Night out with the Mags. (pics)

wisconsinteacher · Apr 16, 2015

After work I grabbed the 7mmRM and the 338WM and headed to the range. There was very little wind and no one there so I knew it was going to be nice. I took my sweet time shooting giving the rifles time to cool down between strings and even during strings timed 2:00 between shots.

.338wm
73.0 gr RL19/225 AccuBond/Win Brass/Win LR Mag primer/Different seating depths

2.625 ogive-1.217"
2.615 ogive-1.446
2.605 ogive-2.338

7mmRM
63.0 gr IMR4350/150 Partition/Win Brass/Win LR Mag primer/Different seating depths

2.756 ogive-.622
2.744 ogive-1.236
2.731 ogive-2.495

I plan on trying the 2.756" load again and if it repeats, I am going to be happy.

I do have one question about seating depth. When you see 2 in-1 out, the rule of thumb is to go deeper. As you go deeper the goal is to bring them together. What happens when you go too deep? Is it like over choking a shotgun, and the pattern blows out? The 7mm got worse as the depths got shorter.

Any hints or ideas with the .338wm? This is the 3rd time it has shot 1.25" so there is consistency. All three times were 2 in-1 out and tonight the shortest depth shot the worst.

Last question for those of you who have seen the history of this rifle, would you invest in more 225 Accubonds at this point and be happy with the 1-1.25" results for a hunting rifle?

OU812 · Apr 16, 2015

How far do you intend to use the 338? While an 1-1.25 may not be ideal looks wise it will however kill lots of animals. Have you tired shooting farther and see what the groups look like?

What about a different primer? A different primer may shrink that 1.25 to .75 or less.

wisconsinteacher · Apr 16, 2015

I have not tried a different primer or shooting past 100. My goal was to it close at 100 and then see what it does at 200 and 300.

OU812 · Apr 16, 2015

If you are wanting to try and shrink the current group size a new brand of primer would be my next move. Kind of like seating depth changes, it's amazing what a primer change can do.

Put some water filled milk jugs out at 200,300 and 400 yards and punch holes in em.

bbearhntr · Apr 16, 2015

Nice shooting. It was a beautiful day here as well. I usually start my loads as long as I can get them and work them deeper .010 at a time. Sometimes it takes more than the .030 that these targets show to find the magic seating depth.

SJB358 · Apr 17, 2015

Looks good WT. I am thinking it may be time to check out a primer change and see what happens. You can't lose anything.

I'd be looking to shoot them longer and to get some speeds on them.

wisconsinteacher · Apr 17, 2015

The hope is to try a new primer and get the chronograph out. I need to practice out to 200 before I feel comfortable testing loads at that distance. I know it should be the same as at 100 but I feel I need to get a few rounds down range at 200 first.

OU812 · Apr 17, 2015

wisconsinteacher":eg8bgfhm said:
The hope is to try a new primer and get the chronograph out. I need to practice out to 200 before I feel comfortable testing loads at that distance. I know it should be the same as at 100 but I feel I need to get a few rounds down range at 200 first.

I feel more relaxed shooting jugs at longer range than paper. Seems when I punch paper my expectations are too high for what I think it should do and what it some times does. On the other hand when I shoot jugs the pressure is off and my group size is the same and I'm not disappointing. if you smoke the center of a milk jug there is not a deer, elk, bear ect that is not going to go down.

Hegland · Apr 18, 2015

wisconsinteacher":3m9thtrc said:
Last question for those of you who have seen the history of this rifle, would you invest in more 225 Accubonds at this point and be happy with the 1-1.25" results for a hunting rifle?

Absolutely. For what it's worth, that's about where my own .338 WM is with 210 PTs. Regardless of seating depth, primer, or tweaks to powder charge, that seems to be where it shoots. I shot a half-inch group with a friend's M700 also chambered in the .338, and mine will do it with other bullets, so I know it can be done. But for the overall package of bullet construction, trajectory, and consistency, I'm content.

You're totally on the right track in getting comfortable with the load and practicing. Enjoy!