.338 RUM

jrebel

jrebel

Hammer Time Executive member
OK Team!!!!

Thinking of working a load for a rifle a hunting partner is selling. Not sure I want the rifle, but thought I could work a load for it to make the decision easier. He is a snowbird so I will have access to the rifle for 5 months while he is sunning himself down south. Man, I can't wait to be retired.

Rifle is a HS precision 300 RUM with a 24" 1:10 twist barrel.

Thinking the 175 grain or 213 grain HH. Also considering the...maybe the 223 grain, though I was kind of thinking faster in this rifle might tickle my fancy a little more.

What do you guys think??? .338 RUM....is it really all that and a bag of chips??? I love my .338 lapuas and just think the RUM will disappoint me in the long run. Light and fast or heavier in this beast of a rifle???? Never owned a RUM so looking for anyone's thoughts.....is it worth throwing a couple hundred dollars at to see if I like it??

jrebel
 
If it's not the best one cartridge solution for N/A its pretty close. If it's in a nice rifle better.

I love mine, wish it would have come along when I was 20.

I haven't been able to use Hammers in it, but have them on the shelf. The 175 holds my interest, as I've run the 180 Accubond to 3550. Great chuck load, not so much small deer or antelope. It can't see a difference between them and chucks. Too destructive, I hoped the mono would be less destructive.

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My partner is very good at making them presentable wit a stick. Kind of stirs them back together. Even at range they launch, no doubts about hits or misses.

Remind me where you're located?
 
I am a 300 RUM guy. I'd say get a couple of sample packs, one in each. That way you wouldn't have to spend a couple of hundred. If you do try it, be prepared to buy it! I love my RUM.
 
Gday jrebel
Now you got me sitting both sides of the fence on this

I’m not one for duplicating

Well let’s get this straight until I was corrupted here as between my 22lr , 222, 300 rum & 375 h&h I didn’t need anything else & truthfully those combos or slight variations is all one would ever need on anything in the world
So that to me is what I try & preach as the money tied up in firearms can get out of hand & for so many while building their lives & family that money imo would be better spent on setting up security for one’s family that to me is the most important part of one’s journey but may be my upbringing of seeing a bank manager come knocking on your m&d door as a kid isn’t pretty
Yes we grew up poor but wouldn’t have had it anyother way

Now the other side of the fence
You can never have 2 many guns right & this is where the fun begins

Get to many & oh what do I take now syndrome lol

Na it’s pretty simple if you can justify the outlay go for it as the 338rum is a fine round & that combo sounds pretty sweet so where else can you try before you buy 🤷‍♂️
Not to much these days
So a couple hundred bucks to me is a no brainer & I’d start with that 175hh but before you hunt with it ( animal size & makeup here ) id consider delving a little deeper

So do you plan on hunt with it if so
what critters
What range
Then the choice of pill would be narrowed down somewhat in my eyes

Oh everyone needs rum
If not a rifle the medicinal stuff 🤣
Cheers
 
You guys and these bullets have made me pretty desperate for a Rum but sadly there’s just not much point for me here at the moment with the total unavailability of magnum primers.. well unavailability of all large rifle primers but I have a decent amount of standards, not having had a magnum before. I only have a couple of packets of 215s which I need for my 500 🙄🙄🙄😭😭

Ah well winge over now..

I haven’t got experience with the 338 Rum but I have a bit with the similar 338 edge
(338-300RUM) and I’m a fan! Plus it’s just so much easier to build a rum than a lap with the bolt face so much more common, not that that is a pertinent to your conundrum..

You said you love your 338 laps, assuming that means you have one or more?
In this case what are you wanting out of this rifle that your laps don’t give you?
Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying you can’t have 2 rifles in similar cartridges (I certainly do) just curious what the appeal is if this is the case

Cheers
 
HARPERC said:
If it's not the best one cartridge solution for N/A its pretty close. If it's in a nice rifle better.

I love mine, wish it would have come along when I was 20.

I haven't been able to use Hammers in it, but have them on the shelf. The 175 holds my interest, as I've run the 180 Accubond to 3550. Great chuck load, not so much small deer or antelope. It can't see a difference between them and chucks. Too destructive, I hoped the mono would be less destructive.

View attachment 3513
My partner is very good at making them presentable wit a stick. Kind of stirs them back together. Even at range they launch, no doubts about hits or misses.

Remind me where you're located?
Click to expand...
Washington State....Wenatchee valley
 
Well.....there is a lot to ponder here in just a few short posts. Let me clear up some of the unknowns.....

1. I definitely don't "need" another rifle 😂🤣.....I have enough rifle (and rifles) to take any animal on this planet.
2. The appeal of this rifle is the fact I can get a custom rifle at a great price with super low round count. It would also be a new rifle / caliber to me which appeals to me, as I like loading for new calibers and rifles.
3. A concern....why buy a 338 rum when I have, and love, the 338 lapua. I really want another lapua to push a lighter pill and lightning speeds....well because I can. The appeal of a sub 10lb lapua really gets me excited.
4. Purpose / Use would be Deer, Elk, Bear, Moose......and of course varmint hunting given the chance. Coyotes in our neck of the woods are big and require big bores to cut them down. :cool:
5. The only reason money in a concern.....is why buy this when I could put this money toward another lapua. With that said, I can always buy anther lapua next year!! I like collecting and figure my kids can sort our the safes when I die.
6. Components are not an issue with the exception of the bullets and the brass. My buddy may even give me some brass.....he rocks. I have the primers, powders, etc...... Well I guess I will have to buy a set of dies and a crimp die.
 
jrebel said:
Well.....there is a lot to ponder here in just a few short posts. Let me clear up some of the unknowns.....

