GooseGestapo
Member
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2003
- Messages
- 6,153
RE: Hodgdon's data for .338/06
I've used the Hodgdon data and from my Adams&Bennet 24"bbl it WILL get the listed velocity with the LISTED COMPONENTS.
Using Winchester brass, which has a larger capacity and Federal or Winchester primers I've been able to get the 2,700fps listed for the 225's. My prefered 225gr load is the one listed in the Speer manual with RL19. This is/has been the only RL19 load that I've ever seen listed that actually got for me what it was supposed to. I get 2,716fps (5 shot average) from my gun and Hornady 225gr SST's. Speer used a 23" bbl to get 2,678 so the difference is small.
However, I prefer (actually my rifle) BLC2 under a 180 or 200gr Nosler BallisticTip/Comb.Tech bullet. I get 3,000fps with the 180 and 2,800fps with the 200's. My "elk load" is 56.5gr of BLC2 with some early Nosler 210's for 2,800fps (my bbl.). I also use 58.0gr of IMR4350 and a Hornady 250 to get 2,550fps. This is an old Elmer Keith load. And, it works just like he said it would! It is also the single most accurate load from my rifle.
I doubt that in the field with your 26"bbl and full loads you'll see a discernable difference between the .338/06AI and a 24" .338winmag. One difference and the reason I built my .338/06 is that you can get 5+1rds in the '06 whereas the .338mag is 3+1. Kinda over-rides the slight velocity advantage of the .338mag. And, with an irate brown/grizzly at under 50yds where the magazine advantage would be useful, the "lower" velocity of the .338/06 becomes and "advantage" as the slower bullets will expand a little less and perhaps a little more....
But, in real world conditions, the difference is so little as to be meaningless....
I've used the Hodgdon data and from my Adams&Bennet 24"bbl it WILL get the listed velocity with the LISTED COMPONENTS.
Using Winchester brass, which has a larger capacity and Federal or Winchester primers I've been able to get the 2,700fps listed for the 225's. My prefered 225gr load is the one listed in the Speer manual with RL19. This is/has been the only RL19 load that I've ever seen listed that actually got for me what it was supposed to. I get 2,716fps (5 shot average) from my gun and Hornady 225gr SST's. Speer used a 23" bbl to get 2,678 so the difference is small.
However, I prefer (actually my rifle) BLC2 under a 180 or 200gr Nosler BallisticTip/Comb.Tech bullet. I get 3,000fps with the 180 and 2,800fps with the 200's. My "elk load" is 56.5gr of BLC2 with some early Nosler 210's for 2,800fps (my bbl.). I also use 58.0gr of IMR4350 and a Hornady 250 to get 2,550fps. This is an old Elmer Keith load. And, it works just like he said it would! It is also the single most accurate load from my rifle.
I doubt that in the field with your 26"bbl and full loads you'll see a discernable difference between the .338/06AI and a 24" .338winmag. One difference and the reason I built my .338/06 is that you can get 5+1rds in the '06 whereas the .338mag is 3+1. Kinda over-rides the slight velocity advantage of the .338mag. And, with an irate brown/grizzly at under 50yds where the magazine advantage would be useful, the "lower" velocity of the .338/06 becomes and "advantage" as the slower bullets will expand a little less and perhaps a little more....
But, in real world conditions, the difference is so little as to be meaningless....