Help on building a 338 edge
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I own both a hunter style and LRT style rifles chambered in 338 Edge.
With about 95 grains of powder the Edge will move the high ballistic coefficient 300gr bullets at very close to 3000fps....That is a good thing for targets shot in variable wind and environmental conditions. The 338 Edge also delivers extreme power and downrange energy as well as hair splitting accuracy. But (there is always a but) from the perspective of a hunting rifle platform the 338 Edge can be a bit of a Pandora's box.
Another hunting rifle I have played with is a 416 Remington. Using 88gains of powder it also shoots 300 grain bullets at about 2950fps....Many shooters consider this level of recoil excessive yet (at the same rifle weight) the 338 Edge recoils even harder than does the 416 (more powder and rocket effect).
Your problem (and mine) is translating all that power into effective hunting range. It can be done, but not if this is your first or only big rifle and only if you have another rifle to practice with.....This is no place to learn the long range game.
Any long action Remington Ultramag can be easily converted into a 338 Edge. If you are serious about this I would suggest keeping the finished rifle weight up around 10 pounds. I would also suggest a removable muzzle brake, as well as a tactical style scope capable of repeatable adjustment (my hunting Edge has a 2.5-10 Nightforce). None of this is inexpensive, nor is feeding the 338Edge (check the price of 338 Bullets).
In all honesty I would suggest that most of us are better off with a Sendero style rifle chambered in something like 300 Winchester.....A much easier to shoot, significantly less expensive venture that will be just as effective out to far beyond where most mortals should be shooting at game.
Though I'm not trying to discourage you, I thought I should inform you what you are up against.
Dennis Sorrinson (guntech) has my reamer and I am sure that he could help you out. In fact he just cut Fozzy's chamber with it!
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=309521
Best of luck!
With about 95 grains of powder the Edge will move the high ballistic coefficient 300gr bullets at very close to 3000fps....That is a good thing for targets shot in variable wind and environmental conditions. The 338 Edge also delivers extreme power and downrange energy as well as hair splitting accuracy. But (there is always a but) from the perspective of a hunting rifle platform the 338 Edge can be a bit of a Pandora's box.
Another hunting rifle I have played with is a 416 Remington. Using 88gains of powder it also shoots 300 grain bullets at about 2950fps....Many shooters consider this level of recoil excessive yet (at the same rifle weight) the 338 Edge recoils even harder than does the 416 (more powder and rocket effect).
Your problem (and mine) is translating all that power into effective hunting range. It can be done, but not if this is your first or only big rifle and only if you have another rifle to practice with.....This is no place to learn the long range game.
Any long action Remington Ultramag can be easily converted into a 338 Edge. If you are serious about this I would suggest keeping the finished rifle weight up around 10 pounds. I would also suggest a removable muzzle brake, as well as a tactical style scope capable of repeatable adjustment (my hunting Edge has a 2.5-10 Nightforce). None of this is inexpensive, nor is feeding the 338Edge (check the price of 338 Bullets).
In all honesty I would suggest that most of us are better off with a Sendero style rifle chambered in something like 300 Winchester.....A much easier to shoot, significantly less expensive venture that will be just as effective out to far beyond where most mortals should be shooting at game.
Though I'm not trying to discourage you, I thought I should inform you what you are up against.
Dennis Sorrinson (guntech) has my reamer and I am sure that he could help you out. In fact he just cut Fozzy's chamber with it!
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=309521
Best of luck!
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
For a Long Range Rifle you should go to the long range guy and in Canada that's Rick at Alberta Tactical Rifle. LR is his thing and he does it well. I suppose he could build a flyweight mountain rifle (and I may have him so it one day just to make him swear at me) but when push comes to shove, LR is his bread and butter.
FWIW I've never dealt with Dennis (guntech) so I can't cast any aspirsions on his stuff. But I have had a rifle built by Rick and another one worked over by him. I worked with him at WSS (yes, we were gun counter a**holes everyone likes to blade) and he's been a friend for a long time. But bottom line is that he makes damned good product, else I wouldn't recommend him. He's also a Leupold, Nightforce and US Optics dealer so your LR Glass is covered. And he makes his own brakes and recoil lugs (and soon enough rings and bases I'll hazard).
