[Deanwa]

Please help with some suggestions and loads for cast bullets in my Ruger 77MK2 .338 Win.

It is a proven gun with 250gr jacketed bullets, 73gr RE19 @ 2750 and 1moa groups.

I am thinking about the 250gr Beartooth LFN GC.  I have a fondness for cast bullets and the thought of something that penetrates well and costs less then half the price of Nos. Partitions has peaked my interest.

What should I consider to be the maximum velocity for this bullet?  

The main purpose for this gun is elk hunting in the Mount St. Helens area near where I live.  Shots range from 40 to 300 yards and the bulls are very tough.  It is sometimes necessary to take shots with the animal quartered away or in other positions that require a lot of penetration.

Will this bullet tend to stay together when busting through shoulder blades Etc.?

Thanks much for your help.

 

[KevinNY]

Accurate lists a load of 28 to 38 grains of 5744 with a 200gr cast GC for 1815/2302fps and 38 to 47 grs with a 250gr. jacketed for 2056/2466 also 5744 powder.   maybe not your hunting load but helpful for practice ammo.  KevinNY

 

[Eric]

Deanwa,
Take a look on P. 2 of this (rifle) forum. Marshall gave me some thoughts on using his bullets in my .338 sako. I ordered acouple hundred of the 235 gr. Your rifle may have different bore/throat setup than the sako.  Haven't had a chance to test these bullets yet - still waiting for the mailman- but I expect good things. Hope this helps a little.

Eric

 

[Deanwa]

Thanks for the feedback.  Yes, I saw Marshal's reply to you Eric about the Sako and 235 grain bullets.  That was very informative.

Does anybody know if the 250 grain Beartooth will work well in the Ruger Mk2 .338?  What is the draw-back if the bullet has to be seated below the neck?

Thanks!

Dean

 

[Marshall Stanton]

I onetime owned a KM77MKII in .338WM that I throated specifically for the .339"-250g LFNGC bullet.  It shot those pills just as well as any jacketed bullets.... any day, on demand sub MOA groups!   However, it took throating the rifle to get it to shoot that way!  I tried all manner of fillers and over-powder wads to protect the bullet base exposed below the neck of the case... all to no avail.  At target velocities, 2000 fps and lower they shot very well with some of these techniques, but turning the velocity up to "normal" velocity ranges changed the equation immeasurably.

However, the .339"-235g LFNGC bullet was designed for typical factory throated rifles, and it is really hard to do anything terribly wrong with this bullet in a .338 Win Mag.  It shoots very well if the bullet is seated to firmly engage the lands of the rifling when the round is chambered.   Use the slowest burning powders that will generate the velocity range you are seeking, use either Winchester LR primers or Federal 215's, chamfer case mouths and use either an RCBS neck expanding die or the traditional Lyman "M" die to expand and flare case mouths prior to cast bullet seating, and you'll have a winning combination.   We have many customers who have ordered this bullet in the past strictly for a cost effective plinking and practice bullet, who have found that when turned up to normal velocities, it shoots very well for them... it is the only .338 bullet they need... on everything from deer to moose!

I think that for your first go-around with cast in the .338 that you would be best served by the 235g LFNGC bullet in your Ruger rifle!

Hope it helps!

God Bless,

Marshall

 

[Deanwa]

Thanks Marshal.  

What a wonderful site you have.  This is a great service to fellow shooters.