.33 WCF Loads

[xtimberman]

Anyone have some favorite .33 WCF loads using Ideal 338320 with AA 5744 and SR-4759?

xtm

[6pt-sika]

Yes I do [smilie=1:

I load the Lyman 338320 cast from WW's and charged with 22 grains of XMP5744 also primed with a CCI200 primer .

Now bear in mind I'm using "Quality Cartridge" brass and this load is being shot in a 1910-1914 vintage Marlin 1895 .

The only problem I have is the fact that my front sight is to low so when I shoot at 50 or 100 yards my POI is still a good bit above my aiming point . True enough this can be remmedied with a taller front sight . I just kinda hate to remove the original .

But anyway that load shoots very well in my rifle !

The hardest thing for you to overcome is the gas check situation . But since (I have been told) Gator Checks makes a very good 338 check this should no longer be an issue . In my own situation I picked up a couple thousand old Lyman and Hornady checks so i "should be" okay for quite a few years as this is not one of my shoot all the time rifles .

Incidently if you happen to run across any of the Hornady 338 caliber 200 grain bullets you should give it a thought to pick them up as Hornady has ceased production on this bullet a couple years ago . I was fortunate enough to get 4 boxes before they became to hard to get . Never know if I will use them , but I've got them if I choose to :drinks:

[xtimberman]

Thanks for the reply!

Do you have an idea of the MV of this load? I'm guessing ~1650fps if you have a 26" bbl.? That's the approx. velocity range I'm looking for.

I've got several good full-power loads with 3031 and 4198, but was looking for an accurate reduced-power load with powders on hand. I've been working on SR-4759, but have never tried 5744 in this cartridge.

I'm down to ~2/3 box of the 200gr. Hornadys. The discontinuation slipped up on me. :???:

xtm

[6pt-sika]

Thanks for the reply!

Do you have an idea of the MV of this load? I'm guessing ~1650fps if you have a 26" bbl.? That's the approx. velocity range I'm looking for.

I've got several good full-power loads with 3031 and 4198, but was looking for an accurate reduced-power load with powders on hand. I've been working on SR-4759, but have never tried 5744 in this cartridge.

I'm down to ~2/3 box of the 200gr. Hornadys. The discontinuation slipped up on me. :???:

xtm

You are most likely correct about the velocity as I have never run it over the chrony .
This load is a deer hunting load for me as I like to take the old guys out and kill with them once or twice after I get them !

The year I worked up the load for that I also worked up loads for my other Marlin 1895's in 38-56 and 40-65 . I used XMP5744 in all three and would like to report that first year I took a pair of fat does with the 38-56 and 40-65 and then later shooting over one with the 33 WCF , not sure if it was me or I just forgot to hold extra low .

Anyway I use XMP5744 in just about all my "classic" lever cartridges . I also keep SR4759 on hand and used to use it for a good many things until I ran up on XMP5744 . The best place to look for other 5744 loads for other old cartridges is in Mike Venturino's book on Leverguns of the Old West . A good many of my loads have come from this book !

[405]

x,
It's going to be hard to find much published pressure tested load data for the 33. I think it just got passed by. Too bad, it is overlooked and underrated. Like 6pt. said 5744 is a very good powder for most cast loads but I've not tried it in the two 33s I shoot- both original 86 Wins. I found a light to medium load of slow lot 4895 (similar to slow IMR 4895) under the RCBS 33-200-FN GC bullet of between WW and #2 Alloy (maybe 12-15BHN) sized to .340 gives excellent results in both the Win 86s. I imagine, but haven't chrono'd them, to be in vel range you're looking for. There is no reason 5744 couldn't be used for good 33 Win cast loads.

Here's some data from an old Ideal Hand Book

[xtimberman]

Thanks 6pt and 405!

I have another thread started on the possibility of using Lyman/Ideal 338237 - a flat-nose plain-base mould - for the .33 WCF. I'm not sure of its original intended use, but I'm guessing .33 WCF - since it was first offered up by Ideal in 1904.

My '86 has a near-perfect bore that slugs at exactly .338", so I'm hoping to be able to develop a couple of accurate, leading-free loads in the 1650~1800fps range with both bullets using my supply of XMP-5744 and SR-4759.

All of my .33 brass has been fabricated by me from .45-70, and I need to start replacing some of the older stuff. I see where I can now get virgin brass from Bertram. Any experience with new Bertram .33 WCF brass? My only experience with Bertram brass was ~1990. It was for another cartridge, but was too soft and didn't survive very many firings. I didn't whine too much because they were the only source and I didn't shoot that rifle very much.

xtm

[6pt-sika]

Any experience with new Bertram .33 WCF brass?

I have not used any Bertram in the 33WCF, however there is a fairly new company in Maryland called "Quality Cartridge Brass" they make very good brass and I use there's in my 33WCF and 38-56 .

I believe Jamison's also makes 33WCF brass although I have not had the oppurtunity to try any .

Midway stocks the Quality Cartridge brass and I want to say Grafs stocks the Jamison brass although I could be wrong about Grafs !

Only Bertram I have ever used came with my 40-82 and let me say I was not overly impressed . However I do not know if it was from over use or quality as the brass had been fired quite a few times before I got it !

[6pt-sika]

RCBS 33-200-FN GC

I've been kinda looking for one of these for awhile now !

Seems the version RCBS makes now is no longer GC :(