FINALLY Got To Shoot My 338 Ultra mag Part 2

[GNERGY]

Here is part 1
http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/finally-got-shoot-my-338-ultra-mag-55554/

After not having much luck with the Nosler 250 grainers, I decided to go with Barnes 225 TTSX with RL25 powder.
My friend with 338 Win. mag loads them .050 off the lands and says they shoot great so that is where I started.
I started out with 97grs. and went up in 1/2 grain increments.
I scrubed the barrel out and fired 5 foulers that are included in the first pic.
The temps were around 80 degrees when I started shooting and above the 90's when I left the range on saturday. The wind was gusting at 10 mph plus.
I was doing my testing at 300 yds and chroned all rounds.
Let the barrel cool down to outside temps between shots.
The 97gr loads averaged 3320 fps.
The 97.5 gr loads averaged 3360 fps.
The 98 gr loads which I shot only 2 avg. 3386 fps. It was getting too hot out and I called it a day. The bolt was getting a little hard to open, but I don't know if it was the loads or the hot outside temps causing that.
I loaded 6 rounds to shoot 3 at each target to ladder test.
How far off the lands are you guys seating them at.
Are you guys using different powders.
Tarey

That's my target at 300 yds thru the Burris Black Diamond.

 

[J E Custom]

I use a lot of Re powder but in hot weather I have to stay with the hodgdon extreme powders
to avoid pressure spikes.

Your velocities are good but don't get hung up on one powder. (all rifles like one powder
better than another).

I use both the 225 and the 250 accubond in my 338 RUM with great accuracy and velocity.

All of my hunting loads are .020 COAL under max magazine length. and loads are worked up
with these lengths.

J E CUSTOM

 

[bigbuck]

Hi, GNERGY I was told that retumbo is your friend with the RUM'S so I picked up 1 pound of it to try . I would say that that saying is an understatement ! It is far better than I could have ever imagined. I tried H-1000 but didn't have to good of luck with it .

Just my experience.

BigBuck

 

[GNERGY]

Bigbuck,
I am going to pick up some Retumbo today and try to get some loads worked up to test on saturday.
J E,
I see a lot of people using RL 25 but I didn't know it was temp sensitive.
Tarey

 

[Coyboy]

Tarey, I have quietly read your post about this rifle and it seems it is not "comming together" for you, let me make a few observations.

You once posted a very nice group(if I remember corectly) that was shot with nosler B-tips. A relativly thin jacket constructed bullet. Most of your poorer groups have been heavier constructed bullets AB and tsx.

One thing I have noticed about broughton barrels is the bore and groove dia. seem to vary a bit from barrel to barrel, due to their lapping procedure I presume, and your barrel may be a little oversized in the groove meaning a dia. of .3385"

Try some SMK in that barrel they will "slug up" a bit better than the tougher bullets and may give you some better accuracy. At least this testing would give you some insite as to weather or not the barrel is actually capable of fine accuracy or not.

Is the barrel cleaning up easy or does it seem to hold some copper?

 

[Coyboy]

Tarey, you may also want to check the front scope base screw to make sure it is not contacting the barrel thread tennon. If the screw were a bit long it would stop on the threads of the barrel stub. This would cause a two part problem in not holding the base firm and also put unequal pressure on the barrel action joint. In a previous post you indicated you opened up the reciever holes so just thought that may be a place to look.

As much shooting as you have done with this gun I would expect much better results than what you are getting. It may be time to look into somthing mechanical, with the barrel, or the set-up being amiss.

If testing with the seirras shows poor results we should have a phone conversation.

 

[GNERGY]

Now We're Talkin !!!!
After talking with Jim See on the phone we decided that I needed a faster powder to slug up my barrel because the bore dia. is .3385 ( as listed on my fact sheet from Broughton barrels ).
Jim suggested 4831sc because the RL's are temp sensitive. I have a lot of 4350 so I thought I would try some of that first seeing that is what I used with the 180gr. Nosler BT's that shot pretty good at 200 yds.
I loaded up some 180gr NBT's that weren't moly coated and the 225gr Barnes TTSX.
I shot some BT's to foul the clean barrel and shot the Barnes at 300yds.
Temps were in the 80's workin their way to the 90's and wind was calm.
The load of 86.5grs of 4350 put the first 2 touching and while I was slowly squeezing off the 3rd one the guy next to me let one fly from his garand and I jerked it. I know it could of been better so I am going to load some more with that weight ( because I only loaded 3 rounds with each weight for testing ) The ones with more powder started to get the bolt a little harder to lift so I stopped testing and shot more 180gr. BT's to finish out the morning.
I'm finally HAPPY with the capabilities my rifle has demonstrated with this trip to the range.
Tarey

In the pic below I shot the rest of the 180 ballistic tips but the mirage started playing havoc with my group.

 

[bigbuck]

Now We're Talkin !!!!
After talking with Jim See on the phone we decided that I needed a faster powder to slug up my barrel because the bore dia. is .3385 ( as listed on my fact sheet from Broughton barrels ).
Jim suggested 4831sc because the RL's are temp sensitive. I have a lot of 4350 so I thought I would try some of that first seeing that is what I used with the 180gr. Nosler BT's that shot pretty good at 200 yds.
I loaded up some 180gr NBT's that weren't moly coated and the 225gr Barnes TTSX.
I shot some BT's to foul the clean barrel and shot the Barnes at 300yds.
Temps were in the 80's workin their way to the 90's and wind was calm.
The load of 86.5grs of 4350 put the first 2 touching and while I was slowly squeezing off the 3rd one the guy next to me let one fly from his garand and I jerked it. I know it could of been better so I am going to load some more with that weight ( because I only loaded 3 rounds with each weight for testing ) The ones with more powder started to get the bolt a little harder to lift so I stopped testing and shot more 180gr. BT's to finish out the morning.
I'm finally HAPPY with the capabilities my rifle has demonstrated with this trip to the range.
Tarey

In the pic below I shot the rest of the 180 ballistic tips but the mirage started playing havoc with my group.

good shootin Tarey

 

[sambo3006]

It looks to have great potential! My 338RUM loves the 225 gr Accubond and IMR 7828(Remington factory tube).

 

[Eaglet]

I'm just one year late... still fun!

It seems to me those top 8 shots are also potential promising...

With the scope properly adjusted, all 8 shots would be inside the red circle.
Yes! definitely promising!

 

[royinidaho]

This thread makes me proud of Jim See. It is great to see a dedicated shooter and a personable rifle smith work together to come to a successful conclusion.

A great amount of experience is displayed in this thread.

Good goin' fellas.

When looking at the last target where the BTs were wasted into the paper I noticed some subtle differences in the holes.

There are A-holes and B-holes. As usual Its the 'A-holes' that may be the problem or at least give a hint. FWIW