Range Report Findings of Hornady .338 Lapua 285Gr

[jmac2387]

I am relative new to the .338 shooting community. I have had great success and findings with Lapua ammo in 250 and Black hills in 250. Both running about 3000'ps and 2985 fps' respectively. If you shoot .338 you know that it can be somewhat expensive.

So when I found Hornady .338 in 285 grain for sale at $3.57 a each, I thought I had struck a good deal. I got the 400 rounds in and took a couple of boxes to the range. My findings in FPS

1 2789
2 2848
3 2892
4 2824
5 2859
6 2821
7 3035
8 2862
9 2886

This is a spread of 245.55 fps with a SD of 70.43 Is that good is that bad? You form you own opinion, but needless to say I won't be purchasing any more of it. I don't know what powder they are using, but the bolt was hard to open after each shot, where as with the lapua and black hills it was not.

Not such a good deal after all Huh. hopefully the brass will prove to be worth the expense when I reload it.

You findings and experience may be different. This post is worth exactly what you paid for it. Just reporting what I found out yesterday. I am not say don't purchase Hornady but if you have other findings please share.

Jmac

 

[BryanLitz]

Re: Findings of Hornady .338 Lapua 285Gr

What kind of chronograph and light conditions were you testing in? I find it difficult to believe that the ammo is THAT bad, and the very high ES and SD is probably measurement uncertainty.

 

[bailey1474]

Re: Findings of Hornady .338 Lapua 285Gr

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bryan Litz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What kind of chronograph and light conditions were you testing in? I find it difficult to believe that the ammo is THAT bad, and the very high ES and SD is probably measurement uncertainty. </div></div>

I'm with Bryan on this one....and it's not just b/c he's a rocket scientist

 

[264win]

Re: Findings of Hornady .338 Lapua 285Gr

So how did it shoot at distance ?

 

[jmac2387]

Re: Findings of Hornady .338 Lapua 285Gr

I was using a Chrony beta and it was 9:30am to 11:00am on a sunny day. Yesterday in Gods country

I have had good results with this chronograph and have test against other chronographs so I am comfortable with the actual readings. When firing these rounds you would tell the difference in the rounds at or near 3000' fps

I did not find it hard to believe, when I observed the wide variance in POI at 100 yards.

Maybe someone else will share their observations and findings. I wasn't trying for distance as I wanted to get some velocities for making up a scope chart, but i don't think I will spend a lot of time with this batch of ammo.

 

[CoryT]

Re: Findings of Hornady .338 Lapua 285Gr

Well, the test batch I got ran 2753 average over 20 rounds, SD of 11. Grouped under 1 MOA at 1300 meters, so I was pretty happy with it. That's over a PVM-21 at 15 feet, corrected to MV.

 

[BryanLitz]

Re: Findings of Hornady .338 Lapua 285Gr

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was using a Chrony beta and it was 9:30am to 11:00am on a sunny day. Yesterday in Gods country

I have had good results with this chronograph and have test against other chronographs so I am comfortable with the actual readings. When firing these rounds you would tell the difference in the rounds at or near 3000' fps</div></div>

Verifying your chronograph with others one or even several times doesn't mean it's perfect forever. Light conditions are a big deal (clear sunny skies create 'glint' and are bad for repeatability of the optical sensors). Also batteries wear out, etc. Not to mention that's about the least expensive chrono you can buy, and you get what you pay for. I'm not trying to bust your balls, just sharing my observations as someone who's owned:
Chrony Beta
two PVM-21's
two Oehler 35P's
and a CED M2.

Some days they all tell the same story, some days not. Sometimes it depends on the velocity and even shape of the bullet, light conditions, etc. I've yet to find the solution that's always perfectly reliable in all conditions, but I use several in tandem so I at least have an idea of when they're being reliable (when more than one units agree).

Chrono's are useful tools if they're accurate, but that's a bigger assumption than most are willing to admit.

-Bryan

 

[mrjimsfc]

Re: Findings of Hornady .338 Lapua 285Gr

My first thought was that the Chony was probaly pretty close, especially when the grouping wasn't good. I suspect you left your ammo out where the sun was shining on it and heating it up or loading it into a hot barrel and letting it heat up before shooting it. The temperture variations inside the cases resulting from exposure to sunlight, changes in ambient air tempertaure or heating up in the barrel would be enough to cause the problems you're experiencing (and others aren't). Try it again on a cloudy day when the temperature stays pretty even for a couple of hours. Put the cartridge in and shoot it. Don't let it heat up in a hot barrel.

 

[sinister]

Re: Findings of Hornady .338 Lapua 285Gr

Exactly my experience with both Hornady 250s and 285s.

Add the fact that Hornady brass seems softer than Lapua and Bell does not make it a bargain at all.

 

[Cp generation]

Re: Findings of Hornady .338 Lapua 285Gr

I have tried the 285Gr and found some were not quite what I expected, I have had bolt sticking problems that were not evident with the Black Hills. I have not tried any of the 250GR that I have. maybe this weekend..

 

[BOLTRIPPER]

Re: Findings of Hornady .338 Lapua 285Gr

boltripper is talking out of school here......but


at $3.00+plus a pull......i want to see fucking results on paper and steel.......i did not reAD THIS RESULT IN ABOVE POSTS.!

just sayin