Q: I am interested in purchasing a .338 Win. Mag. rifle. Can you tell me if this rifle can be loaded down for use on smaller species of deer up to, say, red stag? Of course, I’d use full- power loads for sambar. I think the .338 is a great gun that can be used on everything from buffaloes on down. I don’t want to own a different rifle for each size game I hunt and am content to be a “one gun man.” Later, I intend using the .338 on a hunt in Alaska.
Sam Harrison
A: Certainly you may load the .338 Win. Mag. down for use on small deer. This is a better course of action than buying a light calibre rifle and attempting to use it on heavy game. I think you’ll find the Nosler 180gn AccuBond bullet an excellent choice for small to medium-size deer. A modest charge of 72gn of AR2209 will produce about 3100fps in most rifles with the standard 600mm barrel length. This is sufficient velocity to give a reasonably flat trajectory and the bullet is still traveling at approx. 2300fps at 200 yds. To drop the velocity any lower than this will result in poor bullet expansion, For an all-around load to be used on all Alaskan game I like the Barnes 225gn TSX FB ahead of 67gn of AR2209 for about 2750fps.
 
 
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