Quote Originally Posted by sniper3 View Post
Hi,
I've just bought myself a .338 accuracy rifle and was thinking of reloading. I was looking at 250gn and 300gn bullets to reload although I will be using factory ammo (till my funds run out). Any advice would be appreciated.
What's the big deal? It's just a big "223"; they all reload using the same process. Biggest I have reloaded was for the .55 cal Boys including turning up projectiles, casting projectiles and rough casting then turning projectiles. Was offered a 40mm Bofors to take away and would have reloaded this as well except the bore had been smooth bored for a research project ("idiots"!);best thing back then you did not need a licence for it because it "was not a concealable weapon", ah the good old days! Anyway, back to your problem, you obviously like the calibre/gun so don't be put off, just treat it as a bigger version of the .223. That said, it will cost you a fortune for factory ammo so you need to reload if you want to fire more than "2" shots out of it. And what velocity does factory ammo provide in your gun? Maybe not what they recorded in their gun with the wind blowing in the right direction. Provided that you do NOT exceed safe pressure limits and you are happy with with accuracy/terminal performance work up your own handloads. What is recorded in loading data is only a "guide" which may be good/bad or indifferent in your gun. Here is a personal example:Years ago I built a .378 Weatherby Mag. Improved (yes improved) because I wanted 3200 f/s with a 270 grain projectile (which could not be achieved with the standard 378 (lots of good/bad data in this build-another story). I was shooting it at the range when a fellow approached and asked for a shot, he had a 308 Norma Mag; we swapped rifles, his felt like a .22 rimfire after the 378. When I went to open the bolt I could not. He said "no problem when that happens, just use a cleaning rod down the bore and tap the fired case while you lift the bolt" (next shot might have removed his head). It was a maximum load he had lifted from a very reputable loading manual! So, my point is, start low in charge (recommended minimum) and work up (learn to detect high pressures-if you don't know how ask) until you are happy with the result. AND less than "maximum" loads may shoot better or worse than Maximum loads; you just have to TEST! ENJOY!

Cheers