24" 338 Lapua: RL33 to slow for 300gr EH?

[domestique]

Hello,

Obviously the powder shortage is in full swing, and I cannot find any H1000, RL25/26 or Retumbo.

Would RL33 be ok in a 24" barrel. I was originally going to load 270gr ELD-X, but figured the 300gr EH bullet would benefit from the slower burn rate of RL33.

QuickLoad is showing 99% burn in a 24" barrel. I will be using a TBAC suppressor most of the time, and worry about too much unburnt powder causing excessive wear and tear.

Thank you!

 

[Wolf76]

You may want to try some n570 - if you can find it.
rl 33 would seem a little slow on a shorter barrel.
LRT is another possibility

 

[domestique]

Interestingly enough, the published book data for RL33 uses a 24" test barrel (which I believe is SAAMI spec for 338 Lapua), and Ramshot uses a 28" barrel.

 

[North Idaho Hunter]

I've done a lot of development with r33 and 338
improved cartridges. Testing showed no real velocity improvement in 28 inch barrels vs 26.

surprisignly only 25-35 FPS gain with 28's vs traditional 26" barrels.

I would bet you would be just fine running r33 in a 24".

Bullets used were 285 eldm and 300 gr. Vld.

 

[domestique]

I've done a lot of development with r33 and 338
improved cartridges. Testing showed no real velocity improvement in 28 inch barrels vs 26.

surprisignky only 25-35 FPS gain with 28's vs traditional 26" barrels.

I would bet you would be just fine running r33 in a 24".

Bullets used were 285 eldm and 300 gr. Vld.

I wasn't able to get a keg of RL33, it would have just been 1 pound bottles. Not knowing if all the RL33 would have been from the same LOT, I ended up buying a 8 pound keg of LRT.

Worst case scenario, the 338 hates the LRT, and I will use it in a RUM instead.

I really wish there would still be a retailer that would allow powder backorders. I don't mind waiting the 20+ weeks it will probably take, as long as I know it is eventually coming.

 

[North Idaho Hunter]

When I don't get the same lot #'s all at once I just mix them all together - (I usually have empty 8 pound kegs so this helps)


I've found that mixing them all together gives good results.

 

[BHP9]

When I loaded .338LM my preferred powder was Retumbo with the 300gr Sierra's.

Tried H1000, RL33 and found them not as accurate nor consistent.

My bad, it was RL25 not RL33 - should have looked at my records.

 

[Flintlock shooter]

I have had good luck with RL-25 in one of my 338LM's. You may want to try it if you can find some. I use 300gr SMK's and CCI 250's.

 

[Chamberman]

N565 will work very well. Try powder valley, bruno shooter supply, midsouth shooters supply, graf and sons.
Bruno shooter supply actually has one pounders as I am writing this...............

 

[Chamberman]

Graf and sons has one pounders as well.

 

[Prieto9000]

When I don't get the same lot #'s all at once I just mix them all together - (I usually have empty 8 pound kegs so this helps)


I've found that mixing them all together gives good results.

Clever!!!!!

 

[codyadams]

Your ql showed 99% burn rate, so that kind of settles that. As far as velocity goes, I have found that the powder that gives the best velocity with a long barrel, still generally gives the best velocity with a shorter barrel. I'm running a 24" .338 Norma Mag, and I have tried IMR7828ssc, H1000, Retumbo, Reloder 26, VV N-570, and have some RL33 I may eventually try. Best velocities were with N-570 and Retumbo, the two slowest of all of them.