.338 RUM, prepping brass?

[orangeride]

I'm getting ready to start working up some long range hunting rounds, 500-800yrd type stuff with 250-300gr sierra or berger's. The only brass available is factory Rem. To be honest in not in the same league as Lapua brass. What are you guys doing to get the brass up to snuff. Right now I'm NK sizing and de-buring the flash holes and making sure there all in spec as far as length. Is it worth the time to weight sort? How about neck turning? I'm new to match type reloading. Thanks, Aaron

 

[Topshot]

Do you have an accurate load to start with? If not, you will not notice the difference.

If you have an accurate load. I would take a bunch of new weight sorted Remington brass, and just run it through a full length size die. Then measure the outside neck diameter, base etc.

I would then load it and shoot it (at long range) without any further case treatment. Checking for accuracy and elevation.

I would then measure the fired brass neck diameter and base expansion. The neck measurements will help you determine neck tension and if you need to turn your necks or not. You most likely will not need to do this unless you have a special tight chamber. If you have a bushing die you may want to change bushings.

The base measurements will help you determine your running pressure limit in future.

Then you can square up the neck mouth, primer pockets and flash hole. Turn the necks if you want. Then shoot these cases again (at the same long range distance) with the same load and compare the accuracy and elevation spread of these fire formed and prepped cases, against the results that you got with the same cases earlier.

If you see a marked improvement then great. If not then look elsewhere to make improvements.

 

[J E Custom]

I'm getting ready to start working up some long range hunting rounds, 500-800yrd type stuff with 250-300gr sierra or berger's. The only brass available is factory Rem. To be honest in not in the same league as Lapua brass. What are you guys doing to get the brass up to snuff. Right now I'm NK sizing and de-buring the flash holes and making sure there all in spec as far as length. Is it worth the time to weight sort? How about neck turning? I'm new to match type reloading. Thanks, Aaron

I agree 100% about the lapua brass, But when I can not buy it for some calibers I resort to
plan "B".

I like to buy 200 rounds of new brass to start with (The same batch numbers if possible).

Then I do a full prep on all of it. this consist of=

Full length sizing, Trim all to the same case length, Turn all the necks just enough to be the same
and no more than nessary to clean up the worst case,De burr the case mouth and the flash hole
(Inside) and last weight sort in 1 grain batches.

You will end up with 2 or 3 different batches and a few 5 or 6 that are out of the park. I use these
few odd cases for bullet seating dummies for different bullets and seating depths and leave them
unprimed and well identified by permanently marking them.

Of the 200 rounds I normally end up with over 100 within the 1 grain limit.

Then I load only one batch until they are worn out. I then go to the next largest batch and load
them until they are gone (I don't see very much if any difference in the POI, but sometimes I
do see an improvement or lessening of SDs when I switch batches) but I like to keep my brass
as consistent as possible when loading.

The whole Idea of this is to eliminate/minimizes flyer's.

In the long run you can get about the same amount of total loads from 200 rounds of Remington
brass for the cost of 100 rounds of lapua brass (But with more effort)

The well prepared Remington brass and good loads can produce outstanding accuracy.

J E CUSTOM

 

[orangeride]

I've been shooting 3 shot 1/2" groups at 100yrds with off the shelf Rem brass Run through FL Redding regular dies, moly coated 225gr Nosler Accurbond and Fed 215m primer's. and 84gr of H4350 at 3100fps. I've got a 27" Krigger barrel. The rifle has been sitting in the safe for the last 4 years. I've been shooting a 6.5x300 Rum for deer in wyoming but I'm finally sick of all the issues (very short barrel life, very hard on brass) so I've decided to dust off my "big" gun. Thanks for the input. Aaron

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

I do what JE does with my brass. Look at RE-25 for the 225. I got my best loads with it out of a factory 26" barrel. 99 grains shoots 3260 fps. Start about 97 and go up.