Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .338 Marlin Express with .338 | 175gr | Barnes X S bullet and 33 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are IMR 3031, Alliant AR-Comp and Norma 202.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 80% and propellant combustion ≥ 95%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,857 psi | 88% | 2477 fps | 99.2% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,626 psi | 90% | 2510 fps | 96.9% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,988 psi | 88% | 2549 fps | 99.5% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,887 psi | 90% | 2569 fps | 96.5% |
| Accurate 4064ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,408 psi | 87% | 2559 fps | 97.5% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,886 psi | 88% | 2392 fps | 98.1% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,191 psi | 89% | 2395 fps | 96.2% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,770 psi | 88% | 2516 fps | 97.9% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,872 psi | 90% | 2582 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,423 psi | 89% | 2500 fps | 99.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,394 psi | 89% | 2428 fps | 98.4% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 86% | 39,740 psi | 86% | 2493 fps | 97.7% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,292 psi | 87% | 2510 fps | 96.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,938 psi | 71% | 1588 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 94% | 40,059 psi | 86% | 2562 fps | 98.6% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,234 psi | 87% | 2434 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,698 psi | 90% | 2510 fps | 96.2% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,553 psi | 90% | 2566 fps | 96.5% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 94% | 40,669 psi | 88% | 2520 fps | 97% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,286 psi | 72% | 1631 fps | 100% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,249 psi | 89% | 2480 fps | 96.8% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,698 psi | 90% | 2510 fps | 96.2% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,553 psi | 90% | 2566 fps | 96.5% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,321 psi | 89% | 2520 fps | 97% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,713 psi | 90% | 2497 fps | 98.8% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,713 psi | 90% | 2441 fps | 97% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 98% | 39,827 psi | 86% | 2428 fps | 97.6% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 92% | 40,625 psi | 88% | 2448 fps | 97.7% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,713 psi | 90% | 2451 fps | 99.7% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 92% | 40,857 psi | 88% | 2448 fps | 99.1% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,133 psi | 89% | 2539 fps | 99.4% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,017 psi | 88% | 2500 fps | 97.4% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 96% | 39,798 psi | 86% | 2493 fps | 96.5% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,603 psi | 66% | 2257 fps | 96.8% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 84% | 36,912 psi | 80% | 2415 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 82% | 25,614 psi | 55% | 2198 fps | 95.2% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,912 psi | 80% | 2474 fps | 95.1% |
| Accurate 4064 | <<locked>> | 92% | 32,213 psi | 69% | 2382 fps | 95% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,551 psi | 83% | 2349 fps | 97.6% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,885 psi | 84% | 2349 fps | 95.6% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,056 psi | 78% | 2418 fps | 96.7% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | 35.9 gr | 80% | 27,963 psi | 60% | 2264 fps | 98.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,940 psi | 75% | 2369 fps | 99% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,680 psi | 79% | 2336 fps | 97.4% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,199 psi | 72% | 2352 fps | 95.7% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,549 psi | 77% | 2408 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,613 psi | 53% | 1417 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | 37.7 gr | 84% | 30,124 psi | 65% | 2326 fps | 95.4% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,027 psi | 78% | 2352 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,102 psi | 84% | 2461 fps | 95.5% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 92% | 36,724 psi | 79% | 2467 fps | 95% |
| Norma 202 | 40.2 gr | 88% | 34,258 psi | 74% | 2385 fps | 95% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,801 psi | 53% | 1457 fps | 100% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 86% | 36,941 psi | 80% | 2392 fps | 95.6% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,102 psi | 84% | 2461 fps | 95.5% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 92% | 36,724 psi | 79% | 2467 fps | 95% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,477 psi | 79% | 2421 fps | 95.6% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,882 psi | 75% | 2359 fps | 97.3% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,244 psi | 76% | 2313 fps | 95.1% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 90% | 31,966 psi | 69% | 2260 fps | 95.2% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,576 psi | 70% | 2277 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,373 psi | 72% | 2283 fps | 98.4% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,167 psi | 63% | 2195 fps | 96% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 82% | 26,324 psi | 57% | 2195 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 90% | 34,447 psi | 74% | 2365 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 92% | 35,375 psi | 76% | 2402 fps | 95.1% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 71 powders for .338 Marlin Express loaded with the .338 | 175gr | Barnes X S. Alliant Power Pro 1200-R delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,592 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,588 fps to 2,592 fps. Accurate 4064 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 71 of the 71 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 71–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 175.0 gr projectile in 0.338" calls for a 1:16.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 4064, Alliant Reloder- TS 15.5, Bofors RP3 reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. IMR 3031, Alliant AR-Comp, Norma 202 rank at the top here: for .338 Marlin Express with the .338 | 175gr | Barnes X S they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate 2200, Accurate 2230, ADI AR 2206H burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.