338 RCM

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  • Seabee

    Old Timer
    Oct 9, 2011
    517
    Left marylandistan to NC
    Just picked up a Ruger guide rifle in 338 Ruger Compact Magnum. Waiting on reloading dies etc. Anyone have any experience with it? I've noticed reloading data is limited. Only found data from Accurate powder and Hornady so far. Was wondering what shooters thought of it.

    Ken
     

    Seabee

    Old Timer
    Oct 9, 2011
    517
    Left marylandistan to NC
    Did some scrounging but found a number of loads from Hodgdon, Hornady, and Accurate. Talked to Alliant powder who doesn't list the round in their guide. They told me they would turn it over to their engineering dept to have loads developed. Going to use Barnes 185 gr TTSX and Nosler 225 gr Accubonds in the loads.
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    Back when the Compact Magnums were being touted as the next great thing, Ruger created this cartridge to work in short action rifles. As you can see, these are as popular as hula hoops in the Sixties.
     

    j_h_smith

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 28, 2007
    28,516
    Never heard of it until your post. What's it based off of? How do you make the casings for these, fire form?
     

    BigDaddy

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 7, 2014
    2,235
    Never heard of it until your post. What's it based off of? How do you make the casings for these, fire form?

    I'm pretty sure there was a recent article on this round, Handloader or Guns and Ammo maybe. It's a very interesting cartridge based on the 375 Ruger.

    If I didn't have a 338 WM I would probably want the Ruger. But then I handload. Probably not easily found in most gun stores.
     

    jimbobborg

    Oddball caliber fan
    Aug 2, 2010
    17,112
    Northern Virginia
    I'm pretty sure there was a recent article on this round, Handloader or Guns and Ammo maybe. It's a very interesting cartridge based on the 375 Ruger.

    If I didn't have a 338 WM I would probably want the Ruger. But then I handload. Probably not easily found in most gun stores.

    I don't think any 338 is easily found in most gun stores. I don't think I've seen a 338 WM cartridge in person.
     

    Seabee

    Old Timer
    Oct 9, 2011
    517
    Left marylandistan to NC
    Wilson case holder

    Contacted Wilson about a case holder for their trimmer and they said they dont make a 338 RCM holder. I asked if a 375 Ruger holder would work, they said no. I ordered it anyway. It fits perfectly except the neck doesn't protrude from the end. I chucked it up in the lathe and cut 3/8" off the neck end and its a perfect fit now. The case taper on both cases is the same. Wilson wanted $30 and 3 cases to make a custom holder. Loading test loads today for 185 gr Barnes TTSX and Nosler 225 gr Accubonds for range testing. I'll keep you posted.

    Ken
     

    Seabee

    Old Timer
    Oct 9, 2011
    517
    Left marylandistan to NC
    Took the 338 to the range yesterday. I'm impressed with it. Recoil wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. About what you'd expect from an 06 with heavy bullets weights. I'm sure the muzzle brake helped.
    I tested the Barnes 185 gr TTSX with AA-2520 powder which didn't impress me much. I tried 2520 because it is supposed to be one of the better powders in the 338 RCM, along with Norma 203B which I didn't have any. Groups at 100 were 2". I didn't run them thru a Chrono yet.

    I also tried the Nosler 225 gr Accubond using N-550 powder as it was supposed to be a good one. Here I hit pay dirt. Groups at 100 were slightly bigger than a nickel. At 200, a nickel covered the group.

    With both loads, there was no sign of high pressures. According to the manual, the 225 was running about 2600 fps. There is room there for some increase.

    Only thing I found I didnt like was the rifle has a long throat to keep the bullet from seating deeply in the case preserving powder capacity. The bullets could not be seated out far enough to get near the rifling. When seated to the recommended overall length, the 225 gr barely fit in the magazine and the 185 gr would not go in the magazine. I like the round and even though I couldn't seat out near rifling, it was very accurate. It should be a hard hitting round. I'll try it out deer season before booking hunts for bigger game. Power wise, its about the same as a 338-06 but in a short (308) length action. Not the best field report, more to follow later if anyone is interested.

