my budie has a 338remington ultra mag.... he had a guy reload him 250 nosler bullets with 89 grains of powder(dont know what powder but max load) he got sever pancaking on his primer.since then he has loaded everything from 84 grains to 88 grains still with the same results.. the caseing are now getting stuck in his barrel.. now his extractor wont pick up the case... his neck of his case is also swelling ..he cases are stretching about 2000. any one think what im thinking the max load has possibly ruind his chamber? why would even factory loads give him pancaking and a little ring outside the primer strke .. any oppionons would be great...

http://stevespages.com/diagnosingproblems.html

This might help and save Steve the time to type it.The "ring around the primer strike" is called cratering.I almost always load for target shooting and get my most accurate loads at minimum or close to minimum charges,so I'm no expert on pressure problems.If it's doing it with factory loads,then it's prolly something wrong with the rifle.

You work up a load to MAX,not start at MAX!

Tell your buddy to get some new brass, read a reloading manual very closely on the part reguarding headspace. First fireing well back from max then size them properly. Primer cratering could just be an oversize fireing pin hole. If its a Rem. rifle the extractor could be buggered now.

I own the 338 Rem.Ultra Mag. And I have shot those Nosler 250gr bullets at 3054 FPS and never had any problems that your friend had.

I used 95grs of powder.

well thanks for the help guys... his extractor is pooched the smithy put a new one in and it seems to be fine.... i think it was all pressure... they guy that loaded shells for him canot keep the primers in the brass now they fall out.... next time they go shooting i will make sure i am not in the same township as them .... some people never learn