Model 70 .338 WM light load

[Heavy lead]

I bought a really nice Model 70 for my nephew. He's a big kid at 15, but still a bit soft, yet a darn good rifle shot. Anyway I've set out to develop a light practice load for him using a Hornady 200 grain bullet. I have run into a problem I have not experienced before. I'm using XMR4064 with a start load of 57 grains of powder and a CCI 200 primer. I shot 19 of these loads today (attempted 20) and had very poor results. I was getting hangfires, slight, but hangfires and one fail to fire, I dropped the hammer on it twice. I broke the round down and found the primer did in fact fire as there was evidence of burned powder stuck together at the bottom of the case. I've exstensive reloading experience with many different rounds including other .338 Winchester Mags, but never with lighter loads and this quick burning powder. I consulted many manuals before I chose this powder and bullet combination. My chronograph results were surprisingly constant for the 5 loads I clocked at 2445, 2435, 2432, 2436, and 2430 in that order which is astonishing considering the results. I've never liked CCI rifle primers, but gave them a try here. Anyway I am in fact at or above the start load in any manual I can find, however I've only seen the load listed with a magnum (specifically in this case a CCI 250) and in one case a WLR primer.
Is this a hangfire, or too weak a primer for this. I assumed with a extruded single base powder it would be fine, should I change to a magnum, or start from scratch and just move to a 4350 burn rate of powder and boost the velocity a couple hundred fps.
Any thoughts?
I'm contemplating loading a few with RP 9.5 magnum primers or maybe Federal 210's.

[Ben]

If you change to mag primers, I doubt you'll see much of a change. I bet you'll still have hangfires.

That powder is fairly slow, the case very large......a lot of empty air space and extremely low load density........you've got everything needed
for ( prime ingredients )for hangfires.

If my intent was to shoot a light load in your 338 Win. Mag, I'd try a cast bullet with AA-5744 , IMR 4198, IMR 4227 or even 2400 powder. I believe your ignition problems would be over then.

Ben

[Heavy lead]

I do have some 5744 on hand (use it for the .416 with boolits) maybe I'll give that a try.

[Ben]

I believe you'll solve your ignition problems with the 5744.

Ben

[454PB]

Take a look at this:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=67426

[stephen perry]

Which Lyman numbers do you guys use for a Model 70 in .338, I have same gun. Don't care about powders I can figure that out.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR :brokenima

[Bucks Owin]

I was 11 one snowy BC winter when the ol' man first let me fire his p'64 "Alaskan" .338. Target was about a 3' dia boulder 150 yds or so away. Laid that old M-70 across the hood of the pickup on a rolled up coat. Saw crosshairs on boulder, closed eyes and yanked trigger for first shot. Impact unknown. Seeing as I was still alive and relatively unhurt, I squeezed off shot #2 with eyes open and nailed the big rock. I felt 10 feet tall that day, had fired a "man's rifle", and have loved the .338 Win ever since....Gathering wool again, Dennis (Who didn't fire a third shot that day though...:oops:)