338 Lapua Load

[jcat]

I am using the Hornady 285 gr AMAX bullet, and IMR 4831 powder.
When I check the Hornady book it does not list IMR4831
The Hodgdon book does list IMR4831 with a min of 73gr, max of 77.3gr for a 275gr bullet and a min of 68 and max of 76 for a 300 gr bullet.

So my question is: If I have a 285gr hornady bullet and IMR4831 powder how much powder should I use ?

I am thinking 75 gr of IMR4831 as a starting point which is about the halfway load for the 2 bullets listed.

What do you think ?

[JMP]

Out of curiosity, why would you choose that powder?

I have not used IMR 4831, but I have used H4831 across different weight classes, and the performance in my rifle was dismal. It would be better for lighter bullets (<250gr). The velocities from 4831 will be quite poor in heavier bullets even if you attain accuracy.

From my experience, the .338LM seems to like loads between 85-95gr. For a 285 A-Max, depending on your gun, I'd look at H-1000 or Retumbo.

For lighter bullets (250gr) I have found that IMR 7828 and Ramshot Magnum do very well in my gun (quite a few do well).

For heavier bullets (300gr) H-1000 and Retumbo seem to provide the best results. The only other powder that has provided reasonable accuracy for me with 300gr bullets has been US 869, but it was with a reduced load, so it isn't a contender in my book based on the lower velocity.

I have not used the 285 A-Max, but I suspect that you will not have good results with 4831.

[knucklehead0202]

I would also recommend a slower powder, something like 7828, retumbo, h1000, reloder 22 or 25. Also, the .50cal powders work well, as JMP mentions, US869, H50bmg or similar.

[thmpr]

Highly recommend no to use that powder. Rather what knucklehead stated.

[jcat]

thanks guys

[diver160651]

338 Lapua Load

Here is 5 rounds h1000 92.5gr A-max 285 grn

H1000 works great for me in my magnums and the 338 LM


Here it is a bit further out 1200 on a 10"wide plate http://youtu.be/1037J6yW6M4



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LynnJr]

depending on your freebore the longrange guys are running 92-94 grains of Retumbo.

[Whiterabbit]

I am using the Hornady 285 gr AMAX bullet, and IMR 4831 powder.
When I check the Hornady book it does not list IMR4831
The Hodgdon book does list IMR4831 with a min of 73gr, max of 77.3gr for a 275gr bullet and a min of 68 and max of 76 for a 300 gr bullet.

So my question is: If I have a 285gr hornady bullet and IMR4831 powder how much powder should I use ?

I am thinking 75 gr of IMR4831 as a starting point which is about the halfway load for the 2 bullets listed.

What do you think ?

So, while the other guys are right there is no reason you can't use this powder if you choose or want to. You are indeed on the right track. Common sense will go a long way, and the powder will do just fine. Interpolation works just fine here, and your numbers jive with a fast powder load I had in my own 338. I'm not saying its optimal here, I'm just sayng it works and can be very, very accurate.

[JMP]

So, while the other guys are right there is no reason you can't use this powder if you choose or want to. You are indeed on the right track. Common sense will go a long way, and the powder will do just fine. Interpolation works just fine here, and your numbers jive with a fast powder load I had in my own 338. I'm not saying its optimal here, I'm just sayng it works and can be very, very accurate.

I'd be surprised if it would be "very, very accurate" in a 285gr+, but all guns are a bit different so you never know. You can get better results with this powder in a 250gr or lighter bullet. Of course, the reason not to use the powder is that .338LM barrels do not have a long life, so I'd stick to what is more easily workable. Otherwise, you'll burn out your barrel looking for that magical load.

[J-cat]

Generally speaking, if you don't have data specific to your bullet you should use data for the next higher bullet weight. In your case, since you have 300gr data, use that.

But before you attempt to reload for the .338 Lapua, change your screen name.

[JMP]

Generally speaking, if you don't have data specific to your bullet you should use data for the next higher bullet weight. In your case, since you have 300gr data, use that.

But before you attempt to reload for the .338 Lapua, change your screen name.

I agree--that took me a while to figure out; I thought you were talking to yourself.

[ar15barrels]

My old quickload does not have the 285 hornady, but here are passes with a 250gr and 300gr scenar...

