Barrel lengths? .338 Lapua Magnum?
- Thread starter thunderflash
- Start date
- Location
- calgary alberta
Not sure about forum members but we have done a couple with more to do as I get time. The great thing about the 700P Lapua is that is makes an affordable platform,that includes HS detcahable mag system and a HS stock, which being fiberglas is easy to modify, or sell.
Glock4ever
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Edmonton, AB
ATRS: I truly believe that with custom guns and tighter chambers that you can push envelope safely with a reloads. I comfortably put 46 grains of Varget behind a 168 grain SMK which some books say is at or above max load. I easily could have pushed past that load of powder but I don't because I never am sure of the Met conditions when I am going to shoot and if it is hot outside I don't want to risk high pressures (I know I know Varget is temp insensitive) 
As for the .338 LM, I agree about extended brass life but I would imagine that the primer pockets would be the first place that you would see failure in Lapua brass not the case head as the brass was designed to operate at higher pressures, is this not the case?
As for the .338 LM, I agree about extended brass life but I would imagine that the primer pockets would be the first place that you would see failure in Lapua brass not the case head as the brass was designed to operate at higher pressures, is this not the case?
- Location
- calgary alberta
ATRS: I truly believe that with custom guns and tighter chambers that you can push envelope safely with a reloads. I comfortably put 46 grains of Varget behind a 168 grain SMK which some books say is at or above max load. I easily could have pushed past that load of powder but I don't because I never am sure of the Met conditions when I am going to shoot and if it is hot outside I don't want to risk high pressures (I know I know Varget is temp insensitive)
Those of us who have been shooting the 338LAI I built have not experienced any primer pocket failures to date, and it is not for a lack of trying.
I am thinking that with us using US869 powder which is extremely slow the pressures are far lower than is we used something like H1000 or RL25.
I say this as I can get far more case volume used, better velocities and according to Hodgdons lower pressure in my 50s as opposed to using H50BMG powder, so think the same may hold true for the 338s. The long barrel IS needed to burn this slow a powder however.
I agree with you that a tighter tolerance chamber seems to allow for "hotter" loading, in our 308s we are using over 46 grains of Varget behind 175 gr SMKs, which is a much "hotter" load than what Hodgdons say is maximum.
I do not advocate hot loading for factory rifles as I believe the chambers are cut to loose to control the pressures enough.
NO powder is totally temperature insensitive, some like Varget are less temperature sensitive than others.
Interestingly alot of the 50 cal shooters down south actually heat their ammo to 120 degrees F on purpose, just prior to shooting. According to some of the better shooters it tightens up the groups, keeps velocity variations to a tighter margin, so should keep groups tighter.
I have not tried this, yet, but plan to as soon as I can make an ammo incubator.
