Couple of 338 Edge questions

[Tyler Kemp]

#1-What kind of velocity can I expect with a 32" Broughton barrel with the 5CR rifling? I heard it added velocity, plus 32" should help a bit too.

#2-Out to 1000 yards would you use the 250 or 300 grain SMK's?

#3-Which bullet for deer <800 yards? Accubond, SMK, Bergers when they come out?

#4-Just hypothetical, if you fired a 338 RUM shell in a 338 Edge, would it be fine? On accuratereloading they were having a discussion about a 300 Savage in a 308 Winchester, one guy tested several times and groups were fine as was the rifle and brass.

#5-Another discussion from AR, they said you could neck up a bullet by firing a parent case with a smaller bullet, as in 308 Winchester in a 338 Federal and it would "ride a cushion of air" down the barrel, and expand your brass perfectly. Would this be possible with 300 RUM in the Edge without a brake? Don't know why anyone would unless they had a large stock of 300 RUM loaded rounds.

#6-What is recoil in a 15ish pound gun with a partition style brake going to be like? Most comparable to a 7mm RM, 45-70 (factory loads), 45-70 (heavy), 12 gauge (target loads), 30-06, 30-30? Trying to compare it to something I shoot fairly often. I know stock style will also play an issue as well.

Thanks,
Tyler

 

[jwp475]

1- 30" inches is plenty. Expect about 2800 to 2850 with the 300 grain SMK

2- 300 grain Smk

3- 300 SMK

4- The 338 RUM would not head space properly

5- Not something that I would do with my custom built long range stick..

6- With a good break it is a piece of cake

 

[Down Under Hunter]

All of the above +1

Cheers

DUH

 

[gamedog]

28" barrel is all you'll need. My 28" is less than 30 fps slower than my buddies 31 1/2".

 

[Shawn Carlock]

The "guys" have you covered on this one. The 338 RUM would have around .090" excess head space. This would be a serious danger a very real posibility of a hand grenade going off in front of your face.
The 300 smk is currently my bullet of choice for everything in an Edge. I have great hopes for the Burger bullet and will have some of the prototypes to test as soon as available.
I wouldn't get to excited about going longer than 30" from a prectical standpoint.

 

[Tyler Kemp]

So over 30" isn't going to gain any velocity? I was thinking by going with 32", I could then rechamber at approximately 29" and keep almost all velocity.

What is the barrel life on a 338 Edge anyways?

 

[jwp475]

What is the barrel life on a 338 Edge anyways?

With proper care I believe that 1200 rounds is a realistic number, I may be wrong about this thou, Shawn or Kirby can set the record straight if I am in error..

 

[Shawn Carlock]

Tyler,

You will gain velocity with 32" but not much for the added length weight and cost. 1000 to 1200 rounds is what most guys are running of "premium accuracy" life, they will go about double that or more and still shoot under 1 moa.

 

[Tyler Kemp]

This is a build dad is paying for as a graduation/good ACT score present. I won't be paying the extra cost, and weight won't matter, I only plan on shooting it from prone.

Is 32" still not worth it?
What do you suggest?

 

[TMR]

Tyler,

The two Edges I built for my brother and I both have 32" broughtons. It looks like we get about 50-70fps over what Shawn gets with the same load in the 30" barrels. I will say that we have hit close to 3000fps with the 300gr bullet and still have no pressure and accuracy is awesome. We have backed them down to using the standard edge load to right at 2920fps. No sense in stressing things.

We are also waiting on the arrival of the new bergers. I did try some 265 aluminum tipped bullets in my rifle last weekend. Accuracy and velocity were quite impressive. I was pushing them at 3100fps with a few more grains of H1000 than we are now. I only had 10 bullets, so I didn't do alot of load work. Pretty sure I could push them a little faster, but not sure.

Our rifles balance out ok, but they are long. We used the Manners carbon fiber T-2 stocks, so most of the weight is in the butt. Recoil is probably comparable to a 270 sporter rifle, maybe a little less. Not bad at all. Our rifles weight 13.5lbs ready to rock.

I don't think you will be disappointed with a 30" vs a 32" barrel. Gamedog has pretty good luck with his 28" barrel.

 

[jwp475]

Tyler here is a picture of my 338 Laupa with a 30" ABS barrel and a 5.5X22X50 NXS all up wieghs 11.6 pounds

 

[Tyler Kemp]

I was especially wondering about the special Broughton rifling, they claim an increase in velocity. It doesn't really matter I guess, 50 fps won't make any real difference.

With the 32" barrel is there any hope of an offhand shot? Say with your elbow tucked in? Wondering how muzzle heavy it would be. Do you have a brake on your guns?

 

[jwp475]

Tyler the ABS barrel on my rifle is a Rock Creek barrel with the 5R rifling carbgon wraped by ABS and the Broughton barrel has the 5C Rifling. The 5R and 5C are bassicaly the same with with the Rock Creek barrel being a cut rifled barrel and the Broughton a bottoned rifled barrel

 

[Shawn Carlock]

Tyler,

I've seen an increase of about 30-40 fps in the Edge with a Broughton barrel of the same length. Ultimately when it gets down to it 30 or 32, get what you want you will be happy either way.