AJ Peacock
10-27-2009, 06:00 PM
The progress has been slow, but I'm getting close.
The 338 Edge (300 Rem Ultra Mag) is the rifle that pushed me over the edge to start casting my own boolits. Over the last month or so, I've cast for the .357mag and my pistols like the ammo I've created for them. The 338 Edge is an entirely different beast. My 'normal' (pre-cast) load is 92gr of H-1000 behind a 300gr Sierra Match King J-word at around 2750fps.
The mold I'm starting with is the 220gr Lee .338 boolit. I cast up a pile of them out of WW + 1% Tin and sorted them down by weight and diameter. I culled about 40% out and ended up with 50 or so boolits. I seated the GC's and sized them to .339. I then heat treated them at 420F for 1 hour and quenched them in ice water. I'm aiming at a hardness around 18 BHN. I then lubed them with Carnuba Red.
Now, what load to use? I spent several hours running simulations with Quickload and finally decided on Varget as my starting powder. By using 64gr of Varget, I expect the velocity to be just shy of 2500fps. Quickload estimats 28.8kpsi pressure. I'm hoping that the boolits will be hard enough to withstand the 1-10" barrel, only one way to find out.
Here are some pics of the first cast loads and a few of the sized boolits. The 300gr SMK is in the picture for comparison. I've marked the brass on the left with the depth the boolit sits, as well as the fill depth of the powder.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u193/AJPeacock_photos/Boolit%20Casting/EdgeCastreloads.jpg
The rifle is a known performer, shooting the Matchkings consistently into 1" or less at 100yds and 5" or less at 800yds ! Here are a couple groups I've shot with the rifle and the J-words. The first is a picture of the first 3 shot group I shot from this barrel during breakin.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u193/AJPeacock_photos/Rifles/338EdgeGroup.jpg
Here is a group I shot a few weeks later after I tweaked the seating depth on the load. These groups are typical of the groups I get with this rifle and J-words.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u193/AJPeacock_photos/Rifles/338EdgeGroup9-24-08.jpg
I'm anxious to see if the accuracy will continue with the Cast boolits. I've cleaned the barrel and am now just waiting for the bullets to finish 'hardening', so I'll be able to see if all my homework has paid off.
Here's a picture of the rifle, It's based on a Savage short action, 28"Pacnor barrel, 3.5x15x50 Nightforce NXS scope with the NP-R1 reticle. The stock is a Laminate that was built by Joel Russo, it's based on the tactical A5 style stock.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u193/AJPeacock_photos/Rifles/338EdgeSavage.jpg
Hopefully the next groups I post will be respectable. I'll post them regardless :Fire:
AJ
The 338 Edge (300 Rem Ultra Mag) is the rifle that pushed me over the edge to start casting my own boolits. Over the last month or so, I've cast for the .357mag and my pistols like the ammo I've created for them. The 338 Edge is an entirely different beast. My 'normal' (pre-cast) load is 92gr of H-1000 behind a 300gr Sierra Match King J-word at around 2750fps.
The mold I'm starting with is the 220gr Lee .338 boolit. I cast up a pile of them out of WW + 1% Tin and sorted them down by weight and diameter. I culled about 40% out and ended up with 50 or so boolits. I seated the GC's and sized them to .339. I then heat treated them at 420F for 1 hour and quenched them in ice water. I'm aiming at a hardness around 18 BHN. I then lubed them with Carnuba Red.
Now, what load to use? I spent several hours running simulations with Quickload and finally decided on Varget as my starting powder. By using 64gr of Varget, I expect the velocity to be just shy of 2500fps. Quickload estimats 28.8kpsi pressure. I'm hoping that the boolits will be hard enough to withstand the 1-10" barrel, only one way to find out.
Here are some pics of the first cast loads and a few of the sized boolits. The 300gr SMK is in the picture for comparison. I've marked the brass on the left with the depth the boolit sits, as well as the fill depth of the powder.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u193/AJPeacock_photos/Boolit%20Casting/EdgeCastreloads.jpg
The rifle is a known performer, shooting the Matchkings consistently into 1" or less at 100yds and 5" or less at 800yds ! Here are a couple groups I've shot with the rifle and the J-words. The first is a picture of the first 3 shot group I shot from this barrel during breakin.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u193/AJPeacock_photos/Rifles/338EdgeGroup.jpg
Here is a group I shot a few weeks later after I tweaked the seating depth on the load. These groups are typical of the groups I get with this rifle and J-words.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u193/AJPeacock_photos/Rifles/338EdgeGroup9-24-08.jpg
I'm anxious to see if the accuracy will continue with the Cast boolits. I've cleaned the barrel and am now just waiting for the bullets to finish 'hardening', so I'll be able to see if all my homework has paid off.
Here's a picture of the rifle, It's based on a Savage short action, 28"Pacnor barrel, 3.5x15x50 Nightforce NXS scope with the NP-R1 reticle. The stock is a Laminate that was built by Joel Russo, it's based on the tactical A5 style stock.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u193/AJPeacock_photos/Rifles/338EdgeSavage.jpg
Hopefully the next groups I post will be respectable. I'll post them regardless :Fire:
AJ