Boolit mould for .338 Lapua Magnum

[closebutnocigar]

Dear friends,

I told a friend of mine about the "new" idea of using paper patched bullets for fullpower nitro loads and about the group buy spire point 311 365.

He was very interested because at this side of the ocaen paperpatching isn´t common and only used by blackpowder shooters with Sharps, Rolling Blocks and these older guns.

So here is the question:

Is there a mould in 338 that you can recommend for the 338 Lapua?

The requested weight should be in the range from 250-300 grains.

The standart catalogue of rcbs/lyman/nei doesn´t offer a mould that looks right.


If we have to order a custom design - can I just use the 311 365, make an upsized sketch to fit the 338 and then give it to a custom mould maker ?

Thank you for your information !

[Hardcast416taylor]

DoughtyEnt.com Richard Doughty is making me a PP mold for .338 in the 250 gr. range.Robert

[rockrat]

Design your own on the Mountain moulds site and have Dan make it for you. Whatever weight you want.

[closebutnocigar]

Well, it´s easy to draw a sketch and then get an expensive custom mould with bullets that don´t work - which is (of course) not the fault of the drawer but the custom mouldmaker must have than a mistake.

Seriously: There is a reason WHY several designs are with us for more than 120 years.

The Postell, for instance, still wins lots of matches - an there are reasons why it wins ... because it works.

So I feel it would be the best idea to find a bullet / mould design that already exists and than make it fit to the 338.

[HORNET]

It won't get you quite as slippery of a profile, but you could get the 8 mm MAX mold from Midsouth (see the custom mold section) and patch it up to size. It'll give you an economical way to see if it's a technique that you want to pursue further. Lee's standard .338 mold has had favorable reviews on here for accuracy, but it's somewhat lighter than you specified.

[wmitty]

Just in case you are interested in patching up the 8 mm Max, using wheel weights mine dropped 246.1 gr c-boos and miked .325" dia. as cast. Long way to patch up to groove dia. ; but I'm certainly no expert on p.p. - maybe it can be done successfully.

[seppos]

I just loaded some Lee:s 220 grainers backed with HDPE wad and case full of VV:s 24N41 powder.. Quick load gives pritty low pressure around 36000 psi , but I am more conserned about the speed.
over 2600 fps might be too much from 12" rifling..

S

[quasi]

perhaps in the future N.O.E. will have a 300 gr. spitzer .338 GB?

[seppos]

Dont know was it the speed or the wad behind the boolit. I had 103.4, 104.17 and 104.94 grain loads with a hdpe wad. No practical grouping and unburned powder in the barrel.
Positive side was, that there was no leading in the barrel.
Next I will propably try COW filler.

S

[BABore]

I added both a 250 and 275 grain boolit to my rifle design stable back in December.

Here is a lengthy thread in the GB forum on it. http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=97683

[seppos]

Yes.. they are nice and I will propably order in near future.
Have anybody tested them?
Like to know some test results, if possible.

S

[BABore]

I sent samples to three guys on the forum. So far I've only heard back from Rockrat. He did pretty good with the 250 grain boolits. I actually have two cherrys of it. The first one had an oops and I made the meplat closer to 0.200 and I was shooting for around 0.225. The cylidrical, bore ride nose section was also about 0.0005 smaller than I wanted. So, I finished it off but also made one spot on. IIRC Rockrat had best accuracy with the later "to spec" boolit. I sent a big bunch out to a member out west. Can't recall his name right now, but I think he has a casting business of some sort. Weather is usually the problem this time of year. I've been able to shoot a few and have pretty good results for the limited work-ups I've done.

[seppos]

Impressive..
I take it that it is possible to have both the 250 and 275 grainer in the same mould block with some additional cost?
What would be the core diameter of the HP punch?
Will it be the same as the meplat?
And.. will it be possible to have both cavitys HP:ed if it would be a mixed cavity mould?

S

[BABore]

Impressive..
I take it that it is possible to have both the 250 and 275 grainer in the same mould block with some additional cost? Yes. $10 per design change.What would be the core diameter of the HP punch? Depends on your needs. As small as 0.098" in a twist/pull pin type. 0.1875 in multicavity HP's. In the multicavity I only put the taper into the nose for release.
Will it be the same as the meplat? No. I will only do that if you insist. They don't fill out well if you go that route. Your pouring into a very deep "V" that way.

And.. will it be possible to have both cavitys HP:ed if it would be a mixed cavity mould? With tip-out pins yes. The spacing is too close for standard type unless your looking at two cavities of HP's in a 4C mold. I can do every other cavity then.
S

There you go.

[seppos]

I suppose I just have to start to save money for the mold then..;)

S