Cartridge          : .338 Lapua Mag.
Bullet             : .338, 250, Lapua Scenar GB488 8017
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.681 inch or 93.50 mm
Barrel Length      : 28.0 inch or 711.2 mm
Powder             : IMR 4831

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 0.649% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-06.5   87    72.00   2623    3819   46978   8376    100.0    1.556
-05.8   87    72.50   2638    3862   47869   8407    100.0    1.542
-05.2   88    73.00   2652    3905   48776   8437    100.0    1.529
-04.5   89    73.50   2667    3948   49698   8468    100.0    1.516
-03.9   89    74.00   2682    3992   50637   8498    100.0    1.503
-03.2   90    74.50   2696    4035   51592   8529    100.0    1.491
-02.6   90    75.00   2710    4078   52563   8559    100.0    1.478  ! Near Maximum !
-01.9   91    75.50   2725    4122   53551   8589    100.0    1.466  ! Near Maximum !
-01.3   92    76.00   2739    4165   54557   8618    100.0    1.454  ! Near Maximum !
-00.6   92    76.50   2754    4209   55580   8648    100.0    1.442  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0   93    77.00   2768    4253   56621   8677    100.0    1.430  ! Near Maximum !
+00.6   93    77.50   2782    4296   57680   8706    100.0    1.418  ! Near Maximum !
+01.3   94    78.00   2796    4340   58758   8735    100.0    1.407  ! Near Maximum !
+01.9   95    78.50   2810    4384   59855   8763    100.0    1.395  ! Near Maximum !
+02.6   95    79.00   2824    4428   60971   8792    100.0    1.384  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.2   96    79.50   2838    4472   62107   8820    100.0    1.373  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 3% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 3% relative to nominal value:
+Ba     93    77.00   2794    4333   59664   8583    100.0    1.399  ! Near Maximum !
Data for burning rate decreased by 3% relative to nominal value:
-Ba     93    77.00   2738    4162   53573   8783    100.0    1.464  ! Near Maximum !

Cartridge          : .338 Lapua Mag.
Bullet             : .338, 300, Lapua Scenar GB528
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 3.681 inch or 93.50 mm
Barrel Length      : 28.0 inch or 711.2 mm
Powder             : IMR 4831

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 0.694% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-06.9   84    67.00   2390    3805   47708   7842    100.0    1.682
-06.3   85    67.50   2404    3849   48644   7877    100.0    1.667
-05.6   85    68.00   2417    3893   49596   7911    100.0    1.653
-04.9   86    68.50   2431    3937   50565   7946    100.0    1.638
-04.2   86    69.00   2445    3981   51550   7980    100.0    1.624
-03.5   87    69.50   2458    4025   52553   8014    100.0    1.610  ! Near Maximum !
-02.8   88    70.00   2471    4069   53573   8047    100.0    1.596  ! Near Maximum !
-02.1   88    70.50   2485    4113   54611   8081    100.0    1.583  ! Near Maximum !
-01.4   89    71.00   2498    4158   55667   8114    100.0    1.569  ! Near Maximum !
-00.7   90    71.50   2512    4202   56742   8147    100.0    1.556  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0   90    72.00   2525    4247   57835   8180    100.0    1.543  ! Near Maximum !
+00.7   91    72.50   2538    4291   58948   8213    100.0    1.530  ! Near Maximum !
+01.4   91    73.00   2551    4336   60080   8245    100.0    1.517  ! Near Maximum !
+02.1   92    73.50   2564    4381   61233   8277    100.0    1.505  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.8   93    74.00   2578    4426   62406   8309    100.0    1.492  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.5   93    74.50   2591    4471   63599   8341    100.0    1.480  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 3% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 3% relative to nominal value:
+Ba     90    72.00   2545    4315   60808   8100    100.0    1.512  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 3% relative to nominal value:
-Ba     90    72.00   2502    4169   54847   8269    100.0    1.577  ! Near Maximum !

[J-cat]

I agree--that took me a while to figure out; I thought you were talking to yourself.

Bet it takes you a while to figure most things out.

[MIAMIbaseballer]

H1000 and 300 bergers works great for me

[JMP]

Bet it takes you a while to figure most things out.

No, but I am not as razor sharp as you are.

BTW, what loads do you use for your .338LM?