Anyone reloading 338 LM?

[Erud]

Seismic,
Every cartridge in the Berger manual is seriously under-powered with their published data. I don't know if their legal department just got a little too excited or what, but I've found their data to be mostly useless. Heck, their max Varget charge for a .308 with 155's is a full 3 grains below what I've used in my last 4 Palma barrels. At any rate, the bad juju with their 300gr .338 offering was back in 2010. Are you suggesting that they have done nothing to correct the design flaw in the past 6+ years, and instead stole your load data and just capped the top end to keep their customers from ever uncovering the conspiracy? As Berger does more bullet testing and development than any company in the industry, that seems a little hard for me to believe. Have you tried calling them to ask them? I'd be pretty darned surprised if they haven't addressed an acknowledged flaw in that amount of time. They didn't get to the top of the bullet mountain by fleecing their customers, and they have a reputation to protect. The hybrid design in general is arguably one of the biggest advancements in bullet design in the last 50 years.

Are you suggesting that they have done nothing to correct the design flaw in the past 6+ years ABSOLUTELY
and instead stole your load data WHICH WAS LYING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL IN DALLAS...
And just capped the top end to keep their customers MONEY COMING IN
From ever uncovering the conspiracy? I SMELL BLACK HELICOPTERS AND BURNING RETUMBO!!! YOW!!!
As Berger does more bullet testing and development than any company in the industry, that seems a little hard for me to believe. THEY TESTED THE BC ONCE, WENT PUBLIC WITH THE DATA AND ADVERTISED THAT BC TO GET QUICK SALES, AND THEN HAD TO RETRACT IT ALL. IN ADDITION, THEY DIDN'T SAY THEIR INITIAL TESTING WAS SCREWED UP,BUT THAT THEY COULDN'T REPRODUCE THE TESTING, WHICH SOMEHOW IMPLIES THAT THE FIRST TEST WAS STILL REAL AND/OR EVER EXISTED. NONE OF THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH A LEADER IN INNOVATION AND PRODUCT TESTING IN THE INDUSTRY.

Here's the original advertised performance of the Berger 338 Hybrrid:

I remember seeing this data and looking at the .933 BC for 2500 - 3000 FPS, and thought this must be the breakthrough of the century to get a BC this high. Back then I think everyone used the G1 numbers, and the nearest competitor was Sierra with their 300 SMK having a BC of .768. .933/.768 = 21% improvement with the Berger bullet That seemed like it was too good to be true......
In addition, I sent at least two letters in to them with my chrono data, and talked to Bryan Litz TWICE on the phone. Never heard a peep back.

Well, if you are right then I'd agree that is pretty sketchy. I sent them an email asking for some clarification on this, will start a new thread if they reply.



Bearcat,
Retumbo with the 300 SMK was definitely the ticket in the one good .338 LM that I owned. The other one was a a total piece of crap that never shot anything well....

[Bearcatrp]

What was the piece of crap? I ordered 5 boxes of Hornady 285 ELD-M to start. 1:9 twist should stabilize it pretty good. Otherwise will move up to 300 grain. Got a box of 300 gr bergers as part of the deal. Will test these after I finish with the 285's. Will try both Retumbo and H1000. Once I get the chrono data with both, and put the data in my ballistic app, then decide which will work for me. Goal for this summer coming up is 1000 yard consistent hits. Hope to go down to New Mexico the year after to try my luck at the Whittington center. Will have to see how this summer goes.

[Erud]

The piece of crap was a DTA SRS. After the initial novelty of "Hey, I can change the barrel in 90 seconds!" wore off, it was just a goofy rifle with terrible ergonomics and a bad trigger. I had a .308 and .338 conversion, and neither shot well. I couldn't ever come up with any scenario where I'd need to be able to change a barrel that fast, or in the field - heck, I can change them the old-fashioned way in my garage in about 10 minutes. That , and their barrels cost about twice what any normal top-shelf barrel costs for a regular rifle. I got rid of it quickly.

The one that shot good was a Surgeon Remedy. That was a beautiful gun, and it shot as well as anything ai have ever owned. Probably should have kept it, but the .338 didn't turn out to be any more practical for me that the .50 BMG. Just too big and expensive for anything I'm ever going to do.

I bet you have good luck with the Bergers.

[BigDog58]

Brought it home yesterday. Pure awesome! Waiting on delivery of reloading gear to begin. Primers seem to be a pain in the ass to find. May have to drive down to gunstop.

What primers are you looking for? I may have some of them, if needed?

[Bearcatrp]

Federal 215's. Everyone online is out of stock. Allot of folks are asking where they are. May have to look at CCI BR2 or Winchester WLRM.

[BigDog58]

I have 500+ (one tray is a partial total 555 ea) Fed 215's if you end up needing them. PM or call if so.

[OldmanFCSA]

Your 338 LMag will run out of reach for the King of 2-Mile competition.

Most are using a 375 Lethal which is a wild WildCat, huge case necked down to 375 caliber.

A friend of mine will be shooting a 400 caliber in 2-Mile this year.

Another ELR shooter has built 2 rifles based on a 20mm case necked down to 510 caliber using a 1000+- grain brass/copper solid.

If I decide to build a special rifle for this, it will be the full length version of a 50BMG case necked down to 458 caliber shooting brass solids.

Even more shooters are trying the 416 Barrett, but with little success.

Several FCSA Members are shooting modified 510 calibers, using a 42-45" barrel with a 1:12 or 1:13 twist to stabilize 850 grain brass solids at 3200 fps.

Others are shooting what they have just for the fun of it.

Have FUN, be SAFE.

[Bearcatrp]

2 mile is to far. Was thinking just 1 mile if I get a chance. But have to practice at 1000 yards first. Once I have a comfortable load developed, then will start considering a 1 mile shot. Put the scope on it today along with a few other things. A bit high but Burris doesn't make these any smaller than 1 inch high. Had 1.5 when it was on the creedmoor but needed the height for the chassis I installed. Those are for sale now. Here is a pic with a Burris XTR II 4-20x50 and bipod.

[Holland&Holland]

Your 338 LMag will run out of reach for the King of 2-Mile competition.

Most are using a 375 Lethal which is a wild WildCat, huge case necked down to 375 caliber.

A friend of mine will be shooting a 400 caliber in 2-Mile this year.

Another ELR shooter has built 2 rifles based on a 20mm case necked down to 510 caliber using a 1000+- grain brass/copper solid.

If I decide to build a special rifle for this, it will be the full length version of a 50BMG case necked down to 458 caliber shooting brass solids.

Even more shooters are trying the 416 Barrett, but with little success.

Several FCSA Members are shooting modified 510 calibers, using a 42-45" barrel with a 1:12 or 1:13 twist to stabilize 850 grain brass solids at 3200 fps.

Others are shooting what they have just for the fun of it.

Have FUN, be SAFE.

2 miles, wow, just, wow.

[Bearcatrp]

Got lucky and scored 2000 Fed 215M primers at scheels. Something told me to call them friday and they just got some in. could have cleaned them out but I don't like to do that. Left one box of 1000 for someone else. Start reloading tomorrow!

[Bearcatrp]

Got out to the range today. Friggin nice day. Anyways, loaded up a batch with retumbo and H-1000. Highest I loaded with retumbo was 92.0 gr @2825.95, which seemed a little higher than the published data from hornady new reload book. Highest with H-1000 was 88.6 gr @2719.62, which was on par with the book. Slight case swipes but primers looked good. Will reload another batch but not to much higher. Shooting Hornady 285 ELD-M in Lapua brass.