338 Win Mag Nosler Accubond 225 Grain Lethal!

BIGALSURF · 01-23-2009, 07:41 AM

I'm not sure if it is the Nosler bullet, ballistic tip 225 grain 338 win mag, or just going up in size from my old 7 mm magnum, but this bullet did the job on our New Mexico cow elk hunt!

In the past I have usually found our 7mm bullet inside the hide on the far side of the animal, no exit wound. On my elk, using the 338 Win mag ballistic tip from Nosler, there was a five inch diameter hole in the ribs opposite the heart. 238 yard shot measured by laser. The animal dropped, and quit moving in about 10 seconds. A very quick death.

My son was so impressed he tried my rifle, same result, 186 yard shot uphill, at first we thought he'd spined the elk, its back legs sagged, it dropped and never got up, again one shot kill. We climbed up and found he'd made a perfect double lung shot, and again blew a 5 inch hole out the back side of the animal.

OMG! Elk are tough, but with this much damage there is no question of the animal running, even with a lung shot, which has happened to us multiple times with the 7 mm, and which happened to a fellow hunter, it took three hits to down his animal.

I'm a believer in bigger is better now, I have to say. And surprisingly, very little blood shock meat on the entry. Hats off to Nosler and to the 338 Win Mag.

Hunt'nFish · 01-23-2009, 07:51 AM

Congrats, welcome to Elmer Keith's camp. Mass & Momentum, over speed & energy.
It's not your imagination. I too, shot a 7mmMag for years, and the elk just seem to take the hit and then run off to die.
Now w/ the .338Ultra, they crumple right on the spot. Just the way I like it.
Hunt'nFish

Grantspastor · 01-23-2009, 08:04 AM

Ahhh...another .338 WM convert. My favorite caliber of all the rifles I own. Impressive performance all around. I had a Moose come after me once in Alaska and dropped him with a shot through the face at 15-20 feet. Bullet went all the way through the face bones and pulverized the top 6 inches of his cervical spine. He dropped without so much as a twitch, and I became a life-long .338 fan. I like the 250 grain Speer Grand Slam bullets. My load chronographs at 2670 fps with Reloader 22 powder....and that's a serious wallop...over 4000 foot lbs of muzzle energy

scottishsetter · 01-23-2009, 08:05 AM

The Nosler book #6 lists four loads at 2800FPS +- with the 225 Accu. and 225 Part. in the 35 Whelen. Same school of thought. O'Conner in his later years advocated the 338WM because of it's ability to put the elk down quickly and with more hunters afield; He said you don't want it running off only to be finished by another hunter.

James in Idaho · 01-23-2009, 09:03 AM

What part of my old stompin' grounds were you hunting? I love my .35 Whelen, now I just have to shoot something larger than a muskrat with it! Mine likes the 250's!

DogZilla15 · 01-23-2009, 09:22 AM

Congratulations...You're a quick learner. The power of the exit wound.

huntinfool · 01-23-2009, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIGALSURF

I'm not sure if it is the Nosler bullet, ballistic tip 225 grain 338 win mag, or just going up in size from my old 7 mm magnum, but this bullet did the job on our New Mexico cow elk hunt!

In the past I have usually found our 7mm bullet inside the hide on the far side of the animal, no exit wound. On my elk, using the 338 Win mag ballistic tip from Nosler, there was a five inch diameter hole in the ribs opposite the heart. 238 yard shot measured by laser. The animal dropped, and quit moving in about 10 seconds. A very quick death.

My son was so impressed he tried my rifle, same result, 186 yard shot uphill, at first we thought he'd spined the elk, its back legs sagged, it dropped and never got up, again one shot kill. We climbed up and found he'd made a perfect double lung shot, and again blew a 5 inch hole out the back side of the animal.

OMG! Elk are tough, but with this much damage there is no question of the animal running, even with a lung shot, which has happened to us multiple times with the 7 mm, and which happened to a fellow hunter, it took three hits to down his animal.

I'm a believer in bigger is better now, I have to say. And surprisingly, very little blood shock meat on the entry. Hats off to Nosler and to the 338 Win Mag.

It sounds like the cows you shot were standing still if you were able to range them. Had they been running, with their adrenalin flowing you probably would'nt have gotten the results you did. The instance that you mentioned above with the fellow hunter taking three hits to down the animal was more than likely a spooked animal with its adrenalin flowing. Animals have an amazing tenacity to live. I've heard of moose taking multiple hits at close range with calibers as big or bigger than what you used. Because they had been spooked previously or the first shot was not a lethal one resulted in the animals adrenalin to start flowing. And while the other hits were lethal it still took several minutes and 100's of yards to put the animal on the ground. Don't ever underestimate the importance of that first shot and shot placement!

