.33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

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2ndovc
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.33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by 2ndovc »

Has anyone tried the New Hornady Flex tip .338s in their .33WCF?

Will they expand at .33 speeds or they only going to be good for paper punching?

Their web site lists the .338 ME at 2300+ FPS at 100 yds. Considerably faster than
a .33WCF

Getting frustrated trying to find bullets for the old girl!


jb 8)
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by 6pt-sika »

Not tried the rubber tipped bullets !

I only shoot cast in my circa 1912 Marlin 1895 . I use the Lyman 338320 GC mold with pretty good results .
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by BenT »

I have some of the flex tips and the hornady 200gr flat points for my 338MX . I always wanted a 33 win , but never found one priced right , so hopefully this gun scratches the 33 itch. Anyway I've been working up some loads using 200gr speer sp that I picked up cheap. I've only been able to get around 2300 fps with the 200 gr speer. Now I just picked up some RL 15 and was going to try that. I wanted to be in the 2350 to 2400 fps range, but 2300 is still good. I've also been saving up empty milk jugs for bullet expansion testing. I might even be able to do it this week end. Since the ftx bullets and the fp run the same price I would like to see what works better.

I will be first trying them at 50yds and 150yds.Then maybe 200 yds if time permits, thats the longest shot I get around here. I planned on posting my results .What velocities do you usually shoot with your 33 win?
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Mike D. »

I loaded a test round using the .338 FT for the Marlin Express and it jammed up three of my 1886 .33s. They will not enter the mag for some reason, and in one case I had to remove the tube to push the cartridge back out of the rifle. I have no clue why this is, but it sure didn't work for me. I do not shoot lead through any of these guns, as they built with jacketed in mind.
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by 2ndovc »

Mike D. wrote:I loaded a test round using the .338 FT for the Marlin Express and it jammed up three of my 1886 .33s. They will not enter the mag for some reason, and in one case I had to remove the tube to push the cartridge back out of the rifle. I have no clue why this is, but it sure didn't work for me. I do not shoot lead through any of these guns, as they built with jacketed in mind.

Thanks mike.

That's one another one of the things I was concerned about.

I still have about 200 of the hornady FPs but i don't want to burn them up and I haven't found any more.

I don't think a cast bullet will do what I want it to do.
That leaves Hawk and I don't know anything about them.

jb 8)
Last edited by 2ndovc on Sat Sep 05, 2009 7:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Mike D. »

Perhaps someone has had positive experiences with these bullets and they will explain the situation. We're going out, so talk at you fellas another time. :)
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by tman »

has anybody tried the .35's in the .356w.c.f. ?
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by jtaylor1960 »

Hornady on their site gives reloading info for the LE bullets in several cartridges.In all cases they suggest trimming the case about .010 shorter than specs to help with O.A.L. and feeding issues.There is also data for the 356 win. I would think if you can get it to feed properly it should be an excellent bullet for the 33WCF.Good luck, Jeff Taylor.
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Sixgun »

Jason,
Shoot cast lead gc's for play and the Hornady's for hunting. Personally, I have shot several dozen deer with the .33 using the 200 Hornady (starting in 1975) and in just about every case, the Hornady zipped right through with the exit hole about the same as the entrance so..........a cast will do the same. :wink:

Most of us think nothing about dumping 2G's on a nice old levergun but cringe about the cost of jacketed bullets to feed these guns. Don't make a lot of sense, does it?

Except for my hotshot boltguns and a few fast shooting leverguns, everything gets fed cast----been killing for 400 years :D ---------Sixgun
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by jnyork »

Sixgun wrote: Most of us think nothing about dumping 2G's on a nice old levergun :D ---------Sixgun
Wow!! :o What recession? :shock: I must be hanging around with the wrong crowd, I can assure you I would think QUITE A BIT about dumping 2G's on a rifle, and that goes for everyone of my acquaintance. How's the air up there, Sixgun? :D
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by 2ndovc »

jnyork wrote:
Sixgun wrote: Most of us think nothing about dumping 2G's on a nice old levergun :D ---------Sixgun
Wow!! :o What recession? :shock: I must be hanging around with the wrong crowd, I can assure you I would think QUITE A BIT about dumping 2G's on a rifle, and that goes for everyone of my acquaintance. How's the air up there, Sixgun? :D

Well I did only give $1400 for it. I've been chasing an 1886 for a long time and finally had the right $ at the right time last October.
I wanted a .45-70 but this one just spoke to me.
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It's not the cost of the bullets that bothers me but the lack of availability of components.

Jack that is interesting that your 200 gr FPs passed straight through.

