OK RUM guys, the ol Winny is closin' the gap.

Neglected to check the differences in a new lot of RL-22:rolleyes:

Ramshot Magnum 84.5 gr
Sierra GK 250
CCI-200
200 yds

74.5gr RL-22
200 yds

Nice targets when I get a digital camera I will have to post some of my targets as well.

RUMLUVER,

Didn't intend to 'show off' targets. I forgot to post the spread sheet data.

Objective was two fold.
a) Ramshot Magnum works in the 338 win.
b) New lot of RL-22 w/charge = old lot resulted in a velocity increase of 130 fps to 2930 w/250 gr Sierra Game King.

I'll post the velocitys when I get home this evening.

BTW, SD for the RL-25 droped to 3 for 5 shots. Which is what I was looking for w/the Ramshot.

No showing off they are what they are "good groups"! I like that you post new info as you get it that just helps out other handloaders by sharing info. I would just like to be able to post targets too with my reloading data and chrono results. But on a side note I have never gotten good results with the Ram Shot Magnum powder but that has just been with my .300 and .338 RUM's.

Tested projected final Ram Shot Magnum load against trusted RL-22 load.

RL-22 load average velocity was w/in 10 fps of 2800 either way but with large SDs.

Bought new lot of RL-22 and here's what happened from shooting the above groupes.

I alternated targets with each shot. Some how it seems reasonable.

250gr SMK at 2930fps that's crazy out of a .338WM! I'm using 90gr of of IMR 7828 to get 3000fps out of my .338RUM. I'd bet your getting away with alot less powder than that. That's a pretty low SD to boot! Looks like you got yourself a heck of a good load there Roy!

Almost tho't the chrony went bonkers but every other shot was with Ramshot and they were spot on for velocity.:confused:

At the target says 74.5 gr RL-22???

I'm beginning to think that using RL-22 must be what its like to be married to the wrong woman.:rolleyes:

I'm headed to the place I bought that pound and buy their entire stock if its the same lot number.....

But in a couple of weeks that bbl comes off and an REM takeoff 338 RUM goes on.

Going to do some forward thinking ignition experimenting. Should be fun. We'll see.

Let me know how it goes!

Not trying to butt in here, but it looks like the target has 84.5 of RL-22 with a Federal primer. Your thread says 74.5. Either way, nice little hole puncher at 200 yds.

I was in picking up some new brass for the 22-250, hadn't looked into this .338 RUM before and saw a box of brass marked .338 RUM so thought I would see what this 6 page thread was all about. Are you sure the Navy doesn't use this against enemy battleships?!?!?

I can't imagine holding that up to my shoulder. Rumlover, I know you have said that the recoil is not that bad,,,,,,,but 90 grs pushing 250 grs at 3000fps has got to pack a punch.

Come on in Martini! Your cartridge is a bit small but we'll play with ya.;)

Rocy Raab, one of the admin guys is a 25-308 user. But I think he has the 25-308 in one hand and the martini in the other:D :D

I suppose only you good guys can have them both in the same hand.:cool:

Reportin' todays activities. Weather windy and snowy. How windy you say? Enough to push a 222 Rem 40gr Vmax 8" @ 200 with the wind only 15 degrees from the bullet's line of flight.:rolleyes:

So I worked on makin' my winny shoot w/ Rumluvers RUM. With the weather so lousy I couldn't chronograph anything but made major progress anyway.

Been working on implementing an old ignition idea. Seems a lot of people tho't of it but no one does it. Guess its a secret. And I'll keep it that way for a bit.

Took all last evening an most of today to tool up for it. Tool up means scrounge around for objects that will serve the purpose though they weren't designed for it; pester the neighbors and make a couple of trips to town.

Finally got enough things put together enough to make things go bang.

Loaded up my first try. This is far enough out of the ordinary that first, I removed the scope (it would be hard to replace), next I secured the rifle to a shooting rest that I made with inner tube strips and a bunge cord across the butt and enough line to let me hide behind one of the big poplar trees in the back yard.

Well, she went bang and everything held together. It was a pretty squibby load, as it turns out, but I didn't know that until she went bang.

Armed with greater confidence I dumped in another 14 grains of 4831. This time I was like super man. I just held the rifle in one hand an reached around the poplar tree and let her rip. Bigger bang but no problems.

Then had to switch to 4831sc as 71 grains of 4831 filled 1/3rd of the neck. I had aready shot 74 gr 4831sc without my modification so 71 grains seemed reasonable.

Did the same thing. Shot her like a handgun from the other side of the tree. Bigger bang.

