30-338 WINCHESTER MAGNUM
| Historical Notes: This cartridge was developed specifically for use in 1000 yard benchrest competition. It was created by simply necking the 338 Winchester Magnum to 30 calibre and almost exactly duplicates the 308 Norma Magnum (Norma's commercial offering has slightly less case taper and is slightly longer). General Comments: The 30-338 Winchester Magnum fills a void in Winchester's Magnum line, created when Winchester introduced the 300 Magnum. The 264 Winchester Magnum, 338 Winchester Magnum, and 458 Winchester Magnum all share a 2.5 inch case length. Evidently to avoid direct competition with existing 308 Norma Magnum and to better compete with the well established, and substantially longer, 300 Weatherby Magnum, Winchester opted to increase case length and push the shoulder forward on their new 30 calibre magnum (actual usable capacity increase was marginal). The Wildcat 30-338 is likely exactly what Winchester would have offered had Norma not beaten them to the punch. Ballistics are very similar to the 300 Winchester Magnum, despite the slight reduction in powder capacity. Compared to that commercial chambering, a slightly longer case neck provides superior purchase for longer bullets. |
30-338 Win magnumFirst Things First After unpacking the plastic bag of 338 Winchester Magnum cases I started to check and sort them out, of the 100 cases in the plastic bag 22 had dented necks of which 8 were so badly dented as to make them unusable so beware and inspect all new cases as well as used ones before use. After selecting and inspecting the cases required, then carry out the following steps:- lubricate the selected cases. Install and set up the Body Die in your press. Full length size your cartridge cases. Install and set up the the Competition Bushing Style Neck Sizing Die (with the 0.335 inch Titanium Nitride bushing) in your press. Check cartridge case length and trim to 2.490 inch and lightly chamfer the inside and outside of the case neck and brush the inside of the neck to remove any brass swarf. Insert the primer into the cartridge cases (Federal GM 215M primers). Charge the cartridge cases with powder e.g. (190 grn SMK HPBT) with 64.5 grn IMR 4350. Install and set up the Competition Bullet Seating Die in your press. Place the case and bullet into the Shellholder, operate the press ram handle and seat the bullet to the Cartridge Over All Length of 3.290 inch. Remove and check the C.O.A L. with a Digital Vernier. Inspect and clean off all case lubrication and pack into a suitable box (MTM Case Gard box is a good example) and fill out the record card.
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This is the 338 Winchester Magnum case from which the 30-338 Winchester Magnum is derived from. |
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Full Neck Sizing Die | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bushing Neck Sizing Die with primer decapping pin. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bullet Seating Die
Note the exteriors look the same however the interior is totally different. |
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Photograph shows two RCBS presses with REDDING competition 30-338 dies |
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RCBS Case Master Gauging Tool for measuring bullet run out i.e.concentricity. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Redding competition Bushing Neck Sizing
Die Set
No 58394 |
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