338 edge v.s 338 lapua

[Broz]

I have tried several different powders to date. The load I was using was 92.0gr of H-1000 shoots a consistent 2870 fps. I am now shooting a load of RL-25 at 95.0gr. There isn't anything wrong with my chrono try it out for yourself and see.

I have 1300 rounds through my 338 LM all with 300 smk's and 300 Bergers. My barrel is 27 1/2" . My load is from 91 gr to 92.5 gr of H-1000 92.5 is max and a sweet spot for accuracy with both the Gen 2 Berger and the SMK. The velocity for 92.5 gr is from 2795 to 2805. This load has been through many chrono's including an Oehler I recently bought. So I can see 2870 from a 32" tube.

Jeff

 

[SHRTSHTR]

B23,

I too have a 338LAI with 40 degree shoulder. Have a 30" Lilja and Stiller TAC-338 action.

Your comments are interesting to me. Have been working up loads for the new 300gn Bergers. Got my best groups at just under 3,000fps but had slight ejector marks and a little stiff bolt lift.

My lowest ES (7es) is running 2,975fps and no pressure signs. This falls in line with what you have experienced. Oh yea, this is with 99gns H1000, CCI250's and .005 0ff the lands.

This is 230fps faster than my 338 Lapua. I am very pleased with this gain but need a little more testing.

 

[SHRTSHTR]

I have 1300 rounds through my 338 LM all with 300 smk's and 300 Bergers. My barrel is 27 1/2" . My load is from 91 gr to 92.5 gr of H-1000 92.5 is max and a sweet spot for accuracy with both the Gen 2 Berger and the SMK. The velocity for 92.5 gr is from 2995 to 2805. This load has been through many chrono's including an Oehler I recently bought. So I can see 2870 from a 32" tube.

Jeff

Better check your ES on your rifle Jeff . I'm sure it was just a typo error.

 

[Broz]

Better check your ES on your rifle Jeff . I'm sure it was just a typo error.

Ooops, you are correct I will change it. Suppose to be 2795 to 2805.

2995 is the velocity of my 300 win.

More coffee please

Thank you Ray.

Jeff

 

[B23]

SavageShtr, what kind of gun is this and what is your OAL?? Also, what happened to the 2999fps you were talking about???

Broz, your #'s are ALWAYS very realistic and real world but I struggle to see how you can get 200 more fps with 4.5 more inches of tube.

95gr of RL25 in a standard 338 Lapua case is, depending on OAL, 110%++ fill capacity and over 90,000 psi load. That's only 30,000+psi over SAAMI specs. Ohhhhh yeah, mmmhmmm, no pressure signs there at all. LOL

 

[Broz]

Broz, your #'s are ALWAYS very realistic and real world but I struggle to see how you can get 200 more fps with 4.5 more inches of tube.

B23, What I was refering to was the quote of 2870 fps from a standard LM with 92 gr of H-1000. And I thought it was from a 32" tube from an earlier post.

I now see the quote of 2999 from a standard 338 LM. If we are talking 300 gr bullets, and I think we are, I too would encourage savageshtr to retest with multipul chrono's.

Sorry for the cofusion.

Jeff

 

[SavageShtr]

B23 I did state I was getting 2999fps with the load of 95.0gr of RL-25. Again it is out of a 32" 1-10 twist barrel on a savage target action. And it is not at 110% case capacity, it is not even a compressed load. The COAL is 2.881" to the o-give. I would love to shoot it over other chronographs but I don't have that luxury I have two and they are both shooting chrony's and they read the same. I only used the 2870fps I was getting with my H-1000 load to show that my chronograph is consistent. I do plan to shoot the RL-25 load again over the chronograph this weekend to triple check the numbers. I did plug the numbers into my ballistic calculator and it matched the real world results I was getting in the field. This load was .75 moa higher than the H-1000 load I was testing the same day at 300 yards. Have you used this powder and load in your rifle or do you just go around and pretend you know everything. All I can say is that I don't get a stiff bolt lift or any ejector marks with this load. I am going to leave it at that.