1. I definitely don't "need" another rifle 😂🤣.....I have enough rifle (and rifles) to take any animal on this planet.
2. The appeal of this rifle is the fact I can get a custom rifle at a great price with super low round count. It would also be a new rifle / caliber to me which appeals to me, as I like loading for new calibers and rifles.
3. A concern....why buy a 338 rum when I have, and love, the 338 lapua. I really want another lapua to push a lighter pill and lightning speeds....well because I can. The appeal of a sub 10lb lapua really gets me excited.
4. Purpose / Use would be Deer, Elk, Bear, Moose......and of course varmint hunting given the chance. Coyotes in our neck of the woods are big and require big bores to cut them down. :cool:
5. The only reason money in a concern.....is why buy this when I could put this money toward another lapua. With that said, I can always buy anther lapua next year!! I like collecting and figure my kids can sort our the safes when I die.
6. Components are not an issue with the exception of the bullets and the brass. My buddy may even give me some brass.....he rocks. I have the primers, powders, etc...... Well I guess I will have to buy a set of dies and a crimp die.
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Gday jrebel
Your easy then 😇😎
I can see a few more loads GL will be pestering you along the way lol

On another note once you have that action it’s only a matter of screwing another barrel on as the bolt face will open other possibilities up also give your kids to sort out what goes with what when you die on the potential puzzle you may leave them 🤣

Looking forward to your journey
Cheers
 
I have used/played with the 7mm, 300 and 338 RUM. All were easy to load for, hunting loads. I really liked the 338 RUM the most. Friends out here in Utah call it "the poor man's Lapua", ha. I only used the Nosler 250PT/Retumbo in the Model 700 I had. I used 4831 SC/Nosler 180 AB in a Gain Twist barreled Vanguard ( a gunsmith friend gave it to me, great man) I never killed anything with the Remington, but shot a big 32" Aoudad out near Sanderson, TX with the Vanguard. At 250yds, "that particular" 180 AB going 3500 acted like a Partition. Maybe I just lucked out, but the outfitter wanted the rifle and scope, took it in trade for the hunt! I really like the 338 RUM if it has a good brake on it myself. I have noticed the abject lack of reloading brass and scarce ammo since then. Bummer.
 
I love my 338 RUM. It is a custom that weighs 9.5 lb scoped and is set up to shoot 300 gr ATIPs. Its 10 shot groups are 3/4" and hammers down on game...3 shot groups are consistently .3's.

I have a 26" 1-9" carbon six barrel shooting the 260 HH at 3060 fps. It is a machine. I pushed the 213 HH near 3350 fps but could not get the 3 shot group size less then half inch so i've stuck with the 260's. I have the 175's but have not tested them yet...been a busy year.

In my opinion, the 338 RUM and 338 Lapua and ballistic twins. If you like the Lapua stick with it. My rifle is 9.5 lb

JA Outdoors always has ADG brass in stock for the rum. I am going to regret typing that.
 
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The only RUM left in our family is my SILs 300 RUM I gave him as a "welcome home from the last deployment in Iraqi Desert back in 2006 (he is a 25 yrs Marine Reservist, Master Gunny now!) I gave him plenty of components back then. I got rim-cut by a "Karen influenced" guy years ago on 24HR Campfire who put up a Poll. "Which is more accurate, .308 or 300 RUM", well I said the RUM, oh my! Boy did he go off on me, ha! Well, for me, I had only loaded for/used 6 .308s, but, by then, only three 300 RUMs, and they were some of the easiest/ 1/2" shooters, didn't matter what powder/bullet. One even shot .33" for five shots, a Mod 700 SPS factory rifle! Well, I gave him the Big "Bless Your Heart" and went on enjoying life, lol.
 
Get the 338RUM. You won't be disappointed.
I love mine. Before I found Hammers I loaded a lot of CEB. 225gr Maximus was my favorite. I just took delivery of some 235gr HH. They are damn sexy looking bullets! Probably going to push them with RL19, unless someone has a better suggestion.
 
RevJim said:
What about Retumbo? Think it would be too bulky/slow?
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Retumbo seems to be the "goto" powder for 338RUM, but I think these driving band bullets are going to want something faster. I learned with CEB I often needed a much faster burning rate powder especially with the Raptors. I'd load Varget or H4895 with the 200gr and under if I knew where to start. I'm going to start with 250gr max loads for RL19 and watch the signs. I may try Retumbo, RL25, & RL25, but I don't have high hopes.
 
Drew - With my 300 RUM I am running a lot of H4350 and H4831. When I was shooting cup and core Retumbo was my go to powder. I was shooting 210 grain bullets back then. I don't know about the bigger 338. I would take Rausch seriously. I also am becoming a VV powder fan.
I would highly recommend that you look at Nosler Load Data as a good starting point. I usually look at powders that don't have to be compressed with the bullets as the Hammers tend to take up more space in the case. I do like the looks of the 235 Hammer in 338. Here is a link: https://www.nosler.com/338-remington-ultra-magnum.
 
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I use RL26 for 260 gr HH, IMR 4955 worked well for the 213 HH. I pressured out at ~3400 fps with 95 gr...but i started my load workup at 85. RL23 would work well and I have been wanting to try H4350 just have not made time. Plus RL26 + 260 HH shoots so well I can't justify taking any other combo to the field.
 
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