338MX with WWHT range day

2564 Views 16 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Halwg, Apr 4, 2011

2shotal

Discussion Starter · Apr 2, 2011

5

Went to the range this morning – 73 degrees with about 6-7 mph wind – it is the first Saturday of the month so it was packed as they had the Cowboy and the AR15 clubs shooting events and there must have been 75 shooters between the two ranges. I shot 48 factory Hornady FTX 200 grains rounds. Sorry, no Chrony measurements today, just some plain fun and breaking in the new barrel.

You probably saw my posted regarding problems putting back together the 338MX after I installed the Wild West Happy Trigger. Well the rifle/trigger performed well. The trigger is crisp yet not as light as the same trigger that have on my 35Rem but I expect that it will lighten up as I shoot a couple of hundred rounds thru it. I first dialed it in at 3” high at 100 yards

and then down to 50 yards. In the first 50 yds target, I got a 2 in 1 hole, and the next two targets were just as perfect as you want them to be.

These Marlin 338MX are incredibly accurate and consistent, but you need to let the barrel cool down as it gets hot fairly quickly. As far as recoil is concerned, I think that Hal doesn’t want us to know that he got the “ladies” version and I inadvertently got the “mule” version. This dang thing kicks HARD. I caught myself a couple of times flinching and anticipating the recoil.

I got the Lee’s FCD the other day, and they should be finishing the fabrication of my collet set. So I’m getting reading to start reloading with AA2520 and TAC to see what I get. I have 4-1/2 boxes of factory ammo left to be used in this year’s hunting season, unless I can come up with a load that is as accurate and kicks less than what I get with the factory rounds.

Until then, happy and safe shooting

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Halwg

· #2 · Apr 2, 2011

Let me know how TAC compares with AA2520. I'm pretty pleased with my reloads so far, but they are not quite as tight as the factory loads. I'd be anxious to see how velocity and accuracy compares with TAC. It's pretty hard to beat those factory loads, though. That's why I bought 5 boxes of that same lot you are shooting. As accurate as your gun is you should buy up the last 6 boxes that Trophy has left.

I can't load anything yet, my Hornady bullet seating die broke (I won't be buying any more Hornady dies) and it's being shipped back next week.

Also, maybe your gun kicks more than mine, but I was surprised at how mild the recoil is for the 338 ME. I also think the report is much less loud than a 30-06, or even my 35 Remington. When I killed my deer this past season, I scarcely knew I had pulled the trigger.

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big medicine

· #3 · Apr 2, 2011

Recoil is a relative thing. I have never thought the 338MX recoil was very bad. My 35 Whelen and 45-70 with full house loads will give you whip lash after twenty or so rounds. The 338MX compared to those is very mild

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2shotal

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 2, 2011

Halwg said:
Also, maybe your gun kicks more than mine, but I was surprised at how mild the recoil is for the 338 ME. I also think the report is much less loud than a 30-06, or even my 35 Remington. When I killed my deer this past season, I scarcely knew I had pulled the trigger.

Trust me Hal, I don't know why but this rifle is kicking like a mule and to me it sounds a lot louder than my 35Rem. You won't find any posting by me mentioning or complaining about recoil, but this one I sure feel it. I have the Hornady die as well, but don't like them and I order the Lee collet set in addition to Lee's FCD.

big medicine said:
Recoil is a relative thing. I have never thought the 338MX recoil was very bad. My 35 Whelen and 45-70 with full house loads will give you whip lash after twenty or so rounds. The 338MX compared to those is very mild

Big Dowg this one is a sharp kick as opposed to a push kick as you many times get from a larger caliber like the 45-70. The closest recoil I can remember and compare to is to a 7mm Mag I had which I sold back in the early 70s.

Halwg

· #5 · Apr 2, 2011

Wow, the recoil of mine is nowhere like a 7mm Mag. I think I may sell my Hornady dies and buy RCBS. Everywhere I have checked has the RCBS dies on backorder. I'll see if they fixed the bullet seating die to work any better. If not, It's taking a hike.

Quietman2

· #6 · Apr 2, 2011

Nice groups.

Try shooting with a hot barrel. Mine stays pretty tight no matter how many rounds you put through it. It still shoots subMOA after 20 rounds with the only break being to reload.

2shotal said:
Trust me Hal, I don't know why but this rifle is kicking like a mule and to me it sounds a lot louder than my 35Rem.

As for loud. Yep. The ammo is designed for a complete burn in a 24 inch barrel, so it's stil finishing it's burn when the bullet exits. I've had people ask me if I was shooting a 45/70.

You won't find any posting by me mentioning or complaining about recoil, but this one I sure feel it.

Ignore those telling you don't need a recoil pad and at least try a slip on decelerator. You won't regret it.

The closest recoil I can remember and compare to is to a 7mm Mag I had which I sold back in the early 70s.

I have the slip on decelerator until I can afford to have a permanent one put on. Set up like that, I get comments about the recoil being milder than an '06 and down in the range of a 308 Win or hot loaded 270. The pad makes all the difference. I think I got the small size. but you can check with Pachmayr for the size. They run anywhere from 18-20 bucks plus shipping online.

