.338 Lapua

[Thorgrim]

By the way my .338 Edge is very loud. (double up ear protection at the range) . On smaller cartridges you can usually get by without a brake.

 

[CritterKiller]

I was going for a 338EDGE at one time but things happen,there are quite a few different choices if you want to go a mile,lots of 338 choices,I used a 338RUM for a while,but found a little more economy in the 7mmRM, or 7mmWSM,7mmSAUM also 300WM and 300WSM,300SAUM can get you there,friend of mine is trying to get me into a 280 Ackley Improved.

 

[Thorgrim]

7mm is a nice choice. I had a .280 Weatherby Accumark, a Rem.700 .280 Ack. Imp. fall in the Verdigris river . I'm having a 7mm RM being built now. My .280 Ack has a barrel cut by Steve "Greek" Vanaidis. (A fine smith for Gov't 1911's. Old School). HS Prec. stock, Badger base & rings, Leupy. I don't know if I would do the .280 Ack again. It's a great cartridge, I just don't know if the time is worthwhile when you can shoot a .280 Rem or 7RM. At least I handload. Once fireforming is done, it's no different. Sorry about the hi-jack.

 

[ez bake]

I think that you misunderstood me. The difference between a quality barrel and a so-so barrel isn't that great of a difference.
I have a Broughton on my .338 and one on my 7mm project.
I just think some people are underestimating the cost of putting together a rifle. Heck, just price a McMillan stock nowadays.

I guess I'm not sure what I misunderstood man - I was actually thinking of a Shilen or Broughton when I said $350. I'm not sure what about that means cheese parts but I would consider either a Broughton or Shilen to be decent entry-grade barrels.

McMillan stocks are nice, but they're not required for a build - I'd almost always go with a Manners or cheaper stock if I wasn't going to get an AICS or wait on the JAE 700. I've just never seen anything that justifies the price in a McM stock (don't get me wrong, its nice and lots of folks swear by them, but there's no way an A5 is worth that).

A $200 B&C would work fine if you were on a budget. Same with an action - you could easily find a factory take-off action and get it blueprinted by a quality smith and then add a heavy recoil lug for well less than the Badger action and still have a very nice shooter with one of the above barrels.

I think $2k is doable for a pretty nice entry-grade built .338LM (probably not with glass). Especially if you wait patiently at places like the hide for good deals on used parts.

Decent trigger shouldn't be more than $75 used
Good L/A bases are like $100-$125 used
Broughton Barrel is $380
B&C stock is $200
I have no idea on a .338 action, but I'll guess at $600-$800 tops for a used action (any more than that and you should just get the Badger)
Probably want some decent rings $75-$100 used
Gunsmithing shouldn't be anymore than $250
Good used Harris bi-pod for like $50

That's under $2k without glass there. If you don't need a mil-dot scope at first, you can get a decent Leupold or Burris for like $300 and play with it until you can upgrade later.

If you want a break, that's going to be extra, but if you're on a budget, then just be a man

Then you just have to spend like $2k on ammo and you can begin shooting

 

[Thorgrim]

Here's an example of one gunsmith's shop prices.
Shop Rate: Per man-hour (pro-rated by Tenths of an hour) $45.00
Machine Rate: Per man-hour (pro-rated by Tenths of an hour) $85.00
Detailed Written Appraisal: $45.00
Minimum Charge Per Gun: None
Check Headspace: (may be Extra for Wildcat Cartridges) $25.00
Chamber Cast $25.00
Remove Stuck Round/Case: (Plus $25.00 per hour for Live Round) Shop Rate
Lap Barrell: Hand Lapping Shop Rate
Barrel Liner Installation: (Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) Machine Rate
Cut & Crown Barrel (Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) $50.00
Re-Crown Barrel $25.00
Fit and Chamber Barrel to Action (Includes Barrel Set-backs, Does Not include Parts/Materials) $150.00
Pre-Threaded Barrel Instalation and Headspacing: (Does Not Include cost of Parts/Materials) $75.00
Lapping Bolt Lugs (Does Not include Barrel Set-back or Re-Headspace) Shop Rate
Bold Handle Modification (Forging, Welding, etc. Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) $100.00
Bolt Face Laping & Fire Pin Hole Re-Sizing (Does Not include cost of barrel Setback or Headspacing) $50.00
Safety Instalation on Bolt Shroud: Dakota/Gentry/Win M70 Type (Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) $100.00
Safety Installation on Bolt Shroud: Mark II/Beuhler Type (Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) $45.00
Safety Instalation on Bolt Shroud: Chapman Swing Type (Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) $55.00
Trigger Adjustment/Installation: (Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) $80.00
Muzzle Brake Installation: KDF Inc. brake, Unless otherwise specified (Does Not include cost of Brake. Includes Fit & Finish to match existing gun apearance) $80.00
Receiver Ring/Rear Bridge: Recontour/True-up (Includes matching original gun finish appearance) $80.00
Blueprint Action: True up Front Ring Face, Bolt Lugs, Bolt Face, Oversize Barrel Threads (May need new barrel), Set Minimum headspace, Polish Chamber etc... (Does Not Include cost of parts) $500.00
Sling Swivel Instalation: Barrel Band (Does Not include cost of parts) Shop Rate

