Which powder for 338 lapua improved?

[CA48]

"boscodog, post: 1426404, member: 44198"]Ca48,
I Can't send any photos, sold all my three times fired brass at the end of the summer. I would get fairly flat primers and an occasional light shiny ejector mark, no sticky bolt lift.

I would just be careful in the future. Run the ballistics another 50-100fps hardly makes a difference in drift even way out there and it's not worth risking it. As Kirby says, there is no magic with internal ballistics. Some of the stronger brands of brass will mask pressure signs, and with some custom receivers signs may not show up as easily.

Making the throat longer, extending the OAL and adding more powder should create equivalent pressures?

Yes, more powder equals more velocity. Thats why guys improve these cases and lengthen the throats, to get another 100fps running at safe pressures. Along with many other benifits. Most standard Edges will shoot around 2850fps.[/QUOTE]

 

[boscodog]

"boscodog, post: 1426404, member: 44198"]Ca48,
I Can't send any photos, sold all my three times fired brass at the end of the summer. I would get fairly flat primers and an occasional light shiny ejector mark, no sticky bolt lift.

I would just be careful in the future. Run the ballistics another 50-100fps hardly makes a difference in drift even way out there and it's not worth risking it. As Kirby says, there is no magic with internal ballistics. Some of the stronger brands of brass will mask pressure signs, and with some custom receivers signs may not show up as easily.

Making the throat longer, extending the OAL and adding more powder should create equivalent pressures?

Yes, more powder equals more velocity. Thats why guys improve these cases and lengthen the throats, to get another 100fps running at safe pressures. Along with many other benifits. Most standard Edges will shoot around 2850fps.

[/QUOTE]
I'm not quite understanding you, if both cartridges are reaching the same speed/pressures, one using a smaller space and less powder and one using more space with more powder, what is the difference? What makes you say that the smaller OAL is creating un-safe pressures?

Tom

 

[wboregon]

I'm not quite understanding you, if both cartridges are reaching the same speed/pressures, one using a smaller space and less powder and one using more space with more powder, what is the difference? What makes you say that the smaller OAL is creating un-safe pressures?

Tom[/QUOTE]

Biggest difference is probably an earlier spike in pressure with the smaller volume cases? but that's just a best guess.

I haven't started load development on my edge yet, but it does seem like quite a few people are breaking 3k with the 300gr's bu mostly with a much long OAL then what you were working with. my edge allows me to seat 265gr ABLRs out to an OAL ~3.94 and a ComparatorOAL of 3.181 to the ogive and is about .010 off the lands.

I'll have to look and see what my 300 grain CC's come out to, but those have a fairly short nose compared to something like a Berger OTM.

 

[boscodog]

Quote: (Biggest difference is probably an earlier spike in pressure with the smaller volume cases? but that's just a best guess)

This makes sense to me as well however based on blogs I've read people are saying that when using Rl33 there seems to be less of a pressure spike when seating closer too or on the lands ( I'm .005 off ) also better performance. This is why I'm asking these questions, I'm wondering if I have just found a good combination here or am I pushing things, there's no signs of excess pressure that I'm aware of.

Tom

 

[CA48]

I'm not quite understanding you, if both cartridges are reaching the same speed/pressures, one using a smaller space and less powder and one using more space with more powder, what is the difference? What makes you say that the smaller OAL is creating un-safe pressures?

Tom[/QUOTE]

Both are are reaching the same speed with the same charge but I doubt the pressures are equal. I have a feeling your doing it with higher pressures than I am having 3-3.5 grains less case volume and 2" shorter barrel and less capacity using the shorter oal.

I'm not saying your at unsafe pressures because I'm not there to see spent cases or shoot the rifle myself. That and RL-33 has been producing some high velocitys. But something does seem a little out of the ordinary.

What brand brass are you using?

 

[boscodog]

I'm not quite understanding you, if both cartridges are reaching the same speed/pressures, one using a smaller space and less powder and one using more space with more powder, what is the difference? What makes you say that the smaller OAL is creating un-safe pressures?

Tom

Both are are reaching the same speed with the same charge but I doubt the pressures are equal. I have a feeling your doing it with higher pressures than I am having 3-3.5 grains less case volume and 2" shorter barrel and less capacity using the shorter oal.

I'm not saying your at unsafe pressures because I'm not there to see spent cases or shoot the rifle myself. That and RL-33 has been producing some high velocitys. But something does seem a little out of the ordinary.

What brand brass are you using?[/QUOTE]
Brass is Remington. The fired brass looks good, very light ejector Marks occasionally and no tight bolt lift, primers are flat.

Tom

 

[CA48]

Hmm idk. I don't have any Rl-33 right now but il try to find some to play with again. I wouldn't think you be able to get 108grs in the case at that oal but I could be wrong.

Here is part of what I have from my notes when I pressure tested 33 with Rem brass back in 2015. This is with an oal of 4.105"

105grs- 2960fps slight cratering around the firing pin, Slightly flattened primer.

107grs- 3013fps faint ejector mark,Primer flattened

108grs- 3035fps powder crunching while seating, primer flattened, shiny ejector mark

 

[kaseyfied]

I get 3050 with a lapua improved.. rl33 and a loooong throat. Thatd crazy your getting those velocities in a standard lapua. Best we could do was 2820 with any podwer and a step throat seating long

 

[boscodog]

I get 3050 with a lapua improved.. rl33 and a loooong throat. Thatd crazy your getting those velocities in a standard lapua. Best we could do was 2820 with any podwer and a step throat seating long

It's 338 edge

Tom

 

[kaseyfied]

Still thats pretty **** fast

 

[WildRose]

Modern calculators will account for temperature instability in your inputs.