FWIW I've never dealt with Dennis (guntech) so I can't cast any aspirsions on his stuff. But I have had a rifle built by Rick and another one worked over by him. I worked with him at WSS (yes, we were gun counter a**holes everyone likes to blade) and he's been a friend for a long time. But bottom line is that he makes damned good product, else I wouldn't recommend him. He's also a Leupold, Nightforce and US Optics dealer so your LR Glass is covered. And he makes his own brakes and recoil lugs (and soon enough rings and bases I'll hazard).
The Edge gives the maximum 33cal performance that can be reasonably fit into a Remington sized action....100-150fps over the Ultra.
Both calibers are excellent performers and are capable of top notch accuracy.
More performance=more recoil....though they are both recoil significantly.
The 338 Ultra is probably the right choice in a lighter weight hunting rifle.....I don't think the Edge brings anything significant to the table until range well exceeds normal hunting distances.....
Yes the Edge is "flatter shooting", but that is a term most often used by hunters with little to none long range experience. Flatter shooting cartridges make up a small part of long range success.....Something to think about.
I suppose the easiest and least expensive way to build a hunting Edge would be achieved by setting back and rechambering a factory 338Ultra......A couple hundred dollars ought to take care of that.
Or you could go full custom and spend $3-$5,000.00.
The fancy LRT rifles are usually 6-$8,000.00 complete.
Both calibers are excellent performers and are capable of top notch accuracy.
More performance=more recoil....though they are both recoil significantly.
The 338 Ultra is probably the right choice in a lighter weight hunting rifle.....I don't think the Edge brings anything significant to the table until range well exceeds normal hunting distances.....
Yes the Edge is "flatter shooting", but that is a term most often used by hunters with little to none long range experience. Flatter shooting cartridges make up a small part of long range success.....Something to think about.
I suppose the easiest and least expensive way to build a hunting Edge would be achieved by setting back and rechambering a factory 338Ultra......A couple hundred dollars ought to take care of that.
Or you could go full custom and spend $3-$5,000.00.
The fancy LRT rifles are usually 6-$8,000.00 complete.
I'm new to the Edge, but won't let that stop me from posting.
A loose group of us went with the Edge over the .338 Ultramag primarily to be able to have at least one source of quality brass, that being the Nosler.
Costs will vary, my friends' Remingtons with the works, best of everything approach came in at over $5000 with Mark 4s. My own cheaper approach with Savage action came in at a little over 3 with the same Mark 4, but I bought a 800 yard shooting range to go with mine so any savings got absorbed.
There is nothing cheap about shooting these things, reloading costs are about the same as the big African calibers.
For what it's worth my friends swear that they won't stick that much money into a 700 action again, going with one of the many designer actions around.Its not that their rifles don't shoot, they just feel that they spent the money on gunsmithing instead of actions and still had Remingtons in the end.
A loose group of us went with the Edge over the .338 Ultramag primarily to be able to have at least one source of quality brass, that being the Nosler.Costs will vary, my friends' Remingtons with the works, best of everything approach came in at over $5000 with Mark 4s. My own cheaper approach with Savage action came in at a little over 3 with the same Mark 4, but I bought a 800 yard shooting range to go with mine so any savings got absorbed.
There is nothing cheap about shooting these things, reloading costs are about the same as the big African calibers.For what it's worth my friends swear that they won't stick that much money into a 700 action again, going with one of the many designer actions around.Its not that their rifles don't shoot, they just feel that they spent the money on gunsmithing instead of actions and still had Remingtons in the end.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Does Nosler offer "338 Edge" stamped brass? If a guy was inclined to take that rifle to Africa it migh be worth considering having the brass and rifle stamps match. I don't think they checked my Rigby in RSA, but I wouldn't want to chance it with my luck because, if I decided to neck up 338 Lapua brass for my 416 Rigby (to take advantage of the thicker web and better construction), it's near guaranteed that someone would check and then seize the whole works on me. Damned Murphy!
Can you explain this to me a bit better as to way they would seize it? I don't plan on hunting Affrica anytime soon but I am just curious.
RyanB
No, Nosler doesn't make .338 Edge stamped brass. What they do make is .300 Ultramag cases that as you know must be necked up. The only other option that I know of is the Remington case.
Regarding the .416 Rigby cases, I have had such good luck with the Norma cases that I can't imagine how a better case would help. Mind you, at 3 bucks a case they aren't cheap either. Have you had problems? Mine last forever.
I understand the complaint of building up a rifle on a Remington platform. For some of us it makes sense to go buy a Stiller or whatever custom action.
I decided to go with Remington actions because I felt the blueprinted Remington offered a good all around set of hunting/tactical tolerances at a reasonable price.
