338AX wannabe reloader, needs some help

[Chas1]

I'm wondering if some of you 338AX shooters could offer some assistance to a fellow shooter who received his 338AX from Kirby 2 years ago and yes just now acquired several pounds of Retumbo and at the threshold of attempting to reload for it. Any help would be appreciated as I have been unsuccessful in getting any responses to several emails sent to Kirby over the last month. I'm hoping he's OK. I could use some help with what I think are fairly basic questions, here goes.

1.) I have 100 fire formed 338AX cases provided by Kirby varying in length from 2.6975 to 2.7090, what trim to case length are you guys using?

2.) What's your OAL and how far off the lands are you seating at?

3.) If I recall correctly Kirby test fired my rig with 300gr Sierra HPBT, 215 Fed, 98gr Retumbo on a pretty cold day in Montana. I live in Florida where it's running about 70 degrees and plan on using same components. Would a safe starting load be 95grs Retumbo and work up from there?

4.) And lastly ...at least for now. What are you guys using to measure headspace? Did any of you have Kirby make a custom headspace gauge or are you using some sort of other device/method?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[royinidaho]

It's hunting season. Kirby is in and out a bit.

Here's a start:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/338-allen-xpress-first-load-developement-session-23644/

and a little more

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/338-allen-xpress-rl33-load-development-120353/

Kirby's loading method, to determine max pressure load, is to load until pressure signs such as bolt lift and or extractor mark show. Then back down two grains.

You'll most probably be fine with 95 grains as a start.

RE: Trim length. On my Allen Mags, per Kirby, I trim to the shortest case in the bunch to start with then maintain case listed length of the parent case for the 270 AM and 375 AM. Don't know for sure about the AX family of cartridges.

Hope this holds you for a little while.