Jay sent me 20 of the all brass 338 cal flat point solids to test. I loaded up 5 of them with 95 grains of R25 for my 338 Lapua to test today



Jay sent me 20 of the all brass 338 cal flat point solids to test. I loaded up 5 of them with 95 grains of R25 for my 338 Lapua to test today

The bullet


I loaded then to 3.608" overal lenght. The picture below shows the loaded 338 Lapua round with a 300 grain SMK flanked on each side by the Shark Flat point solids




The Olher 35 recorded the velocity at 3074 FPS



A picture of the loaded round in the detachable box magazine



Feeding was very smooth from the magazine



The next test for today was a 3 shot group at 100 yards and they passed this test with flying colors. I had set the scope for 600 yards and forgot to rest it so the shots are rather high, but thes bullets are as accurate as a match bullet IMHO



Tune in latter in the week for another update I loaded 5 more this time with 97 grains of R25. I believe that I am going to have a tough time finding a test medium that will catch one of these Sharks....

Thanks John for doing the testing in the Lapua!!

jwp is experiencing computer funk this evening. Nice bullets, Macifej!

quote:

Originally posted by Whitworth:
jwp is experiencing computer funk this evening. Nice bullets, Macifej!

They are abosolutely beautiful bullets and they are as accurate as they are good looking

Little larger here...

VERY NICE!! Now if I could talk you into making me a nice monometal flat nose for my .475 Linebaugh (hey, it's worth a try!).......

No problem as long as it's an expanding bullet!!

Mac gave me a few of the same bullet to try on my upcoming trip to Namibia.

Shot mine through a semi custom 338 RUM today and with 94 grains of RE-25 they shot into .6 with the first seating depth I tried that wasn't too long for the HS-Precision mag.

These bullets SHOOT.

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:
No problem as long as it's an expanding bullet!!

No, no, no! It's already .475-inch, I don't need expansion, I need penetration!

Looks like they flew real good for you!

Good looking bullets. Seems you skipped a caliber inbetween .338" and .366" - probably a typo I'm sure.
A 250g .358 would do just great in the STW, 358-404's, 359-XRUM's, etc., even the Norma loaded to about 3.2" should give 2650+fps, no?

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana-be:
Good looking bullets. Seems you skipped a caliber inbetween .338" and .366" - probably a typo I'm sure.
A 250g .358 would do just great in the STW, 358-404's, 359-XRUM's, etc., even the Norma loaded to about 3.2" should give 2650+fps, no?

I'll take a look at the .358". Might work as a 250.

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana-be:
Good looking bullets. Seems you skipped a caliber inbetween .338" and .366" - probably a typo I'm sure.
A 250g .358 would do just great in the STW, 358-404's, 359-XRUM's, etc., even the Norma loaded to about 3.2" should give 2650+fps, no?

I'll take a look at the .358". Might work as a 250.

Could be a good idea Mac!

Lot of 358STA shooters out here in Oz and one of my best mates has a 358/300RUM.

OK, Jay, might have to take some of your .338 bullets to Namibia next year. My rifle is a .338 WSM wildcat that does handsomely with TSX 210 grainers on elk.
Max

I'll put some in the humidor for ya Max.

/

Originally posted by ALF:
May I ask a question?

Sure

What is the rationale behind the design firstly this particular bullet and the application or use of a FN monometal solid in what is commonly seen and mid and long range cartridges such as the 338 Lapua or the 338 RUM?

What difference does the cartidge make? There are all kinds of .338's. Should we only make pointy bullets in .338"?

The first two questions are actually one or flow from each other.

Why a high drag bullet in a long range gun seeing that the drag on this bullet is about as high as it can go?

Are you sure it's a high drag bullet Alf??? Is it a high drag long range bullet or is it a low drag short range bullet?

And then added to this, why the boattail, what is gained from boattailing a FN bullet ( other than possibly aiding in seating) and the length of that boattail ? why?

Boat-tail for seating but also for reduced bearing area - length of the boat-tail is a function of a long equation starting with location of the first groove - the rest you can surely figure out. Do you think the boat tail improves the BC Alf?

The third question would be : What if any wisdom is there in the use of what can only be seen as the most stable and thus smallest possible wound volume of any projectile in a plainsgame hunt?

Who said it should only be used on "Plains Game"? Might have quite a few applications eh??

The very concept of design of this type of projectile is to give maximum straight line penetration for game where vital organs lie deep, unfortunately at the cost of wound volume.

Yep

Will I have to answer these questions again when guys use them in .330", .358", .366", .375", .395", .416", & .423"??? Will the design be any more or less valid when the scale changes??

You make a lot of assumptions in your query Alf...

Wow! cool !!!

Is it a bore rider to the first fin???

looooow bearing surface is cool imho.

it would be neet to capture one and show the rifling marks made.

NICE!!!

I think a scaled version bore rider in 375 would sell well imho.

quote:

Is it a bore rider to the first fin???

Sub-caliber Boomer...No Touchy.

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:

quote:

Is it a bore rider to the first fin???

Sub-caliber Boomer...No Touchy.

Way cool. so a couple thou under the rifling eh...

I can see some copper orders in your future.

quote:

Is it a high drag long range bullet or is it a low drag short range bullet?

Yeah!! Lets debate the meaning of yes and no.

In your case a lengthy explanantion is probably in order - genius.

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:

quote:

Originally posted by Macifej:

quote:

Is it a bore rider to the first fin???

