loads for .30-338 win mag

[jbeckstrand]

Does anyone have any pet loads that they would be willing to share for a .30-338 win mag using a 200 gr smk? Would kind of like to try a ball powder but haven't been able to find any load data for that using this heavy of a bullet. Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks
Justin

 

[J E Custom]

Justin

I have a 40x REM with a 27" hart and these are the
loads it likes.

200gr smk-win case-rem 91/2 primer-70gr H4831-Vel 3023
200gr noz par same as above (hunting) vel 3075

I tried Fed 215 Primers Vel was higher but standard dev
was 19 (12 with 91/5 Rem)

Best 5 shot group at 100yrds 0.183
Best 5 shot group at 300yrds 0.702

Start low (67gr) and work up

I went to 71.5 but found 70 to 70.5 most accurate.

Also Try new H4831 short cut (runs through measure better)

I had no luck with ball powder.

Hope this helps

J E CUSTOM

 

[Bart B]

Thousands of .30-.338 rounds have been fired in 600 and 1000 yard matches with this great old cartridge. Many people tried types of ball powder but it never produced accuracy as good as extruded powder. Top competitors settled on IMR4350 as the powder of choice. And standard primers always produced best accuracy; the milder ones were and still are excellent. The PMC large rifle primer may well be the best these days as it's a favorite of long range folks shooting the best scores. Best accuracy was/is with new cases or full-length sized ones that set the shoulder back about 6 thousandths and size the body all the way back to the belt; no step in front of the belt.

I wore out four .30-.338 barrels using IMR4350; 65 or 66 grains with 190 HPMK's, 64 or 65 with 200's in 1:12 twist barrels. They all shot under 6 inches at 1000 yards for 25 consecutive shots.

When testing loads, shoot at least 15 shots per test group at the longest range available. Don't use the smallest of several 3 or 5 shot groups at any range to base accuacy on. It doesn't matter how tiny the smallest few shot group is; all the other groups are larger which is why they're meaningless as far as the accuracy level is that one can count on all the time.

 

[jbeckstrand]

First off thanks for the information.
JE that is really close to the hunting load that I used last fall which was 72gr. h-4831 and 180gr tsx. This load shot somewhere around .5 inch with a little deviation, probably due to the fed 215 primers from what everyone tells me.
Bart, thank you as well. I haven't tried imr 4350 yet because I thought it might be too fast burning, but I'll certainly give it a try. The last load I've tried was 76grs of h-1000 with the 200 gr smk's, which is definately borderline, so I'm probably going to back it down to 72 and start working my way up again.
Thanks once again
Justin

 

[Bart B]

Justin, many powders slower than IMR4350 will easily produce higher muzzle velocities for a given bullet weight. But I don't know of any powders that will produce better accuracy over the long haul. At the muzzle velocities a .30-.338 shoots bullets, I'd quickly give up 50 to 100 fps for much better accuracy.

 

[J E Custom]

JUSTIN

Bart is correct about 4350.

Most of the benchrest guys like 4350 (must be a reason).

Be very carefull though it seems to be very sensitive to
temp and load increases(ie; 60gr to 61gr slight increse
in presure 61 to 62 over max)so go with 1/2gr increments.

If you live in a cooler climate may not be a problem.

J E CUSTOM

 

[DougH9]

Here are the two loads that I came up with for my new 30-338. They are both accurate, go the same speed (3,100 fps), and shoot the same point of impact to 600 yards:

180 Interbond / 75 grs. of H-4831sc / Fed. 215
180 Interbond / 78 grs. of H-1000 / Fed. 215

I have shot both with 1 grain more, but primer pockets loosened up a bit. The H-1000 load must be slowly trickled in to minimize compression.