Advisable speed

[JLF]

What is the advisable speed for lead tips weighing 270 grains, caliber .338 win. mag., so that I do not lead the rifle barrel?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I do not load .338 Win. Mag, but do load for such cartridges as .30-30, .30-40, .308, .30-06, 8x57mm Mauser, and more. I use bullets of grain weights from 150 gr. to 220 gr. A good velocity without leading seems to be around 1,100 fps, and I use gas checks whenever possible, which helps avoid leading. You will probably get different answers from different members depending on what they reload. The alloy of your lead has a lot to do with it, as softer alloys tend to lead more at higher velocities. I use straight wheel weights from tire shops, and harden them by dropping the bullets from the mold into a bucket of water.

DG

[JLF]

Thank you DG for your answer ... now I have a rough idea of ​​what speed I should drive or around what speed I should be. I thought it would arrive at speeds of 1900 - 2000 feet / sec, I see that it is not the most indicated ...

[megasupermagnum]

Rifles are particularly nice in that the accuracy will go bad WAY before you see leading. If you see leading, something is wrong with the bullet. Either it is undersized, or maybe your lube/coating has an issue, or maybe your bullet is simply too soft. In 308 winchester, I've gone all the way to about 2500 fps with a 170 grain bullet with clip on wheel weight alloy and a gas checked bullet. Plenty of people have run up 2800-3000 fps with no leading at all.

Accuracy on the other hand is much harder to find at those levels. Once you get north of about 2000 fps, tiny details start to matter real quick.

[Winger Ed.]

I've had good luck in .30 cal. with 170 & 190s that were cast pretty hard, gas checked,
and sailing along between 1600-ish for targets, and 1800-2000 fps for hunting.

The 405s in .45 cal. I keep around 1300 fps.
They get a bit punishing to shoot when going much faster than that.

[JLF]

Well ... then the heavier and harder the bullets, you can reach significant speeds.

[Mk42gunner]

I wouldn't go for a hard alloy right at the start.

With good fit and a good lube, something around wheel weight or Lyman #2 mix should allow velocities in the high teens or low 2,000 fps range.

I wasn't casting for rifles when I had a .338 and as I get older, I find I like recoil less and less.

Robert

[Kraschenbirn]

Like DG, I don't load for the .338 but get 1 1/2 MOA (or better) groups pushing 196 gr. .30 cals. at 2040 fps from a Savage M10 with no indication of leading. Boolits are cast from my approximation of Lyman #2, gas-checked and powder-coated. Have also shot lubed 255 grainers w/o GCs, cast from 50/50 range scrap and COWW, from my .38-55 Highwall at around 1500 fps with just a few flecks of lead showing up on the first couple of patches during cleaning. With a good lube a proper boolit fit, something in the 1700-1800 fps range should be easily doable.

Bill

[JLF]

I wouldn't go for a hard alloy right at the start.

With good fit and a good lube, something around wheel weight or Lyman #2 mix should allow velocities in the high teens or low 2,000 fps range.

I wasn't casting for rifles when I had a .338 and as I get older, I find I like recoil less and less.

Robert

Thank you for contributing your experience.
Many times I thought about changing caliber, especially when after taking 23 consecutive shots, the strong recoil ended up severing a tendon in my shoulder.
Later, you may decide to switch to a caliber with less recoil.
I have thought of a .338-06 or a .35 Whelen .....

[JLF]

Like DG, I don't load for the .338 but get 1 1/2 MOA (or better) groups pushing 196 gr. .30 cals. at 2040 fps from a Savage M10 with no indication of leading. Boolits are cast from my approximation of Lyman #2, gas-checked and powder-coated. Have also shot lubed 255 grainers w/o GCs, cast from 50/50 range scrap and COWW, from my .38-55 Highwall at around 1500 fps with just a few flecks of lead showing up on the first couple of patches during cleaning. With a good lube a proper boolit fit, something in the 1700-1800 fps range should be easily doable.

Bill

I appreciate you giving me your experience ....
I am taking note of all the contributions they give me.
Thank you

[popper]

I assume the mould is GCd so pick your load for desired fps. Start with ~2% Sn, fire some and increase Sb & H.T. till accuracy is good. PC will help.

