Bullet seating ?

[blackbart338-06]

Problem: I'm worried about excessive pressure issues in my 338-06 !
How deep can I seat a .338 300 Gr Woodleigh bullet thats 1.44 inches long into the case before I will have pressure problems.

your help is needed as i would like to use this bullet on brown bear.
thanks kelly

[stangfish]

Ask Woodleigh. Presure is what happens to get the bullet moving. I would be more worried about them being in the lands than crunching powder. If you need to put that much powder in that case you may be interested in a 338 mag.

[thomae]

I doubt anyone can answer this question with any degree of certainty.
You will need to experiment and work up a safe load in your rifle.
I know Woodleigh bullets are not inexpensive, and my answer is not the answer that you wish to hear, but, in truth, the answer to your question depends on way too many variables that only you can control.

[blackbart338-06]

Thanks for the replys. I'm just a little on edge about pushing it as deep as i have to to keep it off the lands.

[FW Conch]

I don't think that bullet would start any harder than a Barnes solid copper and they consider .050" off the lands to be sufficient. You could use less of a faster powder and that would give you more space in the case. Just a thought? Good Luck-Good Shooting :) Jim

[tammons]

Dont think its anything to worry about.

At 3.4 COL I show 0.524 seating depth.
I wouldnt try a fast powder. RL19 looks to be about the right speed. That said the FPS
is going to be low. Why not use a 250 gr bullet. I got 2500 FPS out of my rifle over RL17.

[blackbart338-06]

tammons thanks for the info
Kelly

[tammons]

If you want a bullet to split the difference, Hawk males a 275 gr Round tip bonded bullet.
That should handle most anything. Seating depth should be around .434 which is better.

They also make a 300 gr round tip and 250 gr round tip, flat point and spitzer.

I am trying the 338 200 gr Flat point on hogs this year, but have yet to shoot one with that bullet.

[blackbart338-06]

I have scrapped the idea of the 300 grain. If I can't kill it with a 250 grain In north america a 300 gr wont help anyway.
Thanks for the input.

[tammons]

I have a 19" 338-284 barrel I just got back.
Never should have sold it in the first place, but it is about like a 338-06.
I used it with 210 gr TTSX bullets and its a hammer but only shot hogs and eastern deer with it.

The guy I sold it to, his father in law used it in Colo loaded with 338 185 gr TTSX bullets and killed a 850# cow elk at about 85 yards.
Said it took a few steps and keeled over dead.

Right now I am loading the 160 gr TTSX and 200 gr flat nose Hawks for deer and hogs.

If you are going to go to AK and bear hunt the 375 Ruger or 375 H+H would be a good thing.
I had one of those barrels too and sold it like a moron but plan to buy a SS bbl.
416 ruger too but not as good trajectory as the 375 Ruger.

[blackbart338-06]

My back can't take the recoil of the magnums anymore thats why I started building 338-06s I wish i had built one 25 years ago my back might be a lot better today if i had!