338 Lapua powder Extreme spreads

[SAGE RAT DELETER]

Can anyone give me some data on your powder ES's for your most accurate loads.

Case, bullet, powder/primer, velo/ES, group and so on.

Savage 111 BA...All bullets show promise with some powders...we all know how that goes...about 300 down range so far, and barrel is a bit touchy on the vibes.


I've tried Retumbo, RL-25, Magpro, H1000, H & IMR 4831 with 250-300 gr SMK, Berger's, Barnes, Hornady etc all match, all benchrest tuned rounds, seated 0.015" off lands and all except H1000 have ES's in the 40-60 fs range and only a few 125yd targets below .5"...one at 0.160" and one at 0.390" CC...H1000 at 95 and 96 gr gave 8 and 6 respectively at 3.80" COAL at 2884 and 2903...haven't gone over 125 yds as the ES's have been too high...haven't targeted the H1000 yet....tomorrow if it doesn't snow.

ANY data will help...Thanks

[hafejd30]

I use RE 33 so might not help you with ES. I posted on here regarding RE 33 and 300 smk if you want to search for the thread. My advice is shoot further. At least 300 and 500 if you have it.

[SAGE RAT DELETER]

ANY data is good...I haven't tried 33 because it isn't available locally yet but as soon as I can get my hands on some I WILL.I will run a search...just haven't yet because I'm on dial-up and it is EXCRUCIATINGLY SLOW. Thanks

[WinnieTheBoom]

Definitely try RL-33, I've had the best results with it by far. Average velocity standard deviation hovers anywhere between 7.5 and 15 fps for me. I've found that my rifle prefers Hornady 285gr BTHP seated just barely touching the lands. This combination has shown the best consistency regarding group size and velocity, at least for me, and in my brief testing of other powder/bullet combinations, it really wasn't even close.

I've also tried Retumbo, RL-25, and H-1000, but quickly settled on RL-33 as my go to. The 250gr and 300gr SMKs have also shown some promise (the latter more so than the former), but I haven't done enough testing with them to really know for sure. I can tell you that the 1:10 twist definitely like the heavier bullets better, and all the testing that I've done has garnered the best results with them seated touching or just off (<.001"), but I'm sure that you'll be able to come up with some combination that works for you.

Charge weights, just start low and work your way up as your mileage is going to vary. I actually used 300gr load data for the 285gr bullets since both Alliant and Hornady hadn't done any testing w/ RL-33 and the 285s. As long as your doing velocity validation, it should be pretty obvious when you hit a consistency node. If/when you can get your hands on RL-33, feel free to shoot me a PM and I'd be happy to share my data with you.

Also, did you say "if it doesn't snow...?" If it's already that cold where you are, I know that RL-25 is known to be very volatile with temperature fluctuations, so that may be worth monitoring while going through your progressions. Good luck.

[SAGE RAT DELETER]

Thanks, againFired two - 2 shot groups this AM...~36°...using the 95-96 gr/Berger 250 Hybrid at 3.80" COAL load from yesterday...~0.720" and ~0.400", so I will fiddle with the seating and the powder a bit. MUCH better than the other groups...RL-25 gave me a 0.390" at ~2950fs. ALL my brass/bullets/other components are benchrest prepped and I don't believe in wasting components...the two shots will either group or spread and if they don't group no use wasting a third or forth shot.Variations in ogive point, case volume neck thickness and seating points...as everyone already knows...can drive a man/woman to hard likker or other disgusting activities... hahahahahahahahSnipershide had some good data with some powders doing single digit ES's/SD's but these are only one of the many things that affect accuracy...again a well know factoid.These loads are ~0.020" off the lands but that can change relatively quickly with velo's/pressures in these big cases...I have/had a few large capacity/small 6mm-7mm wildcats that chewed up throats at ~005" per 25-50 shots and were done with tiny groups in 700-1000 rounds...the still shot plenty good for hunting for another similar amounts.This is basically the reason for wanting to know ES's so I don't burn up a throat before I get a good load.Heading to town...100 mile R.T. for H100 and some Horn 285 A-Max's...I have some of the 285 HP Match to try...and hopefully some 33...I ordered some from all three gun shop/stores but none were very optimistic.

[SAGE RAT DELETER]

Went to town..wasted trip almost..NO A-Max's, NO mag primers of ANY type AND NO POWDER, but found a bottle of US 869 so all is not lost and I ordered those components for next time delivery to save that miserable HazMat charge.Fired a 2 shot 96.5 gr/H1000 group...it opened to 0.917"...doesn't like that one. Tomorrow, IF I'm lucky, I will get a couple groups with seating length changes...rain expected this weekend and snow maybe Sunday night and Monday, so I'm just about done for a while. This will give me time to get into the woods to my 300 yd "range" and see how it fared last winter and this summer and maybe stretch that to 400 yds. It's only 3 miles away, back in a canyon and I can ride my ATV to it...I've set up rock cairns at 100 through 300 yds and I have a 4' portable target frame...two 1/2" rods, two 1/2" ABS pipes, two tee's and two 90 ells...AND an extra length of pipe...I keep blowing the **** out of the plastic stuff....hahahahahahabummerA few Retumbo loads on Snipershide were reported as having single digit ES's but most reporters just give loads velocities and NO ES's.I'll post any interesting 338 Lapua things that happen or I read about, but it doesn't seem to be many Lapua shooters here or they are not talkative.Thanks again.

[SAGE RAT DELETER]

Now THIS is much better...NOW i WILL MOVE OUT TO 300 yd and farther.


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