[JLF]

I assume the mould is GCd so pick your load for desired fps. Start with ~2% Sn, fire some and increase Sb & H.T. till accuracy is good. PC will help.

The mold is made by a good friend., because in my country, the only mold I got in .338 was 220 grains, which I didn't like. So I looked for a 270 grain mold in your country and I found this one from the company Accurate Molds


I appreciate your good advice.

[oldblinddog]

I load the Lyman 33889 250 gr. in my .338 Win Mag. 14.0 gr. of Unique would be a start. This should give you 11-1200 fps. Max would be around 18.0 gr. with your bullet. Look for accuracy. 28.0 gr. of IMR 4198 would give you around 1700 fps.

What do you want to use it on?

[44Blam]

It depends on the twist of the rifle... I can send boolits 2500 fps in my 350 legend with a 1:16 twist, but with a 1:8 twist I find that about 1800 fps is pretty much max...

[winelover]

I happen to load cast for my Model 70 Classic in 338W Mag. However, I do not have any use for the heavy for caliber bullets. Heavy bullets equate to heavy recoil and are not necessary for hunting the local whitetail deer. My arthritic shoulders appreciate it too.

I own only one bullet mould in 338 caliber. I had Tom at Accurate Molds clone the 200 grain Lyman flat point.

http://accuratemolds.com/bullet_deta...bullet=34-201L

I cast my bullets out of alloy that no harder than COWW. I avoid heat treating or water dropping, since I'm only interested in a medium velocity deer hunting load. I don't powder coat. Use Carnuba Red and a gas check. Not a hint of leading.

Powders that I have found to work well in the 1900 -2000 fps velocity range (200 grain bullet) are, SR 4759, AA 5744 and 4198. I use no fillers and magnum primers when applicable. I full size all my brass using the RCBS X-die and get excellent case life.....over 15 reloadings on RP brass and never had to trim since the initial case prep/trimming.

Winelover

[JLF]

I load the Lyman 33889 250 gr. in my .338 Win Mag. 14.0 gr. of Unique would be a start. This should give you 11-1200 fps. Max would be around 18.0 gr. with your bullet. Look for accuracy. 28.0 gr. of IMR 4198 would give you around 1700 fps.

What do you want to use it on?

Unfortunately in Argentina you can't get this powder, I use FM A19 powder.
The use is purely hunting from wild boar to buffalo.

[JLF]

It depends on the twist of the rifle... I can send boolits 2500 fps in my 350 legend with a 1:16 twist, but with a 1:8 twist I find that about 1800 fps is pretty much max...

My rifle turn is 1:10

[JLF]

I happen to load cast for my Model 70 Classic in 338W Mag. However, I do not have any use for the heavy for caliber bullets. Heavy bullets equate to heavy recoil and are not necessary for hunting the local whitetail deer. My arthritic shoulders appreciate it too.

I own only one bullet mould in 338 caliber. I had Tom at Accurate Molds clone the 200 grain Lyman flat point.

http://accuratemolds.com/bullet_deta...bullet=34-201L

I cast my bullets out of alloy that no harder than COWW. I avoid heat treating or water dropping, since I'm only interested in a medium velocity deer hunting load. I don't powder coat. Use Carnuba Red and a gas check. Not a hint of leading.

Powders that I have found to work well in the 1900 -2000 fps velocity range (200 grain bullet) are, SR 4759, AA 5744 and 4198. I use no fillers and magnum primers when applicable. I full size all my brass using the RCBS X-die and get excellent case life.....over 15 reloadings on RP brass and never had to trim since the initial case prep/trimming.

Winelover

Thank you for your contribution..
The white-tailed deer is similar to the axis deer from my country, which I hunt with 250 grain tips. Bullet weight that I use for all my hunts.

[JLF]

To give an idea, the powder I use, the A19, is a bit slower than the R25. For that reason I choose heavy tips. I should have matched the point weights of the bullets to the gunpowder I get.

[oldblinddog]

To give an idea, the powder I use, the A19, is a bit slower than the R25. For that reason I choose heavy tips. I should have matched the point weights of the bullets to the gunpowder I get.

Does FM make any pistol/shotgun powders?