Savage .338 lm long range hunter

atomicsauace

atomicsauace

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Thinking about getting one of these for hunting/target shooting.Anyone have one that they use for hunting?I would be using it mainly for deer (overkill I know)but also possibly moose and the odd groundhog:)I'm kinda on a budget and the price seems reasonable.I haven't seen any used ones on the EE so they are either not very popular or people like them alot and don't want to sell.Who has the best price?Any feedback would be appreciated.
 
If your on a budget 338 lapua mag is not for you. It is very expensive to shoot. Even my handloads are $5 a piece and sure you can buy cheap dies but mine were almost $400. If it is mostly for deer there is no need. Get one in a 300 win mag and don't look back. Way more affordable to shoot and will knock down everything on this planet. As for target shooting you can get all the match compoents that you want for the 300 win mag at good prices.

I bought a savage 110 fcp 338 lapua hoping that with a less expensive rifle it would keep the cost down. I was wrong.

That being said if you have the money you can't go wrong with a savage. They do shoot and you won't be disappointed.
 
When I said budget I meant I didn't have $3000 to spend on a rifle:(I already have a .300 Weatherby which is overkill for deer also.Cant afford a .50 bmg so this is the next best thing.
 
atomicsauace said:
When I said budget I meant I didn't have $3000 to spend on a rifle:(I already have a .300 Weatherby which is overkill for deer also.Cant afford a .50 bmg so this is the next best thing.
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Cabelas in Edmonton has the 338LM LR Savage, was fondling it for a bit. Very nice :)

That said, I'm not gonna hunt with it so I got the 110 BA :D

S&B Ammo 250 BTHP can be had for 29.99/box of 10. That'll tie you over before you can get reloading.

338LM is an awesome round, long reach and explodes rocks real good!
 
What's your budget? You'll really want to dump aroudn $2K on glass for the rig. Are you sure that you want to skimp?

I'm not sure how you spend $5 per round on reloads unless you count the cost of the brass each time rather than dividing it's cost for each loading. Bullets are $1 per or less and brass, new, is $3.35 per. Add $0.06 per primer (rounded up) and $0.41 for powder (based on a 100 grain charge with a 300 gr SMK) and you're at $4.82 for the first firing ($1.47 of that is primer, powder and bullet), then $3.15, then $2.59, then $2.31 and finally $2.14. Redding dies (granted, not the ne plus ultra but much better than average) are $100 per set and you can load the Lapua on a standard Rockchucker (though a larger press makes it easier) so I wouldn't call the loading cost "prohibitive".

Bottom line is that if you want a Lapua, the Savage is an affordable way to get your feet wet in that market. Down the line you'll likely be able to sell it as the LR game is popular and lots of guys like you (no offense) are getting into it on a budget. Good glass will hold it's value and sell should you decide to do that later on.

Go for it and post pics once you do.
 
yea if you reload anything is good cartrage to hunt.
just use good hunting bullet for nice mushrooming to any game. so it doesnt blow up the game.
 
I do reload so that makes things a bit cheaper.I wouldn't be shooting it all the time.I've got a Savage m25. 204 for that.I just want one because.......well I just want one:)Gonna sell all the stuff I never shoot to pay for it and just keep a .22,shotgun, varmit and big game rifle.
 
dan belisle said:
Ballistically it is a twin of the 340 Wby and 338 RUM, so you can use it on whatever game those rounds are apporpriate for. And if you want to hunt deer with it, it will do the job, have fun. - dan
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I agree with Dan, I have a 338 Lapua and a 338 RUM, I have taken 3 deer with the 338 RUM and it kills deer no problem using 225 grain Hornaday Interbonds.
 
Im in the same boat as you and have been looking at these for the same reasons as yourself although I really want a .50 becouse I have a small #####.
 
338 lm aint for deer, it's for killing armored ennemy soldiers at 1 mile.... through the armor vest.

want to kill deer? use a 308.

still want a 338? look on the EE, last time I checked there were a ton of people wanting to sell the rifles they could not afford to shoot.
a light 338lm will unscrew your shoulder.
 
If you reload these rifles are not that expensive to shoot, once you have your brass and dies the only difference between reloading a 338 Win Mag and a 338 Lapua or 338 RUM is just a few grains of powder. If I didn't reload I'm not sure I would consider a big 338. As far as shooting deer with a 338 RUM, I shoot just behind the shoulder on a deer so all that got hit was the ribs which are pretty much nothing on a deer anyway. It did make a hole in the ribs that I could almost put my fist in on the exit side and it didn't turn the deer into a pile of jelly like some people think.
 
Kryogen said:
338 lm aint for deer, it's for killing armored ennemy soldiers at 1 mile.... through the armor vest.

want to kill deer? use a 308.

still want a 338? look on the EE, last time I checked there were a ton of people wanting to sell the rifles they could not afford to shoot.
a light 338lm will unscrew your shoulder.
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No it won't . My 338 LM is a Sako TRG-S, otherwise known as the 995. A lightweight hunting version of their regular TRG series. It weighs about 7.5 pounds, and recoil isn't bad. If you like large caliber rifles, there is no reason not to use them for hunting. Projectile choice and bullet placement will prove more important then cartridge choice. - dan
 
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