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1 mile plus- .338LM vs 30 cal magnums

That's what I did to mine. 32" 1:8.5 Heavy Palma shoots the 250 A-tips and 245 bergers very well
What kind of speeds are you seeing with the 250 A-tips?
I'm going to be burning N570,RL 26 or even RL 33
 
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I’ll be going 300 Norma simply because the army has adopted it. Might take a few years but eventually we will have similar support as Lapua and WM especially if big army phases those out
 
What kind of speeds are you seeing with the 250 A-tips?
I'm going to be burning N570,RL 26 or even RL 33
3020fps. I do think I could get a bit more out of them but I'm not sure how far away the next node is. I never tested all the way to pressure I found a node here and stopped. 1/4 moa consistently.
 
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3020fps. I do think I could get a bit more out of them but I'm not sure how far away the next node is. I never tested all the way to pressure I found a node here and stopped. 1/4 moa consistently.
Sounds about right as 338 edge runs 265 mono’s at 3030
I can get 285 mono’s to 3000+ but your definitely up there in pressure.
The ballistics are :love:
 
30”
N570
I am going to switch over to an Edge once this barrel is done. going 32" barrel I was hoping to get 3000fps from a 300gr. I'm running N570 also, might have to test some of the BMG powders, mainly looking at 24N41 but it's so hard to find up here
 
Speed wise you’ll be hard pressed to beat N570 or R33
N568 if it ever shows up will be a contender.
Hard to get enough 24n41 in to get going fast.
That’s with a 4.25 oal.

I have a upper limit test with 300 OTM’s I’m running tomorrow with N570.
 
I know Frank says 250 gr. But if you hear the podcast with Berger bullets guy. Don't remember his name. He said 338 can stabilize the 300 gr. I shoot 300 gr. Don't see an issue. Also, if shooting past a mile. What you would want. 250 gr not so good at that distance. Just my opinion. Keep shooting!
You can stabilize a 300 just fine in 338LM, with a 1:9.25 twist barrel, however the cartridge was designed originally to send a 250gr rebated/lockbase projectile at 3000 fps+. You can't achieve that with 300gr bullets (at least not without pressure problems and zero brass life) I've pushed 300gr projectiles at 2850 and that was absolute max. Shot out my brass in one go. A good compromise is a 285gr class of bullet like the Hornady 285ELD-M or some 255/265 solids. There is not enough case volume to allow a 300 to move that fast safely, plus most 338LM factory chambers require the bullet to be seated very deep in the powder column. The Norma Mag variants are the better, more modern chamberings for the super magnums in this category and will do better in the long run.
 
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Speed wise you’ll be hard pressed to beat N570 or R33
N568 if it ever shows up will be a contender.
Hard to get enough 24n41 in to get going fast.
That’s with a 4.25 oal.

I have a upper limit test with 300 OTM’s I’m running tomorrow with N570.
What were the results of the upper limit test on the 300 OTMs? enquiring minds want to know
 
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screen shot of our chat.
 
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@Steel head

Are you running Badlands 338 solids? I just ordered some in 6.5 and may try their 30 cals next if they stabilize at distance. 135 gr says they require 7 twist and I have 7.5. 30 cal says require 8.5 and I have 9... hoping that will translate. Ordering a 338 barrel and want to know if their 8.5 twist projectiles will be good in a 9...
 
@Steel head

Are you running Badlands 338 solids? I just ordered some in 6.5 and may try their 30 cals next if they stabilize at distance. 135 gr says they require 7 twist and I have 7.5. 30 cal says require 8.5 and I have 9... hoping that will translate. Ordering a 338 barrel and want to know if their 8.5 twist projectiles will be good in a 9...
Yes badlands
I have no idea if they’ll work in your application
I’d guess they would definitely be fine as long as they’re supersonic.
It’s often recommended going 1 step faster than recommended for subsonic performance with solids.
The 265’s hammer in a 1-8 and I’m getting a 1-7 for the 285’s.
 
