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Mississippi, question for you.
I have been purchasing sellier and bellot 250 grain ammo to plink with before I got the reloading kit. Seemed to get good accuracy out of it considering how affordable it was.
I saved the brass. Before I start loading premium lapua brass, do you think it'd be a good idea to clean the sellier brass up and start with that? I figure it gives me something to practice on.
I ordered 200 lapua 300 grain scenar bullets (they were out of the lock base) and I have like 20 sellier brass. Possible/safe to reuse it?
Also a bonus question. Do you think I should get a crimper for the neck of the cases? From what I've read so far it seems with bolt action you don't need to worry about it. I have an m1a scout that eventually I'll reload for I'm sure so maybe it's worth it? I know it's probably not the case but I'd hate to have bullets falling out of cases or getting pushed in lol
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With respect to crimping...I don't crimp my bolt action rifle cartridges. That can be a contentious topic round these parts. I crimp for lever action, semi auto, and bih revolvers. But I do not crimp for bolt action rifle.
I have not tried seller and Beloit brass in my .338 LM
I have tried Hornady, it was too soft...had stuck cases at well below maximum pressure loads. Some even stuck at mid-range loads.
I have tried HSM.... decent brass. Not as durable as laupa. The weight of each piece was a bit scattered. It lasted 5 loads.
I have tried PPU. PPU would be decent for plinking. It's also inconsistent with respect to weight. Lasted on average 6 loads.
Lapua was by far the best. Weight of each case was within 1% of average. Needed almost no prep work to load. Shoots one hole groups at 200 yards with 300 Grain SMK'S and 91 graines of Retumbo at 2880 fps.
At 2750 FPS hornady cases had to be pounded out with a cleaning rod and mallet....lapua brass is tough stuff and the best in the .338 LM.
I started shooting and reloading the .338 Lapua when the only brass you could get was lapua, HSM, and Hornady. You could get ppu but only buy buying factory ammo and shooting it. And I am still using my 3rd batch of 100 pieces of lapua Brass with 12 firings on it... annealed at 4/8 and before this 12th load. I have already worn out a barrel on my M98B .338 and had it rebarreled.
Like crimping,some folks have strong opinions either way. Some folks will try and convince themselves, and you, that the cheap stuff is just as good. Sometimes it's true with an asterisk. I.E Winchester brass, if trimmed, sorted, culled, and primer pockets deburred and the necks turned, is great match brass. But Norma Brass pretty much comes without needing any of that.
So you can decide for yourself, but if you try lapua in the .338 LM, nothing else after that will be acceptable.
.....and yes loading for the M1A is TOTALLY worth it in terms of cost, accuracy, and most of all FUN!!