A little help requested with a 338 Laupua set-up

[Bubblehide]

Hey fellow Rokslider's,

I know my types of questions have been asked previously, so please bear with me.

So I've finally decided to take the plunge on a long range set up, and i am pretty set on the 338 LM. What I want is a lightweight packable long range set-up that is weatherproof, i.e., stainless steel. I want to keep my costs down, but fully understand I will be spending a chunk of change. I was looking at about $3000.00 for the rifle, about $2000.00+ for the scope... I am not looking to do my own build. I want something with a sub MOA guarantee, preferably a 1/2 MOA.

Thus far, I'm taking a good look at the Christian Arms ELR and BA Tactical at 8.4 and 8.5 pounds respectively. For those of you experienced with other 338 LM light weight choices, please give me your thoughts and alternatives you suggest considering, and of course please include your reasoning.

Okay, the set-up isn't complete without a scope. I am looking at first focal plane scopes only, I want reliability, so consistent return to zero is exceptionally important to me. Thus far I am considering Nightforce, Swaro and SWFA. So for those with experience, again, please provide me with your thoughts, alternatives, and reasoning behind what you would chose.

Thanks in advance for all your assistance!

 

[Brado16]

Savage Long Range Hunter at 9.25 pounds- One of my hunting buddies bought one last summer and bedded the stock and its a very good shooter- saw him take an elk at 580 yards this year with it. Much less the the CA and will shoot just as well, if not better if its shoots anything like his does.

I have a 338 Lapua built on a Stiller 338 Tac with 26'' Rock Varmint and Manners T5A and loaded with mag and bipod and glass its over 15 pounds- pleasant to shoot but not so much for carrying in the backcountry. After three Elk hunts and a goat hunt in BC, I built somthing much ligher. Good luck with your search.

 

[HellsCanyon]

If you're interested in a custom let me know, I can help you out if you're interested. $3k-$3500ish is doable for a steel barreled rifle, if you want to step it up a bit you can get into the carbon or fluted steel barrel realm.

Guaranteed 1/2MOA Rifle and it'll come in at that 8-8.25 lb range if you get a carbon barrel. 8.5-9 lbs with fluted steel. 9-9.5 with a #5 non fluted.
Sending you a PM here shortly.

Mike


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[907to406]

Pretty sure Cooper builds their Backcountry model in a 338 Lapua. They come with a 1/2" MOA guarantee, 5.75lbs and are in your price range. Ha not sure I'd want to shoot that round in a rifle that light but it definitely covers all your bases or what you were looking for.

 

[Bubblehide]

Thanks for the advice guys, as soon as I can, I will look into what you have suggested.

907to406, I looked at Coopers site, I didn't see it in a 338 LM, but to be sure, I'll give them a call (their site take forever to load and is very slow to navigate, at least for me thus far).

 

[WRO]

Why a 338 Lapua, they are expensive to feed, heavy, have to be broke.. The list goes on and on why not to own one.

Realistically, you can take a 7 mag with a 26" pipe and proper throating and get a 195 to darn near 2900fps under 1/2 MOA. You can run a 7-300 up to 3000 fps.. Brass is cheap, less recoil, and the 195 Berger will be lethal way past 1k. A 300 win shooting 215's will be lethal past the 1k line as well.

Unless you are looking to shoot 1400+ at game, (which less than 1 in 100K people are actually skilled enough to do) the 338LM is not necessary.

Just my .02

As for scopes I have had a NXS 5.5x22.5, and now have an X5 3.5x18 and a Kahles 6x24 (not mounted yet)..

You can't go wrong with either of those 3, for a strictly hunting application I like the x5 the best.

 

[HellsCanyon]

Why a 338 Lapua, they are expensive to feed, heavy, have to be broke.. The list goes on and on why not to own one.

Realistically, you can take a 7 mag with a 26" pipe and proper throating and get a 195 to darn near 2900fps under 1/2 MOA. You can run a 7-300 up to 3000 fps.. Brass is cheap, less recoil, and the 195 Berger will be lethal way past 1k. A 300 win shooting 215's will be lethal past the 1k line as well.

Unless you are looking to shoot 1400+ at game, (which less than 1 in 100K people are actually skilled enough to do) the 338LM is not necessary.

Just my .02

As for scopes I have had a NXS 5.5x22.5, and now have an X5 3.5x18 and a Kahles 6x24 (not mounted yet)..

You can't go wrong with either of those 3, for a strictly hunting application I like the x5 the best.

