Pushing a .338 as fast as possible

[moosehunter]

Im putting a rifle together in my head for now. Whats out there for brass that will move the 300gr. MK at 3000+. 416 necked down maybe? Right now Im match shooting and hunting with a 300WM and Id like to eventually build a rifle just for LONG range matches.

[DANTEC]

with easy to find case and strong case with good quality

338 Lapua Ackley IMP ( PPG reamer drawing ).

with 416 case if wall thickness is strong enought ( 416 Riggy is not a hight pressure round )perhaps Darryl have more information on 416 case .
chamberring in 338/416 IMP can give more velocity than 338 LM AI

after radical solution will be 408 Cheyenne neck down to 338 ( capacity of 505 Gibbs light imp) but bolt face is uncommun and cartridge and need true custom action and water capacity became real overbore .

and for 338 at the speed of the light , cartridge as 338/50 BMJ .

I still work on my 338/50 BMJ short project actually I have thickness problem with shortended case ( 2.40 inch ) wall are too thick and case expansion is not good but after to solve this problem ( by case boring )I plan to be over 3400 FPS with out any problem , but that a Mach IV caliber


Good Shooting

DAN TEC




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[Darryl Cassel]

Moosehunter

The 416 Rigby case when Improved with a 35 degree shoulder and minimum tapor is ideal for the 338 --300 grain bullet.

I have driven the 300 gr out of my 37" barrel at 3310 FPS with 122.5 grs of powder if I didn't care about loading my brass more then two times.

I have backed it off to 3200 Fps and the Norma brass holds up quite well. At the 3200 mark the bullet performs extremely well and you really don't need any more speed then that for the 300 gr bullet to perform WAY out there. It has killed elk at 2100 yards for me and I have a friend with the exact same chambering as me who is shooting the 338/416 IMP to 3350 FPS and his group killed their elk a few yyears ago at 2890 yards with 4 witnesses from the Williamsport 1000 yard club.

I had the chance to buy a 338/50 cal made on the shorter spotter round and turned it down because it would not give the velocity my 338/416 was giving me and it was using a lot more powder. It had a disadvantage in that the barrel was shorter then mine and was not able to burn all the powder.

Long barrels and slow powders are the answer when getting velocity out of the 338---300 gr bullets.

Some people keep the velocity of the 300 from 3000 Fps to 3100 fps and the bullet performs well on game.

At 3200 to 3310 it is "unbelievable" on elk and mule deer.

I wouldn't want anything more powerful then the 416 size case but, if I did, I would go to the 408 CHEY TAC case (505 Gibbs) and neck it down to 338. There may be a slight velocity increase but, I don't know since I have not tried it.

I'm happy with the 338/416 Rigby Imp.

Darryl Cassel

[DANTEC]

Dear Darryl

do you the following wilcat can works

408 Cheyenne brass recut to 416 Rigby lenght
neck down to 338
with 35° shoulder
0.40 neck lenght
same body taper as 408
and base rebated by lathe turning to match 338 LM bolt face ( look as 6.5/284 case )

that solve the problem of the low pressure design of the 416 Rigby and keep the brass more longer
that be able to use a 338 LM action
and get some fps more because 408 is bigger in diameter to hold more powder than 338/416 without to get a hudge water capacity .

good shooting

DAN TEC

[DANTEC]

Do you think that the following wilcat can works

sorry I have keyboard problem

DAN TEC

[Darryl Cassel]

Dantec

I was thinking of keeping the case base and case the same as it is and just neck it on down to the 338 diameter if the 408 did not pan out. I would already have the action.

A larger action would be needed to do it this way but, your idea of rebating the case base to the 416 Rigby, 378 Weatherby base diameter would certainly work too and does have merit.

I just hate rebating cases by lathe turning and adding more procedures to my loading process. I did that with a Hart action (standard Mag) and rebated the 378 Weathertby case so it would work.

Concerning the other thread,
I feel the same as you about the 30/378 Weatherby after having 2 or 3 of them. There are many 30 Cal wildcats such as the 308 Baer, 30 Goodling, 308 DC Super IMP and the 300 RUM that are right there with the 30/378 Weatherby in every aspect. Much cheaper to shoot and longer barrel life too.

For the other poster on the other thread, I would just jump on the 408 and get to it, unless it was my first LR rifle.
It would probably not be a 30/378 though.
Maybe just a 300 Weatherby or 300 Winchester Mag with at least a 30" barrel hanging on it?

Take Care Dantec and good shooting

Later
Darryl Cassel

[ 08-15-2002: Message edited by: Darryl Cassel ]

[DANTEC]

Dear Darryl

Thanks for your answer , as soon as I sucess to get cases in 408 ( I hopes soon ) I form several cases ( I have home made a Neil Jones over size forming die set tools with bushing ) I use it for my 50 BMJ wilcats and can use it on 408

I can ''cut'' a fireforming chamber by EDM by this way I can get a first case to get the true water capacity

lathe turning for rebated in not a problem for me I have screw making lathe that I can set up to do this job , be able to use 408 case on regular action is perhaps a clever way to promote 408 Cheyyenne case ( increase product and need ) on regular action ( no so costly perhaps )and a way to get amazing velocity in 338 cal with out giant action .

have think about relive the 300 PHOENIX cartridge , this round was design when new generation powder was not available but now that can be an answer for big 30 on 338/ 30/378 bolt face action .

good shooting

DAN TEC