Favorite 338L loads

[jimbo88mm]

I just picked up a savage 112 338Lap. I'd like to hear what some of you guys are running in your factory barrels and what velocities are being seen.

I will be starting with 285gr Amax over H1000. Will probably start at 89grs and work up from there.

Also, for those that use RL-33, how much velocity/pressure variations are you seeing between summers and winters.

Thanks!

[bearcatrp]

I have the FCP with a Burris XTR II 4-20x50. Using 285 ELD-M with 89.8 gr of H-1000. Getting 2780 FPS. Just picked up the new 270 ELD-X to work up some loads. Hornady hasn't come out with their load data for it yet but they told me to use the 285 data and work up. Was going to try RL-33 but know a guy who tried it with same rifle as mine and said don't bother. Told me to stay with H-1000. Tried Retumbo but seems I needed more powder than H-1000 to obtain same velocity. May be expensive to shoot these monsters but boy is it fun banging steel at 1000 yards. Hope to try 1 mile in the short future.

[homefrontsniper]

Surgeon Remedy XL.338 27" Krieger MTU
Throat for 300gn. SMK. Never did shoot any SMK (no need!
H1000 91gn.
300gn. Lapua Lapua Brass Fed. Mag. Primers
2830 m.v.
Stay with H1000

[Texas10]

Shooting the Model 112, 338LM with NightForce 4-14X56 scope.
Sierra 300 SMK, H1000; found 88.4 to be the sweet spot while jumping .060, gave us .39moa at 300 yds. Hammer on steel at 1000 yds.
Working up the Hornaday 285 ELD-M now, starting with a .020 jump and 84.0 to 92.0 grs of H1000, may shoot this afternoon. We'll see how it goes.

[bearcatrp]

I have my 285’s at a .020 jump. Works great. Post your results when you can.

[yobuck]

Id be curious to know why more 338 Lapua shooters aren't mentioning the use of 250 gr bullets.
I fully realize that accuracy is important, and if one bullet is better in that regard, then that's the best choice.
That said, many of the l/r hunters i know, most of whom are using larger capacity 338s than the Lapua, are using 250 gr bullets for hunting l/r.
The reason is the velocity advantage they have over the 300s. They also claim that due to the additional velocity, they see no advantage to using the 300 gr until the distance reaches the 1500 yd range.

[bearcatrp]

Was going to look at 250 gr bullets but then Hornady came out with the 270 ELD-X. Hornady hasn’t published reload data yet. Was told to use the 285 data and work up. Worked up one set so far. Highest so far is 91.4 gr of H-1000 @2860 fps. Going to try a little more on my next set.

[jimbo88mm]

Id be curious to know why more 338 Lapua shooters aren't mentioning the use of 250 gr bullets.
I fully realize that accuracy is important, and if one bullet is better in that regard, then that's the best choice.
That said, many of the l/r hunters i know, most of whom are using larger capacity 338s than the Lapua, are using 250 gr bullets for hunting l/r.
The reason is the velocity advantage they have over the 300s. They also claim that due to the additional velocity, they see no advantage to using the 300 gr until the distance reaches the 1500 yd range.

It's going to depend on what the application is. I think for hunting, the ~250gr bullets make sense because the flatter trajectory is a benefit. For long range target shooting at 1000 yards and beyond, windage is more important than elevation, especially if you are shooting at known distances. I've spent a lot of time playing with ballistic calculations and the 250s just can't hand with the heavier bullets past 1500. We're talking a full moa or better in a 10 mph wind.

Hornadys 285's are in an interesting sweet spot. On paper they edge most of the 300s if pushed fast enough. Nosler's 265gr ABLR is another interesting option. They just recently revised the BCs on their ABLR. They look more accurate now. If you can push the 265 fast enough, it will buck the wind better than a 300 out to 1500.

[jimbo88mm]

Good responses guys, thanks. Would be nice if we can keep this one going. There is surprisingly little out there in regards to 338s on savage platforms.

I did take my 112 out yesterday with the goal of just getting it zerod. I just had 20 rounds.

