338 Edge / H1000 Pressure Woes

[AJBello]

Taking it to a local 'smith tomorrow to get it looked over, headspace checked, etc just so I can (hopefully) rule that out...

Well the headspace is perfect, rifle is completely good to go. Must have just been toast brass and maybe I'm bumping the shoulder too far...

After shooting the test loads with Retumbo and not having near the accuracy as H1000, I may just buy an 8 lb can of H1000, start low, and find the happy spot. My rifle just seems to like that combo for accuracy...

 

[Franklin]

Try smoking the shoulders on your fired brass. Set the sizer high. Move your die down until it barely bumps the shoulder. From here I move it down a tiny bit at a time until the brass chamber without to much force on the bolt.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

WyoBill, 92 grains of H-1000 is a common accuracy load for the 338 RUM with a 300 grain bullet. I use it and several others do. Same velocity as the 338-300 RUM without all the headaches that can be associated with a wildcat cartridge from loading to case problems when shooting it. All my H-1000 is the old bunch and yours is to if you have no pressure at 91 grains. With your powder I think you are fine at 92.

Dcamaleri, I use 99 grains of RE-25 with the 225 AB at 3260 fps. It is very accurate. H-1000 is suppose to be slower so 100-101 grains should be right in there.

 

[Franklin]

101grs of H1000 is what I shoot out of my rum with 225 accubonds. Velocity is 3200fps give or take 10-12. I've shot up to 103grs without alot of velocity increase and the loads were getting warm.

 

[D.Camilleri]

LTLR- I was loading 97 grs of rl 25 with 225 nab's with this barrel and getting good accuracy and 3300 fps. The problem I ran into was when I went to reload once fired federal nickle brass, the primer pockets were loose. I have since backed off to 94 grs at about 3150.

My h-1000 loads with a new lot of powder seem to be a lot hotter than loads I worked up with older powder. I had a good accuracy load with h 1000 for my 300 rum and it isn't shooting good with the new powder either. Back to the drawing board. What is maddening, this is the exact reason I quit shooting rl 22. I was shooting 90 grs of rl 22 with a 180 nab in my 300 rum at 3250 with sub .5 groups and then got new batch of powder. Same load was close to 3400 fps.

How can powder co's say there can be up to 10% variance in burn rate when there isn't 10% between rl 22 and rl 19? If I wanted rl 19 burn rates, that is what I would shoot.

Same with this new h-1000, the old powder burn rate was great, the new, not so sure.

I just checked my powder lots and my newest powder is 4735 (hot) and old powder that shot good was 43xx (h-1000)

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

The RE-25 I am using was bought the first year it came out so I am sure it has changed through the years. I will run out my next loading and not sure what I am going to. The Magpro is showing promise in some rifles. My 225's are loaded max to feed through the magazine. My batch at 97 grains was 3180 fps. So looks like there is a couple grains difference in the burn rate.

Let me know if you draw elk.

 

[D.Camilleri]

LTLR
I am seated to max that magazine will allow also. Other variables could be fast barrel vs slow barrel. My barrel is a broughton 5c finished at 27 3/8, the longest we could make it with the blank we got. We kept the chamber end extra long in the event I want to recut the chamber at some point.

I also put in for a 64 type 7 for a late season cow in addition to the 64 type 2 I wish us both luck at the draw

 

[Idaho Sawyer]

Before you bail on retumbo and go back to H1000, try switching to 215m primers w/ retumbo. Myself and quite a few others have had good luck with that combo. For my gun their was a significant difference in accuracy between the 2 primers

 

[clamb4]

I am using Retumbo with my 338 RUM 300g SMK 27" barrel @ 2900' mv. I don't remember the charge off the top of my head, but no pressure signs. The last time I checked a group, three shots at 400 yards measured 1.4".

I have noticed newer lots of Retumbo being hotter also, I have not tried the newer lots in my RUM yet, but in my 280AI I had to back down almost 1gn to get the same results.

 

[yama49]

I am using Retumbo with my 338 RUM 300g SMK 27" barrel @ 2900' mv. I don't remember the charge off the top of my head, but no pressure signs. The last time I checked a group, three shots at 400 yards measured 1.4".

I have noticed newer lots of Retumbo being hotter also, I have not tried the newer lots in my RUM yet, but in my 280AI I had to back down almost 1gn to get the same results.

That seems pretty fast for a RUM, and 27" barell, with no pressure signs. I am also experiencing some diff velocites with the new h-1000.

 

[clamb4]

I agree it is pretty fast and I have no explanation for it, just lucky. I just bought 8 lbs of Retumbo so I don't need to work up loads so often.

 

[sbruni]

Thanks to those of you that shared lot numbers for newer lots showing higher pressures. seems to be in the 4700s and higher. I'm interested in trying to get an idea of the lot numbers where the switch took place. My dealer has about 10 lb canisters lot 4470 and it that's before the change I'll probably go buy it up. anyone want to share there higher lot numbers that don't seem to be showing the higher pressures?

Thanks... Scott