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Questions on loading for the .338-06

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17 January 2004, 17:31
Cariboo
Questions on loading for the .338-06
So those of you that load for this cartridge what parent brass do you use?

I have fired 50 - 60 rounds through my newly rebarreled rifle and now have bumped into a bit of a problem. The brass I have used so far for load development is all R.P. .30-06 brass that had been once fired in one of my other rifles. The original rounds worked great but today I resized a batch that had been previously fired in the .338-06 rifle and I find there is not enough brass thickness at the neck which in turn results in the inside diameter being too large to get a good grip on the bullet.

I really don't want to get only a single load out of the cases and I really don't want to overwork the brass by running it through the .30-06 dies before I open the necks back out for the .338 bullets.

What I was wondering is if anyone has run into this problem and if so have they had better luck by necking down .35 Whelen brass rather than necking up .30-06 brass?
17 January 2004, 18:27
B17G
Cariboo:



Sorry, typing stammering. Operator error/Snafu Cheers, eh?!
17 January 2004, 18:27
B17G
Cariboo:

I reload for the 338/06 also. Never had the problem you experienced with your brass in the 338/06. However I have had that problem in other calibers. Each time I was because I camfered the brass too much. Seating deeper made the brass still usable if you were downloading the powder charge a hair.

I use and Prefer Winchester 30/06 brass in mine. I prefer Winchester brass in almost all instances. However, I also usually use Remington Nickel brass for my hunting loads.

I have also used the only Winchester Nickel brass I found which is in 280 Remington which I necked up. If you do so, neck it up to 30/06 in the first step and then to 338/06. Going directly from 280 to 338/06 I lost about 15% of the brass.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy your rifle and the caliber like I have mine. Cheers, eh?!
17 January 2004, 18:43
fredj338
I've necked 06 brass up & Whelen brass down w/o any problems. I Like the WW brass, but have used Fed. & Norma.