Reloading the 338LM?

[coyotewillie]

Just got a Ruger RPR 338LM. 30-06 is as big as I've reloaded. Any tips/advice on reloading the big dog that will be significantly different? Does everybody full lenth resize? Anyone use a Lee collet die? (yea, I use Lee collet dies, have good luck with them and like them!) As far as powder, thought I'd try H1000. Has anyone tried the new Ramshot LRT powder yet? Supposedly developed with the Lapua Mag in mind. I know people here don't care for Hornady brass but I've picked up a couple boxes of Hornady factory ammo (285 Amax/285 BTHP) to try and want to try the 285 eld's so will pick up a couple boxes of that yet. So I'll have that brass to start reloading with. Then go with Lapua brass? Thanks. Greg

 

[Howland]

I'm working up a load for the same rifle. I went with 285 ELD-M because my brother got good groups with that factory ammo so I knew it would shoot good in at least his rifle. He started load development with that Hornady brass for the same reason. I think he has three firings on some.

I picked H1000 for the temperature insensitivity. My best groups so far are low 6s. Unfortunately that came at a very pedestrian 79 gr. charge and yielded 2,447 fps., but if that is where accuracy is I can't fight it.

Actually I did try fighting it. Best group was 79 gr. 84, 85 & 86 had almost indistinguishable point of impact change. 88 & 89 were very close in velocity, so I did seating depth testing in those ranges. Still 79 was tightest. I did learn that it needs a fair amount of neck tension for reliable ignition. Velocity ES was horrible at 79 until I got to the deepest seating depth. I'm now proud owner of a couple smaller bushings and a set of neck sizing mandrels in .0005" increments from 21st Century. More neck tension testing is still to come.

Seating to mag length leaves about .080" jump. I'd rather not single feed but that's just me.

I started with Lapua brass and 215M primers. I have up to five firings on a few cases and primer pockets are still tight. Once fired Federal GMM primer pockets were downright loose in comparison. I walked away from a decent deal on FGMM 300 SMK ammo for that reason. I also picked up some Peterson brass but haven't worked with any yet. I've read some good reviews about it. Folks have also spoken highly of ADG brass as well. Not quite as pricey as Lapua.

I'm full length sizing. It took three firings to expand to the chamber shoulder and get stiffness closing the bolt. At prices on premium brass, I want 10+ firings out of it. I too have had great results with LCD in .30-06 (R700 BDL) & .22-250 (R788) but I'm glad I didn't try that with this one. I got the Hornady Match Grade set. I'm pretty happy with it. My brother chose the Redding higher end set. Those are nice too but his were around $200. Mine plus three bushings were around $100.

Good luck, and I'd definitely go with full length sizing dies.

 

[GIXXER2000]

I have loaded a lot of .338LM for my AI. The RPR with the 285's is a good choice because it may not allow you to seat the Berger Hybrid far enough out and still fit in the mag. When it comes to powder i use H-1000 for 250gr bullets and Retumbo for all heavier bullets. I am shooting the 300 gr Berger with 90.6 gr of Retumbo, lapua brass, and 215M's. I have had hits at ELR matches out to 2616 yards. One note is i could not use Hornady brass with Berger bullets the Hornady wouldn't hold the 300 gr Bergers after re sizing. I am using the Redding Comp 3 die bushing set.

 

[coyotewillie]

Thanks for the replies!! Good information. I haven't picked up a set of dies yet cause I wasn't sure what I wanted. In two weeks I hit the big six-five and I should get a happy birthday to me Midway discount that I figured on using on a set. I live in Grand Island Ne just about a mile down the road from the Hornady plant, so I check fairly often for reject bullets for my 6.5CM and I've started looking for 338's. Never any there.....Midway must be getting them all because I ordered (in today) 2 boxes of eld rejects from them. I don't want to get too carried away with reloading supplies right away though. My buddy liked my 6.5CM RPR so he went and bought the 338LM. I was about half scared to shoot that big thing. I was surprised, I shot about 10 rds through his and didn't think it kicked much worse than my 6.5. So, I had to have one. I've shot 44 rds through it in the last 2 days and it's just kicking my 165 lb ass! LOL. I suppose it's just the higher amount of rds but, boy it feels different from shooting his. I'll get used to it though(I hope). Greg

 

[lash]

I’ve been using H1000 very successfully, using 91.8g behind a 285 and GM215Ms. This is a great load that holds mid single digit SDs ands shoots well out there. I started by buying a box or two of a number of factory loads from 250-300gs, all loaded with Lapua brass.

This left me with 100 pieces of good Lapua that will take hotter loads very well. At the moment, I have 9+ loads on these plus the initial factory firing and they are in great shape with tight primer pockets.

I’ve also been loading the Warner Flatline 255.5s over 94.1g H1000 for a flat shooting load that stays supersonic out to 2200 yards. These have to be hand fed though as they are lo-o-ong.

Oh yeah, I’m using Forster full length sizing die follow by a collet die for consistent neck tension. I have not found it necessary to use heavy neck tension on mine and am happy with 0.002-0.003”. Results down range tell the tale.

I haven’t had mine out in a while and this thread has me jonesing to drag it out and kill some steel at very long distances.

 

[LANCER]

I’ve been using H1000 very successfully, using 91.8g behind a 285 and GM215Ms. This is a great load that holds mid single digit SDs ands shoots well out there. I started by buying a box or two of a number of factory loads from 250-300gs, all loaded with Lapua brass.

This left me with 100 pieces of good Lapua that will take hotter loads very well. At the moment, I have 9+ loads on these plus the initial factory firing and they are in great shape with tight primer pockets.

I’ve also been loading the Warner Flatline 255.5s over 94.1g H1000 for a flat shooting load that stays supersonic out to 2200 yards. These have to be hand fed though as they are lo-o-ong.

Oh yeah, I’m using Forster full length sizing die follow by a collet die for consistent neck tension. I have not found it necessary to use heavy neck tension on mine and am happy with 0.002-0.003”. Results down range tell the tale.

I haven’t had mine out in a while and this thread has me jonesing to drag it out and kill some steel at very long distances.

May I ask who makes the collet die you're using? I haven't been able to find any. Wish Lee made their Collet neck sizer for 338LM because I use them in all other calibers as well.

 

[regency]

I have had best luck with Hornady 285's, H1000, and Lapua brass. I load from the magazine always because who buys a $5-8 grand rifle and reduces it to a single shot?

Once I found my powder charge and bullet depth, I had to reduce the charge a hair after first round firing on the brass.

 

[lash]

I have had best luck with Hornady 285's, H1000, and Lapua brass. I load from the magazine always because who buys a $5-8 grand rifle and reduces it to a single shot?
...

You’re not wrong, but a few of points regarding single feeding for special purpose loads:

• My .338 cost me $1100 including the first dies I used. Plus I bedded it myself and added the cheek rest hardware.
• Rifles built for ELR and ULR are sometimes purpose built on single feed actions for extra strength.
• I can almost hand feed my extra long solids loads as fast as I can cycle a bolt.
• My 285 Hornady loads are well within mag length. They have a different purpose than the extra long solids loads.
• I’m the guy they are talking about when they say, “Go be poor somewhere else.” A $5000-8000 rifle has never really been an option for me.