185gr TTSX in 338 Win Mag

**Messor** · 11-01-2017, 21:33

Ok, for reasons unknown (call it for shits and giggles) I bought a couple of packets of these bullets.
I love bullets, so I often buy something I REALLY don’t need, but long story short I have them, now what?

You see in my 24” barrel I can push them on node at about 3100ft/s, at 57k PSI, or I can shoot them at about 2900ft/s, at 46k PSI.

So here is the reason why this is not in the reloading section, I have to figure what is worse, and for you to understand “worse” I have to specify the intended use.

I really don’t have a need for long range bullets, for that I shoot my 250gr Berger Elite hunters, BC off the scale and wind drift unheard of. So these things “might” only be used for short range hunting, meaning either shots on larger antelope like kudu in the bush, or for pigs, but still close range maybe around 100m.

Now the scenario, if I shoot them at 3100ft/s and hit something up close, let say my aim is off and I hit the animal on the shoulder, monolithic or not the bone shards alone will create meat damage. I can do this but the advantage is having a good gas seal.

Or

I can shoot them at 2900ft/s, making up close shots less risky, but having to run at very low pressure, even while I anneal all cases I’m sure it won’t be a perfect gas seal.

Now S365 is forgiving in the fact that I’ll have good burn percentage regardless, so that is not a factor, I’ll have to weigh the 2 scenarios up and see what will be the best way of using these bullets.

Now luckily I am on a forum and have the opportunity to ask some fundi’s, and I’m in the unfortunate position of shooting out stuff I don’t need :)
Terminal performance is NOT an issue, these bullets will kill everything the better part of dead.

So what do you guys say, high speed good pressure, or lower speed non optimal pressure?

**Spudattack** · 11-01-2017, 22:05

Cut 8" off the barrel and run em at 2900fps at 57k....problem solved!

No but really, I reckon push them hard as monos like, I can live with a bit of meat damage though.

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**Spudattack** · 11-01-2017, 22:13

Or, if you can't risk the meat damage is going to a slightly faster powder not an option (sorry, my knowledge of somchem powders is minimal, we don't get them here) to give more pressure and less mv?

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**pre 64** · 11-01-2017, 22:17

185gr bullets in a 338WM...ok

You dont need 3100fps.
You dont even need 2900fps.
Gas seal on the lower load is meaningless.What harm will it do?Blacken the case necks a bit,doesn"t matter.

You getting accuracy?

Split the difference and go 3000fps or really play...faster powder,filler,2200fps for the hell of it.

**Messor** · 12-01-2017, 10:03

Originally Posted by pre 64

Split the difference and go 3000fps or really play...faster powder,filler,2200fps for the hell of it.

I'm not really fond of fillers and stuff, and at that low speeds you don't give the bullet enough expansion.

3000ft/s is what would resemble a normal load, 52k psi, 100% powder burn, but then that is not a "potential" accurate load.
Maybe a few test in order, to see what's what.

**Messor** · 12-01-2017, 10:06

Originally Posted by Spudattack

Or, if you can't risk the meat damage is going to a slightly faster powder not an option (sorry, my knowledge of somchem powders is minimal, we don't get them here) to give more pressure and less mv?

The trade offs are pressure, mv, case fill, powder burn percentage.

If you go faster, like S355, you lose case fill, if you go slower, like S385, you lose powder burn percentage.

**pre 64** · 12-01-2017, 12:24

You overthinking things.
If all you had was a 22 blank and a piece of barbed wire you would still get that 338 to shoot well.

**264WinMag** · 12-01-2017, 13:04

The other question when are we getting to see a hole in a target? Wanted to type "holes" but then I remembered who the OP is. :)

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**Pirate** · 12-01-2017, 16:26

Wikipedia tells me 338WM MaxP=64ksi. So why worry about shooting at 57ksi? Just fairly recently I remember you telling someone (very correctly) that modern actions are made to work at the max pressures all day long (or something to that effect). At 57ksi you're so far under max its not even funny... shoot the thing like it's designed for. It's gonna kill everything very dead.

**Messor** · 12-01-2017, 16:36

Originally Posted by Pirate

Wikipedia tells me 338WM MaxP=64ksi. So why worry about shooting at 57ksi? Just fairly recently I remember you telling someone (very correctly) that modern actions are made to work at the max pressures all day long (or something to that effect). At 57ksi you're so far under max its not even funny... shoot the thing like it's designed for. It's gonna kill everything very dead.

I don't think you read the post correctly, I am not worried about pressure at all.