338 Edge on Mark V Action

[garrett926]

I am looking into building a 338 Edge on a Mark V 9 lug long action. Have any of you done this? Will I be able to still use as a repeater? because I am right on the bubble. Also who has an edge and what do you think of it in general? Have extensive 1000 yd experience with our factory savage 111 338 lapua, how will it compare?

 

[dgarrett]

The Weatherby Mark V action is a very nice action... Strong and fairly smooth with the limited degree of bolt throw ... The mag wells for the 30-378's can be loaded out to 3.810. The bolt face would be to large so you would need one from a 300 win or similar. My Edges are loaded at 3.940. but I am sure you could find a reamer print to allow you to load for this action... If it were me I would look at building a 338 Lapua Improved on the Weatherby Action or sell this gun/action and buy a remington 700 ultramag action for the build.. This is just my opinion... Hope it might help... Dave

 

[dgarrett]

Sorry didn't address the last questions you had... I am an Edge Fan... But between the 338 Lapua and the Edge comes down to buyers choice... Reloader 33 has the standard edges shooting the 300 gr Bergers in FPS right with the Lapua Improved. It is hard not to include the advantages of being able to use Lapua brass in any discussion..Besides Brass life there is no real clean cut advantage from either one. In the end costs are going to be very close, and proformance is almost Equal. As I have said my pick would be the Edge.. Both mine are truck guns with 30 inch full palma type barrels...When I was trying to find Max load I have shot the 300 grainers at 3048fps but my standard load with Reloader 33 is 3008fps.... Dave

 

[garrett926]

Dgarrett, the action is from a 300 wby and is the correct bolt face. However my mag box is max of 3.8.

 

[dgarrett]

I believe your 300 weatherby has a boltface of ,512 and the ultra-mag boltface is .550 so it would be easy to have a smith open it to .550 for an edge... So yes it would work with the bolt face opened up....Dave

 

[Rich Coyle]

I believe your 300 weatherby has a boltface of ,512 and the ultra-mag boltface is .550 so it would be easy to have a smith open it to .550 for an edge... So yes it would work with the bolt face opened up....Dave

I know from having a 7RUM necked to 6.5 that the bolt face is .512". No need to open up the standard magnum for the Remington Ultra Magnum bolts.

 

[Edd]

I believe your 300 weatherby has a boltface of ,512 and the ultra-mag boltface is .550 so it would be easy to have a smith open it to .550 for an edge... So yes it would work with the bolt face opened up....Dave

I know from having a 7RUM necked to 6.5 that the bolt face is .512". No need to open up the standard magnum for the Remington Ultra Magnum bolts.

The bolt face will be about .540" for both of them.

 

[Rich Coyle]

The bolt face will be about .540" for both of them.

You must have measured one. I know the 7Rem Mag is the same bolt face as the 7RUM, but didn't measure the bolt face.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

garrett926

Yes, a Mark V makes a very nice action to do a 338 Edge (338/300 RUM). I built mine from a German action with a conventional safety rather than the safety on the bolt. It was originally a 270Wby. All we did is pull the spacer out of the mag, put a "long" follower in the mag box and extend the bolt stop groove. If you have a 300Wby you don't have to do anything except rebarrel.

I can use the Wyatts mag that I got bottom metal for it at 3.75" COAL or I can use the Weatherby internal drop floor box ala TRR with upto 3.8" COAL. I shoot single feed mostly anyway so using the long throat is easy.

Now that my mill is setup, using the extended box from the 338/378 or 460Wby will make it as long as it can be. I forget how long that will allow.

I would recommend against using an R700 action. I have/had one. Not really what I would want in my face with something that big. The Mark V action is as strong as they come. The R700 is now my 28Nosler where it shines much better.

 

[dgarrett]

Everyone has there own opinions but to say a R700 action isn't strong enough for an Edge is just plain BS. Is the weatherby stronger Yes.. are there more edges bullt on R700 actions then all the other actions combined... I would think .. Yes... Have I heard of any horror stories of a 338 Blowing and action apart and into someones face like the poster above insinuates is going to happen ... NO... The weatherby action does not lend itself well when Bullets are loaded real long... the boltstop is a pin that goes up through the bottom and is not easily adjustable by the none gunsmith at home.. I guess you could see about slotting the hole... The bottom metal from the 378 lets you have ammo right at 3.810..I dont like having to pull the trigger as the bolt release to extract a long loaded live shell ... Petty differences??? Yes, If I was building an Edge I would use the 700 action or one of the clones over the weatherby if I had my choice.. If I owned the eatherby already I use it... Dave

 

[Edd]

You must have measured one. I know the 7Rem Mag is the same bolt face as the 7RUM, but didn't measure the bolt face.

I may have measured one, I can't remember.

If you look at the SAAMI specs, the cartridge rim diameter for a 7mm Mag is .532" and the 300 RUM is .534". That isn't going to work with a .512" bolt face.

Now apply some logical guessing and you get .540" for a bolt face diameter.

 

[IdahoCTD]

garrett926

I would recommend against using an R700 action. I have/had one. Not really what I would want in my face with something that big. The Mark V action is as strong as they come. The R700 is now my 28Nosler where it shines much better.

I hate to tell you but a 28 Nosler and a 338 Edge is based on the same brass and will have the same bolt lug load at the same psi. Pounds per square inch is the same if the bolt face diameter is the same.

I have a couple Remington's with 338 Lapua bolt faces and haven't had any issues. Remington sells a factory 338 Lapua and if they thought it was unsafe I doubt they would risk it. Why would you intentionally look for a lawsuit. Bolt lug set back happens at times but I haven't ever heard of one shearing the lugs off.

 

[Rich Coyle]

Edd,

You got me! I was thinking about the measurement in front of the belt. What an idiot I can be at times.

 

[dieseldoc]

Sorry didn't address the last questions you had... I am an Edge Fan... But between the 338 Lapua and the Edge comes down to buyers choice... Reloader 33 has the standard edges shooting the 300 gr Bergers in FPS right with the Lapua Improved. It is hard not to include the advantages of being able to use Lapua brass in any discussion..Besides Brass life there is no real clean cut advantage from either one. In the end costs are going to be very close, and proformance is almost Equal. As I have said my pick would be the Edge.. Both mine are truck guns with 30 inch full palma type barrels...When I was trying to find Max load I have shot the 300 grainers at 3048fps but my standard load with Reloader 33 is 3008fps.... Dave

Dave:

What brass are you using to get that 3080 fps and how is the primer pockets hold up.

Charlie