338 Excalibur load data

[jrowe]

A-Square reloading manual only shows 200 and 250 gr bullets.. a8700 and h870 both will get you 3200 fps with a 250 grain

 

[stamp215]

A-Square reloading manual only shows 200 and 250 gr bullets.. a8700 and h870 both will get you 3200 fps with a 250 grain

Ya thats been my biggest problem is that it seems like thats what it originally was built for was for lower grain bullets to go super fast. It shoots 250 smk's right now at 3175 fps but those bullets are horrible for BC's.

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

I want a 300XC or Raptor. Sending 215's at 3300+ makes me all warm inside!

 

[Capt RB]

Rl33 is slower than Retumbo and Rl50 is just a tick faster than 50bmg

 

[jrowe]

Ya thats been my biggest problem is that it seems like thats what it originally was built for was for lower grain bullets to go super fast. It shoots 250 smk's right now at 3175 fps but those bullets are horrible for BC's.

I personally hunt with a 338 A-Square and use Nosler 200 Gr Ballistic Tips along with a Leopod v3 4x14 tac scope. No problem popping rabbits at 600+ yards and have had nothing walk away from it in over 15yrs of use. I haven't felt any need to run 250 grs thru it. The 200s fly at 3250 fps. I have pushed the 200s to 3425 but accuracy suffered and the pressure started splitting the necks of the brass.

 

[Autorotate]

There is a member that has owned one that might still have some load data that he would share called Autorotate

J E CUSTOM

From my notes in 2009

Here's the load I settled in on. Shoots 1.75 to 2 inches at 300 yds.

122 gr H-50 BMG
F215GM
300 SMK
3.425 Ogive COAL (4.12+ OAL)
A-Square brass
Neck turned to .013 thickness
.002 worth of neck tension
3070 fps avg over 8 shots
ES 16 fps over 8 shots
Brux 31.25" barrel from bolt face to muzzle crown

5 firings haven't lost a primer pocket.

Have went up to 126 grains of H50BMG well over 3100 fps, still no primer pocket loss, but sticky bolt lift. Retumbo worked too, but assuming someone want's max effort if they're building one of these, so H50BMG is where'd I'd start.

 

[Deleted member 8840]

Try the 245 grain Lehighs

 

[huntintoo]

Is anyone shooting 338 excalibur's? Trying to find some load data for 300gr bergers. Three of us bought these rifles at sci a few years ago an trying to change loads. Unfortunately the person that built them isn't in Buisness no more.

 

[huntintoo]

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

Kind of surprised no one as bothered with the 265-275gr Lazers out of it.

 

[Deleted member 8840]

Don't know about Lazers, can I find them online?

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

They're made by cutting edge

 

[alcesgigas]

The Raptor case Bertrum has in stock now is longer than the Excal case but has the exact same case capacity.
Not sure but I think the first ones Kirby got made had more case capacity, then Bertrum changed something ,maybe trying to make it stronger in the case head witch reduced case capacity!!!!!
114 grns of retumbo/2225 ADI Australian powder will get around 3150 with a 30'' barrel.
or 125 grns of 50 bmg /2218 ADI for about the same.
123 grns of 2218 in a 28'' barrel gets 3080 mild load.
112 grns 2225 for the same velocity .
the 2225 is temp sensitive but produces more case pressure so be careful .
I have 2 Excals one 14 lb and one 9.9 lb carry rifle .
I think Reloader 26 or 33 would be worth a try.

Give RL50 a try; it proved very accurate in my two forms of improved 338LM, but slow. Should do much better in the EXCal. Vihtovuori n570 also; their 24n41 and 20n29 might just be the cat's meow.

 

[Deleted member 8840]

Just finished today. Have not shot it yet.
32 inch X Calibur barrel on Savage target action. Will be reworking my loads. Will be using different powder than 50bmg. I'll post loads later.