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338 Caliber - Cutting Edge vs Badlands

harry_x1

Hi all,

I have been shooting 338 300 Gr Berger OTMs for a while but now plan to shift to solids. One reason is better ballistics (Velocity and BCs) and I am told that solids perform better pass trans sonic speeds.

I am contemplating between 285 gr Badlands ICBMs and corresponding bullets from Cutting Edge. Anyone has any experience with both of these brands/bullets in 338? If yes, request share your experience. Seems majority is using cutting edge, but on paper the BC of Badlands looks significantly better.

thanks for sharing your knowledge.


Harjeet (Harry)
 
7.5 and 8 works well.

1-7 is really fast especially if you occasionally like to shoot cup/core bullets but shouldn’t have any issues with the 285.

Ballistics of the 285 at 3K+ fps is impressive.
 
SKWERLZ said:
7.5 and 8 works well.

1-7 is really fast especially if you occasionally like to shoot cup/core bullets but shouldn’t have any issues with the 285.

Ballistics of the 285 at 3K+ fps is impressive.
Click to expand...
awesome...yeah, it will be dedicated solids barrel. Once I pick a bullet I dont like to change it much and try to gain profeciency on same...will share results once I get the barrel. Have you some experience shooting 338 caliber solids? If yes, can you share some more of your insights or learnings. Thanks !
 
I shoot the badlands 265 and 285 in my edge, be cautious with your powder work up as solids have a different pressure curve.

Both the 265 and 285 for me like a seating depth from 20 thou out of lands to just touching the lands.
 
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SKWERLZ said:
I shoot the badlands 275 and 285 in my edge, be cautious with your powder work up as solids have a different pressure curve.

Both the 265 and 285 for me like a seating depth from 20 thou out of lands to just touching the lands.
Click to expand...
thanks for the inputs. Have you stretched 285 to targets beyond TS? if yes, what is this bullets performance around and after TS?
 
ok...so I loaded 285 ICBMs for my new 7t barrel in 33xc. For some reason it is shooting so so horibly that I am seeing >20 inch groups at 100 yards. many bullets are arriving sideways at the paper or do not hit the paper at all. One bullet also hit my muzzle brake and destroyed it. Did someone else had any similar experience while trying to tune solids? What might be wrong with my configuration? Thanks for helping me diagnose this issue
 
I’m curious as to your bore diameter, solids are very intolerant of tight and especially loose bores.
If you recover one you might be able to tell I’d it’s leaking gas.
To be that upset something major is going on.
I can’t imagine one being upset enough at muzzle to tear up a brake, I’d check alignments on both.
I suspect they are all kissing the brake.
Bore diameter of brake baffles?
I’d also check actual twist rate.
 
Last edited:
SKWERLZ said:
7.5 and 8 works well.

1-7 is really fast especially if you occasionally like to shoot cup/core bullets but shouldn’t have any issues with the 285.

Ballistics of the 285 at 3K+ fps is impressive.
Click to expand...

Have you had a CDM done for them? If so, could you share the BC stats?
 
Is it a new brake that you bought along with the barrel? If you are reusing a brake, there could be an issue with the threads on the new barrel.
 
I'm also in the brake installation was more likely the problem than the bullet camp. Was your target something like this?



The line down the middle has a little of everything from a huge vertical stripe, oval holes and even a keyhole.

The 5 shot group off to the right was after I found the problem.



I set the Magnetospeed too close to the bore and the bullets started lightly contacting the bayonet.

This was the first test of the first barrel I chambered. Initially, it was tremendously demoralizing.
 
ShaunBrady said:
I'm also in the brake installation was more likely the problem than the bullet camp. Was your target something like this?



The line down the middle has a little of everything from a huge vertical stripe, oval holes and even a keyhole.

The 5 shot group off to the right was after I found the problem.



I set the Magnetospeed too close to the bore and the bullets started lightly contacting the bayonet.

This was the first test of the first barrel I chambered. Initially, it was tremendously demoralizing.
Click to expand...
I would say my pattern looks even worse than this...some bullets even missing the paper. I also thought initially that there was some issue with the new brake I installed for this new barrel. However when I shot same load without brake the results were similar. I also shot this bullet (ICBM) using a slower powder (RL50), but that did not help either. That leads me to believe that issue was potentially not with brake but the way bullet is coming out of the barrel. I have ordered some CE lazers (two diff models in 300 grain) and will shoot them with diff powders to see if this issue is resolved. Plan to shoot without brake to not add any other externality. Let me know if anyone has more suggestions.
 
harry_x1 said:
I would say my pattern looks even worse than this...some bullets even missing the paper. I also thought initially that there was some issue with the new brake I installed for this new barrel. However when I shot same load without brake the results were similar. I also shot this bullet (ICBM) using a slower powder (RL50), but that did not help either. That leads me to believe that issue was potentially not with brake but the way bullet is coming out of the barrel. I have ordered some CE lazers (two diff models in 300 grain) and will shoot them with diff powders to see if this issue is resolved. Plan to shoot without brake to not add any other externality. Let me know if anyone has more suggestions.
Click to expand...
Test your twist.
I’d also test your muzzle with pin gauges to check for bell mouthing
 
SKWERLZ said:
Differences in bore diameter in the barrel.
Especially at muzzle end possibly from material or tool stresses when cutting for muzzle brake/suppressor.
Click to expand...
If you still have any 285 ICBMs with you, can you measure their widest part and let me know? I am getting anywhere between .3375-.338. Just got my CE's and their band is .3395". Makes me suspect if my bdalands bullets might be unusually thinner or maybe CEs are unusually wide :)? This one experience has made me super cautious, which hopefully will help avoid any more serious accidents in future.
 
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