I guess a hole is a hole.
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Mike D. »

Interesting. i have killed both mulies and elk using a .33, but had none zip through without expanding. At 2200 FPS, the 200 Hornady will smash bone and tear up the innards, but seldom passes through. More like sticking to the ribs on the opposite side. I have owned several .33 Winchesters, but none have had lead run through them. I guess this is due to the abundance of the #3315s. I'm still sittin' on 1200, despite passin' some onto others. :)

My latest FM solid frame 33 '86 set me back $1250, but that doesn't happen often enough. $2000 is becoming the average for those guns, with the prices escalating daily. That's what I used to pay for very nice LW .45-70s, with a few hundred more if the caliber is .45-90. Those days are most certainly long gone. :(
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Sixgun »

Mike,
Our deer are smaller than yours. We are lucky if one goes bigger than 130-150 field dressed. Upstate in the mountains, they average about 100 fd. In hunting with the .33 since 1975 and harvesting many deer and one elk, I have never recovered a Hornady bullet. I push 'em with enough 3031 or 4895 to chrono 2200. The same goes for my brother-in-law who has used the .33 20 years longer than me. Most of his ammo was factory. Those bullets must be meant for bone crushing exercises! :D

jnyork,
Its only a recession if your out of work. :D And when I say 2g's, many times something gets traded. :D

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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by fordwannabe »

Six gun will you please let me in on your 33wcf load. I only have 76 of the hornady FP left and don't really want to chase a load if you can put me on the right path. I have some of the HAWK bullets and a few cast but I really want to try the Hornady's. Thanks Tom
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Mike D. »

I'm not Sixgun, but a load that works well for me is 45 grs XMR4064. Average MV will be around 2210 FPS and it is easy on the guns. The old standard of 42/3031 tends to make ejecting stiff in a couple of my rifles, so it has been abandoned in favor of other powders. This load should work well for the Hawk bullets as well as the 200 Hornady FP. A few of my older cases have been reloaded several times and are still fine. I also acquired a box of empty 1930s Rem-UMC cases marked .33CF that I will load for "special occasions". :D
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by fordwannabe »

Thanks Mike D. Tom
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Mike D. »

Well I did only give $1400 for it. I've been chasing an 1886 for a long time and finally had the right $ at the right time last October.
I wanted a .45-70 but this one just spoke to me.
Image

It's not the cost of the bullets that bothers me but the lack of availability of components.

Jack that is interesting that your 200 gr FPs passed straight through.

I guess a hole is a hole.[/quote]

I just noticed that your .33 has the late 1940s-60s replacement barrel with the ramp front sight like the 64 and 71 have. How do you like that style? :D
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Sixgun »

Mike D. wrote:I'm not Sixgun, but a load that works well for me is 45 grs XMR4064. Average MV will be around 2210 FPS and it is easy on the guns. The old standard of 42/3031 tends to make ejecting stiff in a couple of my rifles, so it has been abandoned in favor of other powders. This load should work well for the Hawk bullets as well as the 200 Hornady FP. A few of my older cases have been reloaded several times and are still fine. I also acquired a box of empty 1930s Rem-UMC cases marked .33CF that I will load for "special occasions". :D

Tom & Mike,
Wow, Talk about having the same train of thought. 42 gr. of 3030 also was my long time load but as I acquired other .33 rifles, I too noticed sticky extraction, even when dropping to 40 grains. I now use 44 grains of 4895 (military equ. of 4064) in normal weather and in the colder weather out West, I'll use 46 grains. :D
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Mike D. »

Wish me luck, Sixgun. I am currently trying to purchase an 1886 that has a .348 front end on it. I called Jesi at Cody this morning and she sent me the sheet on the gun. Originally, it
was a 24" RB .40-82. I just happen to have a nice .40-82 complete front end to make the gun "right". This seller is a bit afraid of CA "restrictions", mind you. I explained to him that any gun made prior to 1-1-1899 is and antique and has no restrictions of any kind. This one is a late '93 production, on my birthday, exactly. Well, the same date, but 52 yrs earlier. My fingers is crossed. :D
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by 2ndovc »

Mike,


I don't know if you can call it a ramp. There is a base that's about an inch long with a Lyman sight in the dovetail.
the front sight is actually longer than the top of the base, that may be what's making it look bigger.

