Reloading for 338 plinking

[ElKellym]

I am by no means a competition marksman but I do love my .338 lapua. I am about to reload 100 or so rounds and I was thinking of going with the 200grain Hornadys instead of the 250/285 grains. The 200 grain I can get in boxes of 100 vs the 50 in the others and its just less expensive.

Im working on dialing in my skills from 500-1000 yards.. Would the 200grain have any issues at that range or am I better to go with the heavier bullett?

My thoughts are to use H4350 powder around 85g for the 200g bullett with a velocity of 3100\

Thanks for any input.

 

[varmint slayer]

If you are only shooting 500-1000 yards and that's all you can/will shoot then I would invest in something a lot smaller and cheaper to shoot. Something in 6 or 6.5mm would be more than half the cost and recoil if a .338.

 

[milo 2.0]

Other than the low bc of the 200gr, I can't see why it wouldn't work. You really should be able to get velocities in the 3250fps range, which will offset the bc. People shoot to 1k with a lot lighter bullets and less powder
My question is why would you, is it economics, you picked a caliber that's inherently expensive to start with? The 10 dollars more for 100 bullets comes to .10 cents per round.
And then there's barrel life one can waste just developing loads. I don't know your range situation, but what if you get invited to a place with a mile and 2k targets, and all you have to launch at them are these pathetic 200 gr bullets.
I'm no advocate of the heaviet bullet possible theory like some, but your on the bottom end of the spectrum.
So in all, I question your logic.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

I am by no means a competition marksman but I do love my .338 lapua. I am about to reload 100 or so rounds and I was thinking of going with the 200grain Hornadys instead of the 250/285 grains. The 200 grain I can get in boxes of 100 vs the 50 in the others and its just less expensive.

Im working on dialing in my skills from 500-1000 yards.. Would the 200grain have any issues at that range or am I better to go with the heavier bullett?

My thoughts are to use H4350 powder around 85g for the 200g bullett with a velocity of 3100\

Thanks for any input.

I've shot 180gr Ballistic Tips in my TRG-42, lol! They didn't group all that well and I wasn't going to fiddle with any more...same with the 225s (?) Hornady SSTs that I shot a 20ct box of. You can download it no doubt. I think Nosler makes a 200gr BT, as well.

For me, the higher cost shooting good target loads when I want to shoot my Sako, far offsets the money I'll save shooting cheaper components, but running extra rounds through my barrel at what...80% potential?

Face it, there are only so many rounds in that barrel and it's not the same as a 223, or 308, so choose your ammo wisely.

If you have one month to live, are you going to hit up Taco Hell and McShit burgers, or are you going out in style?

Chris

 

[Lt. Arclight]

Why load to "Plink"? Barrel life in the 338LM is FAR better than the 300WM or 6.5x284. Figure 3000 rounds. Just load 250 matchkings and practice proper longrange technique. Even if you are bangin steel or trying to hit the odd rock at an unknown distance. IMO, if you can't afford to shoot quality 250gr. match bullets why bother with a 338LM. I'm well over 6 thousand rounds in a variety of sticks. I use pretty much the same loads and can hit out to 1500yards consistently. 1000yards VERY accurately.

The whole point is LEARNING proper technique and reading the wind. If you are working on your skills at 500-1000 yards-that isn't plinking.

Cheap" ammo for a 338LM is non existent and plain stupid. Just get a 308 if you are saving money-but since you have a 338LM don't put shit ammo through it. Shoot it with the ammo it was developed around. The difference in price is a fraction of what ANY 338LM system costs. Penny wise-DOLLAR STUPID.

 

[sobrbiker883]

Plinking with a 338, really?

 

[P7id10t]

If you have one month to live, are you going to hit up Taco Hell and McShit burgers, or are you going out in style?

Chris

Amen! Never know when it's our time.
That's why I have 200 of the 300gr Scenars and 700 of the Berger 300gr OTMG2s. That should get me through a year of shooting. Go large or stay home.