This guy.... is not wrong!
I'd have a hard time going against a 7-300 or a 300 win. I'd recommend the 28/30 Nosler case but the Nosler brass is expensive as hell, and work hardens really really bad. 3-4 firings is all you can expect if running at the cases max potential and you need to anneal after every firing. Shooting 195's you still need an extended mag box as well. Could go 7-300 and push 180 Berger's at 3200 as well instead of 195's at 3000.

I will say though..... I'm building myself a 338 Norma for a new hunting rig this year. 8-8.5 lb base rifle weight. Should be 11ish lbs scoped and with a bipod and I plan on killing stuff at 1000-1200 yards. 28" barrel and N570 should push 300 Berger's at 2900fps easily. If you want to kill game out to 800 yards, I'd recommend the 7-300 or 300 Win mag as mentioned above. If you really want to kill consistently at 1000+, step up the the 338. Overkill is underrated.

Mike


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[WRO]

I'd go past 1k with the 195's without worry. My longest kill is 1209 with a 230, at that point the 195 is flatter with more energy.

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[orelkaddict]

why is it every time a guy picks a caliber so many people want to bitch about it and go off about what they think is better??? If you don't agree then just don't post, seems simple enough!!! Oh and if this post upsets you, I don't care

 

[ams]

Because it's not hunting season yet and for the love of God we need something to entertain ourselves with!!!

I had a savage 338, now I have a 300 rum, and I want a 7 mag lol!

 

[ams]

On a side note, Mike built me an Ar15 upper once upon a time. The thing still shoots little bitty holes. I would love to see one of your bolt actions Mike.

 

[HellsCanyon]

On a side note, Mike built me an Ar15 upper once upon a time. The thing still shoots little bitty holes. I would love to see one of your bolt actions Mike.

Thank you I'm back in here as a sponsor now so you'll be seeing more of my builds! Bolt guns are kicking ass... my carbon barrels are doing better than ever.

Mike


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[mtnwrunner]

why is it every time a guy picks a caliber so many people want to bitch about it and go off about what they think is better??? If you don't agree then just don't post, seems simple enough!!! Oh and if this post upsets you, I don't care

Kind of what I was thinking. If you want one, get it. It is Amurica after all.

Randy

 

[beachbunny]

nice groups!

 

[missjordan]

I just purchased the Christensen Arms BA Tactical and I'm extremely impressed. The gun and the scope come in right at 11 pounds and the recoil is manageable. Shoots 1/2 MOA groups. Loaded mine with 250 grain bergers and will be shooting it a lot this weekend at long range so I'm excited to see how it performs. For optics we went with a Burris XTR ii 5-25x

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[Bubblehide]

Misjordan, that grouping is impressive, thanks for posting!

 

[missjordan]

Misjordan, that grouping is impressive, thanks for posting!

It's a great gun very happy with the purchase! I'm hoping to post an official topic after this weekend. Would love to purchase the same gun just in a 6.5 next


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[fire arrow]

Hay bubblehide. If you want a 338 Lapua, get it. Great round, lots of great high BC bullet options, easy to load for, and you can use Lapua brass. Nothing like the smell of a 300 grain Berger in a elk first thing in the morning.

 

[WRO]

why is it every time a guy picks a caliber so many people want to bitch about it and go off about what they think is better??? If you don't agree then just don't post, seems simple enough!!! Oh and if this post upsets you, I don't care

Sorry, it seemed as this was going to be one the ops first lr rifles.

Using a caliber that's less expensive to feed and has less recoil will lead to more practice. When you're feeding a rifle that costs 2.50 a round to shoot and will bruise you after 10 shots, it's not a good starter rifle. I have an 11lb rum that's no peach after a few groups. If I didn't have other guns to practice with, I wouldn't shoot lr enough to be proficient.

If I could do it over I'd have a 7-300 or similar that was cheaper to feed and didn't kick so hard. When a guy first gets into it, you get the mindset that you need the biggest baddest mother ****er out there, and the truth is you don't. It's just a few more clicks up or left/right.

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[wind gypsy]

I agree that you definitely don't need the ballistics but a couple things stick in my mind about the 338 LM: 1, Broz relating his experience with 300 grain 338 performance improvement vs 215 and 230 .308s, and 195 .284s. 2, seeing a 300 SMK from my buddies 338 LM stopped in a Bulls heart after a steep quartering away shot (wouldn't have got to the heart with my standard 300 wsm 200eldx load).

That said, I'd have a hell of a time spotting my own shots with a sub 10# 338 LM.