.338 round 3 ?

[wisconsinteacher]

Well I am going to load up some 210PT and try them again. Last time 73gr of RL19 got me just above 1". If you were going to reload again and hit the range, what would you do? Try the original then different weights or different OAL. I have the bullet as far out as I can go as of now so the only way to go is deeper into the case. Thanks for everyones help with this rifle and teaching me a lot of info on reloading.

 

[FOTIS]

seat in/out 15 thousandths at a time

 

[onesonek]

Was that a typo and meant 1.5 thousandths FOTIS? Just want to clear the air for the unknowing so to speak, but .015" seems extreme to me,,,,unless maybe for the mono's.

 

[OU812]

Well I am going to load up some 210PT and try them again. Last time 73gr of RL19 got me just above 1". If you were going to reload again and hit the range, what would you do? Try the original then different weights or different OAL. I have the bullet as far out as I can go as of now so the only way to go is deeper into the case. Thanks for everyones help with this rifle and teaching me a lot of info on reloading.

If it were me. I would make sure all the brass used was fired less than 4 times, less the better (seems like 4 firings or more the necks get hardened and need annealed). Load up the original with no changes. Since you can't seat out any farther on the OAL (which an equilateral triangle would suggest) I would increase the powder by .2 grains in rounds of 3 and go up to 74 or higher until you see signs of pressure.

You will find an accuracy node and your group will shrink. What size of group are you looking to achieve?

Bill

 

[Richracer1]

Was that a typo and meant 1.5 thousandths FOTIS? Just want to clear the air for the unknowing so to speak, but .015" seems extreme to me,,,,unless maybe for the mono's.

No, I'm sure he meant .015" (fifteen thousandths). It's really not that much. During some of my load developments, I've changed the OAL from my initial seating depth up to .040 or more (for example, with my ultramags, I start at 3.670" and have gone back to 3.625, in .005" increments, to find the best group size for that particular powder charge).

 

[onesonek]

May be so, on the first part. On the other, "It's not that much", I guess is up to individual practice's. I usually start .007" off the lands and go at .001- .0015" seating depth changes. Just seems to me and been my experience, any more .002-3" changes, one can miss the sweet spot. Otherwise, you you left sort of guessing which way or how much to go from there,,,,just my thoughts.
I just haven't heard going .015" or any where close to that before, is why I asked, (with the exception of the mono's). But then sometimes a lot gets by me.

 

[jmad_81]

Are you shooting these over a Chrony?

I agree with the others, shoot that same load again and make sure it does it again. If you tweek COAL, and that doesn't help, and tweaking powder charges doesn't work, try a primer change. I loaded up a load for my 338 WM with the 225 AB that shot 3 shot groups in the 1" range, three times in a row. I loaded three of them with CCI 250s, 3 with WLRMs, and 3 with Fed 215M. The 215 shot 1", just like the last three groups, the CCIs blew up to over 2", and the WLRM put three under .5". I have gone back and tried that same load again with the WLRM, and got 5 shots under 1".

For the record, when I tweak seating depth I usually go .010"-.020" at a time.

 

[Richracer1]

FWIW, my 338WM's OAL using the 225AB is 3.36.

OK, after thinking about it a little, I'll recant. .015 is a bit of a jump from one OAL to another but not extreme. I think .005 works great to get at or close to the sweet spot. From there, if needed, I may go to .0015 or .002" changes to see if that makes it better.

 

[JD338]

Well I am going to load up some 210PT and try them again. Last time 73gr of RL19 got me just above 1". If you were going to reload again and hit the range, what would you do? Try the original then different weights or different OAL. I have the bullet as far out as I can go as of now so the only way to go is deeper into the case. Thanks for everyones help with this rifle and teaching me a lot of info on reloading.

I would reshoot the 73.0 grs RL 19 and work up to 76.0 grs MAX while leaving the COL where it is.
Find the best load and then play with the COL.

JD338

 

[JD338]

FWIW, my 338WM's OAL using the 225AB is 3.36.

