Reloading suggestions for .338 Lapua

[Texas Republic]

I'm not trying to be the downer guy here but if you are getting consistent 1/2 MOA groups out of a factory gun then you should be doing back flips in joy. You are not going to get custom gun accuracy out of a factory rifle. If you find a load that is giving you consistent 1/2 MOA groups at 300 then I would take that load and stretch it out to further distances and see how it does.

I guess what I am trying to say is don't get pulling your hair out frustrated if you are shooting a half MOA group out of a factory rifle because that is pretty darn good. I am all for more testing and fun but 1/2 MOA out of a factory rifle? I won't be wasting anymore money on load development if I don't want to.

Good luck guys and have fun!

I have had great groups with this Savage rifle not very long ago. Pic below from 100 yard target.

I am new to reloading, and would bet the problem lies with my ignorance of the finer details of the entire reloading process. I am trying to figure out what I am doing wrong in replicating that group and developing an accurate load.

I am sure custom built rifles are very accurate, but to generally say that factory rifles aren't more than 1/2 moa at 100? No offense, but I have factory AR-10 rifles that are more accurate than 1/2 moa. You might want to take a look at the link below. I am sure custom rifles can shoot a fleas butt at 1000 yards, but I will be satisfied with a golf ball. Oh by the way... that is the FACTORY Savage 110BA in 338 in the post. Not a custom. I know Chad at DallasCustomReloads. He doesnt need to make stuff up for business.

northtexasrifleprecision.freeforums.org • View topic - Branden PRI & a 1000 yard golf ball shot!


Ok. Sorry for my off topic comment. Had to put my two cents in.

 

[Korhil78]

I have had great groups with this Savage rifle not very long ago. Pic below from 100 yard target.

I am new to reloading, and would bet the problem lies with my ignorance of the finer details of the entire reloading process. I am trying to figure out what I am doing wrong in replicating that group and developing an accurate load.

I am sure custom built rifles are very accurate, but to generally say that factory rifles aren't more than 1/2 moa at 100? No offense, but I have factory AR-10 rifles that are more accurate than 1/2 moa. You might want to take a look at the link below. I am sure custom rifles can shoot a fleas butt at 1000 yards, but I will be satisfied with a golf ball. Oh by the way... that is the FACTORY Savage 110BA in 338 in the post. Not a custom. I know Chad at DallasCustomReloads. He doesnt need to make stuff up for business.

northtexasrifleprecision.freeforums.org • View topic - Branden PRI & a 1000 yard golf ball shot!


Ok. Sorry for my off topic comment. Had to put my two cents in.

Never said that factory rifles won't shoot better than that but that it is darn good out of a factory rifle (300 yds not 100).

Anyway, that is a very fine group. How many times have you tried replicating that with no success? Can you show the pics of the groups as you were trying? I'm no 30 year reloader butaybe we can get different perspectives on it. That is what is great about this site. A bunch of people coming together with different ideas.

 

[green 788]

here's another good read re factory savage rifles... one took the Hickory groundhog shoot a couple years back... beat the other factory rifles and the customs too... Savage Factory Gun Wins Hickory Shoot. Savage 6mmBR Ships This Week. « Daily Bulletin

In Hornady brass, trimmed to 2.715", 90.5 to 91.0 grains of Retumbo behind 300 SMK's seems to be the node... In Lapua cases, I'm using 89.3 grains of Retumbo and it's working great... 2700 fps is fast enough for the 300's. I can push them to 2800 with 92 grains of Retumbo in Lapua brass, and that'll shoot clover leafs at 100, but I don't want to trash these cases... so I'm satisfied with the next lower node, in the mid 89's...

Dan

 

[SidecarFlip]

here's another good read re factory savage rifles... one took the Hickory groundhog shoot a couple years back... beat the other factory rifles and the customs too... Savage Factory Gun Wins Hickory Shoot. Savage 6mmBR Ships This Week. « Daily Bulletin

In Hornady brass, trimmed to 2.715", 90.5 to 91.0 grains of Retumbo behind 300 SMK's seems to be the node... In Lapua cases, I'm using 89.3 grains of Retumbo and it's working great... 2700 fps is fast enough for the 300's. I can push them to 2800 with 92 grains of Retumbo in Lapua brass, and that'll shoot clover leafs at 100, but I don't want to trash these cases... so I'm satisfied with the next lower node, in the mid 89's...

Dan

Dan, Mr. Green...

What primer are you using and what are you setting the projectiles to as far as COAL? Is this single chambered round or you using magazine feed?... and are you weighing each charge individually or using a manual or electronic powder dispenser? Finally, is this a FL resize or a neck size fire formed case and frequency of case annealing between reloads...

Inquiring minds (curious) want to know....

Might as well use your load as a benchmark, I've collected just about enough once fired cases for begin reloading them...

My only derivitave will be I have some pulled PPU cases and Lapua cases. No hornady (thank goodness).....

I'm a person who believes in benefitting from others experiences and building on that.

Of course, still a great thread....

