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Need Advice...Best Powders for 338 Lapua???
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I've just ordered a rifle for a customer and he's looking for some good performing powders for the 338 Lapua. I know every gun likes something different, but what would you guys recommend starting out with??? Is there a good slow burning powder that you can get compressed loads with in this caliber??? Thanks![8D]
Comments
A lot of factors involved as you mentioned.
To just get the ball rolling I would recommend an RL 19, or H4831. Good all around powders for bullets up to about 200gr. Over that I would look at a RL 25 or perhaps Big Boy.
Lots of factors, but this will get him in the ball park.
For hunting I would use H4831sc, and any of the 200 to 250 hunting bullets available. I shoot 210 Sirocco's in my 330 Dakota, but I also have a Remington chambered in 338-404 Jefferies which is capacity wise very similar to the Lapua. I shoot RL-25 in this gun with Fed 215m primers. It is very accurate with the 225SST, 225 Accubond, 250 Lapua Scenar, and the 250 Accubond.
For long range tactical the clear favorite would be Rl-25, and the 300 grain Sierra's, or Lapua Scenars. My other 338-404 Jefferies is a 1000 yd. heavy benchrest rifle. Out of a 34" barrel( gun weighs 65 lbs) I'm pushing the 300's at 2850 fps with very good results. If I were shooting 250's in this gun I would probally try H4831.
It's gonna be fun, Enjoy, Waverly
Is this a hunting rifle, or long range tactical?
For hunting I would use H4831sc, and any of the 200 to 250 hunting bullets available. I shoot 210 Sirocco's in my 330 Dakota, but I also have a Remington chambered in 338-404 Jefferies which is capacity wise very similar to the Lapua. I shoot RL-25 in this gun with Fed 215m primers. It is very accurate with the 225SST, 225 Accubond, 250 Lapua Scenar, and the 250 Accubond.
For long range tactical the clear favorite would be Rl-25, and the 300 grain Sierra's, or Lapua Scenars. My other 338-404 Jefferies is a 1000 yd. heavy benchrest rifle. Out of a 34" barrel( gun weighs 65 lbs) I'm pushing the 300's at 2850 fps with very good results. If I were shooting 250's in this gun I would probally try H4831.
It's gonna be fun, Enjoy, Waverly
It's going to be a long range hunting rifle...
It's the new Barrett w/ Leupold MK IV Scope package deal. (27" barrel)
I would stick with the lighter bullets with the 27" barrel. The 210 Sirocco's will work well on game, I have found the Accubonds to be very accurate, but the 250 Accubond may not perform as well on game at distance.I don't know this to be true personally. The 10 twist will handle the 300, but velocity will only be in the 2600-2700 range. You'll be spanking it to get 2750.
At 2850 from 200 yds. with the 300's it takes 23-24 moa to get on at 1k. 600 yds. is 9 moa.Check your throat length and pick a bullet long enough to start seating in the lands. My Remington likes the 250 into the lands, but my heavy gun likes the 300's .020 off.
I have not tried Retumbo ,or anything slower than RL-25. You can easily shoot 85-90 grains of RL-25 with the 300 grain bullet( depending on the lot#. My current lot# took 2 more grains to reach the same velocity, and accuracy node as my earlier lot#) If you truly want to try compressed loads H4831, Rl-19 might get there.
I love the 338's. Use a chronograph. You will be amazed by the low es's, and sd's. My heavy gun is in the 3's and 4's. Awesome. Once again enjoy, Waverly
Very nice.
I would stick with the lighter bullets with the 27" barrel. The 210 Sirocco's will work well on game, I have found the Accubonds to be very accurate, but the 250 Accubond may not perform as well on game at distance.I don't know this to be true personally. The 10 twist will handle the 300, but velocity will only be in the 2600-2700 range. You'll be spanking it to get 2750.
At 2850 from 200 yds. with the 300's it takes 23-24 moa to get on at 1k. 600 yds. is 9 moa.Check your throat length and pick a bullet long enough to start seating in the lands. My Remington likes the 250 into the lands, but my heavy gun likes the 300's .020 off.
I have not tried Retumbo ,or anything slower than RL-25. You can easily shoot 85-90 grains of RL-25 with the 300 grain bullet( depending on the lot#. My current lot# took 2 more grains to reach the same velocity, and accuracy node as my earlier lot#) If you truly want to try compressed loads H4831, Rl-19 might get there.
I love the 338's. Use a chronograph. You will be amazed by the low es's, and sd's. My heavy gun is in the 3's and 4's. Awesome. Once again enjoy, Waverly
I ordered him some 180 grain and 250 grain Nosler Accubonds, along with some 300 grain Lapua HPBT's.
I noticed that Barnes even makes a 165 grain pill for the .338...seems to me like that may be a little light, but it's got to be a screamer.
You said you were using a 200 yard zero?
Don't forget the 200 bal.tip, 225 sst's, or the 225 accubonds.
The smaller bullets would scream, but the bc is much lower. The 338's truly shine at range with high bc bullets.
One BIG bean-field rig!...Seriously, for hunting!
It only weighs 13 lbs...I've got several hunting rifles that weigh that...or I should say that I used to have several rifles that weighed that...before we disposed of them in the lake.