30-338 Lapua Dies/help please

April 3, 2009

Unfortunately when I called the Redding factory today it appears that my 30-338 Lapua dies (no. 80880) have not been produced :rolleyes: . So I need to find another route to load the rounds, while I wait the 8 weeks its going to take for the Redding dies to arrive.....

So could I please have some help working this out, since I think I've got it figured but am confused over the finer points :rolleyes:

1st neck down the cases from .338 to .30 using a Hornady large cavity .30cal neck sizer. http://www.midwayuk.com/apps/eproductpage....leItemID=839377

Then expand the cases using a K&M 1 thou over sized expander mandrel. Where can I get this, since I've only got a standard .30cal expander?

Next I would normally use the Redding dies but since they are not available I need to 'improvise'......Here I get a bit confused!

If I resize the cases using a standard .338 Lapua die the cases should be uniformed.

Then using a Redding .338 Lapua type 'S' neck bushing die, with a .30cal bushing the neck can be sized correctly. However how do I work out what size bushing I need? On the reamer print it shows a .344 chamber neck diameter, with the resize N.D. (guessing that's neck diameter?) 0.33 & margin .001/.003 in a box on the side. So what size bushing do I need??

Finally could I seat the bullet using a .338 Lapua seating die and live with the fact the neck will not be completely supported?

Any help greatly appreciated.

N.B. I'm working off this article http://www.6mmbr.com/thirty338.html

baldie · April 3, 2009

Tiff, give dennis a ring at Pete jacksons, he used one to great effect last year , and won the "f" class league with it. he is a smashing fella, and will help you out with any questions. He has practical experience of the round, i dont think anyone one here has ?

April 3, 2009

Tiff, give dennis a ring at Pete jacksons, he used one to great effect last year , and won the "f" class league with it. he is a smashing fella, and will help you out with any questions. He has practical experience of the round, i dont think anyone one here has ?

I think I spoke to him at the start of the project when I was looking for a reamer. Seem to remember he had custom dies made up...I will call just in case I'm mistaken.

With regards to the bushing dies (my main point of confusion) what .30cal bushing should I get, given the data above.

Cheers Tiff

Ronin · April 4, 2009

Have 30/338 on ticket as a spare barrel, but never got as far as making one.

Dennis would be the man to speak to.

Here is what I think:

Get your smith to make a die set from Newlon or Neil Jones dies (the Newlon dies sets are very good, and pretty cheap - they are bushing dies too and accept Redding / Wilson bushings)

If you dont want to go that route:

Use a Redding S bushing 338 neck size die, however with a reduced bushing:

Your neck diameter is .344" (from your reamer print, you need at least .002" clearance on the loaded round (.001" over complete diameter), so:

.344 - .308" = .036"

Halve this will give you your neck wall thickness to turn your cases to - .018"

However, this will be a push fit so trim the cases to .0165" neck wall thickness.

Now you have 2x .165 = .033" add the bullet diameter (.308") = .341"

I would buy a .340" and .339" bushing and use this in the 338LM S die.

A 308 K&M expanderiron will do just fine.

Seating :

Get a 338 LM seater, take out the 338 seater stem, replace with a 308 seater stem.

Fairly simple..

Hope thats understandable?

Been a similar route necking 300 WSM brass down to .284 recently and using bastardised 7mm WSM and 270 WSM dies to get the F Class gun shooting - it shoots just fine using the methods above.

Same principle anyway.

April 4, 2009

Thanks very much for that Ronin :rolleyes: I will go down the Redding type S neck die route, since I've already got one sitting here I can use..Will certainly help save a few pennies....