 

[green 788]

I shot an OAL test today... checked 3.690" against 3.685" (average OAL to tip of bullets, the bullets can vary by .005" or so)... and the shorter length cut the group size in half at 325 yards. No target photos to show... but I had a 2" group at 325 with the 3.690", then ended up with 1.5" for 3 shots at the OAL of 3.685".

3.685" has been the best OAL for my rifle (with the 300 SMK's)... not sure how far off the lands that is, but it'll magazine feed easily.

I just partial FL size... if that makes sense. I want plenty of neck tension, so I just use the FL sizer and run the cases in enough to get all of the neck (this is easy to see, just look at smudged area when you pull case out of the die)... but I haven't had to bump the shoulder yet.

Only on second firing of 100 Lapua cases... not needed annealing yet...

weigh each charge of Retumbo... I can't get it to meter well enough from my powder measure.

Bolt closes slightly snug... no problems with extraction... primers look great.

Dan

 

[gorillamotors]

Just got back from the range shooting my Rem 700 PSS in 308. Well I met a friend there that had 1000 Lapua 338 pieces of brass that he was getting rid of. He said most had only been fired once and the ones that had 2 firings on them were bagged (about 100 or so). I bought them all for only $100. What a deal that was. Now my question is that I am going to buy a 3 piece Redding competition set of dies for them. What bushing size do I need for them?

Jim

 

[barnesuser28]

I use the 365 for .002-.003 neck tension but any where from 360-365 would work well. Is this a single shot or magazine fed?

 

[gorillamotors]

Another friend of mine gave me a Sako trg-42 338 LM because the police commissioner does not allow guns within the city in California where he moved to. I told him that I would use it alot but if he wanted it back I would give it back to him. The gun is magazine fed.

I also forgot to ask about the primers. I see most use a magnum primer like CCI250 but can I use CCI BR2?

Jim

 

[barnesuser28]

I would go with 364 or 363 size bushing

 

[sharplikestump]

More Rookie Questions:

I will preempt the questions with this: You guys are Wizards!
I am just back into reloading (after a 1/4 century hiatus), and I wish I had found this site and tapped into this knowlege sooner, but that is the nature of living and learning.
The rifle is a 338 Savage 111, mag fed, w/1in 9 twist. I have no intentions at this time in hunting with it. I have bagged more Elk than I can remember with my trusty 300 Winnie, and while this rifle would obviously reach out far better, I am focusing on bench resting. Initial impressions blow me away and that, along with the rediculous price of factory ammo inspired the return to reloading.
OK....All I have shot to this point has been Hornady factory. I was quite surprised how tough ejection was. While I intend to work with that brass during break-in, and during bonding with this wonderful rifle, I have purchased new Lapua brass.
Prior to reading the reviews here on the Sierra GK, I purchased some Lapua 250 gr. Scenars, along with some Hornady 285gr. Match bullets. I plan on using these up, and then will probably make a decision on moving to the 300s in either Sierra or Lapua Scenars (I really like that .773 BC).
I have also purchased 16#s of IMR 4831. It sounds to me like most prefer the Retumbo, but this is what I have to work with, so please consider that in your advice.
What I hope to be guided on here, at this time is the following:
Starting loads with THAT powder, and each of THOSE bullets.
OAL length on each?
Are my Winchester Large Magnum primers acceptable, and how much diff. does the primer make?
And any other tips to questions that I have not learned enough to ask yet.
I bought dies for several calibers. RCBS, Hornady, and LEE (which happens to be for the 338). They are all two pc. FL. I do not like the Lee, and will probably replace it. The fact is that the Hornady actually impresses me the most, but they do not have one for the Lapua as of yet.
Thank you all so Very Much!
Mike

 

[jlamb]

Mike,

I'd try the following:

Coal - .020" off the lands
Win LRM Primers
IMR4831 in the .5 grain increments until you feel a stiff bolt lift; (from Hodgdon.com)
80.0 grns thru 85.0 grns

Every rifle is differnet you should be able to find something in that range. My Rem 700P likes 85.5 grains of H4831SC w/Sierra 250 SMK's. Good luck.

 

[Big Jake Duke]

Has anyone used the Cutting Edge 225 gr 640 bc bullets? Any load data for the 225s?

 

[sharplikestump]

JLamb,
Thank you so much!
That is pretty much where I am. I loaded up a couple of batches in the lower end of that range. We have had extreme winds, which quit last night, and I am nipping at the bit, but I am also waiting for the arrival of a chronograph, so I think we'll take the Porta-Bote out on a high mtn. lake today and hope the UPS man brings me the latest toy....umm, I mean Tool.
I also ordered a Forster die set. I checked concentricity on a couple of rounds out of the Lee die set, and see roughly .012 runout. Not liking that.
Thanks again,
Mike

 

[jlamb]

Mike,

Forester makes good dies. If you want to take it up a notch buy the forester neck turner and take your brass neck walls down to .014" and purchase a Redding Type S neck sizer die with a .365 bushing...Things will become "repeatable."