338 Elk/Moose & Brown Bear
10-01-2012, 09:09 AM
#11
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Idaho
Posts: 1,081
No not yet, I am going to use the 225gr. Accubonds this year so hopefully I will see how they work shortly, elk season opens here in 9 more days. I have used the 154gr. SST's in my 280 the last couple of years and was really impressed with there performance on deer.
10-02-2012, 10:01 PM
#13
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
Sorry been hunting. 225 gr TSX. I have only hunted with 225gr in this 338wm, played with others but it is a elk and moose gun in my safe and so no reason not to stick with 225grainers. Barnes simply shoots great in this off the shelf browning (well tweaked slightly) and performance great on larger game.
10-03-2012, 07:08 AM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Idaho
Posts: 1,081
10-04-2012, 07:50 PM
#15
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Land of 10,000 Wolves
Posts: 138
Sorry to hear you have wolves too.. Michigans upper peninsula got wolves introduced back in the early 90's if I recall right.
Can't say I'm a super hunter, but watching trails for a couple hours in the morning and evening you would see 6-8 deer in 2-3 days. Now I put much more time in the woods scouting, cameras, hunting rub lines, and clear cuts and in 7 days of hunting I see 3-4 deer on average.
Pretty funny how the DNR claims there's maybe 1,000 wolves, or so. I think the numbers more like 5-10K.
Can't say I'm a super hunter, but watching trails for a couple hours in the morning and evening you would see 6-8 deer in 2-3 days. Now I put much more time in the woods scouting, cameras, hunting rub lines, and clear cuts and in 7 days of hunting I see 3-4 deer on average.
Pretty funny how the DNR claims there's maybe 1,000 wolves, or so. I think the numbers more like 5-10K.
10-10-2012, 08:38 AM
#16
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: N. Illinois
Posts: 527
.338wm
bucklessyooper,
A few years back I was also bitten by the .338WM bug! In the end, I acquired a custom built rifle on an Mark X action and a TCR'83 with a custom barrel. After that I reloaded up to handle elk and moose and I reloaded down so that I could spend more time at the shooting range (I just can't handle too too may full load without getting a sore shoulder).
The minimum I reloaded for elk and moose is the 250 grain bullet and have tried several different powders. As I am not a chronograph, I couldn't tell the 150 f/s difference that the tables tell ya'.
Now I lived in Alaska for over 17 years and I have to say, based upon my experience as a surveyor working in the Bush, that not all brown bears are the same. There are brown bears and then there are the coastal browns. Working on the Aleutian Chain I would see these buggers everyday; they are BIG! And while my dream to hunt them never materialized, I always figured that if and when I was going to hunt them I would use my .338 with the biggest bullets I could find. Like on the order of 300 grains. Now I had friends and acquaintances who were successful and they used .375 H/H mags. As I recall they used .375's for everything big in Alaska...moose, elk, buffalo and brown bear.
Now I live in Virginia and my .338s just don't see any use during deer season; I wouldn't want to wake the whole county when I touch off a round. Ha!
Just my two cents worth of observation and experience! Use it as you might.
A few years back I was also bitten by the .338WM bug! In the end, I acquired a custom built rifle on an Mark X action and a TCR'83 with a custom barrel. After that I reloaded up to handle elk and moose and I reloaded down so that I could spend more time at the shooting range (I just can't handle too too may full load without getting a sore shoulder).
The minimum I reloaded for elk and moose is the 250 grain bullet and have tried several different powders. As I am not a chronograph, I couldn't tell the 150 f/s difference that the tables tell ya'.
Now I lived in Alaska for over 17 years and I have to say, based upon my experience as a surveyor working in the Bush, that not all brown bears are the same. There are brown bears and then there are the coastal browns. Working on the Aleutian Chain I would see these buggers everyday; they are BIG! And while my dream to hunt them never materialized, I always figured that if and when I was going to hunt them I would use my .338 with the biggest bullets I could find. Like on the order of 300 grains. Now I had friends and acquaintances who were successful and they used .375 H/H mags. As I recall they used .375's for everything big in Alaska...moose, elk, buffalo and brown bear.
Now I live in Virginia and my .338s just don't see any use during deer season; I wouldn't want to wake the whole county when I touch off a round. Ha!
Just my two cents worth of observation and experience! Use it as you might.
10-18-2012, 01:22 AM
#18
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
225gr tsx from the 338wm claimed another freezer full of meat. Farmland dry cow moose at 400 yards, 1 shot through the lungs, a few steps and down she went. First moose I shot in easy street but bullet did what I has in the past in the tough terrain.
10-18-2012, 05:02 AM
#19
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Land of 10,000 Wolves
Posts: 138
Sweet moose! Supposedly northern Michigan will have a moose season in the near fututre
Have my 225 ttsx in hand. Only thing I'm debating is whether to stick with H4350 or switch to imr4350. Only reason I'm considering IMR is because there is load data from Barnes website.
Have my 225 ttsx in hand. Only thing I'm debating is whether to stick with H4350 or switch to imr4350. Only reason I'm considering IMR is because there is load data from Barnes website.
10-19-2012, 06:27 PM
#20
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
Good Luck hope you get a chance to hunt them. Will that be a general season with OTC tags or by draw. Here we have both but this moose was on draw. I prefer drawing a tag because timing is better with rut, we typically head to the bush to hunt moose. Still my preference but she will eat like no other, teared while cutting it. First taste was melt in your mouth.
I use IMR4350, BTW.
I use IMR4350, BTW.