Big Long Range rifles: repeater or single shot?

[EXPRESS]

In a dedicated long range rifle, how important is it or not that it is a repeater?

When I built my 6.5-284 it was on a Rem Ti (short) action, which could only run as a single shot.
I have a couple of single shot rifles and have no issue with them.
But that rifle, maybe just because it had the magazine there, just always bugged me, and I've wanted to make it cycle.

No I'm looking at either choosing a .338 cal round that will fit in the my current action as a repeater, possibly with some problems dependant on the throat length, or going single shot, using a .338 Lapua based wildcat and having the performance I was after.

Shouldn't be hard, but deciding this one has me up at night!

 

[RockyMtnMT]

In a dedicated long range rifle, how important is it or not that it is a repeater?

When I built my 6.5-284 it was on a Rem Ti (short) action, which could only run as a single shot.
I have a couple of single shot rifles and have no issue with them.
But that rifle, maybe just because it had the magazine there, just always bugged me, and I've wanted to make it cycle.

No I'm looking at either choosing a .338 cal round that will fit in the my current action as a repeater, possibly with some problems dependant on the throat length, or going single shot, using a .338 Lapua based wildcat and having the performance I was after.

Shouldn't be hard, but deciding this one has me up at night!

There are only two reasons that I can say I like having a repeater. 1. Having a place to carry my ammo while in the field. 2. Short range shooting with followers.

Steve

 

[WildRose]

In a dedicated long range rifle, how important is it or not that it is a repeater?

When I built my 6.5-284 it was on a Rem Ti (short) action, which could only run as a single shot.
I have a couple of single shot rifles and have no issue with them.
But that rifle, maybe just because it had the magazine there, just always bugged me, and I've wanted to make it cycle.

No I'm looking at either choosing a .338 cal round that will fit in the my current action as a repeater, possibly with some problems dependant on the throat length, or going single shot, using a .338 Lapua based wildcat and having the performance I was after.

Shouldn't be hard, but deciding this one has me up at night!

I have mixed emotions on this.

As a rule I won't use a rifle for hunting anything other than varmints and predators that is not a repeater.

The exception to that rule is that I have owned several Ruger No 1's that I loved and I shot quite a few deer and antelope with it.

I don't anymore.

If you are hunting wide open plains such as in much of the western US the speed with which you can reload isn't a big deal but if you are hunting close timber, woods, or Mesquite Country here in Texas being able to get a follow up shot downrange quickly is much more of an issue.

With practice a shooter can get extremely proficient loading singles as long as you dont' have a CRF action (in bolt guns).

When I was very proficient with the Ruger No 1 I could chamber and accurately shoot three rounds as fast as just about anyone could do the same throwing a bolt but my time with my eye off of the scope between shots was considerably more than even shooting singles in a bolt gun.

The more proficient you are with getting first round hits on target the less it matters.

If you have a spotter it also greatly reduces how much it matters since they can call your shot, your correction, and direction of travel and distance the game has moved while you are reloading and getting back on the gun.

If you are really proficient with your bolt gun and shooting from a good rest you may or may not ever even lose sight of the target through the scope while reloading.

I would say it's really going to depend greatly on the shooter, the platform, the game, the terrain, and the cover.

 

[shooter72]

Single shot.

I believe they are more accurate, and if your taking a shot of any distance you are waiting to see the shot hit first anyways. I can load my single shot just as fast as you can run a repeater.

 

[snox801]

Glad m not the only one with this problem. I wanted my ultimate rifle so I went with a repeator just because I didn't want to wish I had. That being said accuracy should be the same the action has no idea if there is another round sitting under it or not. No a real good reason to get anything more than a single cause who carries a long range rig in thick country like mentioned above. So like mentioned you can reload as your bullet is in flight if need be or just after. Funny part is I got a repeator but am shooting long mono bullets so it has now been turned into a single but nice to have he option.

 

[Barrelnut]

I shoot my long range heavy rifles single shot. One has a single shot follower installed so it makes a repeater a true single shot.

Main reason I do this is because I'm paranoid about by meticulously created handloads. I have gone to great trouble to insure .001 runout and seating depths just as accurate.
A repeater feed ramp can destroy your runout on long seated bullets as the nose of the bullet rides up the ramp. Also a heavy recoiling 300 RUM etc. might change the seating depth when low neck tension is used and a BLD magazines might allow the bullets to slam into the front of the magazine when a round is fired. Like I said I'm paranoid...

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

I'd say unless you go extra long on your throat a 4.0 wyatts should be more than fine. For my 300AX, I bought a spare ammo carrier for when I have to single from Short action precision, holds two rounds right under the bolt on the stock. With some practice I've gotten pretty fast with the reload.

 

[EXPRESS]

Yeah, so we all seem to have very similar points of view...

I can agree with everything said here.
My problem is, and remains, that because this is a switch barrel rifle, a Blaser R8, it is a repeater. And an extremely fast repeater it is - much quicker than a bolt action, so the repeatability is really something. I can shoot it at 1000 yards, and fire another round before I hear the bullet strike come back! And that's not really hurrying at all.
All in, if I can find definitive info on a Lapua based wilcat, namely with speed numbers coming from the owner/user of the rifle, that convince me it's worthwhile, I will go ahead and forget about the repeater factor.
Thing is there are some wildly different numbers out there on these rounds.
This will be a 30" barrel, and I was tossing around a .338 Norma improved cartridge (Warthog) if it could get 2900, though the proprietor of the cartridge tells me it won't quite make it but come very close. Or a Lapua based wildcat that will get me to 3000fps. Probably same deal again I think, close but no cigar. Maybe Allens' Xpress or a +P version, but those reamers specs don't seem to be obtainable.
I've found info stating the .338 Warthog can surpass 2900 easily, which would have convinced me to compromise, but I was after an all out LR barrel for this build, hence the speed numbers game, but really, when you're lobbing bullets with a BC of .8 those advantages don't come into play much, and not until nearly 2000 yards.
I could spend the extra money for custom reamers, gauges and dies on bullets to practice…