I think I'm only the third owner of this rifle and honestly don't think it's been back to the factory.
Here's the note I found in the butt stock.
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jb 8)
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Mike D. »

Oops. Sorry Jason, but the angle made it appear to have the later ramp and hood sight. I see now that it has the standard small ramp and what "looks" like a Lyman No 3, possibly. Three of my .33s have the Lyman No 4, ivory bead hunting front sight, the other has the No 11.
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by fordwannabe »

Thanks for the info on the load I will start with the 4895 and start at 42 grains and go from there. I don't suppose anybody has an extra box of the hornady 200 grainers they would be willing to part with? Tom
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by 2ndovc »

Mike D. wrote:Oops. Sorry Jason, but the angle made it appear to have the later ramp and hood sight. I see now that it has the standard small ramp and what "looks" like a Lyman No 3, possibly. Three of my .33s have the Lyman No 4, ivory bead hunting front sight, the other has the No 11.

No biggie. I tried to get a better picture of it last night but my computer wasn't playing nice.


jb 8)
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Thunder50 »

fordwannabe, I picked up a box to try in my 338ME, a couple of months ago, and found another box at our last gun show. Paid $25.87+tax, so about $28.00. Sell them to you for that, plus shipping. Might go in a flat rate small box ($4.95). let me know
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by fordwannabe »

Thanks thunder 50, there is a big gun show in Harrisburg on Sat if I don't find any at the show I'll take em, if thats okay with you. Thanks for the reply. Tom
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Thunder50 »

No problem. good luck. They are out there, just scarce.
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by fordwannabe »

hey Thunder can you PM me please. Thanks Tom
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Larry O »

I happen to have a .33 Takedown that I got back several years ago. I give $1600 for it. It was made in 1910 and had belonged to an old Game Warden in Anaconda, MT. I am the second owner of the rifle. I still have a goodly supply of the Hornady bullets but do use the Rapine bullet and the RCBS-GC bullet. The jacketed ones are being saved for a "Rainy Day". the best load that I have found, for my rifle that is, is with the Hornady bullet over 53 grains of the "Old Style" H-4831 powder. That gives me about 2033 for muzzle velocity. Probably most of you do not have this powder lying around. I lucked out and still have it so use it. The best group that I have shot was 1.4" at 100 yards. The 4x bull that it got did not argue at all. At the last Gun Show that I went to, I noticed that these are now in the $2500 range and going up and a box of original 33 ammo is--well--forget it! I make my own out of 45-70 brass and have had no problems at all. :wink:
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by fordwannabe »

WoW Anaconda MT, I lived in Galen for several years back in the 1980's(graduated from Powell Couty high in Deer Lodge). Thanks for the load, I am trying to find a good one. I even emailed Mike Venturino for his favorite load on another site he lurks on. If any body has a pet load I bet he does. Thanks again for the load though, even if I don't hasve that powder. Tom
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by 94deluxe »

My rifle (1886) likes 38g of 3031 with the Hornady FP. It produce about 2040 fps and one and a half inch groups at 100yds.
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by jtaylor1960 »

I just say a post on another forum from a guy that talked to the people at Woodleigh.They said they would do a run of 338 flatnose bullets for the 338 Marlin Express with no setup fees if they purchased 5000 or more bullets.
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Mike D. »

Reading the post on modified magazine followers gave me a "brain cramp", so I cut off a .348 case and glued it into a spare follower. Flipping the follower over and installing it case head down solved the gummy tip problem. They now easily load in the tube and cycle perfectly through the rifle. I'm gonna try 'em out on my late season "trophy" buck hunt in late Oct, early Nov. :D
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by 2ndovc »

Mike,

Did you have to shorten the the cases to use the LE bullets?

jb 8)
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Mike D. »

2ndovc wrote:Mike,

Did you have to shorten the the cases to use the LE bullets?

jb 8)
No, the cases do not need to be shortened. The LE bullets are only .20" longer than the old FPs.Image
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by 2ndovc »

Cool.

jb 8)
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by brno602 »

Mike D. wrote:Reading the post on modified magazine followers gave me a "brain cramp", so I cut off a .348 case and glued it into a spare follower. Flipping the follower over and installing it case head down solved the gummy tip problem. They now easily load in the tube and cycle perfectly through the rifle. I'm gonna try 'em out on my late season "trophy" buck hunt in late Oct, early Nov. :D
I was looking for a fix for my 86 in .33Win I did a search on here as the Flex Tip was giving me grief! I have a .348 case in hand, it is off to the Garage now.
How did your hunt go? I am planing on using the new Hornady on a Moose if I get my draw this year, did the bullet hold up well?
I still have about 350 of the old 200gr flpt so it's not that important l :lol:
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Re: .33 WCF / .338 Reloading Question.

Post by Mike D. »

I took a nice buck, but due to the extreme range I used the Rem. 700 .30-06. Swapping back and forth with rifles is fun anyway. :) Image
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