338-408, 408 CHEYTAC

[shaner2121]

338-408,408 CHEYTAC WOULD LIKE SOME INFO ON THESE ROUNDS. IS IT WORTH THE COST OR GO WITH THE 338 LAPUA . ALSO DOES ANYONE HAVE BRUCE BAERS CONTACT INFO, OR ANY OTHER SMITH THAT HAS BUILT THE 338-408 GUN.

[BountyHunter]

Bruce Baer (717) 349-4077

www.baercustomrifles.com

bbaer@innernet.net

Bruce will not pickup the phone so leave a message and he will return or return your email.

408 has a problem with bullets. Ie only lost river at $1 each. Can only get about 15-20 shots before barrel coppers bad and accuracy is downhill.

Leonard Baity at Baity Custom gunworks (336) 667-8785 has built 4-8 of the 408s for Bill Shehane Tom Sarver (ohio BR 1k range owner) and others. Leonard is top 1k br shooter, 1k smith and on top 100 pistol smith guild member. Leonard has the reamers on hand and can make the custom dies. Leonard has done work with all the barrel mftrs of the 40 and there are issues with some on their barrels, so I would talk to him for sure.

I have watched Bill and Tom both shoot the 408 at the Ohio mile shoots and coppering is a big problem.

"Randy in VA" on this site is working with bullet mftrs for custom bullets for the 408. Contact him and see what is going on. Barnes made him a 1000 custom 408 bullets. ;Not sure what his test of those bullets showed.

Can consider a 338 Lapua Ack Improved. Good brass ($1 each) and 300 gr sierras are good if sorted by ogive. Will give 3000 fps with 34" barrel and 300 gr sierras.

neil jones will build custom dies for $275 for the 338 Lap Ack.

If you go above the 32" on barrels, you will need a 9" barrel block, use the split model. That will allow you to go out to 36" or maybe little more.

BH

[goodgrouper]

Barnes is making .408 bullets out of bronze and turning them on a lathe. They look really good, especially for Barnes. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] They still cost over a buck a bullet though.

The .338-408 would give limited barrel life for sure, but if you don't mind that, it would be ok.

The .338 Lapua Improved seems like the most logical approach for 2500 yards plus. It has 90% of the trajecory of a 50 bmg with way less cost and recoil. I will have one here to play with in about a week and I will let you know how it does!

[BountyHunter]

At 2000 yards, your problem is not with the gun or caliber. It is with the scope.

Only 2 scopes have enough elevation to get there out of the box.

One is the Unertls($600-900), I am using a BV-20 ($400-600 used) and the other is the US Optics with ther Ergo mounts ($3500-5000).

You can use a NF with 150 MOA ring and mount setup by (?). Cannot remember the name now but begins with a T. Randy in VA is dealer for them and they cost about $500 if I remember right.

My 338 Lapua Ack Imp is all that is needed I think and half the cost. Give the 408 a couple years until they work the bugs out on bullets. Right now not there yet.

BH

[Matt27]

A luepold Long range target scope or a NF 5.5-22 or 3.5-15 will do the job to get to 2000 with a tapered base. No need to spend mega bucks on a base either. I have a Lapuaa and a Geske action. I needed a custom base to fit so i Gave Ken Farrel a call and had him make me a 40 moa base. Cost me $100 but see his custom prices went up to $130. Very nice base and great guy to deal with.

With my Lapua i am only pushing a 300 ULD bullet at a modest 2850fps and i originally had a NF 8x32. I haven't shot to 2000 yards yet but have to 1400 and had no problem with that setup. Recently traded the 8x 32 for a 3.5-15 NF.

Pushing the 300 uld at 2850 you only need somwhere around 72moa to get to 2000. Mind you that is at my elevation at 4350. You do need at least 20 moa base better if it was 30 or 40moa. You might not be zeroed at 100yards but you will be on the target at 100 if you choose to see what groups are doing at 100.

TTI is making some 408 bullets. Just gotta convince Richard at Wildcat bullets that there is a demand for the 408 bullets so he can get dies and make a Lead core bullet for it that will be cheaper than lathe turned bullets [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[shaner2121]

THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO! DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY BALLISTICS INFO ON THE 338-408 WITH A 300 MATCHKING? ALSO HOW IS THE ACCURACY? I'M LOOKING AT A 408 FROM PRAIRIE GUN WORKS. HOW ARE THERE RIFLES.

[Matt27]

Shaner

Look at this guys website www.viersco.com. Would be a good guy to talk to.