OK, after thinking about it a little, I'll recant. .015 is a bit of a jump from one OAL to another but not extreme. I think .005 works great to get at or close to the sweet spot. From there, if needed, I may go to .0015 or .002" changes to see if that makes it better.

A 1/4 turn on the seater is roughly .005".

JD338

 

[Richracer1]

I work up my loads just like JD mentioned, pick a powder that has the best chance at good fast velocities, then going in 1/2gn increments, I work up to the listed max initially in three shot groups. I may go a little above max, but do so very carefully and really watch for pressure signs. I'll initially seat at .020 of the lands if possible or go with what will fit in the magazine and still cycle reliably. Then I'll look at the the targets (I use one target per powder charge) to find the smallest group size then start working with seating depths to see if I can make the size smaller.

 

[onesonek]

Well I am going to load up some 210PT and try them again. Last time 73gr of RL19 got me just above 1". If you were going to reload again and hit the range, what would you do? Try the original then different weights or different OAL. I have the bullet as far out as I can go as of now so the only way to go is deeper into the case. Thanks for everyones help with this rifle and teaching me a lot of info on reloading.

I would reshoot the 73.0 grs RL 19 and work up to 76.0 grs MAX while leaving the COL where it is.
Find the best load and then play with the COL.

JD338

I too would experiment with that exisiting load, in as adjusting pressure first, then go to seating. Then again after that, if not what expected, switch powders. Still again, 1 moa out of sporter weight just ain't nothing to be dissapointed with.

 

[FOTIS]

15 Thousandth's

ie

3.015
3.030
3.045

etc ....

Or if you wish 10 thousandths :wink:

 

[onesonek]

Thanks for confirming that Fotis! Just to make clear, I'm not saying it's wrong. Just for the life of me, don't recall hearing anybody going over .005" at a time. Then again, my memory ain't what it use to be. But hey, then too if it works for some, that's cool by me also.

 

[Oldtrader3]

My experience with the various .338's and especially Partitions is that they often shoot better when loaded to about factory COAL or a little longer. The ogive is pretty far forward in the Partition bullets and sometimes they shoot better with a little jump.

Personally, mine shoot more accurately with close to max loads as well. with most powders.

 

[DrMike]

I normally move in 0.010 inch increments. However, 0.015 inch increments will get you within the sweet spot somewhat more quickly.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I plan on starting at 73gr and going up .5 for a few groups of 3 then go shooting when the heat breaks. My Lee book says 74gr is max so I will work up slowly and keep a close eye on things.

 

[onesonek]

I normally move in 0.010 inch increments. However, 0.015 inch increments will get you within the sweet spot somewhat more quickly.

Maybe, providing one doesn't go by it, would be my thoughts Mike. Not saying again it don't work, but what I question is, what point does one quit, back up, and at what intervals if it don't show much improvement? And I guess I don't have any rules to refer to, in which states any way is best. I just started out with small intervals years ago, as that was the way I was taught, and found no reason to change. That and I have seen some major changes with far less than .010" in my experience's, not all however.
Maybe it is just the way I set up my barrels

 

[DrMike]

Dave,

I've actually had a few rifles that variations of as little as 0.002 inches spelled the difference between MOA and 0.2 inches. The differential was reproducible, but so fiddly that it would be almost impossible to ensure it would work in the field. In each instance, I discarded that length and sought out another load that would work.

 

[SJB358]

Well I am going to load up some 210PT and try them again. Last time 73gr of RL19 got me just above 1". If you were going to reload again and hit the range, what would you do? Try the original then different weights or different OAL. I have the bullet as far out as I can go as of now so the only way to go is deeper into the case. Thanks for everyones help with this rifle and teaching me a lot of info on reloading.

I would reshoot the 73.0 grs RL 19 and work up to 76.0 grs MAX while leaving the COL where it is.
Find the best load and then play with the COL.

JD338

I am with Jim here. Find your powder charge and then tweak for accuracy with seating depth, if needed. I think you will find the 338 will shoot better as you near 100+ compression.