opinions on 338Lapua / 700action

[Brien]

i would like to know if it is or isnt safe to chamber up a .338Lapua on a remy 700action. one smith i know is using one and it shoots great and has had no trouble .. another smith i know says he is going to catch the bolt in his head! what are your thoughts on it.. i may consider going with the 330Dakota if you all dont like the idea of the Lapua on the remy action.
how much slower is the Dakota than the Lapua with say a 30" barrel?
thanx Brien

 

[chris matthews]

You are opening a nasty can of worms with this one!
However, I have proof that Remington themselves did 338 Lapuas but canned the project due to costs not because of safety! I have personally built over 20 338 Lapuas on Remmy actions, hell my wife shoots one of them! Several are back for rebarrel jobs, having several thousand rounds put on the first barrel. I built 6 in the last month and have 8 more on order right now.
For comparision, the mighty Nesika action and the HS action has the same diameter action, same diameter bolt, and same size lugs as a Remmy and they are used all the time for Lapuas. Hell the HS is a production rifle!!!
Take it for what it's worth.....but my answer is yes! And if you didn't want to do the Lapua, I would suggest a 300 RUM ackley improved and necked up to 338. Components (mainly brass) will be easier to find and cheaper than the Dakota.

[ 07-18-2004: Message edited by: chris matthews ]

 

[Brien]

can you give me some idea of the velocity gain you get from going with the 338/300Um improved over the standard 338ultra?