338lm reloading

[04chase]

im just started to reload and am starting off from the very begining. i am almost ready to start my 50 dtc . im still debating on the press. the lee is on top right now as i already have the dtc dies (1 1/4 thread) so im stuck using lee dies but can use the 7/8 stuff. From what i have read , the redding neck bushing dies are the favorites but $$$$. im not competeing yet just plinking and trying to get my learn on. I i plan to use lapua brass , i do have about 100 cases of hornady brass i plan to start with on the 338 before buying a large lot of lapua brass.

can someone point me to a good direction for 338lm dies. i have only one 338lm rifle and i dont plan to buy another in this caliber. just trying tp save some money and enjoy this ar-30.

suggestions on projectile's and powder with a good starting point would be nice but i can search if need be , this is just for fun target shooting out to 1500

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: 338lm reloading

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 04chase</div><div class="ubbcode-body">im just started to reload and am starting off from the very begining. i am almost ready to start my 50 dtc . im still debating on the press. the lee is on top right now as i already have the dtc dies (1 1/4 thread) so im stuck using lee dies but can use the 7/8 stuff. From what i have read , the redding neck bushing dies are the favorites but $$$$. im not competeing yet just plinking and trying to get my learn on. I i plan to use lapua brass , i do have about 100 cases of hornady brass i plan to start with on the 338 before buying a large lot of lapua brass.

can someone point me to a good direction for 338lm dies. i have only one 338lm rifle and i dont plan to buy another in this caliber. just trying tp save some money and enjoy this ar-30.

suggestions on projectile's and powder with a good starting point would be nice but i can search if need be , this is just for fun target shooting out to 1500 </div></div>

Go to the Reloading Depot tacked at the top of this reloading forum, search the loads for 338LM and 50BMG. Lots of info there.

If you take an hour, or three and search through the first 20 pages of this reloading forum, you'll find all of the answers to your questions, as questions regarding loading the 338LM now crop up a few times and more, every week.

I use Redding bushing neck and FL sizing dies with the .365" TiNi bushing. I've used the Hornady InLine seater with their MicroSeating stem, but now use the Forster MicroSeater, which is similar to the Redding Competition seater.

There are a good 8-10 powders that work with the 250gr and 300gr bullets.

Shoot the 250s out to 1500 yards if your weapon shoots them well, they can shoot flatter than the 300s, cost a bit less and don't thump your shoulder as much.

I use Federal 215Ms almost exclusively.

Happy reading.

Chris

 

[Paladin2147]

Re: 338lm reloading

Good advice - take it.

 

[Headquarterz]

Re: 338lm reloading

That ar30 is a good factory rifle. I'm shooting n560 with 250g match kings. CCI large mag primers.
Good advice above.

 

[04chase]

Re: 338lm reloading

thanks for the good advice , what id like to know is if there are decent 338lm dies i can use that wont break the bank . those redding neck bushing dies are spendy . but if there is anything out there for a decent price that can still load up some quality rounds id go that route since im just loading to plink.

on the redding dies , do you have any place in mind that sells them for a good price? does the full legnth sizing die come with the neck bushing die?

 

[Headquarterz]

Re: 338lm reloading

Forster dies are good. For the money, the benchrest set has an awesome seater similar to the redding competition seater but much less money.

 

[Joe4Sho]

Re: 338lm reloading

I too just recently started reloading for the 338 Lapua and wound up getting the Redding Type S Match neck sizing die set for $240 through www.gunstop.com (competition micro-adjustable seating die, bushing style neck die, and body die) I also measured the outside neck diameter of my brand new Lapua brass with a bullet seated and found the diameter to be .367" so I bought the .364, .365 and .366 TiNi bushings as the neck diameter is going to change a little bit after a few firings. However, I wasnt real thrilled with the competition seating die. It would leave a scuff mark on the side of my bullets just above the case neck almost as if it wasnt lining the bullet up with the case perfectly before it started seating. Oh and by the way I'm using a Forster Co-Ax press. So I said screw it and ordered a Forster Ultra micrometer seating die $64 also through gunstop.com as I have these seating dies for 3 other calibers I also reload and they have always worked flawlessly for me, I just wanted to try the redding dies out because everyone is always talking about how great they are. Overall, for me using a co-ax press as far as seating dies goes, you just cant beat the forster ultra seating die. For resizing dies though, forster wouldn't be my first choice. So far the Redding Type S bushing neck sizing die has worked wonderfully! And I have not got to the point yet where I need to use the body die as I have only reloaded this current batch of cases twice. So for about $175 you could get the Forster seating die, the redding type S neck bushing die, and a redding body die. Or if you wanted the full length resize every time for whatever reason, you could get the Type S full length die with seperate neck bushings which would eliminate the need to have a body die. Then you would be looking at about $140 for a pretty solid 338 Lapua die set. The seperate neck bushings are deff. nice to have though especially if you're going to be loading different brands of brass as they will all have slightly different wall thicknesses and stiffness.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Re: 338lm reloading

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 04chase</div><div class="ubbcode-body">thanks for the good advice , what id like to know is if there are decent 338lm dies i can use that wont break the bank . those redding neck bushing dies are spendy . but if there is anything out there for a decent price that can still load up some quality rounds id go that route since im just loading to plink.

on the redding dies , do you have any place in mind that sells them for a good price? does the full legnth sizing die come with the neck bushing die? </div></div>

If you can't pony up for the Redding bushing dies, just get a set of RCBS standard FL sizing dies. Or, seek out the lessor priced Forster Benchrest/Micro Seater FL set.

In the beginning, I just about had every 338LM die made, but for the Lyman set.

They all will get the job done.

Chris

 

[WKR]

Re: 338lm reloading

I bought the RCBS gold medal first because I couldn't find the redding competition dies, I loaded 50 rds with the RCBS and than I bought the redding competition dies and loaded 50 rds more with the same components ( exact same load ) and the ones loaded with the RCBS were the more consistent ones, this was with hornady 285 gr bthp bullets, I have loaded some 300 gr Berger hybrids with both sets of dies to see which one is more consistent. All this was with new lapua brass so I am just comparing the seating dies but I will do the same thing when I resize to see if there is a difference using the same bushing on the neck sizer.

 

[04chase]

Re: 338lm reloading

for the price of the rcbs dies i may start with them .

does anyone have any suggestions on other good equipment to use for the 338?

 

[oneshot.onehit]

Re: 338lm reloading

There’s a bunch of us around my area that use the RCBS Gold Medal Match dies for our 338 Lapua Mags as well as 260s and 6.5x47s

We all have had great luck with consistency and accuracy


I also like the handy window in the bullet guide for dropping the bullet in when pressing bullets