.338 Norma Improved????

[jhibbard24]

anybody out there interested in or done any experimenting with creating an improved shoulder .338 Norma. sounds like it already performs pretty good but it be nice to gain a little more fps when shooting a big heavy 300 gr vld. and i really am not a RUM fan and the norma obviously has good brass available to work with.

 

[trueblue]

I think it is a great idea and would be worth pursuing.
Performance would be about like an EDGE or slightly better , but the 338 Norma brass is excellent, much better than Remington.
Give Nathan Dagley of SSG a call, as we have discussed this before, and I know he is anxious to build one. Go with a 30degree shoulder for a repeater, 40degree if single shot. Personally, I would do a single shot for this build, as most of the body taper is already out of the Norma, and the improved version would benefit more with the 40 degree shoulder.

 

[trueblue]

After running some #'s, I think the 338 Norma AI would be basically identicle to the 338 EDGE in same length barrels, but the brass advantage goes to the Norma.
If I was going to do an AI on a 338 it would be the 338 Lapua AI, as there is more to be gained because most of the body taper is already used up in the Norma. This is a revision to my previous post.
If you need to go faster than that, do a 338 Snipe-Tac or Big Baer. I know Longtimelongranger will disagree slightly with that last statement.

 

[bigngreen]

I've been on the fence about ordering my 338 Norma reamer because I kinda think it may be nice to do a 30-35 degree shoulder. I wish I had Quickload to spit out some specs, the one thing that pulls me back to the original design is that is shoots so dang good, hate to screw up a good thing!

 

[trueblue]

biggreen,
The AI version will gain you about 100fps. Probably not worth it for this caliber. I would just go with the standard 338 Norma over the 338 Norma AI and do it in a 28" or less barrel.
As stated above, if you want to do a 338 AI, do the Lapua, it will give you more performance than the 338 Norma AI.
I'm sure I will own a 338 Lapua AI sometime in the future.

 

[Carrells Machine LLC]

I am Now making a 338 Norma AI Mag 28" #17 Kreiger barrel Stiller Action and my hopes are high 1000 yard gun + I will let you know how it turns out with pics and all But it will be a few month before I am finished, fun project ! Carrells Machine LLC Custom Precision Firearms Long Range Rifles Barrel Bolt Fluting Meridian Idaho which for more. Bill Carrell

 

[cowboywhorses]

Wow good topic

It took me some time last year to finalize everything. But would like to thank James Mc Clure for his help in this project to get it off the ground. He is a brenchrest shooter from way back. His round is the 338 Norma XR a 35 degree shoulder with just enough taper to do a repeater with good extraction.

He made the neck longer so it would help with long VLD bullets. He also does it in 30 cal and 7mm on the same case. The case comes close to giving you the same speed as the 338 laupa. But the good thing is you run long mag wells and get the long bullets to work. I do not like to seat long bullets in big cases not a fan of doing this. Yes you can run the Laupa in big mag wells. But I think a single shot rig on a 338 Laupa or AI would really shine.

So my first gun is a switch barrel on a long tendon Snowy Mountain action.
Barrels are in 338 and 7mm from Benchmark.

I have a set of reamers coming from Pacific tool and Gauge I may intenrtain the thought of renting them out after my set ups.

Second gun made just the 7mm 192 gr Cutting Edge bullets. This bullet is very long. So the other reason for the Seekins Mag well.
Defiance action opening for the Seekins Mag, a Carbon wrapped barrel from Proof Research. Set at 28 inches. May need to throat longer also on this one.

If some one would like to chat more feel free to PM or call me
608-333-5912

Thanks and God Bless

Jeff

 

[waveslayer]

I just purchased a Desert Tactical in a .338 Norma AI, with a 22" barrel. Have any load data for this?

 

[338sniper]

Next to 6.5x47L

 

[waveslayer]

Nice! I finally worked up some loads for mine. What length barrel are you using to get those velocities and what powder?

out of my 22" barrel I am getting 2703 using 87.5 Gr of Retumbo, groups are amazing and so are the SD's. SD=1.

 

[338sniper]

28" 1:9.3 twist.. Can you post some group pics please? This is the best I can do:

 

[waveslayer]

Is that 6 shots? or 2 shots? I will go home and find some targets, I am headed to DTA next week to take her out and lay down the smack on some steel. I should get some good pics there.

 

[338sniper]

3 shots in the .126" group @ 100 yards

This is the 10 from the chrono with the magneto attached.. Wasn't really trying to shoot for a tight group, just shooting to get the speed:



3 shot groups:











5 shots @ 300 yards today

 

[waveslayer]

oh yeah!!!