Grantspastor · 01-23-2009, 11:46 AM

Another story about bullet penetration with the .338. I shot a caribou once that was walking away from me. I aimed at the back of the neck, but the bullet hit "a little low". It was a 210 grain Nosler partition, and it travelled all the way through the animal from back to front and exited out the front shoulder. I don't recommend taking that shot, but thought it was a testimonial to both bullet construction and power of the cartridge

Chesapeake · 01-23-2009, 12:12 PM

The guides in Alaska have liked the 338wm for alot of years.

Frontal area and mass do a good job.

pathfinder · 01-23-2009, 12:21 PM

This is the first animal Jack shot with his A-bolt 338 win mag loaded with my 225 gr accu bond nosler bullit... One shot , 2nd was his 5 pt bull this year ,and again ,one shot one kill at 250 + yards.It's a very good round in both ft per lbs and in velosity if loaded right. That's my

Stu · 01-23-2009, 01:41 PM

:yeahthat:

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntinfool

It sounds like the cows you shot were standing still if you were able to range them. Had they been running, with their adrenalin flowing you probably would'nt have gotten the results you did. The instance that you mentioned above with the fellow hunter taking three hits to down the animal was more than likely a spooked animal with its adrenalin flowing. Animals have an amazing tenacity to live. I've heard of moose taking multiple hits at close range with calibers as big or bigger than what you used. Because they had been spooked previously or the first shot was not a lethal one resulted in the animals adrenalin to start flowing. And while the other hits were lethal it still took several minutes and 100's of yards to put the animal on the ground. Don't ever underestimate the importance of that first shot and shot placement!

Old Goat · 01-23-2009, 04:20 PM

Dont overlook the 250 grain bullets for the 338. They fly flat with the boat tail and high BC of .550. Really pack a punch downrange! Push em hard @ 2,800 fps and they are tack drivers. They like slow buring, compressed powders...RE22.

I believe that 338 caliber is one of the best available for heavy game. Probably the best of the Win Mag series. Basically a necked down 458. The slower powders of late have really opened up cartridge perfromance. Some of the older wildcats like the 25-06 was an OK gun when introduced, but now they are great! 338 ultra is a probably the best of the ultra series. Case capacity to bore diameter ratio in 338 is very effiicient too.

I also like the new 375 Ruger. The 375 ultra is a bit much in my opinnion. The 375 ruger will push a 300 grain bullet at about the same speed as a 338 win mag shoots a 250 grain. Very efficient short action cartridge.

Bait Bucket · 01-23-2009, 05:35 PM

Sorry to change the subject a little bit, but has anyone any bullet performance reports for the .338 Remington A-Frame? I've never shot one but they look very similar to the Nosler Partitions.

DogZilla15 · 01-23-2009, 06:40 PM

I think it is a Swift bullet. Very tough and will out penetrate the Nosler.

pathfinder · 01-23-2009, 07:02 PM

There's plenty of bullets out from 22's to 50 cal with a different dia ,shape and form 'and will all put a animal down with proper placement or multible hits. It's just the hunter's choice of what he or she want's to . All caliber's will work.

shadowstalker · 01-23-2009, 09:36 PM

I am a loyal follower or the .338 Win Mag as well, it has helped me take 6 Bulls and 3 Bucks in the last 12 years. It has dropped a Mule Deer Buck for me at 478 yds, as well as a Bull at 350 yds; each with a single shot. Neither of the previously mentioned animals knew I was there. However I also agree with the spooked animal/adrenaline thought as well; as about 8 yrs ago it took 3 lung shots (all with enormous exit wounds) to drop a 5 pt Bull from less than a 100 yds. I had been chasing a herd for 30 min before I got a broadside shot at him with Nosler Partitions (a fine bullet, IMO). They re an absolutely tough animal, but get them spooked, and you better make sure bullet placement is perfect. Just my 2 cents.

BIGALSURF · 02-11-2009, 04:25 PM

All three elk we shot were standing, mine was totally unaware, my son's had been running and adrenaline was up with two shots already fired and two misses, but we cow called, they stopped and boom she was down. The third was hit the first time totally unaware of the hunter, that was with the 7mm that had no exit wound and still had to shoot it two more times. The 7 just doesn't do the damage unless you spine them or get them right in the heart or windpipe/major major blood vessels.

FirstH2O · 02-11-2009, 06:53 PM

I've been on a .338 kick for some time now. Have had the best results with sierra 250 boat tail. Out of my .338wm .340weatherby mag & my newest 338-378weatherby mag more than 3000 pounds of energy at 500 yards it puts them in the dirt but it is real expensive to load & to buy rounds for the .340 kicks but if i had to keep one that would be it.