338-408 chey-tac powders

[jmason]

Has anyone out there tried VihtaVuori 24N41 or VihtaVuori 20N29 in their chey-tac or Chey-tac improved? I realize H50BMG is the most popular but I was curious.

 

[JUDD]

Uh Oh..

Is somebody building a Chey Tac?

 

[jmason]

I'm not happy unless I'm in a perpetual gun build process!

 

[Joel Russo]

I'm not happy unless I'm in a perpetual gun build process!

Neither is Kevin.

I've tried VV 24N41 in the .338-408 imp with the 300 gr boolets, and found it to be no better than H50BMG. The BMG gives me single digit ES that the VV could not.

I use 24N41 in my .30-.416 Rigby Improved with the 240 SMK. It has been my accuracy load for years and has gone 10" at 1,760 yards.

 

[Fiftydriver]

I tested 20N29 extensively in my 338 Allen Magnum and with 300 gr pills, I fully agree with Joel, no real improvement over H-50BMG.

That said, when I moved up and tested the custom 350 gr ULD RBBT from the old Wildcat Bullets Company, it worked EXTREMELY well producing 3200 fps easily out of a 33" barrel length and groups at 200 and 500 yards often in the 1/4 to 1/5 moa range for three shots. In good conditions, 1/2 moa at 1000 yards was not uncommon.

So for 300 gr bullets, I agree, no real advantage with it over H-50BMG, for extremely heavy bullets it shows more advantage.

 

[B23]

Just curious, but have you all ever tried anything like US869???

 

[Joel Russo]

I have not tried US 869, although Kirby may have...

My professional opinion on powder for the .338-.408 is BMG... period!

No need to spend time and money trying to find the better mouse trap as far as the powder is concerned..

 

[Fiftydriver]

I did test it a limited amount as well as WC-860 and WC-872. Shot fine, decent velocity, good consistancy, very workable pressures, only down side was that unless you pushed her to redline on chamber pressure, there was ALOT of carbon fouling. This did not make alot of difference as long as you cleaned the bore every 25-30 rounds but it could easily get away from you.

If loaded to more comfortable pressures, it was even more dirty. That was just not worth it to me with H-50BMG working so well and being relatively clean burning at the same time.

 

[jmason]

Thanks fellers! I appreciate your input.

 

[Joel Russo]

If loaded to more comfortable pressures, it was even more dirty. That was just not worth it to me with H-50BMG working so well and being relatively clean burning at the same time.

Bingo!

 

[trueblue]

I'm not happy unless I'm in a perpetual gun build process!

Aint that the truth for all of us!!!

 

[Booney]

Has anyone tried Alliant rl50?

 

[trebark]

Has anyone out there tried VihtaVuori 24N41 or VihtaVuori 20N29 in their chey-tac or Chey-tac improved? I realize H50BMG is the most popular but I was curious.

You haven't even built an edge yet and you're just going to skip over it to the cheytac...nice!

 

[NZ Longranger]

We use US869 exclusively in our 2.950" shortened version of the 338/408 improved, called the 338 Lunatic. In the 3.025" full length version we get hangfires with the 300gn'ers, but it works great with the 250's and 275's. In the 2.950" version, 869 gives 100 fps more velocity than H50BMG for the same pressure (measured with an Oehler 43 Ballistic lab), and significantly better barrel life. It does vary more with temp changes than 50BMG, but it varies consistently - 1 fps per degree F, so we can allow for it with the powder temp input in Sean Kennedy's "Shooter" program. It is working superbly in all the 338 Lunatics we build, so we don't use 50BMG any more, due to 869's better velocity and barrel life.
Greg