338 win mag accuracy

[waddwadd]

gentleman I need a little help. My 338 ruger M77 tang safety just isn't performing like I thought it should. I rebarreled it with a shaw barrel 26 inches long trued the action. timney trigger set at 2lbs It was glass bedded around the recoil lug at an earlier time. I put some glass bedding in the tang area. 3x9 nikon monarch ucc scope. I've shot about 20 rounds through it cleaning every shot. still getting some copper fouling. will continue with breakin procedure. but the accuracy is no better then with the factory barrel I've shot nosler accubonds (old reloads from prev. barrel) barnes x bullets and some speer. all around 210-225 gr. accuracy sucks. should I chock this up to barrel breakin or change bullet weight. all reloads are full length sized trimmed to lenght and flashholes deburred. Rl 19 powder. I thought I would get reasonable accuracy out of this rig or at least some consistancy. any suggestions would be appreciated.
Wade

 

[hogwild]

I've found great accuracy with my Browning 338 using H4831sc, 250 grain NP, Fed 215 primers. Might give this combo a try and see what happens.

 

[LewisH]

FWIW, my finicky old M70 only shot well with Hogwild's combo, or H4831/Speer 275s, or discontinued factory WW PowerPoint 225s; and nothing else...and she also needed 10lbs up pressure on her forend tip.

The old girl was very accurate when she got what she liked.

 

[waddwadd]

I was starting to think that she was going to be picky about what I feed her. Dang that means sooo... much more shooting to get a load worked up. I've only used 4831 and RL19 as powder in my reloading. I could try some loads with 4831 does different powder make that much of a difference in some guns. and I was hoping to use something in the 200-225 grain range for bullets but I will try some heavier ones. thanks again.
wade

 

[hogwild]

I was starting to think that she was going to be picky about what I feed her. Dang that means sooo... much more shooting to get a load worked up. I've only used 4831 and RL19 as powder in my reloading. I could try some loads with 4831 does different powder make that much of a difference in some guns. and I was hoping to use something in the 200-225 grain range for bullets but I will try some heavier ones. thanks again.
wade

I tried IMR4831 and did not have the accuracy as H4831sc. Yes different powders can perform differently from gun to gun with the same componets. It seems for most calibers and bullets weights there is some pretty common ground with powders that will shoot well but there is always the exception that thrives on a different powder or bullet.

 

[D.Camilleri]

You might also give imr 4350 at try. How bad are your groups?

 

[waddwadd]

I think the barrel is finally breaking in and I'm getting closer with the powder charge that it likes. I shot a 3 shot group that went about 1/2 inch at 100 yards. that is what I've been looking for. I usually get two shots really close and the third is a flyer I'm now suspecting my shooting techniques. I'm also looking at installing a break on it. to cut down on muzzle jump primarily when I shoot off the bipod. which I think could be the flyers. I will be bench shooting some handloads that are built as accurately as possible soon. I will post my results. Now I need to research bipod techniques and see If I can improve my shooting. This site is a wealth of info. thanks
Wade

 

[MagnumManiac]

I'm just wondering if you are shooting those groups straight after cleaning the barrel.I've always found for accuracy grouping that if I shoot 2 fouling shots first,I always get better groups.
Have you tried different seating depths,especially with the Accubonds,I found they shot best when seated .020"-.030" off the lands(in my Win Model 70 Classic Stainless 26" barrel).
Just a couple of thoughts that might help you out.
MagnumManiac
gun)

P.S I just thought that if you try RE19 above the max load Alliant recommends,it might work for you,it worked for me,I was getting under ignition problems.Accubonds/Ballistic Tips seem to create less pressure with the loads listed in most manuals(to me,with case head expansion)
But obviously,keep a sharp watch on pressure!

 

[waddwadd]

Ya thats the problem I have with this gun. Both the old barrel and this one have lots of throat. From magazine maximum length to touching the lands is 0.100 of an inch. I guess that leaves me a lot of room for trial and error. and yes I found the max pressure for this rifle with re19 210 barnes x its right at 72.5 and 73grs. I'm going to check accubonds (my bullet of choice) next as soon as I find a store in town that has them. What does anyone know what possible velocity I could get with 300gr SMK"s They do have phenomenal BC's. anyone have any suggestions on my bipod usage. I use a Harris
Thanks Wade

 

[jjmp]

wade,
mite i sugest you use one bullet for barrel brake in,sierra bullets jackets are harder and will burnish you rifleing better than useing 2 or 3 different makes or manufactures bullets,barnes while an awesome bullet smear more than any other bullet ...cause they are softer, your powder choices are fine, your barrel wants to shoot you see that by your groups getting tighter. but while brakeing in a new barrel you should not shoot for groups ,because your shooting and cleaning ,shooting and cleaning, wet bores even dryed with a flannel cloth will throw fliers because as stated above it takes at least two fired rounds to dry and foul the bore..try some sierra 215 grain boatails.....a good copper remover is barnes CR-10.lightly kiss your lands, some barrels take longer to brake in then others because their bores have tool marks and these strip metal from the bullet jacket when it fired down the barrel thus showing up as copper build-up....try some JB-bore cleaner this will not harm or barrel but it will hasten barrel brake in....i shoot a 26 inch ss..#5 douglas xx, 1-10 twist barrel 338win/magnum my self...shooting a 300 grain MK...you will be in the low 2400 fps range...harris is very good i use them also......regards

 

[waddwadd]

Thought I would give everyone an update on how the rifle has been shooting. I've shot about 200 round through her and I think using bore paste really settled her down. I'm probably shooting 3/4 moa groups now. clean up is a breeze now. It was like daylight to dark when it broke in. I shot alot of 200gr hornady spire pts. during this process mainly because that is what I had the most of and they were cheap. The boxes had $6.50 price tag on them that tells you how old they were. I've settled on sierra 215 game king as my load of choice. They shoot real good i could probably get a little more velocity out of them but for now I'm happy. I'm currently checking my drop charts and generaly messing around with shooting long range at rocks and dirt clods,for example tonight I shot a dirt clod that was about 16-20 inches at 940 yds I had shot at it a few days ago so I new the drop pretty close. My reticle was off a little bit then, shot kicked up dirt a little low and right next shot was dead center elevation with a few inches windage off. pretty tickled. Now to fine tune my shooting and practice practice practice I should be ready.