US 869 ,in 338LM , user? thoughts?

Kelly Timoffee

Kelly Timoffee

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I had started a thread on this a while ago and got limited replies so I am going to try again.

Just wondering who is using this powder.

I have exhausted google with probably 40 web pages and found only limited information.

Some say too dirty, some say inaccurate, so say too temperature sensitive.

Too dirty? I clean after the range/outing anyways.

Temperature sensitive , could be an issue since we have 60 degree swings out here.

Inaccurate? IMO I think you can tune just about anything.

I have done some ladder tests with H1000 , but am almost out and it seems to be hard to nail any down at the moment.

300grain hybrids are what I will be pushing in a 26" barrel.
 
Lighter the load the dirtier the burn.

I run at near to max + with the Berger 300 OTM and get excellent accuracy and low ES. In general you will run into compression problems before pressure in the Lapua(use a long drop tube). Work up in .5s in warm weather to your max. Cold weather looses about 70 fps with 215Ms. I am testing the WLRM as allegedly, they are hotter. Loads seem to have similar velocities.
All in all, it is an easy powder to work with. imho
 
I do understand you want this to work because it's what you have but the reason you can't find much if any info on it is because people don't like it for exactly the reasons you listed. Retumbo and H1000 are your friends. I played with 869 for a bit but saw no need to put up with temp instability when retumbo and h1000 don't have that problem.

Cabelas has h1000 in stock btw as of this morning. I just bought 4 lbs.
 
I may have to head to Saskatoon tomorrow then, it is an availability issue right now.Used my last bit of H1000 on a ladder test.

Truth be known I don't see myself using the rifle in the cold too much so it may not be too bad.I am learning though, buy whatever you can whenever you can.

kman300 said:
I do understand you want this to work because it's what you have but the reason you can't find much if any info on it is because people don't like it for exactly the reasons you listed. Retumbo and H1000 are your friends. I played with 869 for a bit but saw no need to put up with temp instability when retumbo and h1000 don't have that problem.

Cabelas has h1000 in stock btw as of this morning. I just bought 4 lbs.
Click to expand...
 
"...Not a commonly used powder??..." More that the .338 LM isn't terribly common due to the excess expense of it. Only listed by Hodgdon with 250 plus grain bullets for your LM cannon. Friggin' thing uses a shovel full of powder.
 
sunray said:
"...Not a commonly used powder??..." More that the .338 LM isn't terribly common due to the excess expense of it. Only listed by Hodgdon with 250 plus grain bullets for your LM cannon. Friggin' thing uses a shovel full of powder.
Click to expand...

Do you shoot a 338 LM? Doesn't sound like it as you don't seem to have a clue what you are talking about. The 338 LM is very popular and it's only excessively expensive if you are shooting factory ammo, which the OP clearly isn't.

My per round cost for reloading is: 30 cents per piece of brass (conservatively at 10 reloads per case. I'm on 15 reloads and counting for some), 40 cents per powder charge, 4 cents a primer and whatever projectile I put in there. Shooting 300gr OTM right now which are 80 cents each, but since the internet knows that it is not a hunting bullet, something like a 250gr hornady interlock only costs 55 cents each. That works out to $1.29 per shot, or $25.80 per 20. Even with the fragile 300gr otm it's only $30.80 per box of 20.
 
Well, I think that I am just gonna do up a load for both powders, really, how hard is it to re-zero and have a ballistics table.

More security in knowing you have a 50% better chance of finding powder, maybe.

I also stopped in at North Pro, looked like they had a little bit of powder also.
 
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