Dennis Sorrinson (Guntech) bought some tooling that makes it far more cost effective to blueprint an action....I think it was $250.00 per action.
Like dogleg says I run 300Ultra Nosler brass in my Edge rifles....Its not Lapua, but its plenty good enough.
I decided to go with Remington actions because I felt the blueprinted Remington offered a good all around set of hunting/tactical tolerances at a reasonable price.
Dennis Sorrinson (Guntech) bought some tooling that makes it far more cost effective to blueprint an action....I think it was $250.00 per action.
Like dogleg says I run 300Ultra Nosler brass in my Edge rifles....Its not Lapua, but its plenty good enough.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Ryan:
African police usually (I don't know of a country that doesn't) have to issue you a permit for any firearm you bring into their country. I've heard stories that you can only bring in ammunition for a rifle you have brought into the country with you (ie no bringing in 308 Win when you're bringing in a 458 Win). There is talk, again, I'v not experienced it, with people having difficulty bringing in wildcat ammunition or ammunition who's headstamp doesn't match the caliber on the rifle (a good example would be a 458 Win rifle that has been rechambered to 458 Lott and not restamped or 338-06 ammo loaded in neck-expanded 30-06 brass). Liek I said, I've not experienced it, but I prefer "safe" to "sorry".
Dogleg:
I'm running the Norma brass too and have never had any problems with it. I know when Lapua redesigned the Rigby parent case to handle the higher pressures generated by the 338 Lapua they thickened the web on the case (similar to what Remington did with the 404 case to make the Ultra Mags). Externally the same but with a smaller internal capacity. You'd have to be a real serious gun crank (even more serious a tinkerer than I am) to neck up 338 Lapua brass to .416 to see if it made any difference to performance. Might be something to try is Lapua brass was $1 a piece or less but I don't think that's the case. We both know that at $3 or $4 a piece, you police that stuff up after the shooting's done!
African police usually (I don't know of a country that doesn't) have to issue you a permit for any firearm you bring into their country. I've heard stories that you can only bring in ammunition for a rifle you have brought into the country with you (ie no bringing in 308 Win when you're bringing in a 458 Win). There is talk, again, I'v not experienced it, with people having difficulty bringing in wildcat ammunition or ammunition who's headstamp doesn't match the caliber on the rifle (a good example would be a 458 Win rifle that has been rechambered to 458 Lott and not restamped or 338-06 ammo loaded in neck-expanded 30-06 brass). Liek I said, I've not experienced it, but I prefer "safe" to "sorry".
Dogleg:
I'm running the Norma brass too and have never had any problems with it. I know when Lapua redesigned the Rigby parent case to handle the higher pressures generated by the 338 Lapua they thickened the web on the case (similar to what Remington did with the 404 case to make the Ultra Mags). Externally the same but with a smaller internal capacity. You'd have to be a real serious gun crank (even more serious a tinkerer than I am) to neck up 338 Lapua brass to .416 to see if it made any difference to performance. Might be something to try is Lapua brass was $1 a piece or less but I don't think that's the case. We both know that at $3 or $4 a piece, you police that stuff up after the shooting's done!
I'm going to go out on a limb here and ask if you have spent any range time with a RUM of any flavor?
Shoot one before you buy one.
Recoil is fast, and big, with any thing RUM.
I gun a 300RUM for everything from ditch chickens to moose, and I love it. However, after 10 or so shots in a row out of it I find my vision starts to get blurry.
Shoot one first. Shoot 15 rounds from the bench and see what you can do with it, before you plunk down $5000 on a build.
Recoil is going to depend on how you view the cartridge, which will determine what type of build you do. We view it as a poorman's Lapua using 300 grain SMKs and have around 17 pound rifles, 30 inchish barrels with muzzlebrakes. Recoil is like a .243.
If I were after a general purpose hunting rifle of more conventional weight and for use from zero to 500, frankly I'd get something else. Actually, just about anything else.
If I were after a general purpose hunting rifle of more conventional weight and for use from zero to 500, frankly I'd get something else. Actually, just about anything else.
hi ya i shoot a 7mm rum love shooting it!! just looking for some more distance!
More Distance?
Why not spend the money on a Leica 1200 and send a Leupold to Okotoks and have an elevation turret put on it for $120.....
Dial MOA corrections as per drop table, and do it that way....What you have is already more than you need out to 1000yards....