Lessons learned:

The idea works. Without the chrono I won't know whether it works well or not so well.

Neglected to use ear protection and noticed that the noise was reduced in a major way. The only other time I forgot to use the muffs my ears rang for a day.

Gained even greater appreciation for the Holland QD brake.

Will post more results when the weather allows the chrono to come out and play.

The 25-308 is a gun that my wife's father built in the late 40s or early 50s. It has not had any attention in just about that long,,, since he died when she was 6 years old and that was in '58. My son in now 13 and "way into guns" so I decided to try and figure out what this thing was. I searched Google for 25 Souper and found Rocky's article, which led to this web sight. I thought it would be a good deer/coyote rifle for him and get me back into hunting. (That is the reason I was not up on the new calibers, the .338 RUM could be 20 years old and it would be new to me.)

So I got dies ordered, squeezed some .260 Remington brass, got in .257 bullets, yadi ya and developed a serious ailment called "way into guns". I am waiting for the 25 to get back from the smith, I had to have the Mauser action redrilled for new scope mounts, so I can start load development. I just hope the thing shoots straight!!!!

Been out a few time calling yotes and been in a goose blind for a couple days,,,,,,,,,,so I guess there is a new powder burner in town and his name in Martini.

Its fun reading you guys and have been learning alot and if you need a new kicking stump, me and my little 25 are here thumbing through the threads.

Tini

Welcome Martini,


Glad to hear your back into the powder burning brotherhood! That 25-308 sounds like a neat little cartridge though I will confess I would lean toward the .260 if it were my choice. As you can see I love to shoot my .338 RUM but like you my father felt that my .338 was something that should be fired via a lanyard. I did not let that sway me I have learned to shoot this RUM quite well but will admitt 20-30 rounds is enough at 1 sitting for me. Since you were talking about having a little work done on that 25-308 of yours I will share that I am knee deep in my current rifle project that will end up as my very own .264 Win Mag oh the joy of it all this rifle consumes my thoughts daily! It will be a 27" Broughton barrel on a model 700 action and in stalled in a McMillan stock topped off with the new 3-10x50 Kahles Multi-Zero scope. But as for this moment I'm still waiting for my barrel to be delivered. Again Martini glad to see you jumped in with both feet and as always keep us posted on the progress with your 25-308!

Martini

Glad to hear the 25-308 is on a mauser action. Was hesitant to mention it but I jumped to a wrong conclusion that it was on a Martini action. Couldn't quite see that.:(

Rocky is probably the knowedgeable on on that cartridge around these parts.

Good to hear you and you son have a common interest. That is a good thing.

Good luck and good shootin' and welcome aboard.

Wanna try a 338-308:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Thanks Rum,

After 20-30 rounds you probably need to bring in the bulldozer and rebuild your dirt pile to shoot into:D . Lanyard??? Hell you should be rolling it around on two wheels?!?!

Now the 264 is my kinda round. I think that would be great caliber for the hunting I plan to do. Your dirt pile should last longer also! The Kahles will be some great optics for you. I have looked at ton of scopes in the last couple months and that one has ranked high. Hope it turns out to be the firearm you have dreamed of. At least worth all the sleepless nights thinking about it:cool: .

The 260 brass was the closest dimensions to what I needed for the 25-308 1/4 bore. The case is the same as the .308, necked to .264. So basically I just necked it to .257, for a 25 caliber. It should be a shooter. 3000fps with a 75 gr V-max or 85gr BT should be easily achieved with 3400fps well within reach at the top end. According to some of Rocky's information, a 100gr should push about 2900, which should be just fine for a heafty mulie. There are 117gr and a few 120gr bullets out there for the caliber and will get a load for them also. I can't wait to throw some lead!

I need to wait for the gun so I can get some chamber dimension before I start seating bullets. I have a machinist friend making me a few tools so I can get the correct case length and OAL.

There will eventually be more guns, but I need to work with what I have now.

I have some Martini action going on right now in fact. Wish you were sitting across the desk chompin' on an olive.

Bottoms up or tops down, whichever you prefer.

ttttttttini

RumLover
 

Your results are very impressive. I have a pair of the 7mm rums and love the way they shoot. After reading your results I might have to make a trip out to the gun shop and see about getting a 338. I don't need it but I am starting to want it!

TKO,

I was a little hesitant when I saw my .338 at the gunshop but decided I just had to have it and never looked back. Let me tell you that the .338 RUM is a handfull but it is also alot of fun to shoot. Wait until you see the looks you'll get at the range from your fellow shooters!

Just about 10 days away from having the 338 RUM inhand.

