11 of 17 .338 Win Mag factory loads carry 1,200 ft·lb and expansion velocity for black bear; the best reach 900 yd (Hornady Precision Hunter 230 gr ELD-X). Ranked, with the drop chart for each.
| Load | gr | Max ethical yd | MV fps | 500 yd ft·lb | Shoulder shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady Precision Hunter 230 gr ELD-X | 230 | 900 | 2,810 | 2,267 | yes |
| Federal 200 gr Trophy Bonded Tip | 200 | 650 | 2,930 | 1,681 | yes |
| Norma 200 gr Ecostrike | 200 | 650 | 2,953 | 1,716 | yes |
| Nosler Expansion Tip 225 gr E-Tip | 225 | 650 | 2,750 | 2,092 | yes |
| Barnes VOR-TX 210 gr TTSX BT | 210 | 600 | 2,865 | 1,810 | yes |
| Barnes VOR-TX 225 gr TTSX BT | 225 | 600 | 2,800 | 1,933 | yes |
| Nosler Trophy Grade 225 gr AccuBond | 225 | 600 | 2,750 | 1,949 | yes |
| Norma 230 gr Oryx | 230 | 550 | 2,756 | 1,403 | yes |
| Nosler Trophy Grade 250 gr AccuBond | 250 | 550 | 2,650 | 2,052 | yes |
| Hornady Outfitter 225 gr CX | 225 | 450 | 2,800 | 1,862 | yes |
| Nosler Trophy Grade 250 gr Partition | 250 | 450 | 2,600 | 1,688 | yes |
| Hornady Superformance 225 gr SST | 225 | wrong bullet | 2,840 | 2,001 | behind the shoulder only |
| Hornady Superformance 200 gr SST | 200 | wrong bullet | 3,030 | 1,873 | behind the shoulder only |
| Norma 225 gr Jaktmatch FMJ | 225 | wrong bullet | 2,674 | 1,697 | behind the shoulder only |
| Remington 225 gr Pointed Soft Point Core-Lokt | 225 | wrong bullet | 2,780 | 1,652 | behind the shoulder only |
| Remington 250 gr Pointed Soft Point Core-Lokt | 250 | wrong bullet | 2,660 | 1,638 | behind the shoulder only |
| Winchester 200 gr Power-Point | 200 | wrong bullet | 2,960 | 1,162 | behind the shoulder only |
Fat and hair hide the vitals: aim 4–5″ behind the shoulder and a touch high. Partition / bonded / monolithic. Floor used: 1,200 ft·lb at impact plus the bullet's published expansion velocity. Orange = a target or varmint bullet (construction, not energy); red = never carries the energy. Sources: www.themeateater.com, www.oneoutdoors.org.