338 Ultra Mag Improved

For the last few years I've been thinking that I really "needed" a 338.  I considered a 338-06 just to be different, a 338 Win Mag cause they're popular as well as practical but when I really got serious about a 338 I ordered a Reminton 700 BDL SS in 338 RUM.  I again ordered it from Shooter's Oasis with their accurizing package and a muzzle brake.  Since the package includes a new chamber, it was recut to improved.  I just love the looks of the steep shoulder angles, in this case 50 degrees.  I've been very pleased with price and the work they've done on both the rifles I've puchased from them to date.  If you're in the market for an accurized factory rifle, you might want to check them out. 

These Improved 338s are normally cut to the length of 300 RUM brass but since I had already purchased brass we left it at the standard 338 length.  I figured with the powder capacity already available an extra couple of hundreths wouldn't matter much.  Since this is an improved chamber you get the opportunity to fire form your cases to blow out the new shoulder configuration, this increases the case capacity by about 10 grains on an Ultra Mag case.  I did the fire forming with 250 gr Sierras, cause they were the cheapest bullets I could find.  Surprisingly the forming loads produced better than moa groups.  A strong indication that this one was gonna be a shooter. 

After running a hundred rounds through I started working up a elk load.  The bullet I wanted to try was the GS Custom 225 but time did not allow me to obtain any before my hunt so I decided to try the Barnes XLC 210 gr.  The final load I took hunting was IMR7828 pushing that 210 just over 3200 fps in my rifle.  For those that interested, that produces a MPBR of 300+ yds on a 6 inch vital zone, +-11 inches low @ 400 with a retained energy of +-2800 ft/lbs.  The XLCs don't group quite as well as the Sierras averaging just over an inch but well within minute of elk. 

To date I've taken 1 bull with this new monster.  An extremely challenging shot at a barrel stretching 20 yds.  Slight quartering angle, broke the near side shoulder and exited the far side ribs.  This was the first time I have ever used an X bullet on an elk and to be real honest, I wasn't very impressed.  At this range the impact velocity would have been +-3150.  I would have expected the petals to be lost during expansion and a flat faced bullet (read big meplat) to create a significant amount of damage in the chest cavity.  The damage was minimal even at this rather extreme velocity.  The animal ran 75 - 100 yards, was obviously recovered but I wasn't particularly impressed with the results.  I think the next time it goes hunting it will be shooting a different bullet, probably a 250 gr A-Frame.