Have the tubbs final finish kit on hand.

Getting excited....

Let me know how it shoots! You must be excited to be that close to getting your .338 RUM.

I am predicting lots of thunder in Idaho this spring:rolleyes: !!

New stuff from RamShot

.338 Remington Ultra Magnum
Barrel: 24", Twist 1-10" Primer: FED 215
MAGNUM 215 SIE SPBT 94.0 2,920 104.0 3,200 63,400 3.580
MAGNUM 250 SIE HPBT 86.0 2,600 96.0 2,970 62,500 3.580
MAGNUM 300 SIE HPBT 80.0 2,400 89.0 2,700 62,700 3.580

Roy,

Thanks for sharing but I will say that I have tried Magnum in the past in my .300 RUM and found that it to be inaccurate with every bullet I tried. I don't know about my .338 RUM so since I still have some I may just try it. If you use it and find any good results I would be intrested in what you come up with. Thanks again!

Roy,

Do youhave anything good to report as of yet on your .338 RUM project?

New here and had to sign up when I read this post.

Rumluver, I should have your name, just added number 23 to my Ultra mag collection. My wife is getting irratated but OH WELL!
I have that need new tubes.Just put together a SS on a Rem CDL stock and man is it a beauty

Idaho,

My friends call me Scooter and I'm happy to see that you jumped in on this. I too absolutely love those Ultra Mags and just as soon as I'm done with my .264 it will be my .338's turn for a little body work. I would like to here about your rifles it sounds like you have a few of them.

I have good collection. Probably averaged one a month since I started working. My wife loves guns and hunting so I dont have a problem with her. Well she get irratated when I buy to many of one gun. She says there are more out there that I dont have that I should get. I cant make here understand that I only like old Winchesters and Remington 700's and I have just about all of them.
I have 4 Pre-64 Winchesters that are chambered for the 264 mag. 3 are never fired and the other I used for deer hunting the open fields in Virginia when I lived there. I havent taken it out for elk here. I guess my 7 Ultra took its place. Both are Awsesome calibers. Everything I have shot with the 7 has piled up in its tracks.

338 Rum is 3 days from scheduled finish at the smith's. So far the schedule has slipped 2 months:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I'm bettin' it slips again.:mad: :mad:

All I can do is whine.......

Yup,,,,,,I was correct
 

Slipped again. Hadn't even started it.

2 More weeks.

The work is just
1) swap 338 Win bbl for new takeoff 338RUM bbl.
2) swap Holland brake from old to new bbl.
3) smooth the rough bolt face
3) Lap the lugs
4) Intstall Tubbs recoil lug.
5) Trigger adj.

No truing of action etc.

Lets see: 10 days + 10 days + 6 wks + 2 weeks. Hmmmm that's roughly 2 months.

Gotta find a faster turn around for these peckerwood projects:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Roy,
It's been a while since I've been on the forum and I see you guys have really talked up the RUM's quite a bit. Who is doing your project? Kirby?
Anyhow last deer season, we introduced a co-workers wife to the 338 Tomahawk and she whacked a deer at 791 yds off the ultimate tripod. Another one fell just a short time later at 793 yds. I attempted to do some testing a couple days in January and February but the wind was so brutal that is was senseless to even be out in it. Now that good weather is here, I may get to play a little more with those 225 SST's. I got some 250 Lapua's loaded with 100.5 gr of Retumbo and shot them at steel at 500 yds. They shot about 2" so I'm wanting to play with them a little more. I want to compare them with the 250 SMK's and run them side by side to see which is better. I don't know if I'll bother with the 225 Accubonds anymore but who knows. Tomorrow I think I'll try to find some H869 since the Easter egg hunt doesn't start until 3:00 in the afternoon. Maybe that will do something for me that the Retumbo isn't. By the way, tried 60 gr of Retumbo in that 25 06 Sendaro with 117 SST's and it shot about a close to one hole as I can measure a 100yds for 3 shots. So now I've got to run this one through the tests to see if it'll make the trip to 700yds for a ghog gun.
Do you need a little cheese to go with that whine?:D :D

I almost forgot. Not to knock the Tubbs finish system but JB Paste will do the same thing to them factory barrels. Some people could sell ice cubes to eskimos.:eek: :confused:

ol' spark,

The 338 project if being mostly done by me with a local smith doing the metal work. Doing nothing more than swapping the Win bbl for the RUM bbl and bringing the brake over. I got the RUM bbl, new unfired from Kirby for 45 bucks.

