Since it’s so cold (-10c) and the wind is blowing at a gale force this Saturday, I thought I would reload some cartridges for my Timberwolf (C-14) in 338LM. Again for time sake, I’m not showing the de-capping, wet tumbling, or the drying steps.
Step 1. Annealing. After 4 firings with the magnum, time to anneal the cases. Here are the finished cases as they cool on the cooling tray.
Step 2. Full length sizing with the Whidden F.L. Bushing sizing die. I like to bump the shoulder for the magnum -.002”. This measures 2.2620” in the Whidden shoulder bump guage.
Step 3. Trimming. The Lapua cases can grow substantially after sizing. Trim length is right around 2.714”.
Step 4. Priming the cases. Pretty self-explanatory here.
Step 5. Charging the case with 93.6gr of Retumbo.
Step 6. Seating the 300gr SMK’s. I am seating them .010” off the lands (jump). Which gives me a CBTO measurement of 2.966”. (COAL is meaningless because I single feed these.)
And now Kids, we’re done! A finished round perfectly fitted for the C-14. Here’s the finished case in the caliper and the case guage showing a perfect job.
And that’s what makes this a mile plinking rifle....
Actually, I’ve had great success out to 1900m with this combo.