B23
Well-Known Member
WOW!! I'm not even getting 3200 with the 225's out of my Accumark
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338 long range questions?
- Thread starter bubbagodkin
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Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
Your rifle should get quite a bit more velocity even with the 26 inch barrel. My elk load this year out of a 338 ultramag with a 25.5 inch barrel shot the 225 AB's at 3264 fps. My 340 wby will shoot them 3200 fps out of a 28 inch barrel.
B23
Well-Known Member
Have any load data you are willing to share?
You're obviously doing something alot better than me because I'm not even close to those velocites.
3500fps w/225 WOW!!! Can't imagine brass lasts very long with that load. You must be driving the hell out of those things.
You're obviously doing something alot better than me because I'm not even close to those velocites.
3500fps w/225 WOW!!! Can't imagine brass lasts very long with that load. You must be driving the hell out of those things.
Long Time Long Ranger, no need to apologize, don't worry and I know what ya mean about the attacks...hadn't had any at me personally yet...at least I don't think so. You and I were on a similar thread about a week ago and some guy don't remember who thought he knew it all and went at you. I think it was on the subject of RUM barrels burning out. Little did he know your resume-extensive experience w/rums, smith etc. Thanks.
Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
338-378 wby, 28" Hart barrel 1-12 twist, Mk5 action, 127 grains H-870, 225 nosler AB, 3480 fps. This is not an extremely hot load in this rifle. Another built on a ruger #1 action with 31" Hart barrel 1-12 twist is getting 3550 fps with the 225 AB and Retumbo. I am still working with this one on load development. Can't tell you about brass life there but the primers look good and are not flattened. Both Retumbo and H-870 get over 3000 fps with the 300 SMK in the rifles I have twisted 1-10. Remember H-870 can easily vary 5% batch to batch so work up carefully.
Sometimes you get a slow barrel. It happens to all of us if you buy enough guns. Also a few fast ones just the same. But even considering a very slow barrel you are well below what you should be getting out of your 338-378 Accumark. Velocity loss per inch in the big 338's is small. Maybe 20 fps per inch or less.
Sometimes you get a slow barrel. It happens to all of us if you buy enough guns. Also a few fast ones just the same. But even considering a very slow barrel you are well below what you should be getting out of your 338-378 Accumark. Velocity loss per inch in the big 338's is small. Maybe 20 fps per inch or less.
B23
Well-Known Member
I understand every pressure chamber is different but those sound like very hot loads to me.
I'm sure you are already aware of this but there is more to overpressure than flat primers.
I'm sure you are already aware of this but there is more to overpressure than flat primers.
Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
I was just trying to help you with your rifle. I have worked with the 338-378 wby for thirty years and know it fairly well and what you can do with it. If you want help to make your rifle shoot better I can probably do that.
I have a hard time making any sense of this post......but you are the LTLR !!!!!!!!!
UB
Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
Bubbagodkin, My appologies for letting someone sidetrack me on your post and get off topic. Your question is a very good one. What I was getting at originally is that some guys start off with a 700 remington 338 ultramag which will get you virtually the same performance as the 338-300 ultramag or if they want more velocity and want to go straight to the top end get a 338-378 weatherby Accumark. There is a good chance with just a little tweeking either of these rifles will give you the long range capability you are looking for saving you quite a bit of money. If they do not then you have the perfect platform for a rebarrel to the rifle you want. With the remington you could have a smith make an excellent long range rifle with either the 338 ultramag or the 338-300 ultramag. With the Weatherby you have one of the best actions in the business to go well beyond the ultramags and ready for the 338 Lapua IMP, 338-378 wby, 338-416 Rigby IMP, etc.
If you wanted to go straight custom right off I would go with a custom action and all the rest. You will be well satisfied. If you do that I would go for all the velocity I could get. The 338-300 ultramag or edge is a great round for a rebarrel job on a standard magnum action. If you go custom I would definitely step up to one of the chamberings off the 378 or 416 rigby case and get top velocity. Why spend that kind of money and not have the top dawg out there. All are extremely accurate so that is not a factor. But you are looking at up to 200 fps difference and when you start shooting at extreme range every fps matters to help eliminate the most critical of variables which is wind drift. The fastest time of flight to target is critical to eliminate as much of that variable as possible. The 338 lapua imp is a good choice which is a shortenned 416 rigby case and feeds better through the magazine with the long high BC bullets. The full length Rigby imp is probably about the top velocity before the chey- tac wildcats. The 338-378 wby is right there with it in a standard cartridge so in a tight when the airlines lose your bullets on a remote hunt you can buy bullets. That has happenned to me and was a savior.
Good luck with your choice.
If you wanted to go straight custom right off I would go with a custom action and all the rest. You will be well satisfied. If you do that I would go for all the velocity I could get. The 338-300 ultramag or edge is a great round for a rebarrel job on a standard magnum action. If you go custom I would definitely step up to one of the chamberings off the 378 or 416 rigby case and get top velocity. Why spend that kind of money and not have the top dawg out there. All are extremely accurate so that is not a factor. But you are looking at up to 200 fps difference and when you start shooting at extreme range every fps matters to help eliminate the most critical of variables which is wind drift. The fastest time of flight to target is critical to eliminate as much of that variable as possible. The 338 lapua imp is a good choice which is a shortenned 416 rigby case and feeds better through the magazine with the long high BC bullets. The full length Rigby imp is probably about the top velocity before the chey- tac wildcats. The 338-378 wby is right there with it in a standard cartridge so in a tight when the airlines lose your bullets on a remote hunt you can buy bullets. That has happenned to me and was a savior.
Good luck with your choice.