The load:
86.5gr of H1000
285 Amax
Peterson Brass
CCI 250 mag primers

The very first group I shot was .715 (4 shots)
The second group I shot was .406 (also 4 shots)
Everything I shot was comfortably under 1 moa. To say I'm pleased with the precision would be an understatement. No load development, just picked out what looked like a mid level load. Bullets were jumped .030.

I did run into one peculiar issue, of the 20 rounds, 5 had light primer strikes. I started to post about this issue on accurateshooter.com. Don't want to get side tracked in this thread. I'm sure I'll get it figured out.

[scope eye]

Barnes 160gr TTSX with 100gr of RL17 good for 4000 fps

Hey you asked.

Dean

[bc160]

Scope eye it's good to see your still hanging out around here!!! Back to the question.... I've had good luck with ramshot magnum powder and 265 lrx bullets

[Texas10]

Range report on the 338 loads from above: The 86.0 grains shot a perfect waterline at 200 yds. and grouped about .6 moa and 88.0 shot the tightest group at .48 moa.

Throughout the entire load development, nothing shot worse than .7 moa with the 285 ELD-M, but we'll go ahead and try 86.0 to 88.0 in one grain increments. Additionally, we'll try seating it deeper too. The day was very windy and overcast.

Jim, have you measured your Peterson cases before and after fire forming? Your light primer strikes may be due to shorter (new) cases.

Forgot to mention, we're using Nosler brass, harvested from Team Never Quit loaded ammo.

[jimbo88mm]

Range report on the 338 loads from above: The 86.0 grains shot a perfect waterline at 200 yds. and grouped about .6 moa and 88.0 shot the tightest group at .48 moa.

Throughout the entire load development, nothing shot worse than .7 moa with the 285 ELD-M, but we'll go ahead and try 86.0 to 88.0 in one grain increments. Additionally, we'll try seating it deeper too. The day was very windy and overcast.

Jim, have you measured your Peterson cases before and after fire forming? Your light primer strikes may be due to shorter (new) cases.

Forgot to mention, we're using Nosler brass, harvested from Team Never Quit loaded ammo.

Yes, the unfired cases are smaller. I don't have the numbers in front of me but it was one for the first things I checked when I got back to the range. I still have 30 unused cases and compared a few to the fired cases. My plan is to clean the bolt and try some different primers just to see if there is a change.

Do you have the velocity for your 285 loads?

I see you are in the Austin area. 1000 yard steel sounds like best of the west.

[Texas10]

Yep, Best of the West. No measured velocity info yet, still to come.

[yobuck]

The velocity you guys are getting is a little surprising to me.
My son has a 338x378 with a 30" barrel on a 3 lug Saco action.
His velocity using 106 gr of Retumbo is 2950 with a 300 gr.
Not much difference considering barrel length and more powder, even though its a slower powder.
Average for that cartridge from those i know using them, is right around 3000 fps with the 300.
Even longer barrels aren't showing much velocity improvement.
My b i l has one on a Bat action using the 416 case, which has the same capacity as the Wby. in a beltless version with a different shoulder.
His has a 36" barrel, and his velocity is 3050 with the 300 over an Ohler chronagraph and using H 50 BMG powder.
Surprisingly, the 285s hang right in there at 1500 yds with the 300s, requiring no additional elevation in my sons gun.
And that includes both Berger and SMK 300s.
There is no discernable difference in any of them as for elevation or windage at that distance.
That is no doubt due to a slightly higher initial velocity.
We haven't tried 250s because they don't group as well at close distance in his gun.
But we also haven't compared them for accuracy at a longer close range distance like 400 yds either, and we should.
Also know a couple guys using a 338 Edge, and they are also using 250s for l/r hunting.

[jimbo88mm]

Looks like berger has a .338 329gr bullet coming out this year. Will be interesting to see how they turn out:


http://forum.accurateshooter.com/thr...ybrid.3943521/

[yobuck]

Looks like berger has a .338 329gr bullet coming out this year. Will be interesting to see how they turn out:


http://forum.accurateshooter.com/thr...ybrid.3943521/

The first version of the SMK was a 320 gr. They made several runs of those before switching to 300 gr.
I have about 75 of them.