Different powders for .338 Lapua

atomicsauace

atomicsauace

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I'm going to begin reloading for my recently purchased 338 using Sierra 250gr gamekings.
A friend of mine gave me a bunch of surplus powders and I was wondering if some of them might work for me.My Lyman manual doesn't have many loads listed for the Lapua and I was wondering if anyone on here has used them.This is what I have:

IMR 4227, 4064, 3031, 4831
Accurate #9, 1680
Win680
H 4895, 380

I realise that if there are any that will work they probably wouldn't be the best choice but they were free so I might as well use them.It would save me the hassle of selling them to buy H1000 or equivalent.
 
Several of those are pistol powders, thus totally unsuitable for your 338 Lapua [IMR 4227, Accurate #9, 1680, Win 680]
Of the rest, the only one slow enough to "possibly" be used would be the IMR 4831.
Regards, Eagleye.
 
Don't cheap out, use the right powder and the right load, its not like you are loading for a pellet rifle, If things go bad in a 338 they really go bad. Free is not always good.
 
US869, H1000 and Retumbo are the only ones I use. Some others can be used for lighter bullets like 4831 but I would stick to the main 3 if you want to get good results. I use Retumbo with 300gr Berger Hybrid OTM or 300 SMK's.
Don't test at 100yds move to 200 or more immediately after getting the scope dialed in. I would stick to 300gr bullets as well. you will get the best performance and when you start shooting long you will switch anyway and then you will be doing load development again.
338L is not a cartridge to be shooting if you are on a tight budget. It uses expensive brass, bullets and lots of powder so be ready for it.
Good luck.
 
I'd bet there are a few .22 Hornet shooters out there that would happily buy you a pound of what works, to trade for a pound of that 1680!

.338 Lap. is a pretty poor cartridge to try to cheap out on. Right up there with "Budget .50 ammo".

Cheers
Trev
 
Its not so much about "cheaping out" but if it is an appropriate powder then why not use it.I'm well aware of how expensive the round is to shoot and I know the 300gr bullets are the way to go for longer distances but I was hoping to use this rifle for hunting as well as target shooting which is why I chose the 250 gr gamekings.Probably better choices out there but that is what they had on the shelves here.I'll probably end up trying to sell/swap most of those powders for h100.Not crazy about having all that powder in the house anyway.I got multiple containers of some of those powders as well! Thanks for the advice and info.
 
mbogo3 said:
Use 300gr SMK's
Click to expand...

Just in the process of loading the 300gr SMK's for the first time, never used 300's at all out of my rifle, and just realized that none of my loading manuals even list 300gr SMK's.

Would you be able to copy me on a min and max powder load of H1000 for the 300 SMK bullets if you have notes on it or have it in your manuals?

Cheers, and sorry for the derail.
 
Hodgdon Annual Manual. 2004
.338 LM.
Sierra 300 gr. MK.
H1000.
3.60" OAL.

Start 83 gr.. Max. 92 gr.
2590 fps @ 53,000 CUP



Kevin M. said:
Just in the process of loading the 300gr SMK's for the first time, never used 300's at all out of my rifle, and just realized that none of my loading manuals even list 300gr SMK's.

Would you be able to copy me on a min and max powder load of H1000 for the 300 SMK bullets if you have notes on it or have it in your manuals?

Cheers, and sorry for the derail.
Click to expand...
 
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