I just had a 338lm built on a tac 338 with a rock barrel. I started with new brass and 300gr SMK with fed 215s and 87 gr of retumbo and i am getting ejector marks, the primers are not flat and the bolt lift is not hard at all, so i worked up to 92 gr and am getting the same ejector mark. I also tried h1000 and started at 87gr and went to 90gr the brass still had the mark. so i bought another 100 brass thinking maybe the first batch was to soft but again had the same mark. Im totally confused and dont no exactly what to do. Im seating the bullets 20 thousands off the lands and even put them to the lands but it didnt make no difference at all. I can put a bullet into a fired case so i dont think it needs trimmed. any help on this would be very appreciated. I called the smith that built the rifle and he told me that stiller actions do that and its nothing to worry about, in fact thats how he counts how many times he's fired his cases. needles to say i dont believe him, i think somethings going on but cant figure it out. Please help. thanks in advance.
338 lapua pressure? NEED HELP
- Thread starter huntin247
- Start date
Re: 338 lapua pressure? NEED HELP
What velocity were you getting? Yes, those charges seem low for the cartridge. However if your reaching typical velocities, I would load so that you're not getting the ejector marks. Ejector marks are a tell tale sign of pressure. It doesn't really surprise me that your rifle will only handle a couple grains less then another chamber.
What velocity were you getting? Yes, those charges seem low for the cartridge. However if your reaching typical velocities, I would load so that you're not getting the ejector marks. Ejector marks are a tell tale sign of pressure. It doesn't really surprise me that your rifle will only handle a couple grains less then another chamber.
Re: 338 lapua pressure? NEED HELP
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: huntin247</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just had a 338lm built on a tac 338 with a rock barrel. I started with new brass and 300gr SMK with fed 215s and 87 gr of retumbo and i am getting ejector marks, the primers are not flat and the bolt lift is not hard at all, so i worked up to 92 gr and am getting the same ejector mark. I also tried h1000 and started at 87gr and went to 90gr the brass still had the mark. so i bought another 100 brass thinking maybe the first batch was to soft but again had the same mark. Im totally confused and dont no exactly what to do. Im seating the bullets 20 thousands off the lands and even put them to the lands but it didnt make no difference at all. I can put a bullet into a fired case so i dont think it needs trimmed. any help on this would be very appreciated. I called the smith that built the rifle and he told me that stiller actions do that and its nothing to worry about, in fact thats how he counts how many times he's fired his cases. needles to say i dont believe him, i think somethings going on but cant figure it out. Please help. thanks in advance. </div></div>
Maybe he's right?
Post pics of your case heads, so we can see how pronounced they are.
Lowish published charge...check
No enviromental issues...check
Not a seating length issue and using standard components...check
No stiff bolt lift...check
No flattened primers...check
No chunks of rim missing due to extractor gouging...check
Remember, if it walks like a duck...
Chris
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: huntin247</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just had a 338lm built on a tac 338 with a rock barrel. I started with new brass and 300gr SMK with fed 215s and 87 gr of retumbo and i am getting ejector marks, the primers are not flat and the bolt lift is not hard at all, so i worked up to 92 gr and am getting the same ejector mark. I also tried h1000 and started at 87gr and went to 90gr the brass still had the mark. so i bought another 100 brass thinking maybe the first batch was to soft but again had the same mark. Im totally confused and dont no exactly what to do. Im seating the bullets 20 thousands off the lands and even put them to the lands but it didnt make no difference at all. I can put a bullet into a fired case so i dont think it needs trimmed. any help on this would be very appreciated. I called the smith that built the rifle and he told me that stiller actions do that and its nothing to worry about, in fact thats how he counts how many times he's fired his cases. needles to say i dont believe him, i think somethings going on but cant figure it out. Please help. thanks in advance. </div></div>
Maybe he's right?
Post pics of your case heads, so we can see how pronounced they are.
Lowish published charge...check
No enviromental issues...check
Not a seating length issue and using standard components...check
No stiff bolt lift...check
No flattened primers...check
No chunks of rim missing due to extractor gouging...check
Remember, if it walks like a duck...
Chris
Re: 338 lapua pressure? NEED HELP
Yeah whatever you do don't believe the guy who builds rifles for a living. I would totally take the word of some nobody in an online forum over him any day!
Simple observation. If you are getting extractor marks without getting flattened primers then it's perfectly fine. Typically flattened primers come in stages WELL before you see extractor marks on the case head.
Yeah whatever you do don't believe the guy who builds rifles for a living. I would totally take the word of some nobody in an online forum over him any day!
Simple observation. If you are getting extractor marks without getting flattened primers then it's perfectly fine. Typically flattened primers come in stages WELL before you see extractor marks on the case head.
Re: 338 lapua pressure? NEED HELP
I have seen this same problem with another 338LM (mine), the ejector hole was mushroomed up from drilling with a dull tool (?) and had a burr on it. Once the burr was knocked down, the ejector prints pretty much went away. Take out your ejector and put an unfired case against the bolt face, then turn it. Look for scratches on the head or brass shavings around the extractor hole. This could answer your question
I have seen this same problem with another 338LM (mine), the ejector hole was mushroomed up from drilling with a dull tool (?) and had a burr on it. Once the burr was knocked down, the ejector prints pretty much went away. Take out your ejector and put an unfired case against the bolt face, then turn it. Look for scratches on the head or brass shavings around the extractor hole. This could answer your question
Re: 338 lapua pressure? NEED HELP
In your Post this part caught my eye "Im seating the bullets 20 thousands off the lands and even put them to the lands but it didnt make no difference at all."
I would agree that there is nothing wrong. If it is headspaced correctly and there is no bulging of the base, not flattening of primers, the guns bolt is not tight it should be fine. In the above statment how did you measure and if it means what I think dont put the bullet against the Lands.
In your Post this part caught my eye "Im seating the bullets 20 thousands off the lands and even put them to the lands but it didnt make no difference at all."
I would agree that there is nothing wrong. If it is headspaced correctly and there is no bulging of the base, not flattening of primers, the guns bolt is not tight it should be fine. In the above statment how did you measure and if it means what I think dont put the bullet against the Lands.