Will use it to see now much more of a cartridge the RUM is over the WinMag. The Win bbl was shooting 250 game kings and 252 Wildcats into 0.5" @ 200yds @ 2930 FPS. Cases were only a "little" sticky.;)

I will also use the RUM to further test the frontal ignition system in preparation for the 270 AM. The FI idea (stolen from OKH) has some good features and isn't that much work. It did give me a real feel for how much expansion the head of a case experiences when the thing goes bang. I must have been, according to the "local" smith "who knew PO Ackley" up around the high 70K low 80k pounds of pressure. Whoooo Hoooo!! It did launch little brass tubes downrange.......Once in a while......

The whole idea is to lengthen throat life but there are other benefits also.

After I get done with the RUM experiment it'll be come either a 338 Edge or Tommy. I'm figuring a Tommy as the Edge is nothing more than the 300 RUM necked up or the 375 RUM necked down. Nothing "sexy" about that.

You're bitchin' about wind!!!! Woke up to 4" of heavy wet snow this morning. How about them apples:confused:

By the way, some tests were done on the secnars and they behaved like solids. Accurate as heck but ended up bananas and penetrated some pretty serious steel that nothing else had ever touched.:confused: :confused: :confused:

Roy,
Yea, I read the post about the 250 scenars. Makes me sort of re-think about even messin' with them. Especially if the SMK's are working so far. I don't have alot of history with them yet but I guess I'll stay where I'm at and tinker with something else. Didn't get the other powder anyhow. :(

I got a .375 RUM take off barrel off of Kirby myself. Some day I may want to shoot a really big bear and I'll just switch the barrel on my 300 RUM and try that. If not maybe I can trade it to someone for something I'l need.

Good luck on the project.

I have that 375 H&H for them thar big bars. But I'm not going to intentionally hunt them. Odds are sooner or latter up north a few miles they may well hunt me:rolleyes:

BTW, still snowin' here. Been goin' all day.:mad:

RUMLUVER, did you get around to doing any work with the 250-grain TSX bullets and IMR 7828?

Also, I may have missed it wading through this thread, but... what charge of IMR 7828 is working best for you with the 225-grain TSXes?

Thanks.

Russ

Welcome Russell,

I have not as of yet used the 250gr TSX but plan doing so in the future sorry no help there. But with the 225gr TSX have found that RL 25 gave me best results. I started with 92gr and worked up to 95gr with this load I'm getting an average 3120fps. With IMR 7828 wich I use alot of my best results were with the 225gr and 250gr Hornady Interlocks and also the 210gr TSX. With the 210TSX and 90gr of IMR7828 I shot a group that was .550 outside to outside 2 weeks ago. Those TSX bullets have proven to be very accurate. I plan using the 130gr TSX in my .264 WM when I'm done having that built. That bullet in my brother's .264 shoots dime sized groups all the time. Hope I was of some help.

Yes, your data on the 225-grain TSX helps. I just bought some of the new 250s and sure would like to use a powder that might show a lot of promise from the start. My guess would be Retumbo, but we'll see. I have a lot of different powders I can try... to include RL25.

Thanks again.

Russ

Russell,


I've tried Retumbo, H870, H100, and A8700 in my Ultra Mags to include the .300 and 7mm. I found that those realy slow burners came up short in velocity and in accuracy in my rifles. I found better luck with RL25, RL22, IMR7828, H4350, and H4831. Those powders worked the best in my rifles. Hope this of some assistance to you also.

"m back in bidness........
 

Picked up the 338 RUM project last friday evening. Spent the weekend w/grandkids. Spent today fitting stock and installing the Weaver Tactical and doing a modified Tubb's Final Finish.

The barrel is a new unfired take off barrel 26" long w/Holland QD brake. Did the Tubbs recoil lug (what a monster). Smoothed up the bolt face and seated the lugs. Smith sure was slow but did a good job.

When it was fully assembled she gained 0.2 lbs for a total of 11.0. The scope weights 24 oz and I have a couple of pounds of lead melted into the butt and forearm. It feels good though.

The Tubbs process was modified as the barrel wasn't all that rough. Now its almost a good a my Lilja, but noticably not nearly as good.

Tomorrow I start the regular break in so we'll see how much fouling happens.

I'm thinking that the new Hogdon 869 powder ought to be the ticked for the 250 class bullets but I have none and there is non locally available.

I used Ramshot Magnum for the Tubbs process and used mild loads. The stuff burned like western PA coal (bug dust if ya know what I mean). Ran out of the stuff except for one good stout load to chrono tomorrow. Kind of a pressure test.

I also have an RSI pressure thinger to hook up to it. Should be interesting.