SOLD/EXPIRED 338 Build 2nd Opinions

[jackem]

Here is my reason for being on this forum. I've been around firearms all my 59 yrs and have the hearing loss to prove it. I grew up hunting on the family ranch where little skill was needed, served 8 years in the Marines and feel I'm an experienced spray and pray short range shooter.

However, I am determined to change that and learn what it takes to be accurate beyond the 600 yard range which I feel confident shooting now with my 264 mag. To that end I'm reading as much on here from the experienced long range shooters I can find.

Recently I purchased a NIB R700 MLR in 338 LM. The day after it arrived I forwarded it to Jered Joplin at American Precision Arms. The wait time is about over and Jered should start work on the rifle in June and get it back to me in July. Before that happens I'm wondering what I'm forgetting or if anything needs to be changed.

Here is what is slated to be done:

Rebarrel with a Broughton barrel in 1-9.3 twist & 28 inches
install a Fat Bastard muzzle break
true the action, lug, and bolt face
bed the action in the HS Precision stock that the rifle came with

I have a NF 5.5 - 22 with low Seekins Precision rings to mount on the rifle. I do not have a rail yet. Anyone with an extra please let me know.

Gentlemen, Thanks for reading, please commence critiquing at will!

Jack

 

[jackem]

Oops posted in the wrong forum. Meant to post in the Rifles, Bullets, Barrels, a Ballistics forum.

Need to improve my accuracy on here too

 

[highridge1]

Don't take this wrong, but if I bought a brand new rifle that is fairly expensive I would shoot it first before having it completely overhauled. It may have been a tack driver in the first place. On another note I really like the work you chose to do,. 28 inches is a excellent barrel length for the Lapua and truing lapping, bedding are all great ideas.

 

[jackem]

Don't take this wrong, but if I bought a brand new rifle that is fairly expensive I would shoot it first before having it completely overhauled. It may have been a tack driver in the first place. On another note I really like the work you chose to do,. 28 inches is a excellent barrel length for the Lapua and truing lapping, bedding are all great ideas.

Yes I think there was some faulty judgement there on my part - I thought an unfired take off barrel would be worth more. However the length of 24 inches does seem to limit its worth.

My son put a 34 inch barrel on his 30-378 and it made such a big difference I guess it influenced my thinking?

Jack

 

[highridge1]

Only 24 inch barrel, now I understand your choice better. 28 will serve you great.

 

[Autorotate]

Jewell trigger, Karstens/Defensive Edge cheekpiece would be the things I'd add to the rifle.

If you have a non-standard length of pull, you may ask him to put a spacer or three in there between the stock and the recoil pad.

The trigger/cheekpeice/LOP will all make it easier for you to do your part in seeing the rifle shoot to it's full potential.

Richard Near makes very good bases.

Scope level, bipod w/podloc, rear bag, and shooting mat are all good things to have for your rig when it get's back.

I prefer Redding Competition seater and Type-S bushing dies to make it easy to make straight ammo at the bench.

The 700P is a great platform for your build. If you need a longer than 3.715 COAL that the factory mag allows, Accurate Mag can sell you a 3.815 COAL mag. You may want to speak with your smith to see if your reamer/rifle is setup to be a repeater (and with which bullets/COAL) to see if that's worth the effort.

Good luck, and be sure to post up a "blue print" thread in the Gun Photos section after you get it back!

 

[jackem]

Jewell trigger, Karstens/Defensive Edge cheekpiece would be the things I'd add to the rifle.

If you have a non-standard length of pull, you may ask him to put a spacer or three in there between the stock and the recoil pad.

The trigger/cheekpeice/LOP will all make it easier for you to do your part in seeing the rifle shoot to it's full potential.

Richard Near makes very good bases.

Scope level, bipod w/podloc, rear bag, and shooting mat are all good things to have for your rig when it get's back.

I prefer Redding Competition seater and Type-S bushing dies to make it easy to make straight ammo at the bench.

The 700P is a great platform for your build. If you need a longer than 3.715 COAL that the factory mag allows, Accurate Mag can sell you a 3.815 COAL mag. You may want to speak with your smith to see if your reamer/rifle is setup to be a repeater (and with which bullets/COAL) to see if that's worth the effort.

Good luck, and be sure to post up a "blue print" thread in the Gun Photos section after you get it back!

All good recommendations, Thanks! I will post some pictures and range report once I get to that point.

This week I hope to talk with Jered Joplin at APA, the gunsmith doing the build, about the chamber. I really don't have much knowledge about options in chamber length. So far I've indicated that I hope to shoot 300 gr vld bullets.

I did send the magazine with the rifle hoping he could match max OAL possible using the factory magazine to the chamber but I don't know if that is possible.

Jack

 

[Autorotate]

Jackem

For the big long 300 grain bullets you'll probably be single feeding those.

Most smiths (if not constrained by any other factors) will like to set the chamber up so you seat the bullet in the case so that the bullet bearing surface/boat tail junction is aligned with the case neck/shoulder junction.

Some have good luck with the bullet stuffed farther down in the case...other smiths will think this is very bad juju to do so.

So....on the Lapua case your looking at around 2.40" from case head to neck/shoulder junction.
AmmoGuide is now... "Interactive"!

For the Berger 300 gr OTM your looking at around a .550" for a bearing surface length, and then a whopping 1.00" nose length.
http://www.bergerbullets.com/Quick Reference Sheets 5-15-12.pdf

So 2.40" plus .550" plus 1.00"...equals a pretty long round. 3.95" or so!

You picked about as good as fellas as you can in the industry to build your rifle. I would let them guide you towards your goals on this.

Just made this post above so you can be a smart customer/shooter too...grab an insight or two on the challenge your smith has in getting your rifle set up right.

There will be many that says seating depth don't amount to a hill of beans either.

But at least with the above insights you'll get an idea on how to see where you're OAL might be for other bullets (say the 300 NAB, or the 250 Berger). Ogives curves vary with the different bullets, so it won't be exact, but by using the end of the bearing surface/beginning of the nose dimension will get you within .015 or so of estimating "the lands" will be for these other potential bullets. Then you can just add the nose length....and see if that exceeds your mag box.

Hope that makes sense. Good luck with your build...I can see you shooting far with a grin on your face already! gun)

 

[dieselboy427]

I second that advice on the Near Mfg. base. You won't be sad you did. They are what most would consider the best in the business

 

[jackem]

Thanks fellas for the info and recommendations. Since I will only have a couple of months to get up to speed with this rifle for the first hunting season this fall I need all the help I can get.

Jack