Trigger24
Active Member
15% below equivalent lead core weight bullet max is my usual recommendation for a starting load.
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Badlands Precision Bullets thread - From BC to terminal ballistics
- Thread starter codyadams
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pheerles
Member
How deep are you guys seating these? Due to the VLD design of the SBDs (and I assume the SBD2s as well), would your jumps then be relatively long?
pheerles
Member
Wow, 15%? For a Lapua Mag that's nearing 15 grains under!
Just thinking out loud: If pressure hits early (10-15% seems like a lot) with normally used powders would going to that next slower burn rate powder even things out? What about case fill? Are the projectiles stuffed into the case far enough to even things out?
pheerles
Member
I knew you meant 15% below for starting charges. In my experience this has always given me way too low velocities and basically wastes my hard-earned components, as I would never use them in a practical use case scenario. Guess I'll have to just accept the risks if I start from 5% lower than C&C max charges.
Especially in this political climate and my state's draconian laws, I feel the need to hang on (hoard?) to my reloading components. I know, woe is me, right?
I think 0.035 - 0.040" off the lands (jump) is better than 0.010" jump.
Solid copper bullets engrave the rifling less easily than thin jacketed lead core bullets, I think it helps to have them hit the lands at a healthy run.
They say Barnes copper bullets do well with 0.050-0.060" jumps, and I think that's why. More consistent powder combustion, lower ES/SD when the bullet is moving when rifling engraving begins. My opinion.
Cory is running his 270gr .338 with even more jump. Like 0.065" jump.
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Understand. I tried that route and loosened some primer pockets. I'm no weenie when it comes to pushing pressure. I don't think you'll blow a primer with Lapua, Peterson, or ADG brass.
Maybe go 10% low and wear a snow machine helmet with visor on the first shot! And leather welding gloves.
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pheerles
Member
Understand. I tried that route and loosened some primer pockets. I'm no weenie when it comes to pushing pressure. I don't think you'll blow a primer with Lapua, Pedersen, or ADG brass.
Maybe go 10% low and wear a snow machine helmet with visor on the first shot! And leather welding gloves.
I've actually inadvertently tried a batch of 104gr of RE-25 in a 338LM behind 225gr TTSX (upwards of 3450fps), found many stuck bolts, extruded primers, deep extractor marks and sheared 4 sets of scope mount screws but still have yet to loosen a primer pocket! For a frame of reference, my go-to load is 94.2 gr of RE-25 behind a 210gr TTSX, in the neighborhood of 3100-3125fps.
Before anybody judges me on the above, bear in mind those days are long gone.
I went back and looked at my most comparable load data, comparing the 300gr .338 Berger OTM bullet with the 275gr .338 Bulldozer-1 (not the newer Bulldozer-2).
28" 10-twist Bartlein barrel, chambered in .338 Lapua Rogue (37-degree shoulder).
Alliant RL-33 Powder, 338 Lapua brass, Fed GM 215M primers, 60F.
With the 300gr Berger OTM jammed 0.010", I was loading 105.3gr RL-33 and getting ~2,920fps MV.
With the 275gr Bulldozer, 0.040" jump to lands, I was loading 103.2gr RL-33 and getting ~3,020fps MV.
So was using 2.1gr (2%) less RL-33, but with a 25gr (9%) lighter bullet. This isn't 100% comparable because of the differing bullet weights, but the best comparison I have from my 4 rifles. I switched powders in some of the rifles when I began loading the .284 and .308 Bulldozer bullets.
28" 10-twist Bartlein barrel, chambered in .338 Lapua Rogue (37-degree shoulder).
Alliant RL-33 Powder, 338 Lapua brass, Fed GM 215M primers, 60F.
With the 300gr Berger OTM jammed 0.010", I was loading 105.3gr RL-33 and getting ~2,920fps MV.
With the 275gr Bulldozer, 0.040" jump to lands, I was loading 103.2gr RL-33 and getting ~3,020fps MV.
So was using 2.1gr (2%) less RL-33, but with a 25gr (9%) lighter bullet. This isn't 100% comparable because of the differing bullet weights, but the best comparison I have from my 4 rifles. I switched powders in some of the rifles when I began loading the .284 and .308 Bulldozer bullets.
codyadams
Well-Known Member
As far as jump, they weren't too picky for me. I ended up at .060" jump, but it was only slightly better than all the other seating depths from .010 to .110 off I tried.
alcesgigas
Well-Known Member
After numerous rounds using different loadings I began last years hunting with what I found best (then), as follows:
Petersen/GM215M/100 GN RL26 seated 4.030 (CBTO) for a MV of 3144 fps. All this with a SINGLE SHOT ACTION w/32" Bartlein 1:9.5-1:8 gain twist 338 LMAI (orthodox 40* shoulder). I began my loads at 90 GN, after changing my mind from a 95 GN start. Glad I did as my experience proved Phorwath's earlier statements. I went up as far as 102 GN RL26, but backed down due wide ES and the temperature was in the 70's maybe higher there in direct sunlight. The most accurate bullet in this rifle thus far has been the 255 GN Flatline, but that bullet is not a hunting bullet; the SuperDozers are. I was amazed that the SDs very nearly equaled the Flatlines in group size and they seem to be consistent. Caution advised; the data is from this specific rifle and based on exactly 90 SDs down the spout.
Petersen/GM215M/100 GN RL26 seated 4.030 (CBTO) for a MV of 3144 fps. All this with a SINGLE SHOT ACTION w/32" Bartlein 1:9.5-1:8 gain twist 338 LMAI (orthodox 40* shoulder). I began my loads at 90 GN, after changing my mind from a 95 GN start. Glad I did as my experience proved Phorwath's earlier statements. I went up as far as 102 GN RL26, but backed down due wide ES and the temperature was in the 70's maybe higher there in direct sunlight. The most accurate bullet in this rifle thus far has been the 255 GN Flatline, but that bullet is not a hunting bullet; the SuperDozers are. I was amazed that the SDs very nearly equaled the Flatlines in group size and they seem to be consistent. Caution advised; the data is from this specific rifle and based on exactly 90 SDs down the spout.
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pheerles
Member
Are you going to run the SBD2s with RL-33? I've got some SBD (not the updated version) 270gr cartridges loaded up for a ladder with RL-33 (starting 99gr going up to 104) that I have yet to gather data on.
