338WM bullet choice conundrum

[COOPDUCK]

Hello all
I have what seems to me to be a problem, I wanted to see if anyone had any recommendations for me. I have a beautifully built sporterized Brazilian Mauser, chambered in 338WM. The issue really stems from the short magazine length in the rifle. It is a sentimental rifle, but I do hunt with it, and thus need to be able to feed thru mag. I am using Nosler brass, H4350/R19, and either 210 TTSX or 225 AB so far, just what I've been experimenting with.

1. Longest COAL I can fit into magazine is approximately 3.303
2. Base to lands measurement in chamber is approximately 2.782
3. If I load to the COAL I need to fit in chamber, CBTO of the AB is 2.598, TTSX is 2.574

This leaves me with an approximately .2" bullet jump, which just seems like an awful long jump to me. Furthermore, I am having to seat these bullets extremely deep into my cases. Just eyeballing my bullet seating depth to get this COAL, I am about .650 deep into my case with the TTSX, and about .617 deep with the AB. Some of that length is in the boat tail, but I've still got close to .5 in bullet bearing surface inside my case.

I guess my question is two fold. Any suggestions for different bullets that might be better suited to deep seating and a long jump? My barrel is a 1:12, so I can't shoot a super heavy bullet, and with the advent of the 338 Lapua, my bullet choices in lighter weight 338 seem to be a little limited. My second question is, anything I can have a gunsmith do to reduce that headspace to allow me a shorter jump to the lands? Thanks for your help.

 

[Zero333]

Deer ?

Elk ??

185 TSX / TTSX
200 Hornady SST
200 Speer Hot Cor
210 TSX / TTSX
210 Partition
225 Partition
225 Sierra Pro Hunter
225 Hornady SP
250 Speer Grand Slam

There are other's, but this list would be my short list for the situation your in (long freebore & short magazine length).

If I had to pick One bullet from that list that I can guarantee you will be very accurate with a prodigious amounts of jump to the lands.. I pick the 185 TSX / TTSX

 

[MagnumManiac]

I wouldn’t sweat the long jump, there WILL be a bullet, AccuBonds don’t mind long jumps, that will shoot just fine.
My own 338’s all have longish jumps, I seat to mag length and actually move away from max mag length. There is always a jump that a bullet likes whether it’s close or far.

Cheers.

 

[std7mag]

I wouldn't sweat the jump. My Mauser in 284 Win has an extremely long freebore. Still plenty accurate.
Weatherby Magnums are known for long freebores also.
The key is concentricity.

Mono's are going to be longer than cup & core bullets of the same weight.
Unless it's made of Tungsten, it's just going to be.

I'd drop down to the 180/185 gr bullets. It'll cut the length of the bullet down.

 

[Kurz]

My second question is, anything I can have a gunsmith do to reduce that headspace to allow me a shorter jump to the lands?

Let's work on the second one first:

You're confusing concepts in your question.

Headspace has nothing to do with jump. Headspace in this situation is 0.220" or from the base of the case to the front of the belt. Now, you can reset the headspace by fireforming the case to the chamber, then use the shoulder as headspace.

In order to shorten the jump, the chamber needs to be set back then a different chamber reamer selected using a shorter freebore and different throat. Your gunsmith can spec this for a reamer maker or you can help by making a dummy cartridge with the bullet(s) you select seated to just short of magazine length. You can also check with companies that rent reamers to see if they have something close to what you need.

The CBTO may be fixed but the different ogives of bullets will vary the jump. Solids are longer for weight than cup and core bullets. I suggest setting the chamber back and using a different reamer to match the bullets you want to use set for the magazine length.