 

[ez bake]

Here's an example of one gunsmith's shop prices.
Shop Rate: Per man-hour (pro-rated by Tenths of an hour) $45.00
Machine Rate: Per man-hour (pro-rated by Tenths of an hour) $85.00
Detailed Written Appraisal: $45.00
Minimum Charge Per Gun: None
Check Headspace: (may be Extra for Wildcat Cartridges) $25.00
Chamber Cast $25.00
Remove Stuck Round/Case: (Plus $25.00 per hour for Live Round) Shop Rate
Lap Barrell: Hand Lapping Shop Rate
Barrel Liner Installation: (Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) Machine Rate
Cut & Crown Barrel (Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) $50.00
Re-Crown Barrel $25.00
Fit and Chamber Barrel to Action (Includes Barrel Set-backs, Does Not include Parts/Materials) $150.00
Pre-Threaded Barrel Instalation and Headspacing: (Does Not Include cost of Parts/Materials) $75.00
Lapping Bolt Lugs (Does Not include Barrel Set-back or Re-Headspace) Shop Rate
Bold Handle Modification (Forging, Welding, etc. Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) $100.00
Bolt Face Laping & Fire Pin Hole Re-Sizing (Does Not include cost of barrel Setback or Headspacing) $50.00
Safety Instalation on Bolt Shroud: Dakota/Gentry/Win M70 Type (Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) $100.00
Safety Installation on Bolt Shroud: Mark II/Beuhler Type (Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) $45.00
Safety Instalation on Bolt Shroud: Chapman Swing Type (Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) $55.00
Trigger Adjustment/Installation: (Does Not include cost of Parts/Materials) $80.00
Muzzle Brake Installation: KDF Inc. brake, Unless otherwise specified (Does Not include cost of Brake. Includes Fit & Finish to match existing gun apearance) $80.00
Receiver Ring/Rear Bridge: Recontour/True-up (Includes matching original gun finish appearance) $80.00
Blueprint Action: True up Front Ring Face, Bolt Lugs, Bolt Face, Oversize Barrel Threads (May need new barrel), Set Minimum headspace, Polish Chamber etc... (Does Not Include cost of parts) $500.00
Sling Swivel Instalation: Barrel Band (Does Not include cost of parts) Shop Rate

I'm not sure which smith you're using - but I'm going from Steve Baldwin's prices at Mechanical Accuracy. So far, he's proven to be a very good smith for long-guns based on reviews from those I trust and from personal experience. I doubt he'd charge more than $300 for just a barrel install, chamber check/cut, and action blueprint (and that's guessing that .338LM would be higher than my .308 was).

 

[CritterKiller]

thanks good to know about that 280,I really divided between a 300win and 7mmRM as my next build,but its gonna be a savage,because I really don`t like paying outthewazoo to gunsmiths for a barrelchange.
I got to play with a 338Lapua for about a month,I really was kinda disapointed,but thats just me,I honestly could not tell how it was anybetter than 338RUM or 338EDGE,but I have been hearing GREAT stuff about the new
300HULK....

 

[NikatKimber]

I want to design a round, and call it the...


.300 USDEGVFLRSOSAWTFBBQM


as in, UltraSuperDuperExtremelyGinormousVeryFatLongRangeSniperOSAWTFBBQMagnum

That should be the bee'z kneez

 

[Ksmirk]

I would not do a 338LM on a Savage action just start getting thin in the metal department and this is my opinion, I'm building the 338 Edge on a Stevens 200 action I found the complete rifle for $260 in 300WM so it'll be a pretty easy to do project and I know of several Edge rifles built on this action with good results. Granted I am going single shot if I wanted to go repeater it would take some effort to make this action work but at close to $5 a trigger pull I think the single shot will work just fine. Good thing about the Savage/Stevens type ractions is the floating bolthead not as much work as say a Rem action to get squared up! now don't get me wrong I would love a Stiller/Bat/Surgeon action but hey I'm just a little guy that gets paid by the hour with a truck payment and two houses to pay for so I kinda gotta watch the pennies and where they go Speaking of I better get back to making some money LOL. Later,

Kirk

 

[CritterKiller]

WHOA A .300 USDEGVFLRSOSAWTFBBQM.... whats the parent case 20mm



dosen`t savage now offer a magnum target action now? If I remember I think someone(don`t remeber who) built a lapua off a savage target action?????