OK. I would like to revise my assessment of the 338 Remington Ultra Mag’s recoil from “mild” to… “assertively brisk”. Hey, anytime 110 grains of powder and 275 grains of lead get together, there are bound to be some consequences. Coming out of this segment of the Remington Model 700 XCR II project, I can say that the 338 Remington Ultra Mag is powerful, but it is also flexible. With the support of many good bullets of varying weights, and a case that can handle reduced loading as well as full tilt loads, the XCR II fits lots of big game applications and without the hardware weight penalty so typical of older generation magnums.
The rifle’s accuracy was outstanding. I’ll take responsibility for the loads that crept up over an inch. Something about me being brittle and getting thumped over the duration of a couple of long range days. Remington has done an excellent job of making sub MOA performance routine with a mass produced firearm and the 338 Remington Ultra Mag and Model 700 XCR II combination is no exception. When I had the opportunity to settle down, breath and concentrate the gun always delivered. Nothing shot loose and the gun was as tight when I wrapped up as it was when I began.
Initially the thought was to load heavy, 250 grain and 275 grain as a weight bias, but factory 210 grain ammo performed so well, it seemed that the combination of light and fast would make for a reasonable performance goal also. Subsequently, loads began at 180 grains and concluded at 275 grains. Bullets pictured above, left to right, appear top to bottom on the load table in the handload section of RealGuns. The greatest challenge was selecting suitable powder that would result in a relatively full case for maximum loads. Ultra slow was too slow, moderately slow was too fast, but I think we got it all worked out. The problem lessened as bullet weight increased as illustrate on the338 Remington Ultra Mag handload table.
Conclusion… with no Jumping
If I were looking for a rifle to hunt large and/or dangerous North American game, or game of similar size and concern on another continent, the 338 Remington Ultra Mag and Model 700 Remington XCR II would be at the top of the list. Superior ballistic performance, low cost, the high potential of handloads, the availability of good factory ammo combine to make life easy for anyone selecting this firearm. Additionally, the materials used suggest the rifle would continue to perform and look good for a very long time. My wish list? The chamber was available in the CDL package. Sometimes a little fancy walnut is nice also.
Remington’s Better Bigger Boomer Part I
Remington’s Better Bigger Boomer Part II
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