338 AM assembled, pics....

[7mmRHB]

Lerch, no dought 95* sucks for you guys in the middle of April but I'm looking out my shop window right now and believe me when I say 36* and SNOWING HARD for the last three hours. This has been the never ending winter in central and nortern Utah!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Good luck with your weather. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

----7mmRHB---

 

[lerch]

Well I decided a long time ago that you can put on more and more cloths to make you warmer in cold weather.

But if it is hot the police can still catch a naked man!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I think we are gonna get a cool down this weekend so maybe I can get out and do some turkey hunting

good luck with the snow
steve

 

[ewallace]

Have you tested any of the 350g WC interested in what king of FPS.
Crow Mag

 

[ewallace]

What jacket thickness are you using on the WC bullets shooting them at 3300 FPS? I see he has .030 .040 and .065 I would think you would want a jacket as thin as possible with out the chance of blowing up bullets on the way to its target.
Crow Mag

 

[Fiftydriver]

CrowMag,

I have not tested the 350 gr pills yet in the 338 AM. I will wait until I get the rifle coated and fully broke in before testing them. I only have a limited supply for testing until Richard gets his dies corrected and returned so he can start making them again.

With the limited testing I have done with the 338 AM, it looks like it will easily push 3500 fps with the 300 gr pill. Compared to my 338 Kahn which is topping out at 3050 fps with a 300 gr pill in its 34.5" barrel I can use these numbers to make a prediction as to the performance of the heaiver 350 gr pills.

My Kahn will hit 2800 fps or slightly more with the 350 gr ULD.

Given my 338 AM rifle will add 450 fps to what my Kahn will get with the 300 gr bullets, I am predicting at least 3250 fps with the 350 gr pill and I suspect the larger case will offer even more advantage with this very heavy bullet so I am still looking to get 3300 fps in my long barreled 338 AM.

In my 32" barrel, conventional wisdom says the big 338 magnums will drop around 18 fps from 40" to 35" and then around 20 fps from 35 to 32". If that holds true that would get me at least 3350 fps with the 300 gr pills and hopefully 3150 with the 350s.

We will see. BD408 is getting 3400 fps with a 33" barrel with a 300 gr pill so hopefully I will not loose as much fps as I am predicting.

As far as Jacket thickness, I have tested the 0.040" jackets in my 338 Kahn out to a mile and will tell you for a fact they will not expand past about 800 yards. Now if you drive them head long into solid sandstone they will expand but into anything else will not expand this bullet jacket thickness at Kahn velocities.

That said I have +400 fps advantage in velocity with the 338 AM so this will have to be retested to see how they expand at the higher velocities.

I feel pretty confident in saying I will be using a 0.030" jacket for big game hunting. This is still a very heavy jacket by conventional standards and should offer good expansion at long range while still holding together.

I would be suprised if I will need to jump up to the 40 thou jacket but will find out this summer with more testing.

Good Shooting!!

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[Festus]

Kirby,
Please forgive me if this has been covered and I missed it...where does a feller find .408 CT brass?
Festus

 

[Black Diamond 408]

Festus:

The brass is avalible from www.ttiarmory.com

Dave

 

[wildcat]

Fifty, is your stock on this rig the 50HBR with the 5" forend. I know you listed it as the 50LBR, but it looks just like the 50HBR.

Wildcat

 

[Festus]

Thanks Dave,
Wow, that's cheaper than 7.82 Warbird brass and not a lot more than .338 LM brass.
Festus

 

[Black Diamond 408]

Festus:

It is a very resonable priced case (under 2.00ea) for a specialty item. Look for lots of wildcats from this case. (408 C-T)

 

[Festus]

Dave,
How's the quality as compared to Lapua, Norma, W-W or Federal? Not that it matters a lot, when vanilla is the only flavor you like vanilla or go without. Just curious.
Festus

 

[Black Diamond 408]

Festus:

There are several others making the 408 brass. The first brass that Chey-Tac brought into the country was from a german manufacturer, very high quality. Then they bought into the company of Jamison International brass to make the brass for them solely. I tested the brass when it became avalible, was not good, everyone using it had problems of cracking. Then TTI Armory came out with brass, maker unknown, this brass is high quality also. I have heard that Jamison has fixed the problems with the 408 brass but i have not tested any. If enough guys could get together for a big order, the brass can be made from the German manufacturer. He said he could put on any headstamp we wanted or leave the base blank. would need to order around 10,000 pieces to make it pay.
I would say the brass is as good or better than Lapua. If you blow the primer pockets or the base, your pressure is way to high! I cut one apart, they are very heavy in the web area. 505 Gibbs brass (original parent case) will not work, the web is too thin for this high pressure round.

Have fun, go out and git yourself one, they are a hoot to shoot! BMG fun with out the recoil.

Dave

 

[Fiftydriver]

Festus,

BD408 posted the correct link for the best brass.

Kirby Allen(50)

 

[Fiftydriver]

Wildcat,

My stock is a McMillan 50LBR. Pretty much same thing as the 50HBR but a bit trimmer in the forend, I think its 3.5" wide compared to 5" for the HBR. Can not be weighted to the same amount as the HBR.

Kirby Allen(50)