    Ken
     

    Seabee

    Old Timer
    Oct 9, 2011
    517
    Left marylandistan to NC
    For those thinking of buying one of the M77 Hawkeye rifles in 33 RCM, I've learned this.
    The magazine is too short to allow the bullets to be seated near the rifling. The closest I can get is .120" off the rifling which is limited by mag length. Barnes recommends starting .050" off lands. I may be able to switch to non tipped Barnes TSX bullets and get closer but this is as close as I can do with the tipped bullets. Ruger didn't think to throat the barrel shorter. I'll have to get some non tipped bullets and try this again.

    Ken
     

    Seabee

    Old Timer
    Oct 9, 2011
    517
    Left marylandistan to NC
    After more testing, I tried several powders with 185 gr Barnes TTSX bullets, I hit on 3 excellent loads for this round. None of these powders were mentioned in load manuals as being accurate. I seated bullets 1mm under the max magazine length which improved accuracy from previous tests where I used recommended COL in the manuals. These loads shot jagged one hole groups @ 100 yds. These groups varied less than 1/10" from each other.

    61.0 gr of BL-C2 was the best and no pressure issues @2900 fps
    56.9 gr of N-540 was second @ 2800 fps. Almost no difference from BL-C2
    54.4 gr of H-338 was 3rd @ 2870 fps

    748 and RL-15 which I heard were great in this round were not in my rifle.
    Overall, I like the rifle and round. The rifle is light and handy and the muzzle brake reduces recoil down to about a 308 level. It is what it was designed to do, magnum performance from a 308 length action and does it from a 20" barrel. The round is efficient, using less powder than the 338 WM and producing about 100 fps less velocity. A 325 WSM necked up to 338 would be a great round and better the 338 RCM (but not by much) but a longer barrel would be needed for the slower powders. I think the RCM would equal the 338 WM in a barrel of equal length. It would be an interesting test. Going to try it on deer this year.

    Ken
     

    Seabee

    Old Timer
    Oct 9, 2011
    517
    Left marylandistan to NC
    I looked at the 338 Federal and it looks like a great round. It would lose a lot with the heavier bullets. Recoil should be no worse than the 308 with same bullet weight. I went with the RCM simply because it was a little more and I thought if needed, I could load down to 338 Federal velocities. Should be a great woods/brush round. I've come to like 338 caliber as you can tell.

    Ken
     

    byf43

    SCSC Life/NRA Patron Life
    I looked at the 338 Federal and it looks like a great round. It would lose a lot with the heavier bullets. Recoil should be no worse than the 308 with same bullet weight. I went with the RCM simply because it was a little more and I thought if needed, I could load down to 338 Federal velocities. Should be a great woods/brush round. I've come to like 338 caliber as you can tell.

    Ken


    Somebody on the forum, had a .338 WinMag for sale. I THINK it was in June.

    We were on vacation, and no way to meet the person in a timely fashion.

    I sure would've liked to have bought it.

    Another member here, sold a .375 H&H for a decent price, that my youngest son snatched up.
    That .338 was the 'twin' to the .375.

    The more I think about it....... and second guess myself, I don't know IF I want to go with a real 'thumper'.

    I mean, I do have three .45-70 rifles, and the worst part about it, is......
    I've got more issues with my back, from T11/12 through L5S1.

    I really think my hunting days are about done. :shrug::shrug:
     

    pcfixer

    Ultimate Member
    May 24, 2009
    5,947
    Marylandstan
    I also tried the Nosler 225 gr Accubond using N-550 powder as it was supposed to be a good one. Here I hit pay dirt. Groups at 100 were slightly bigger than a nickel. At 200, a nickel covered the group.

    That is pretty nice shooting and an accurate rifle. Very good for moose, bear and Elk out to 400-500 yds. :)
     

    Seabee

    Old Timer
    Oct 9, 2011
    517
    Left marylandistan to NC
    Since switching to hammer bullets I’ve had to do load development again. Due to bullet design requiring faster powders I tried several and win 748 was amazing with 186 gr HH. Gave .5” groups with all but the 2 hottest loads and single digit sd. BL-C2 also did very well with groups running .3-.6 and single digit sd and also reached over 2900 fps.
    Someone asked what the case is based on, 375 ruger
     

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