338 Lapua Mag

[farmer44]

Picked up a 338 Lapua and was wondering if anyone has experimented with various bullet weights and what seemed to give the best groups. This is not something I will be shooting everyday but want something that will shoot respectable. Thanks for your time.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

According to your twist rates i like the 300 or 250 hpbt of your choice

 

[snowpro440]

Which .338 do you have ? H1000 and 300gr SMK's work well in my savage. Good luck finding H1000, Powder Valley sells it as fast as they get it.

 

[TrapperT]

As snowpro said, 300gr bullets and H1000 are an excellent combination. I have shot Lapua, Berger and Sierra 300gr bullets and all do very well. I currently shoot the Berger 300gr Hybrid with H1000. I have shot this combination out to 2400 yards and the accuracy is excellent. BTW - I'm using a 28" Bartlein on a Badger action.

Tony

 

[Jaybo]

I use rl 33 start at 90.0 and work up . I can push 300 gr Berger almost 2900 and is super accurate from 200yd to a 1000. As far as bullets 300 gr smk&Berger .

 

[338 Mollett]

I have about 7 years fooling with some kind of 338 or another they act like any other cartridge everything is barrel specific.But don't be lured into the high BC's of mono turned bullets,while the numbers are intoxicating the performance is not repeatable .OH! and don't forget your piece of leather to bite onto when you shoot. ;D

 

[dkhunt14]

I have an Improved version but it likes R33 over Retumbo and H1000. I also shoot 300 Berger Elites. it is really accurate. To shoot the 300 you will need at least a10 twist. Matt

 

[farmer44]

Great feedback I guess the 300 gr SMK seem to have the best reviews thanks much.

 

[Eric Leonard]

the 300 Scenar and about 93 grs Retumbo shoot very well at mag length from the TRG42 10 twist,,,I had good results with the 250 Hornady and H1000 and H4831 also to 1500,,

 

[stacy]

THE SAVAGE THAT I MESSED WITH SURE LIKED THE 300GR SMK FORSURE!!!!!!!!!!
I WAS IMPRESSED WITH IT!

 

[farmer44]

Has anyone tried the 200 gr and if so had any luck?

 

[Drop Port]

I've always had good results with 300 smk's and H-1000. This combo has worked in a few Lapuas and a few 338 Norma's. I only shoot 300 grain bullets so I can't help with lighter bullets. I shoot what bullet it likes, generally Berger's or SMK's. My current Norma likes SMK's and while testing a new Lot# today it shot high 1's @ 100 and shot its smallest 600 yard group to date.
Many good combos for the Lapua, but hard to go wrong with the 300 SMK and H-1000.

 

[wvlongshot]

I've got a couple that shoot the lighter bullets well also. But the BC is not very good. They really shine with a case full of slow powder, and 300 gr on top. We've got a 9 yr old that shoots one with us on a regular basis. Good brake = Good times

 

[ColdBore-0-]

Here is what 87gr US869 with a 300SMK does in my Savage. :'( That charge is 2gr under min in my load book.
I'm with Snowpro, Ill try H1000 next. Its always available around me.

 

[DocBII]

farmer,

Even with crappy run-out from once-fired brass in someone else's rifle, 250 Bergers and Lapuas provide less than 1/2 MOA with N-560 or Norma NRP. For 300 grain bullets, N-570 gives the best velocity, accuracy is just as good with RL-33 but lower velocity. Cartridge cases respond well to normal accuracy improvement mods. Twist used is 9.3.

HTH,
DocB

 

[ELR Researcher]

DocBII - What muzzle velocity difference are you seeing from N-570 vs RL33 and with what barrel length?

farmer,

Even with crappy run-out from once-fired brass in someone else's rifle, 250 Bergers and Lapuas provide less than 1/2 MOA with N-560 or Norma NRP. For 300 grain bullets, N-570 gives the best velocity, accuracy is just as good with RL-33 but lower velocity. Cartridge cases respond well to normal accuracy improvement mods. Twist used is 9.3.

HTH,
DocB

 

[farmer44]

I have some 225 gr. and also some 250 gr. so I think I will start out with the middle of the road powder charge with H-1000 and see what it will do. Sad part is with the weather changing soon and hunting season may be a while until I get to experiment. Keep the input coming

 

[centerlineseal]

I shoot a Sako TRG and so does my shootin' buddy.

We started out with 250 gr SMKs and IMR 7828 (I even tried some IMR 4350 with mediocre results)

Both rifles shot 1/4 MOA @ 100 yds with velocity at 2790 fps using 90 grs IMR 7828.

We then went to 300 gr SMKs and worked up to 84 grs IMR 7828 (max load in some manuals) with velocity of 2665 fps. Again, possible 1/4 MOA at 100 yds if we could do our part. No visible signs of excessive pressures.

Now it got interesting. Picked up an 8 lb jug of RL33 after seeing results of shooters here with 338LM Imp cartridges. I have yet to reload with RL33, ...But

I bought 100 rounds on Nosler Match Grade 338LM with 300 gr BTHPs for about the price of the brass.

Shot some a month or so ago, with temps still in the low nineties and gusty winds. Shot so-so at 100 yds, less than 1 MOA but conditions were poor. Before we left the range, went out to 200 yds and got 3 quick shots off when the wind temporarily halted. Group size was 0.380. I was impressed.

I was unable to get any velocity measurements for the Nosler factory rounds. A Magnetospeed is in the cards for Christmas.

We then used those Nosler shot cases to get some pressure measurements just above the web of the case, ala Ken Waters methodology. Average factory max expansion measurements above the web was 0.58650 in my individual rifle.

Average for my 84.0 grs of IMR 7828 was 0.58570. Well within reason and with some room to increase the load if desired.

We then dismantled a Nosler round and retrieved 98.0 grs (measured on two scales) of powders which was obviously compressed, as about a third of the powder was stuck in the bottom of the case. While not conclusive, the powder "looked" identical to my sample of RL33.

The latest Nosler manual lists 338LM max load with RL 33 at 98.0 grs.

Draw your own conclusions and use the normal precautions in developing your loads.

Hope this helps.

 

[4xforfun]

Here is what 87gr US869 with a 300SMK does in my Savage. :'( That charge is 2gr under min in my load book.
I'm with Snowpro, Ill try H1000 next. Its always available around me.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that the powder had nothing to do with your issues. That looks like a head space issue to me.

 

[ColdBore-0-]

Which brings me to this, does anybody have a set of gauges I could borrow?