 

[Broz]

Savageshtr, Now that we know what chrono you are using I feel you are on the right track to retest. I own two "shooting Chrony's" also. Both of mine have lied to me an occation and they never agree even when in line with the same bullet. I now have an Oehler that is earning my trust and seems to be more consistant day to day. Also with the shooting chrony's , they need to be at least 18' from the muzzle or they will give inaccurate readings. They are effected from the blast of a big magnum.

I will admit I have never used RL25 in my 338 LM. I find RL to be too temp sensitive for long range work. But I have tested several powders and I can't see you getting 2999 from a std .338 LM with 300's. No insult intended, just sharing what I have learned with a .338 LM after years of testing.

I have also been involver with the testing of actual gains in inches of barrel length. A good friend took a 32" and kept removing and cutting the same barrel off to test velocity. After 28 to 30" it is a case of diminishing returns as far as we can see. This was done before I built my LM and we made it 27 1/2". I would have went 28" but the tube worked out at 27 1/2" and I was good with that.

Please don't take offence, and please let us know what you get next time out. Light conditions and distance from the muzzle will have big effects on chronographs.

It's all good, we are just talking about what we all love. Big rifles and big bullets.

Jeff

 

[AJBello]

I've been going back in forth for months now trying to decide on one vs the other. Besides the cost of brass what else are the pros and cons of each caliber? If you went lapua what would be your preferred action? Any advise will be greatly appreciated.

Performance is pretty much the same and will likely come down to the individual rifle more than which round you choose.

You're probably going to shoot the same bullet with either, and will also load about the same amount of powder. The only real difference, in the end, is the brass. The Lapua is $$$, but it is NICE and it lasts. The Rem brass is serviceable, but will require more work and will not last nearly as long in general... more than enough to make up for the price difference in my opinion.

I had an Edge... sold it and bought a Lapua. Very happy I did.

The only caveat might be if you already have a Rem700 long action / mag bolt face and could just spin a tube on for an Edge. The difference in initial cost there might be enough to make me say go Edge... otherwise, Lapua all the way.

 

[SavageShtr]

I will test the load again before hunting season starts when it is colder to check the loss of velocity and make my decision then. if I lose too much speed i will just go back to my reliable H-1000 load for deer season. Broz I didn't take any offence to your post. I was directing my last post to B23. I have been shooting for a long time and I know when I have a load that is over pressure. I did have a 6 fps SD on the RL-25 load also. I have the upmost faith in my chronographs, every rifle shot through them has been pretty much spot on. I do have an APS painkiller break on it, so there shouldn't be too much muzzle blast to affect it. I have the chronograph around 10 feet away. Also we are off topic as the OP intended. I'd say go Lapua in any configuration and don't look back.

 

[B23]

SavageShtr

That 2.881 to ogive should put your C.O.A.L. right around 3.620 which puts you at OVER 96,000PSI and 114% load density. I'm not making this stuff up this is straight from QuickLoad which is pretty **** close. Especially using a round with SAMMI specs like the 338 Lapua to go off of.

Now I see how your getting 2999fps and I believe you are but if you think for a second you're NOT WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY over pressure, you would be wrong and if you are loading close to the lands, say 10thou or less, you and anyone around you is flirting with disaster.

You may think that 32in tube is what's getting you those crazy fps numbers but its not it's the INSANE pressure levels you're loading to using 95grains of RL25.

 

[captacademy]

Has anyone tried the Hornady .338, 285 grn match bullet yet for the LM, if so what do you think?

 

[thebbc]

I'd go lapua for the fact that you don't have to resize brass or fireform. Yeah the lapua brass is more expensive but it lasts.

if we are still talking about the Edge then there is no fireforming. I run Nosler 300 ultra brass through my FL redding sizing die and out pops 338 edge brass. no different from a fired case.

Nosler brass is the way to go if you should choose the Edge.