Short range report.

1900 Views 14 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Butch 72, Feb 24, 2011

Butch 72

Discussion Starter · Feb 16, 2011

Short range report.

Hello to All. I have watched from a distance for the last year about the .338. I picked one up last spring and didn't do much with it until last fall when I mounted a Leuopold 2X7 scope on it. My first shots were 18" low much to My surprise and then I rembered the shim kit that came with the rifle. I ended using 2 of the shims under the rear of the scope mount and was then able to get it sighted in without anymore problems,put three shots in about 1 1/4". that was in October.
Today we have a heat wave here in Ohio about 49* and still around 14" of snow back in the woods. I have a bad case of cabin feaver today and take a couple rifles back to the range. after several trips back and forth to the target (

) it's the Marlins turn I load up 5 rounds and shooting at a 3" orange stickie at 100yds, I shot offhand as if I were hunting. after the shot string I was impressed at how little the felt recoil was,and walking up to the target two shots were in the bull and three were to the left about 3".if it would have been a deer it would have DRT.I really like this .338.

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Gee Wizz01

· #2 · Feb 17, 2011

Re: Short range report.

Sounds like you got a good one! They are nice shooting rifles and the recoil seems pretty mild to me also. Now you just got to find a nice deer to try it out on!

Gary

Halwg

· #3 · Feb 17, 2011

Re: Short range report.

I think it's a great deer cartridge. One I wish I had 40 years ago. I probably would never have bought my 30-06 if the 338 would have been in existence when I bought my 35 Remington. The 338 ME is one sweet shooting cartridge.

Butch 72

Discussion Starter · #4 · Feb 17, 2011

Re: Short range report.

I got in on the .338 mould at castbullets and We may have it by April/May. I have 160 rds of brass and 600lbs of lead. should keep Me busy for a while. Thanks to All.

stykbow57

· #5 · Feb 17, 2011

Re: Short range report.

Probably shouldn't say anything but I'm not knocking cast bullets but the 338 was made for velocity and distance hence the FTX! there is no way you are going to get ether with a cast bullet, your going to get a brush gun and there are a couple of good ones like the .444 or 45-70! I'm not knocking you but wondering why you would take a 400yd gun and make it a 200yd gun at best? Dennis

Butch 72

Discussion Starter · #6 · Feb 17, 2011

Re: Short range report.

Dennis,just so I can shoot it more. I have several other levers in all the usual calibers,but the .338 really calls to Me.I hope to find a good midrange cast load. I just hope the ammo manufactures don't give up on it.

GooseGestapo

· #7 · Feb 17, 2011

Re: Short range report.

Stykbow;
I have to take you to task over the cast bullet disparagement of the .338MX.
I've gotten 1.5moa from my .338MX and a 1" 5-shot group with 4 in one hole from my MkX in .338/06. This the best accuracy it has given me with any load, including jacketed ones.
I'm running the bullets (Lee .338" 220gr RNGC w/Hornady GC and SPG lube, lubed with .338" Lyman 450 sizer) over either 24.0gr of #2400 in both, or 41.0gr of RL15 from the .338MX. This latter load gives 2,125fps with the 220gr RN so is a long way from throwing nerf balls.
Should I go to Lino-type, of which I have ~200lbs, I can get approaching 2,400fps. Enough for anything in N.America, considering it'll shoot through 40"+ of anything that breaths....
The former load of #2400 is running 1,850fps and will certainly drop anything in my neck of the woods out to about 150yds with no holdover.
IMO it very close to my .45/70, with less recoil.... My "similar" load for the .45/70 is the RCBS 300gr FNGC (@320gr w/gc) over 30.0gr of #2400 for ~1,650fps. The "warm" load is 43.0gr of IMR4198 @ 1,850fps (18.5" guide gun).
A simple "return to zero" on the Leupold scope takes the .338MX back to 3" high @100yds and -10" at 300yds.
THe .45/70 would be the first to go should I have to sell...... It is a 2-moa rifle at best. However, neither rifle has required a second shot to down anything I've taken with either.
Though; the .45/70's longest shot was ~90yds. The shortest with the .338 has been 140yds......

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stykbow57

· #8 · Feb 17, 2011

Re: Short range report.

I stand Corrected. Dennis

Halwg

· #9 · Feb 17, 2011

Re: Short range report.

Don't stand corrected. I have to agree. There are a lot of other guns to shoot cast "boolits" in, but the 338 ME sure wouldn't be my choice. I think shooting cast bullets is best relegated to calibers over .35. I bought my 338 to be a long range deer shooter, and I can shoot 2125 fps 220 gr bullets out of my 35 Remington. I don't want the 338 to be a 35 Remington, I already have 7 of them!!

So you casters can do what you like, but I'll relegate cast "boolits" to my 444 Marlin.

TmbrWlkr

· #10 · Feb 17, 2011

Re: Short range report.

Halwg - Having 7 .35 Rems in one place is just not good policy. Alien gun collectors might be targeting you as we speak. You should send at least one, probably 2 up here for safe keeping - I don't have any, and my other Marlins need the experience of having an "old timer" in the vault with them. Just trying to help you out of what I feel is a dangerous situation.

CalvinMD

· #11 · Feb 23, 2011

Re: Short range report.

Thats telling them Halwg...the 338 wasn't meant to be a plinker

Wes

· #12 · Feb 23, 2011

Re: Short range report.

Gotta agree with Halwg on this one as well. The whole idea of the 338ME was to make a 300 yard big game rifle in a nice Marlin rifle. Turning it back into a 125 yard gun seems counter productive.
My 444 and 45-70's are good candidates for the lead bullets.

FredT

· #13 · Feb 23, 2011

Re: Short range report.

Like Butch 72, I too live in Ohio where you can not use HP rifle for deer. My 13 or so Marlins are all lead slingers because I like to shoot them alot and often. I can load 100 rounds of cast for around $8.00 or so. Shooting less than 50 rounds at the range from any said Marlin is almost a waste of my time. Now mind you they all have a jacketed bullet zero in the log book.

Now, we can use handgun for deer. My 14 1nch TC is chambered for the .375 Win with 220 Hornadys.
My 2 M 375s do get jealous during deer season.

Why not hunt out of state? Because I have deer like this behind the house!

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1895Gunner

· #14 · Feb 23, 2011

Re: Short range report.

Great pic Fred. I'd hunt my backyard if my deer looked like that down here in Florida.

Butch 72

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 24, 2011

Re: Short range report.

Wow, I promise Guys if and when I get the cast bullets up and runnin,I will only shoot top-end loads and never ever think of it as a plinker. one cavity of the new mould is a hollowpoint.

.

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