Anyone have experience w/ the 338RCM and factory ammo?

[hunter72]

Wondering what everyone thinks of the 338RCM and what your experiences have been like when hunting with it. I'm not a handloader, and don't have the time to put into that. I'm trying to decide if I should give up on this round until new bullet choices are offered or if what I've experienced were flukes. I've been shooting the Hornady 225Grain SST.

I've shot 3 deer with this round and after looking at the films, all hits were solid just behind the shoulder. 1st 2 were bucks at 120-130yds, the 3rd was a doe at 95yds. No blood trail was found for any of the deer. I recovered the doe 30yds away. Both bucks hit the ground, then got up and hobbled out the back edge of the clearings. Gridded and searched the areas where the bucks were shot with multiple people and couldn't retrieve either. I don't have a clue what could have happenned. Any input? At any rate, I'll be ready with follow up shots from now on.

 

[Boxhead]

Almost. I have been using the 338-06 for 13 years or so and consider it the mate to the 338 RCM (as opposed to Ruger's claims of the 338 Win Mag). I have taken a few bull elk with the round using the 210 gr Partition at 2800 fps or the 185 gr Barnes TSX at 2950 fps. The elk dropped either "right now" or within 10 yards at best. I have used the same Partition load on nilgai and black bear with very near immediate death. I can say the same for hogs but they are easy killing in my experience as were the bear. With that, in my view it is tough to beat the 210 gr Partition at the velocities the RCM (or 338-06) can realistically drive them and it will open up on the smaller stuff like hogs and deer too...

 

[Canazes9]

I recovered the doe 30yds away.

Did you recover a bullet or was it a pass through? If the bullet was recovered what did it look like? Did it come apart?

I had a similar experience w/ Nosler ballistic tips. The bullets would expand violently and blow apart in the animal, would not pass through. Switched to the Accubonds and it cured the problem. The SST's are not bonded, but I thought they were an interlock design that would prevent core separation - don't know for sure.

David

 

[hunter72]

The bullet passed through the doe. I expected a bit more of a hole on the backside. I contacted Hornady this morning. They said there will be more bullet offerings, but they can't say what or when.

 

[martyj]

Id bet money on the bullet is passing through and not expanding. Shoot a little more towards the front and take out the shoulders and they should drop like a rock.
What ever happen to the follow up shot or do you like chasing them?