338 Lapua-?

[farmer44]

Thinking of doing something with my 338LM what options would I have to go to a 338/something caliber

 

[Kurz]

Using the same barrel?

 

[farmer44]

No same bolt face though

 

[B23]

I'd look at either doing a 338 Lap Imp or 30-338 Lap Imp. If you have any kind of OAL restriction/s then the same but off of the 338 Norma mag case.

 

[farmer44]

Thanks for your input

 

[martyj]

37xc
41xc
33xc

 

[Alex Wheeler]

338 Lapua Improved!

 

[moondog]

I'll second the 338Imp, love mine.

 

[Chris Roland]

338 Lapua Improved!

338 Lapua Improved!

what velocity can one expect from a 27-28”krieger with 300gr Berger’s

 

[Nellej12]

338 lapua improved, have Alex Wheeler build it! These things hammer

 

[Nellej12]

338 Lapua Improved!

what velocity can one expect from a 27-28”krieger with 300gr Berger’s

I'm at 2950 with a 26 inch bartlein

 

[ebb]

Does the improved clean up in an existing chamber, or is shortening it one or more threads required? I've been very happy with mine as is, what advantages can be expected? My rifle has a 30 inch Rock Creek from back in the stone ages, but shoots pretty good and doesn't have enough shots through it to be worn out. I had been loading with RL25 but used it all up the last time I loaded 338s, was looking to try RL33, but I understand finding it is tough right now. Is RL33 the choice for 338 with an improved chamber? What's a red neck to do?

 

[Nellej12]

Does the improved clean up in an existing chamber, or is shortening it one or more threads required? I've been very happy with mine as is, what advantages can be expected? My rifle has a 30 inch Rock Creek from back in the stone ages, but shoots pretty good and doesn't have enough shots through it to be worn out. I had been loading with RL25 but used it all up the last time I loaded 338s, was looking to try RL33, but I understand finding it is tough right now. Is RL33 the choice for 338 with an improved chamber? What's a red neck to do?

I've been using N570 with the Berger 300 grain bullets.

 

[B23]

Does the improved clean up in an existing chamber, or is shortening it one or more threads required?

Pretty much any time you rechamber an existing, non improved cartridge, to the improved version you want to set it back before you run the improved version reamer in or you end up with excessive headspace.

 

[ebb]

That qualifier "pretty much" is what was on my mind when I asked the question.

 

[ebb]

I bought components for this rifle before Berger even made 300 grain bullets. At that time a 300grain Sierra was about all you could get, or at least all i had ever heard of. So, for the foreseeable future I will be shooting what's left of them. I probably have 350 or 375 left. Powder is gone so I will have to do something about that. But i do have Retumbo and US 869. My friend found a bunch of speed that the Hodgdon powder left on the table when he got RL33. I've always been a little leery of the "5" series powders because of the heat factor but no personal experience as I've never found any locally.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

On my improved I run a crush fit on the virgin case so you can properly form brass so you would want to set it back. I was running 2960 in my last one with a 26 in Bartlien. Rl33 or n570

 

[B23]

I used US869 in a couple different 338 Lap Imp w'300's as well as my 30-338 Lap Imp w/230's. US869 isn't without its quirks but it has proven to do quite well in both. For me, it does best when seating out real close to touching. The stuff burns like wet coal, very slow, so it tends to do much better with a higher start pressure otherwise I'll get pretty wide swings in ES/SD but if I'm seating out real close to, if not, touching I can have the exact same load drop the ES/SD numbers down to acceptable but backed off and the same load goes to shit in a hurry. Same goes for how clean it burns, seated out to touch or almost touch and it's not bad at all but backed off and it's dirty as hell. Velocity for me has been right there with N570 and RL33. I'm not a real big fan of it but I have a jug of RL25 I haven't used for anything except fireforming loads and it's no speed demon w/300's but the accuracy is crazy good and it does a good job of forming 338 Lap Imp cases.

 

[moondog]

Plus 1 on Alex post. I'll add that the Lapua 338 brass is some tough brass! You'll have to step on it a couple times before it really forms. I'm a bit over 3000 with the Berger 300s in a 30" w/Reloder33. I have the 300 Sierras, and while they shot well enough, they didn't transition as well as the Bergers. Barrel life has been great too.
Highly recommend the Imp version.
Make sure you're able to get the Dies to match your chamber, they're a bunch of different Imp. Chamberings out there.

 

[ebb]

When the rifle was first put together, I made about 50-60 rounds to break in the barrel and get on paper (was waiting on SMKs) I used Hornady hunting bullets and WC 872 they were touching the lands. I had target set up along side a two track in sugar cane country and shot several groups at 275 yards that were scary tight. off of a wobbly homemade bench. I am almost temped to go back to the WC872 as i have a bunch and it was CHEAP. I got it to shoot out of a skinny barrel RUM and a 300 Jarrett and it worked on those also.