338rum build

[clamb4]

I was interested in building a 338 that could hunt elk out to 1000 yards. I have a 338 win mag which is a fun and accurate rifle, but after years of reading about the 338 rum, 338 lapua, and 338 edge I want one. Cost has been the biggest prohibiting factor, but I am finally going to do it.

I have decided on a 338 rum mainly because it will be the cheapest to shoot and it has plenty power to get out to 1000 yards. I have a new Remington SPS in 300 rum as a donor rifle. My gunsmith is truing the action. Ordered a 27" Pac Nor barrel with a # 6 contour 1 in 9 twist.

I am trying to make it good at long range and also not so heavy I can't carry it. It is a tradeoff between to much weight or to much recoil. With the stock, rings and mount, scope, and muzzle break best guess is total weight of about 12 lbs. Is this a good tradeoff weight?

What muzzle break would you use? I have been looking at Kiby's APS painkiller and Shawn's DE brake.

The last thing to decide on is which stock. I want a tactical stock with adjustable cheek piece and adjustable length of pull. Bell and Carson(A5) and HS Precision(M24) are two that are in my price range is one any better than the other?

Anyway I am fishing for opinions/knowledge especially on how much the rifle should weight. Thanks.

 

[Coyboy]

I can tell you that the BC a5 adjustable is quite heavy, and won't make 12 pounds finished weight with a #6 and scope.

You would be better off with a fixed HS and a DE or Karsten cheek pc.

 

[Chas1]

I would go with the APS brake. a braked 338 rum in a 12 lb rifle...IMHO the recoil would be less than a 308 thus maybe allowing you to go with a lighter build. Felt recoil is a different for different folks so this is just my opinion.

 

[nddodd]

I can tell you that the BC a5 adjustable is quite heavy, and won't make 12 pounds finished weight with a #6 and scope.

You would be better off with a fixed HS and a DE or Karsten cheek pc.

+1 on the last part I've got a set up identical to that except a 26" barrel w/brake and it's under 12lbs.

Nathan

 

[robertjrhunterboy]

actualy i realy dont think you need a .338 for that. beleave it or not u might want to consider a .300 rum a friend of mine has one and at 300 yards its shootin 1/4 min. groups and the brute horsepower it is sure to deliver all the horse power you need for a elk gun. if you are a hand loader you might want to consider the berger vld's they deliver terninal proformance at longranges but if you are shooting factory amo you are always shooting diferent bullets eaven know it says the same thing on the box... each box of bullets can be made in diferent factorys or diferent lots. i am not trying to be a know it all but shooting the .300 rum is a cheeper way to go because my friend was actualy looking into the 338 rum and he found out that the brass for it was like $0.89 for each peice of brass so for like 100 cartriges it was like 89 bucks and the brass for the .300 rum was much cheeper and the bullets them selfs were actualy easyer to find becuse 30 cal is a well known calaber but the 338 is actualy a military round used in afganastan and iraq but if you want to go whit the .338 its ok i was just giving you a sugjestion gun)

 

[3fingervic]

actualy i realy dont think you need a .338 for that. beleave it or not u might want to consider a .300 rum a friend of mine has one and at 300 yards its shootin 1/4 min. groups and the brute horsepower it is sure to deliver all the horse power you need for a elk gun. if you are a hand loader you might want to consider the berger vld's they deliver terninal proformance at longranges but if you are shooting factory amo you are always shooting diferent bullets eaven know it says the same thing on the box... each box of bullets can be made in diferent factorys or diferent lots. i am not trying to be a know it all but shooting the .300 rum is a cheeper way to go because my friend was actualy looking into the 338 rum and he found out that the brass for it was like $0.89 for each peice of brass so for like 100 cartriges it was like 89 bucks and the brass for the .300 rum was much cheeper and the bullets them selfs were actualy easyer to find becuse 30 cal is a well known calaber but the 338 is actualy a military round used in afganastan and iraq but if you want to go whit the .338 its ok i was just giving you a sugjestion gun)

With that said, If he wants to go with a 338 would it be cheaper to do an edge? The .338 Edge uses the .300RUM case, right?

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Your 300 ultramag will certainly kill elk at a thousand yards but the larger caliber 338 is a better choice as you decided. I own and have built many of the 300, 338 and 338-300 ultramags. My cost on brass is the same with the 300 and 338. Bullet availability is also the same. The 338 ultramag will feed better through your action than the 338-300 ultramag or some call the edge on here. Performance is the same. You may outshoot some, some may outshoot you. Just depends on the individual barrel. The 300 ultramag case is .091 or so inches longer if my memory serves me correctly which causes some feeding problems in Rem 700 actions when necked to 338 caliber unless modified.

I think your good on cartridge. I have several 338-300 ultramags, 340 weatherby's, 300 ultramags, etc built with 28" #4 Hart and Pac-Nor barrels. They all come in under 11 pounds scoped out with bipod. So you can accomplish your goal.