Yes badlands
I have no idea if they’ll work in your application
I’d guess they would definitely be fine as long as they’re supersonic.
It’s often recommended going 1 step faster than recommended for subsonic performance with solids.
The 265’s hammer in a 1-8 and I’m getting a 1-7 for the 285’s.

You've gone full darkside. Never another jacketed round for the feral feline :ROFLMAO:

I want a jacketed load as well because unless you're past a mile, there is very little to be gained, at least in the chambers I'm running, at 1/3 or 1/2 the price of solids. I don't shoot enough to care about the cost, but it bothers my brain knowing I just spent an extra 75 cents to shoot 1/8" inside my jacketed load @ 800 yds...
 
You've gone full darkside. Never another jacketed round for the feral feline :ROFLMAO:

I want a jacketed load as well because unless you're past a mile, there is very little to be gained, at least in the chambers I'm running, at 1/3 or 1/2 the price of solids. I don't shoot enough to care about the cost, but it bothers my brain knowing I just spent an extra 75 cents to shoot 1/8" inside my jacketed load @ 800 yds...
I’ll always shoot cup/core in my 260 and 7 saum but there’s no denying a bullet with a g1 of .9 or 1.0 at 3000+ fps makes me giggle with glee at times.
 
Form factor tells all, other than actual bc consistency and I'm sure we can all agree that the most consistent bullets are solids, followed by Berger, Hornady and Sierra.

At ELR, just using the highest bc bullet is not always the right choice if the bullet is too heavy to take advantage of it. That's where form factor comes in. Think of it is a power to weight ratio-lower form factor=higher bc for a given weight. If form factor for a particular bullet is not provided, simply divide the sectional density by the G7 bc.

Some examples:

I run a 300 Norma with 250 A-tips and N570 roughly 2975 fps. The form factor for this bullet .853. Another popular .30 caliber bullet for this application is the Berger 220 LRHT with a form factor of .897. I would need to launch this bullet at roughly 3550 fps to exceed the wind performance and retained velocity of the 250 A-tip at ELR ranges.

Another one just for shits and giggles:

If I wanted to single feed and stuff a 250 A-tip into a .308 and launch it at 2200 fps (just a guess), if I pick the highest bc bullet in the 175-185gr weight class like the 175 A-tip with its measly .933 form factor, even if I launch it at 2750 fps it's performance is inferior at long range.

1000 yard numbers:

250 A-tip @2200 fps 10mph wind-64.6" Retained velocity-1365 fps

176 A-tip @2750 10mph wind-80.6" Retained velocity-1364 fps

Even when I run the 245 Berger @3000, I would need to push a 220 LRHT @3250 to stay close. Is that possible, not sure I've never tried it. But the 245 EOL form factor is .893 and it's not a closed nose projectile so it's form factor can be improved upon, while the 220 is already the best in class hybrid target with a form factor of .897.

At least for my application, I feel the heavies are the way to go in the Norma and the bullet with the lowest form factor, in most cases is your best option.

I see no reason other than impact signature or splashes that a 300 Norma, PRC or other large capacity .30 would not do well at least out to 2100 yards.
 
The disadvantage to smaller caliber lighter bullets is the reduction in trace and splash.
This is my opinion as well.
Last time out, there was a small group next to us- all shooting suppressed 6.5 & 6 Creeds. Despite a Swaro spotting scope that probably cost more than my rifle, they couldn't spot their impacts at 1200.

If I can't spot impacts, no point in pulling the trigger. Range has a remote cam setup, but the refresh rate is so shitty it's useless.
I'm about more kinetic energy.
 
This is my opinion as well.
Last time out, there was a small group next to us- all shooting suppressed 6.5 & 6 Creeds. Despite a Swaro spotting scope that probably cost more than my rifle, they couldn't spot their impacts at 1200.

If I can't spot impacts, no point in pulling the trigger. Range has a remote cam setup, but the refresh rate is so shitty it's useless.
I'm about more kinetic energy.
And sometimes it’s easy to see them.
130 grains of freedom seed out of my trusty 260 at 1225 yards.