most accurate 30/338 brass

[cwhuntsalot]

Thanks for the info Tom. Why the different twists and how do they affect the accuracy? I was considering a 26" Krieger w/ no fluting. I have received differing views about fluting. Some say it imparts stresses on the barrel, while others say nothing about stress. Krieger does not flute any of their barrels, but Hart and Shaw do. So is fluting a yay or nay based on the shooters interpretation of the mfr hype of the benefits of fluting-stiffer, lighter, cools quicker, albeit unsubstantiated by black & white facts? In short, what are your thoughts on fluting?
Thanx Curtis

 

[Trnelson]

My 30/338 has a 10 twist 26" barrel on it. It allows me to shoot the largest weight high BC bullets with accuracy. I shoot the 230g Berger tactical OTM, I get 1/2 MOA accuracy with it. I've also shot the 240 Sierra MK but found superior accuracy with the Berger. It can get to just under 2,900 before pressure puts a halt to safe fun. Best accuracy is closer to 2,800. I am not certain if an 11 twist would stabilize it or not, previous posters may have first hand insight. IMO the 210 Berger may be superior at velocities the 30/338 can safely attain. Furthermore an 11 twist may be sufficient to stabilize it. One could reasonably hope to get pretty close to 3,000 with that 210 bullet.
I haven't caught the fluting bug, but some swear by it. I saw an interesting interrupted offset pattern on a rifle at the range recently. If I see it again I'll get a picture and the pertinent information. YMMV

 

[cwhuntsalot]

I really appreciate everyones input and assistance offered to help resolve my dilemma. Please be reminded that I will be using hunting bullets whether soft point or unleaded (as required in the California Condor range) will remain to be determined with load development.
Does anyone have any experience or input about the GS bullets out of South Africa? They appear to be very similar to BarnesX.
Should I consider a 20MOA scope mount rail, or will a flat top be adequate?
Thanx for all of everyones help Curtis

 

[cwhuntsalot]

Hart offers a fluting pattern that I guess would be called interrupted offset. IF I decide to flute that will be the pattern I will choose

 

[FEENIX]

As far as getting 150-250 fps more velocity from a 30-338 versus a 300 Win Mag, not going to happen unless your 30-338 has a 30 plus inch barrel and compare that to a 300 Win Mag using a 26" or shorter barrel. In the same length barrel, the 300 Win will win every time.
Kevin

+1!

(L: .300Win Mag with 200gr NAB; R: .338 Win Mag with 225gr NAB)

 

[CliffM]

Sometimes pictures can be worth alot of words.

Winchester Brass (lasts longer than Rem)
2850 fps from 26" barrel
11.25 twist
Cliff

 

[Bart B]

With the same bore dimensions and peak pressures, a .30-.338 shoots the same bullet out slower than a .300 Win. Mag; it burns less powder.

I've wore out 3.5 .30-.338 barrels using Winchester .338 Win. Mag. brass for the standard version and Winchester .300 Win. Mag. brass for the long neck (Keele) version. Both versions produce 1/2 MOA accuracy for 30 shots at 1000 yards. New cases shoot just as accurate as properly full length sized ones. Sort cases into 1% spreads in case weight and that's all that's needed with standard chamber neck diameters about .342 inch. Tight chamber necks don't consistantly shoot as accurate as standard ones.

When I chronographed my 28-inch barrels, Sierra 190's left a bit over 3000 fps with 65 to 66 grains of IMR4350 and their 200's left a bit under 3000 fps with one grain less powder.

The best thing about fluting a barrel is it makes extra money for the guy fluting it. Fluting a finished button-rifled barrel changes its bore dimensions a tiny amount and accuracy suffers. Cut rifled finished barrels suffer the least from being fluted. Fluting does nothing for accuracy. And fluting a finished barrel makes it less stiff, but barrel stiffness has little to do with accuracy anyway. Fluted barrels cool a bit faster than solid ones, but a good barrel (fluted or not) properly fit to a receiver doesn't change point of impact as it heats up. If one must have a fluted barrel, make sure it's fluted before it's rifled and lapped to specs.

 

[Trnelson]

Sometimes pictures can be worth alot of words.
View attachment 8462
Winchester Brass (lasts longer than Rem)
2850 fps from 26" barrel
11.25 twist
Cliff

That's exactly what I'm talking about. Bravo. How far off the rifling are you set up?
I've been eyeballing the 210 myself for a while. According to my figures it would have equal or faster velocity than the 230 I'm running now out to 700 yards and equal or better wind drift out to 750 yards. That 210 may be able to get pretty near to 3,000 fps. before pressure. It sure is hard to look at another load for that gun when the 230 tactical OTM is running 1/2 MOA.

 

[CliffM]

They are loaded to .010" off, which just happens to be box length, 3.400". That was not a max load. I went to 75.5 gr/2895fps. and quit. 215 Hybrids with the same 74gr load will make 2880fps. The pressure didn't seem any different, but the 11.25 twist may be just a tad too slow to shoot as well as the 210's. I need to get another box and test them a little more.
H1000 may not be the best powder for this cartridge, I was just looking for a load to use this powder up. Like Bart my load has always been 65-66 imr4350 and Sierra's. I think I'd like to dig into his head and learn all he knows about shooting these.
Cliff

 

[Bart B]

H1000 may not be the best powder for this cartridge, I was just looking for a load to use this powder up. Like Bart my load has always been 65-66 imr4350 and Sierra's. I think I'd like to dig into his head and learn all he knows about shooting these.
Cliff

To start with, when this round was popular in long range prone matches, the best scores (and accuracy in tests) happened with either brand new unprepped cases or fired ones full length sized in a die set to move the shoulder back 2 thousandths and whose neck was lapped out to 2 thousandths under a loaded round's neck diameter. Nowadays, use a full length bushing die made by Redding or RCBS.

Then a second body die was used (standard FL die cut off at the top just below the body-shoulder junction and cut off and squared at the bottom just above the belt clearance) so the body could be sized down to new case diameters immediately in front of the belt. Otherwise, that ridge in front of the belt caused accuracy problems. Larry Willis now makes a collet die to do this.

Bullets were seated about 10 thousandths longer than land contact so they would be set back a bit when chambered. This aligned them better with the rifling when fired.

This is all one needs to do.