 

[7stw]

I have no experience with the 338 rum, but it has tickled my fancy once and abit, but I have had the pleasure if you will of firing a custom built 338 lapua in a HS precision 2000 about 6 years ago. I was assisting a fellow shooter who was setting it up for some"varmint" shooting in afghanistan. We were at that time shooting 250 grain lapua scenar, and let me tell you these bullets WILL shoot into a hole. We did some "down town" shooting and I was amazed at the accuracy and predictabilityof the rifle and the bullets. I have also read good things on the 338 rum, and I KNOW that it can be made to shoot. Powders are easy to pick from, ie viht n170, or alliant r25. Brass for each is avail, but Lapua brass is PRICY but the quality is incredible. As far as stocks go, you have considered the best ones already, my hat would tip to the HS. One note on the HS is that on mine, because of the raised palm swell, sometimes on recoil, the knurled bolt handle strikes the top of my index finger and a blood bath soon impails. Hope thes thoughts help.lightbulbgun) p/s, Remington now offers a 700 police in .338 LAPUA

 

[mcmurray]

I have a Shawn Carlock .338 Edge that I had built for the same purpose. I carry the gun all over Montana hunting Elk, Deer, and Antelope. I has an HS precision stock, DE cheek piece, 30" barrel and Shawn's mid sized muzzle break. I mounted a 50mm 5.5 X 22 Nightforce scope and the whole package weights just under 12lbs. My only complaint is the 30" barrel. When you carry the gun using a standard sling it always wants to slide backward off your shoulder. Especially when you are trying to glass. I will be trying one of the "Double Slings" that are being sold on this site next season to remedy that problem. Shawn suggests that you carry the gun in a pack designed to hold the rifle and other gear. You can look at Shawn's site at www.defensiveedge.net and can get an idea of what he uses to make a gun in that weight class.

I love the big .338 Mathking bullet and it high BC. If your into long range hunting the heavier projectile and the higher the BC help you perform more consistently under field conditions. You still have to be good at estimating the wind and conditions but a bullet with these characteristics is a real plus. IMHO I would go with the .338 over the .30 just for those reasons. BOTH will do the job.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[J E Custom]

I was interested in building a 338 that could hunt elk out to 1000 yards. I have a 338 win mag which is a fun and accurate rifle, but after years of reading about the 338 rum, 338 lapua, and 338 edge I want one. Cost has been the biggest prohibiting factor, but I am finally going to do it.

I have decided on a 338 rum mainly because it will be the cheapest to shoot and it has plenty power to get out to 1000 yards. I have a new Remington SPS in 300 rum as a donor rifle. My gunsmith is truing the action. Ordered a 27" Pac Nor barrel with a # 6 contour 1 in 9 twist.

I am trying to make it good at long range and also not so heavy I can't carry it. It is a tradeoff between to much weight or to much recoil. With the stock, rings and mount, scope, and muzzle break best guess is total weight of about 12 lbs. Is this a good tradeoff weight?

What muzzle break would you use? I have been looking at Kiby's APS painkiller and Shawn's DE brake.

The last thing to decide on is which stock. I want a tactical stock with adjustable cheek piece and adjustable length of pull. Bell and Carson(A5) and HS Precision(M24) are two that are in my price range is one any better than the other?

Anyway I am fishing for opinions/knowledge especially on how much the rifle should weight. Thanks.

I think you have made a wise choice in the 338 RUM.

I built mine on a Mk5 Weatherby because of the longer mag well (Around .140 longer so that
if I decided to go to a 300/338 RUM or a 338 Lapua it would be easy.

After shooting the 338 RUM in a 27.250 barrel with a 10 twist # 7 taper Lilja (No Break) I have
not looked back.

I use both the 225gr and 250 Accubonds and My max range to stay above 1500 ft/lbs of
energy is 1100 yards. Accuracy is great and I am comfortable with this distance as long
as conditions are fare to good.

The Remington action the 338 RUM works well.

An on the muzzle break issue all of the breaks you mentioned are good and the Holland
and Vias are also good ones. So it boils down to which one you like the best.

Good luck on your build and good shooting.

J E CUSTOM

 

[clamb4]

Thanks for all your coments. It sound like the HS stock, and any of the better muzzle breaks will work fine. I'am thinking Kirby's painkiller. It also sounds like recoil should not be a problem at just under 12 lbs. I am hoping to work up two loads, one 250g and a 300g SMK and switch back and forth depending on what I am hunting and distance.

 

[JRinCo]

I have both, a .300 RUM and a .338 RUM. Both will shoot .250 groups every time. I have taken allot of game with both rifles. I would't build a .338 Lapua, the brass is to expensive and it wouldn't do anything that a RUM won't do. If you want to do an edge you have to fire form brass, using up precious barrel life.

If you have to make a comprise to make weight, use a McMillan HRT. If you want to use a good long range scope, the stock is the first place to lighten up. Whatever you do, don't use a slimmer barrel to make weight, however it's a good idea to use a flutted barrel.

As soon as Berger comes out with their line of .338 bullets, this caliber is going to shine like never before.

 

[robertjrhunterboy]

im not sure if it is baced of of the .300 rum but it might be..... it could be the .338 lapua that i am thinking of but i will check in my nosler book if it is baced of the .300 rum cace..

 

[angus-5024]

+1 for the .338 Rum. I have one. I feel that it is the cheapest way to get into a big .338. The only way I would go with an Edge is if I was getting a Wyatts Ext. Mag installed. Then it would be worth it. I single load my 300 SMK's on my M700 action and I get good performance out of them. I also load 210's or 225's to fit in the mag. Seems to work well for me.
you could also look at stockade stocks. They will inlet for remmy's for an extra $50. I would check out the HS before you buy. I find their palm sweels way to big. just my 2 bits.