Recent content by fredj338

It is Lee's biggest problem, they make cheap stuff. They will replace it & sometime quite often. If you ever load anything bigger than the 308, you may want to invest in a sturdier press setup.

The 7rem mag is probably one of the most poorly done cahmberings in any rifle. A sloppy chamber will allow stretching of factory ammo & handloads that are net setup to headspace on the shoulder. Forget the belt, size to headspace on the shoulder & be happy. I have a #1S that was a 7rem mag, shot...

In my 23"lt.wt. PacNor bbl. M70, I have best luck w/ slower powders, even w/ 140-145gr bullets. I liked RL22, but find IMR7828 or H4831sc more uniform from lot to lot. 3000fps is easy to achieve & I still get sub MOA accuracy w/ 140grNP or 145grSpeer HC or GS. I wantto testsome w/ the 140grNAB...

I love my 280, it's just about the perfect rifle for most of NA hunting. I pretty much run the 160grNP exclusively, deer to elk. I find slower powders work best for highest vel. w/ best accuracy. H4831sc, RL22 & IMR7828 all work well. My best loads are put up in Nosler Custom or Norma brass w/...

I've never tried the ball powders in the 338-06. H414 would probably work fine. There is little diff. between the std. & AI versions. My go to powder was RL15 & still a good choice. I tried H4350 & it is so consistant, good vel. & accuracy in my finicky rifle is sub MOA w/ the 210grNP & any...

You can just use 338-06 data & work up. FWIW, my own 338-06 just won't handke the 225gr bullets. Shoots the 200, 210 & 250gr just fine. Any powder between IMR4064 & H4350 can produce good results. My own 338-06 thrives on H4350 for any bullet wt.

FWIW, you can make exc. brass from Lapua 243 by necking up. I like Nosler brass tooo, but it isn't available in all the calibers I shoot. :grin:

FWIW, my 280 tops out @ 57.5gr under a 160grNP for 2850fps form my 23" bbl.

That's pure BS. I have heard it happening but have not had the unpleasent experience. I use only handloads so I either use a factory box or made my own labels w/ a ficticious manuf. name on them & stuck those to my plastic ammo boxes.

No offense, but your buddy hasn't hunted much beyond deer size game. An elk is not bullet proof but does require a stout bullet to get to vitals from any reasonable angle. His 2750fps load is barely above a good .308win loading & will do for any reasonable shot (read that out to 250yds...

I like BlueDot for upper midrange loads, to 1300fps or so, but for max. vel. go w/ H110 or W296.

The bal.gel. is also messy. You only get one shot then have to make & transport more. Water jugs a re ok, again, only one shot & you need way too many to test a couple bullets. I still like wet phone books. Easy to handle, consistant, offers about the same expansion as water or bal.gel. & you...

I would look at bonded bullet when impact vel. would be over 2600fps or so. They just hold togerher a better for deeper penetration from any angle. I hunt almost exclusively w/ NPs, they just work time after time.

I like the XTP, deep penetration & always good accuracy. Unburned powder is not uncommon w 2400. It works best run near max.

Your H4831sc load is very close to mine. My best loads w/ 140gr or 160gr bullets have come using IMR7828 or 7828ssc. It's magic in my 23" bbl. 280. I am getting 3000fps from the 140gr NABS or NPs w/ sub moa accuracy. The 160grs move along @ 2800fps+ w/ sim. accuracy. I was sighting in last...