Thread: 338 lapua issues.

Gidday everyone,

Just picked up some gen3 Hornady dies to get this show on the road but theres a thing or two Im struggling with.

I was given some once fired cases (not lapua they have T as the head stamp) and seated a projectile in one for a display piece so has not been resized in anyway. It fits in the rifle nicely with only a smidgen of force to close the bolt so not to bad upto that point.

Now FL resized another piece of brass and trimmed to 2.710inch as I was recommended for this chamber (savage 110 FCP) then went to chamber the brass to see if all was well and well it's not great. It requires more force than I'm willing to give it to chamber.

Anyone had any similar issues and can shed some light? I'm assuming a neck die will sort it but too impatient as I have the opportunity to test fire tonight so want to make sure everything is good before pulling the trigger.

Cheers,
Dan.

I strongly recommend getting new brass and start from there. Any used brass can give problems in other rifles, you aren't really doing yourself any favours if you persist with the used stuff, especially in a new rifle

+1 to what redbang said.
If you are going to the expense of loading .338LM, get some brand new Lapua branded .338LM brass to start with and never look back.

I have no experience with this calibre.

Vivid is your friend, fl sizing if set to long for head space can squeeze the body in pushing the shoulder forward and making tight headspace...or rather head interference, especially if there is a large difference between body dimensions of fired brass and fl die.

The opposite is also possible where the fired brass body is quite expanded and your fl die is not small enough/brass is to springy to bring in the body to fit your chamber.

Colour in a strip with the vivid marker down the length of the case and try to chamber. You should be able to see the tight spot on the marker and deduce if it is a headspace(wind die down) or body issue(new smaller die or new brass)

Cheers Cam will give that a try. I see the new brass point but technically trimming and sizing should be enough I thought. The brass was originally fired in an Accuracy International AW338.

Originally Posted by EK9132

Cheers Cam will give that a try. I see the new brass point but technically trimming and sizing should be enough I thought. The brass was originally fired in an Accuracy International AW338.

Once again I know nothing...Is that a military rifle? if so it may have generous chamber dimensions and you may have body issues possibly.

Originally Posted by EK9132

Cheers Cam will give that a try. I see the new brass point but technically trimming and sizing should be enough I thought. The brass was originally fired in an Accuracy International AW338.

Try Cams advice, most likely not sizing enough.

Get some Lapua brass for it, if you want to be able to push it "hard", if not Norma will do the job nicely, just will be a grain or two shy of what the Lapua will cope with happily.

Yeah its a military rifle, should have some form of match style chamber as the generous chambers are usually found on the semi autos. The brass chambered fine pre sizing so to me that would mean my chamber is bigger and the neck thingy you mentioned could be the issue.

Originally Posted by EK9132

Yeah its a military rifle, should have some form of match style chamber as the generous chambers are usually found on the semi autos. The brass chambered fine pre sizing so to me that would mean my chamber is bigger and the neck thingy you mentioned could be the issue.

I had no drama forming fired brass for an AW from brass fired by ???, but I'm sure I've read that Savages can/do have tighter chambers than normal ?

Ok last two sized are good to go easy to chamber. I had a tiny wee gap between the shell holder and die, cheers for the suggestions fellas. Feeling embarrassed now.

Originally Posted by EK9132

Ok last two sized are good to go easy to chamber. I had a tiny wee gap between the shell holder and die, cheers for the suggestions fellas. Feeling embarrassed now.

At least it's sorted EK.

With no experience in 338 LM, I would have a guess and say it would be reasonably hard to bump the shoulder back, compared to a 223 or 308

Yeah first time loading this stuff Puku thought it would be best to ask before ruining something.

Its a normally held belief that the AI chambers are a little " bigger " , to allow almost any correct ammo to chamber , also due to the bolt head design and posn of the chamber , IF you run very high pressure ( ie more than std for the cal ) , then the brass comes out looking like its a belted magnum .
I have been told from people in the UK , that 338LM brass thats been fired in a AI rifle , will not be usable for anything other than a AI rifle , due to the larger size that the brass is .

I had a bunch of Lapua fired brass out of the Army's AW rifles , at the time , I did not have a AI rifle , had a Sako TRG-21 , and as the brass had turned into a virtual " belted version " of the 308Win , it was not able to be used by me , the ammo was the hot over pressure Lapua HPS ammo , made for the AIs , so threw that brass out , as it was ruined , and no way could it ever be chambered in the Sako at the time .