338 Lapua

[eab7-a]

Just bought a new 338 Lapua rifle. plan on shooting 250gr ammo in it for now. Anyone have any good advice on reloading for this? Not new to reloading, just new to this round. Thanks for the good advice.

 

[Loudenboomer]

For extended ranges 300 grain bullets are very popular. H1000, Retumbo and RL 33 are good powder choices. For informal shooting WC860 makes for inexpensive propellant at about 100 grains a pop.

 

[alphapygmy]

Cheap (haha, only $3.50 a round) S&B 250gr ammo has been sub-moa for me. Hornady 285 ELD with Rl33 is looking very promising, at least at close range. Factory stock Savage with the HS Precision stock.

 

[dsinfour]

With the .388 cry just once and buy the 300 grain pills also Rl 33 and never look back... Enjoy...

 

[davidjoe]

Another good 250 grain class factory value, especially when on sale at Midway, is the IMI factory loaded ammo in 20 round boxes. They load the SMK bullet with shot holes that will generally all touch at 200 yards, and the velocity is very good. Less $ than mere empty brass costs when on sale.

300 grain bullets for wind bucking at distance is a necessity, though.

For hand loading the 300 grain Lapua Scenar has worked the best for me.

 

[searcher]

As others said - go 300 grain for the distance the .338 is capable of. If wanting a lighter load - maybe skip 250 and go with a 225 Barnes TTSX boat tail, 89.0 Retumbo, Fed 215 Mag primer, 3.660" OAL. Killer accuracy in mine, light recoil, bullet does the job of a much larger bullet - just won't have the BC of the 300's.

 

[eab7-a]

Thanks for the reply's. I can use all the good advice i can get.

 

[Jarhead6870]

I shoot the Berger Hybrid 300s but also recommend giving the Hornady 285 grain ELD-Ms a try. If you're running a standard .338 Lapua, i.e. not improved or a variant, it can be difficult to get the 300 grain Bergers at a velocity to take advantage of the additional BC when shooting at longer distances. Personally, I think the 300's are a little too much bullet and prefer the 285s. I'm not running a hot load using H1000 and am getting 2860 fps out of a 26" Bartlein with the 285s and 2770 fps with the 300s. Where I shoot, at 1760 yards with a DA of 5000, this equates to elevations of 16.2 MIL for the 285s and 16.8 MIL for the 300s. As for wind efficiency between the two; at 1760 yards (one mile) a 1 mph full value wind call error with the Hornady 285s is 15.1" and with the Berger 300s is 15", so basically a wash.


Hope this helps, enjoy the "big boomer"...

 

[Texas10]

The 285 ELDM's over H1000 worked for my buddy's stock Savage 112 in 338LM. The 300 SMKS where also good, but the 285's rang the bell at a mile for him.

 

[284winner]

Another good 250 grain class factory value, especially when on sale at Midway, is the IMI factory loaded ammo in 20 round boxes. They load the SMK bullet with shot holes that will generally all touch at 200 yards, and the velocity is very good. Less $ than mere empty brass costs when on sale.

300 grain bullets for wind bucking at distance is a necessity, though.

For hand loading the 300 grain Lapua Scenar has worked the best for me.

Still waiting on Berger's 329. That should be a fantastic bullet for the 338.

 

[lb-ft]

My plinking load is 230 ELD over RL19.

LR is 250 Scenar over H1000.

 

[WAMBO]

"Another consideration is the cost. The Berger Hybrids seem to be running $75-$80 per 100 while the Hornady ELD-Ms are around $38-$42 per 100, so just about half the price."

Actually the 285 are around $37.50 for a 50ct box or $75 a 100ct, almost the same as the Berger 300gr.

 

[Kurz]

Just bought a new 338 Lapua rifle. plan on shooting 250gr ammo in it for now. Anyone have any good advice on reloading for this? Not new to reloading, just new to this round. Thanks for the good advice.

You don't tell us if you're shooting LR targets or if you're going to be hunting. Your ideas give us a better understanding of what really might work as opposed to just guessing. The choices for bullets varies a lot.

Hopefully Savage is still using the 1:9" twist rate.

 

[Tempest]

I use 100g RL33 for both 250g SMK and 300g Berger Hyb. For some crazy reason they are both a node in my rifle.

 

[Jarhead6870]

"Another consideration is the cost. The Berger Hybrids seem to be running $75-$80 per 100 while the Hornady ELD-Ms are around $38-$42 per 100, so just about half the price."

Actually the 285 are around $37.50 for a 50ct box or $75 a 100ct, almost the same as the Berger 300gr.

You are correct sir, I’m so use to 100 count packaging that it slipped by me. I stand corrected. The 285's have been better for me at distances beyond 1800 yards than the Bergers when loaded to mag length but I also shoot in target areas with relatively soft, dusty soil so bullet weight/energy has not been an issue in identifying splash.

 

[WAMBO]

You are correct sir, I’m so use to 100 count packaging that it slipped by me. I stand corrected. The 285's have been better for me at distances beyond 1800 yards than the Bergers when loaded to mag length but I also shoot in target areas with relatively soft, dusty soil so bullet weight/energy has not been an issue in identifying splash.

No problem, I've been shooting the 300 Bergers forever but will be trying the 285 ELDM soon.

 

[simo hayha]

N570 for powder is excellent. Rl33 is also very good

 

[eab7-a]

You don't tell us if you're shooting LR targets or if you're going to be hunting. Your ideas give us a better understanding of what really might work as apposed to just guessing. The choices for bullets varies a lot.

Hopefully Savage is still using the 1:9" twist rate.

I will be shooting paper and steel targets. I have a Christensen Arms ELR with a 1:9.3 twist.

 

[69mach]

I don’t think you can go wrong with 300 trainers and h1000. I sold my 338L sometime back but I had good luck with the 300s and h1000 in a 1in10T

 

[Viktor Jay]

Just bought a new 338 Lapua rifle. plan on shooting 250gr ammo in it for now. Anyone have any good advice on reloading for this? Not new to reloading, just new to this round. Thanks for the good advice.

I have a pair of 338 Lapua rifles. Both are production rifles. Presently using Hornady 285 grain bullets,Ram

Just bought a new 338 Lapua rifle. plan on shooting 250gr ammo in it for now. Anyone have any good advice on reloading for this? Not new to reloading, just new to this round. Thanks for the good advice.

I own two production rifles in 338 Lapua. Have had very good luck with Peterson brass, Hornady 285 grain bullets, Federal 215 primers, and Retumbo powder. Recently, fired a 5 shot, half inch group at 300 yards [longest range we have] under perfect weather conditions.. Yes, it was most likely pure luck! However, my other groups at this distances were about one inch or slightly less. One rifle is a Ruger RPR and the other is a Savage 110 Elite Precision? And yes, I am not new [40+years] to long range shooting, but am new to the 338 Lapua. Both rifles have about 200 rounds fired.The Peterson brass arrived in plastic boxes in perfect condition! No dents or other imperfections. Planning on buying addtional 338 Lapua cases from this company. Nothing negative to report.