-300 win mag? I'm not sure what that has been called prior. I've heard it called 338 Tora Bora, 338 Patriot, etc
 
I know very little about the cartridge. I DO know that going that route would give you access to quality brass from ADG, Peterson, and Lapua (supposed to be available this spring). The same is also true of 300 PRC. Wildcat versions of 300 PRC necked up to 338 are currently in existence. I would not be surprised to see Hornady release some version of 338 PRC as a factory cartridge at some point.

If choosing between 338-300 Win Mag and a PRC based 338, I would personally go the PRC route.

Remember, though, that going to more case volume also requires an increase in barrel length to take full advantage of the increase in capacity.
 
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Brass seems to be the weak link on the 338 win mag. Necking up 7mm is doable and cost effective, but having access to 300 win brass and an extra 100fps isn't a bad thing either. The 300 prc will be pricier I'm the long run. I just wish someone made Match quality 338 win mag brass. I suppose i could always buy triple what I need, and sell the other 2/3 after sorting. The ability to be able to shove a store bought round into the chamber in a pinch is always welcome in my book. You just never know.
 
I’d expect a 338 Win Mag to send a 250gr bullet at a pretty easy 2650-2700fps. I’ve been shooting 250gr SMKs at 2675fps out of a 338/375 Ruger specialty pistol with an 18” barrel for quite a few years with excellent results. I regularly shoot that gun at 1200 yard steel plates without issue. I don’t see any reason why a 338 Win Magwould t perform just as well.

I’ve always had good luck with H4350 in the Ruger case and I imagine it would be an even better fit in the 338 Win Mag. I can get better velocity with other powders, but H4350 always shoots well and gives good ES and SD numbers at good enough velocities.
 
338-375 Ruger, or 338 PRC, is a much better choice. Works in the same action and bolt face as 338 WM, has a similar case length, yet much more capacity to push 250gr Bergers up to +/- 2950 fps in a 26” barrel depending on load.

Another added bonus is that ADG makes 300 PRC brass so you can just neck it up to 338.

My best accuracy load pushes 250gr Berger EH at 2980 fps in my 338-375R but have achieved speeds over 3K fps with other loads.
 
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For the distances you intend to shoot, I believe your approach is sensible. With currently available bullets and powders, the 338 Win Mag can be loaded to closely approximate 300 Win Mag/215 Berger performance in terms of drop and drift. That is hardly rainbow trajectory territory.
True. Rainbow trajectory is relative. The 338 lapua is a rainbow trajectory also compared to the 338 Snipetac. Out to 1200 yards, the 338 WM with 250s may be the perfect 338 for the job. Especially if most of the shooting Is done under 1000 yards.
 
Quality 7mm Rem brass is available to neck up, but is there a decent brass available that I could just find in quantity and sort to find a useable batch? I've decided to stay with the 338 WM due to variables outside of just pure performance. This will be a compromise build so to speak. A mid bore hammer that smacks the hell out of anything within 1200 yards with useable precision. The rifle will wiegh around 13-14 lbs, wear a good brake, ride in a KRG whiskey chassis, and spit 250gr class pills. It will probably not be the best at anything but instead be deployable in many tasks.

I thank you all for the information. I would love more discussion on possible solutions for brass, and powders best suited for this combo. These days one needs to be about 2 months ahead on component needs to procure them at decent intervals.
 
If you ever find the quality brass you are looking for and want to divest of the 'culls', let me know.

I'm currently reloading 200 gr Speer Hotcores into elk medicine for a pre-64 Winchester. Not real picky about brass and will be using IMR7828 as it shoots really well in my 7mm RM. (And I have a lot)

Anyone else use that powder in a 338 WinMag?
 
On the Shooter Ap i used, a 250 berger at 2650 would be pretty close to my 300 wsm doin 2760’s with berger 210’s. The 338 is only down a half mil at 1000. Not terrible at all. By 1200 its 0.4 mil diff. But the 338 has 250 more ft lbs by then.

i have a 338 but its a box stock rem 700 bdl. I dont have a use for it yet but i had some 250 gr solids by A-Square that the box says 2700 fps. So performance wise its doable
 

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