A few people are shooting the MXLR which comes with a recoil pad. So keep that in mind too.

big medicine

· #7 · Apr 3, 2011

Halwg said:
Wow, the recoil of mine is nowhere like a 7mm Mag. I think I may sell my Hornady dies and buy RCBS. Everywhere I have checked has the RCBS dies on backorder. I'll see if they fixed the bullet seating die to work any better. If not, It's taking a hike.

Redding makes some good dies

2shotal

Discussion Starter · #8 · Apr 3, 2011

quietman said:
Nice groups.

Try shooting with a hot barrel. Mine stays pretty tight no matter how many rounds you put through it. It still shoots subMOA after 20 rounds with the only break being to reload.
As for loud. Yep. The ammo is designed for a complete burn in a 24 inch barrel, so it's stil finishing it's burn when the bullet exits. I've had people ask me if I was shooting a 45/70.
Ignore those telling you don't need a recoil pad and at least try a slip on decelerator. You won't regret it.
I have the slip on decelerator until I can afford to have a permanent one put on. Set up like that, I get comments about the recoil being milder than an '06 and down in the range of a 308 Win or hot loaded 270. The pad makes all the difference. I think I got the small size. but you can check with Pachmayr for the size. They run anywhere from 18-20 bucks plus shipping online.

A few people are shooting the MXLR which comes with a recoil pad. So keep that in mind too.

I noticed that it burn very very clean. Just a few patches and your barrel done.

I forgot my XL7 in .270 WIN and I have to say that to me the 338 kick feels harder than the .270 with hot loads.

You confused me with your last statement. My MX comes with a recoil pad albeit small and of hard rubber. Not sure what you mean.

Quietman2

· #9 · Apr 3, 2011

2shotal said:
You confused me with your last statement. My MX comes with a recoil pad albeit small and of hard rubber. Not sure what you mean.

The MX comes with a hard rubber buttplate. It's not a recoil pad by any means.

The MXLR has an actual recoil pad on it (It's a Pachmayr Decelerator).

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dpe.ahoy

· #10 · Apr 3, 2011

I have the 338 MXLR with the lams and nice soft recoil pad. Makes it a pleasure to shoot. Don't know why they didn't mount the same pad on the 338 and 308 MX's, just saving a buck, or afraid they will upset the "traditionalist" with Walnut and nice pad? :

DP

Halwg

· #11 · Apr 3, 2011

dpe.ahoy said:
I have the 338 MXLR with the lams and nice soft recoil pad. Makes it a pleasure to shoot. Don't know why they didn't mount the same pad on the 338 and 308 MX's, just saving a buck, or afraid they will upset the "traditionalist" with Walnut and nice pad? : DP

Yes, it's very nontraditional. I don't mind it on the laminated stock, but I'd hate it on a walnut stock.

GooseGestapo

· #12 · Apr 3, 2011

I have the blue steel .338MX. I prefer the thin rubber pad that it came with.
To me, the recoil isn't at all objectionable. It's very close to a .30/06 in a similar weight rifle with similar bullet weight (200gr bullet at 2,500-2,600fps).

My rifle isn't temp sensitive either. I've shot 4 5-shot groups in succession (30-40seconds between shots, 1-2minutes between strings) and haven't seen a tendency to "walk" the shots or group.

I last week snagged pound of LVR, so when I get time to get to the range I'll give a work up on it. It looks to be very close to #2520.

Halwg

· #13 · Apr 3, 2011

From what's been posted on this site so far, the LVR powder does not appear to be the powder of choice for the 338. Probably the 30-30 blend and works OK for the 308, but if you get different results, let us know.

2shotal

Discussion Starter · #14 · Apr 3, 2011

thanks quietman. Yeah I see the difference now - pity they don't have it in the same matching color as the hard buttplate in the MX. BTW, I had the 338 next to my 35REm and noticed for the first time that there is about 1/2 inch difference in the width of the stock at the buttplate with the 338 being the narrower of the two. Length wise they seem to be the same.

I'll test the barrel temperature next time at the range by shooting a few strings with it hot and see what I get. I know in the 35rem it does make a big difference.

Halwg

· #15 · Apr 3, 2011

2shotal said:
thanks quietman. Yeah I see the difference now - pity they don't have it in the same matching color as the hard buttplate in the MX. BTW, I had the 338 next to my 35REm and noticed for the first time that there is about 1/2 inch difference in the width of the stock at the buttplate with the 338 being the narrower of the two. Length wise they seem to be the same.

I'll test the barrel temperature next time at the range by shooting a few strings with it hot and see what I get. I know in the 35rem it does make a big difference.

I'll check the widths of my stocks. I checked the 338, the 444, and the 336 in 35 Remington. I measured each at the center of the buttplate, center way between the screws.

338 - 1.625"
444 - 1.525"
336 - 1.525'

So my 338 actually has a wider stock than either the 444 or the 336.

2shotal

Discussion Starter · #16 · Apr 4, 2011

Halwg said:
I'll check the widths of my stocks. I checked the 338, the 444, and the 336 in 35 Remington. I measured each at the center of the buttplate, center way between the screws.

338 - 1.625"
444 - 1.525"
336 - 1.525'

So my 338 actually has a wider stock than either the 444 or the 336.

Hal I meant from the top to the bottom of the buttplate and should have said the height not the width.

Halwg

· #17 · Apr 4, 2011

2shotal said:
Hal I meant from the top to the bottom of the buttplate and should have said the height not the width.

LOL, now I have to go back and remeasure! ;D

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