1
Reloading The Versatile .338
Winchester Magnum
IN MY experience, it has
proved capable of of handling
all North American big game,
and most of the African stuff
up to and including buffaloes,
just as long as the bullet is
chosen to suit the size of the
game. Just as with any
cartridge, it helps if the hunter
is a cool, careful shot; if he's
not, then no matter how big
and powerful the calibre, it
won't help him any.
After a slow start, the .338
Winchester has hung in there
long enough to become the
most popular "magnum" above
.30 calibre in North America.
There is a good reason for this
as Elmer Keith discovered back
in the 1930s when together
with Charlie O'Neil and Don
Hopkins he developed wildcats
called the .333 and .334 OKH
(O'Neil-Keith-Hopkins). The
.333 was based on the .30-06
case necked up and the .334
was the .300 H&H necked up
and given a sharper shoulder.
After considerable experience
on big game, Elmer wrote that
.33-calibre bullets were the
best compromise between
up-close thumping and
long range trajectory.
Being somewhat of a slow
starter myself, it took me a
while longer to realise this.
It was Keith's writings that
influenced Winchester to bring
out the .338 Win. Mag. based
on the necked down .458 case
back in 1958. It was loaded
with a 200gn Power Point
spitzer at 3000 fps, a 250gn
Silvertip bullet at 2750fps and
a 300gn roundnose Power Point
at 2450fps.
Despite having a nice balance
of factory loads the .338 Win.
Mag. wasn't an overnight
success for a very good reason;
With 250 and 300gn bullets it82 | SPORTING SHOOTER _ MAY 2018
Today, the largest calibre rifle
I own is chambered for the
wonderfully flexible .338
Winchester Magnum.
PRACTICAL
RELOADING TECHNICAL TIPS & INFO – BY NICK HARVEY2
1
The .3 38 with 250gn bullets has
proved effective against eland
and larger African game.2
These .3 38 bullets cover game
from deer to buffaloes. L to R:
Win. 200gn PP, 200gn Ballistic
Silvertip, 225gn Bear Claw, 225gn
Barnes (original), Speer 250gn Grand
Slam, and Barnes 300gn RN FMJ.ON THIS PAGE
kicked too hard for most
shooters, and well- heeled Safari
Club types heading for the dark
continent mostly preferred to
stick with the .375 H&H. Then,
five years later the introduction
of the .300 Win. Mag. reduced
sales of the .338 even more
because most hunters found it
easier on the shoulder.
Elmer Keith was a dedicated
big-bore man who advocated
the heaviest bullet weights in
all calibres. He swore by .33
calibre bullets weighing 275
and 300 grains and scoffed at
.338 factory ammo loaded with
200 to 250gn bullets, but most
hunters didn't agree with him.
During the 1970s Winchester
dropped the 300gn load
because hardly anyone was
buying it. Back in Elmer's day
(the 1930 and 1940s) there were
no bonded bullets, partitioned
or monolithic all-copper bullets
and traditional cup and core
bullets of that era were long,
heavy and thick-jacketed to
hold together and penetrate
deeply. Later, I am sure that
Elmer realised this, but the
oldtimer was always pretty
hidebound and opposed to
changing his opinion.
Another old friend, Col.
Charles Askins who was one of
the world's leading big game
hunters, took a different view
of things. Charley was more
practical, a less talk and more