Sub-caliber Boomer...No Touchy.

Way cool. so a couple thou under the rifling eh...

I can see some copper orders in your future.

They shoot Boomy.

And for me, I will use them on Giraffe and as a "going away" projectile on anything that turns and tries to piss off...............

So a long range end to ender bullet.

I think the Alaskans will like it for the last bullet in their mag for those who use the 338 win mag for bears.

Hey Mac
I am sure you can fill many posts with yes and no. Or is it no and yes?

Sorry I cant stay and play with you today. I have to do a valve job on a Chevy.

We'll miss you Rat!! (NOT)

Don't drop them thar cylinder heads on your wooley hands Rat...you might not be able to type any more BS.

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
So a long range end to ender bullet.

I think the Alaskans will like it for the last bullet in their mag for those who use the 338 win mag for bears.

You nailed it Jon.

I think these should be used in the next elephant cull. Pinpoint accuracy @2700 fps out of a 338 win mag should be interesting.

quote:

May I ask a question?

What is the rationale behind the design firstly this particular bullet and the application or use of a FN monometal solid in what is commonly seen and mid and long range cartridges such as the 338 Lapua or the 338 RUM?

Actually I decided to test the flat point solids in my 338 Lapua instead of my 338 Win Mag for two reasons. First there is a ton of data for penetration test at velocities below 3000 FPS. Second since my 338 Lapua was built for long range accuracy I thought that it would give a better indication of the bullets intrinsic accuracy

quote:

Second since my 338 Lapua was built for long range accuracy I thought that it would give a better indication of the bullets intrinsic accuracy

They show some intrinsic accuracy in that rifle of yours mate!!!

I set up today to penetration test the Shark 338 Cal Flat Point solid in wet paper.

The set up,



The entrance hole in the wet pack




I aquired the news print from the local paper and it was allready tied in bundles.
The second bundle bundle,



I have shot my 500 JRH revolver into wet pack and had it out penetrate my 416 Rigby with 410 grain round nose solids. So I shot the 500 JRH into the wet pack as a control round




The entrance of the 500 JRH





The 500 JRH pentrated nearly 31 inches




I shot another 338 Flat Point Solid into the wet pack in hopes of catching the bullet, but no such luck the bullet tumbled at about the 50 inch mark



And came out of the paper at about this distance



I upped the charge of RL25 2 grains to 97 grains and that is probable a bit too hot in this rifle
The velocity




The recovered 500 JRH bullet. This bullet was found point on





The first shot with the 338 Laupa hit the wet pack about mid ship angled up at about 40 inches and skimed the top of the wet pack and exited pentrating through my target board and an old truck door that I used to test defensive handgun ammo

Target board



Truck Door, the lower fresh hole is the 338 Solid

jwp475

Am I getting this right? You fired two of these 338 flat point solid bullets into wetpack and both changed direction and one tumbled? Your handgun shot penetrated straight?

Did you notice how far they penetrated? Or are you just looking for something negative? My hangun has shot completely through and exited both shoulders of a 22 to 2400 pound Longhorn and it could not keep up with the 33 Flat Point, not even close

I saw the depth of penetration but I have also seen first hand that the depth of penetration is not all that usefull unless it is straight. One of the guys in our hunting group has a 340 Weatherby and he does some incredible shooting with it. He also says that straight penetration is worth more than a curved path in the animal that may be deeper. Rip also had one of these flat points change direction in his Water Buffalo. This is what round nose solids do and flat points should not do this. Our group has done some rudimentary wet pack testing and if a bullet changes direction three out of three I would not use it on game. What do you think?

I like your signature line.

Did you notice that the off line didn't start until about the 50" mark

quote:

Did you notice that the off line didn't start until about the 50" mark

No I did not. Your post says

quote:

The first shot with the 338 Laupa hit the wet pack about mid ship angled up at about 40 inches

About the second shot you say and show that it exited the pack at 50/51 inches. Forgive me for thinking that it must have started going offline well before that.

quote:

And came out of the paper at about this distance

The guy with the 340 Weatherby asks what the use of a 338 solid is. Alf also asked something similar

quote:

What is the rationale behind the design firstly this particular bullet and the application or use of a FN monometal solid in what is commonly seen and mid and long range cartridges such as the 338 Lapua or the 338 RUM?

and did not get an answer.

It is illegal to use on dangerous game. It is less effective than an expanding soft on plains game. Another manufacturer says that smaller caliber solids are used for the small five antelope in Africa and for bird shooting. What is the point of large amounts of penetration in a curved line when you are shooting game that only asks for 8 to 10 inches of penetration?

To come back to our wet pack tests. If a bullet did not do what it is supposed to do in wet pack we found that it will be more prone to failure in game. It gets worse not better.

I guess I will have to shoot an animal and just find out. I will then post the results along with pictures.
Other makers have made solids down to at least 6.5mm. I think that I would like to keep a few on hand, they might come in handy

jwp,

could you tell me more about your 338 Lapua rifle? The builder, barrel etc? I use a TRGS Lapua but have been looking at getting another one built for NA big game. I was going to have Hein build one but they have gone sideways for sure

Great shooting!

John

Mine is built on a remington 700 action and fitted with a Seekins detachable box magazine that will allow a 3.92 " COAL. My barrel is 31" to the ened of the brake on the ABS Carbon Wrapped barrel. The barrel bank is from Rock Creek Barrels.
Shawn Carlock of Denfensive Edge built mine.

http://www.defensiveedge.net/