.338 edge

juanvaldez

juanvaldez

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I've got a .338 blank and reamer on order. I wanted to build a .338 LM but decided on the edge. I have a 300 mag stevens as a donor. Anyone have one? What are your thoughts. I need to find a decent stock and I'm good to go. I've always wanted a big boomer. Started looking into the LM on a savage action then came onto some threads about the edge.


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Here's my Edge, built on a Savage. Montana rifleman barrel, Stockade stock, Sharpshooter trigger and bolt handle, Wolf spring, AGW 20 min rail, Mark 4 rings, and a 8.5-25 Mark 4 with TMR reticle.

I'm less than thrilled with Savages to honest, even though they can shoot. On the other hand, this guy didn't like it at all.

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I got one a few months ago, not built on a savage action though. I was going to build one out of a LRPV, but since SSS stopped shipping parts to Canada.. I bought a used ATRS Edge AI from another CGN'r.

Once you get yours put together buy some H-1000, some 300gr matchkings or Hybrids and enjoy. Put somewhere between 90 - 93gr of H-1000 behind the berger hybrid and you get some really nice results. I found my edge very easy to load for, and not a very finicky case to load for. I had troubles with a 7mm rum a few years ago, and the edge seemed much easier to load for.

I was out shooting last weekend, had my lrpv 22-250 pushing berger 75gr VLD which have an OK bc, and are pushed pretty fast. Once the winds pick up the edge with berger hybrids really shined. A bullet with a g1 BC over 0.8 really makes a difference in wind drift. Shifting winds were blowing my 22-250 all over and the edge was much easier to hit with. Before the winds hit I fired two 5 shot groups inside 6" at 1000, with only 2 - 2.5" of vertical.

These are only 3 shot groups, but I shot 5 groups that all look like this back to back. This are the smallest and the largest groups of the 5. I was fine tuning my load, going from 90.5gr to 92.5gr of H-1000 with the Berger Hybrid. The squares are 1" range was 300m.
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I'm questioning the advantages of the Edge. It was conceived as a poorman's Lapua, that could use common actions and cheaper brass.So far, so good.
The common action thing would have you thinking cheaper, but by the time you do all the work to a Remington or whatever a custom action doesn't cost much more. It's quite possible to end up paying more while you're "saving". Once you cross over in custom action land, picking a Lapua boltface isn't that big of a deal.You might even be able to eject a loaded 300 grain round.
Then there's brass. With the Edge you get Remington or Nosler. The Remington is surprisely good, the Nosler is very good, but very soft. I've got bags and boxes with $40 price tags, but those days are long gone. When Remington brass starts selling for 80 bucks for 50, then $180 for Lapua starts looking like a deal. You'll probably break even in case life. If your luck is like mine, you may spend a bit of time messing with dies for the wildcat Edge.That's not likely to happen with a SAAMI spec Lapua.

I'm thinking that if you have a magnum rifle that's ready to go, then spinning a Edge chambered barrel on is a cheap way of throwing 300 grain bullets at the horizon. If you are starting with a clean piece of paper, then the Lapua is starting to look pretty good.
 
Dogleg said:
The common action thing would have you thinking cheaper, but by the time you do all the work to a Remington or whatever a custom action doesn't cost much more.
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I don't think this applies to the Savage action, though. Install a new trigger, spin on the new barrel and you are pretty much done, unless I have misunderstood the builds by Mystic and others.

Just a dumb question - exactly what does the Edge offer over the 338RUM and why chose one over the other? I do understand that the Edge is a 300RUM necked up to .338 calibre, I'm more interested in any performance differences.


Mark
 
The performance difference shouldn't be much, since a common method of chambering for it is to run a .338 Ultra-mag reamer in a few thousands deeper and using a .300 Ultra-mag headspace gauge.
My reasons for going with it aren't the greatest in the world, my friends were shooting Edges and that left me feeling like a girl wearing last years shoes.:( That, and I took over someone elses 90% finished project for a good price. I also felt that having Nosler brass available was an advantage over the .338 Ultramag, though I question that now. Velocity gains are acheived in the standard wildcatters method of loading the snot out of it, the case just isn't much bigger.
What you get with the Edge is a slightly stetched .338 Ultra that is more than likely throated to use 300 grain bullets as a single shot. Using the mag with 300s in either caliber is problematic. 250s are no problem, but then you should throat for them.
For a low buck, low hassle approach I don't see any big disadvantage to a .338 ultra throated for 300s if you want to use them.
That may leave you out of fashion.
 
Without going to very high pressures 100fps is about all you will gain. Most guys with an edge end up with a 30" barrel, so you will also gain a touch more there. Of course you could get 100fps more from a rum as well, but the pressures would be through the roof. FWIW I push a 300gr berger 2930 fps from Nosler brass in my edge ai, without loosening the primer pockets.

You can use 300gr in the mag if you get a wyatt extended mag box, and trim the bolt stop. You can eject a round that is 3.9" with a trimmed bolt stop. If I remember right the wyatt box is 3.91".
 
Dogleg said:
My reasons for going with it aren't the greatest in the world, my friends were shooting Edges and that left me feeling like a girl wearing last years shoes.:( That, and I took over someone elses 90% finished project for a good price.
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Nothing wrong with keeping up with your buddies. How many rifles, quads, motorcycles, entertainment systems, etc. have been sold for that same reason?:D

The cheap project is an excellent reason, though.

I went and looked at the cartridge dimensions after I asked the question and I see that the .300RUM shoulder is about 0.100" farther forward than the 338 shoulder, so you can squeeze some more powder into the 300 case.

Mark
 
You have watch neck thickness on the Edge, since expanding into the shoulder gives you a doughnut before you even start. A bigger chamber neck solves that issue, but then brings on the sloppy neck problems with gives you the choice of loose necks or turning cases. Some lots of brass were actually dangerous in mine. Not a huge deal, but by the time I turn a pile of cases I have to wonder if a few bucks saved on brass was worth it.Actually, at a buck fifty a shot for components, brass costs quickly become rounding errors.
My next big .338 will be a Lapua on a custom singleshot action. In the meantime, my low buck approach is a lot of longrange fun. Even if working the Savage bolt is like shoving a stick into a can of small rocks.;)
 
Dogleg said:
Even if working the Savage bolt is like shoving a stick into a can of small rocks.;)
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I can certainly help you love your Savage action again.

Check the bedding as this sounds like there is a bit of bending going on. An action with a well used bolt should just glide back and forth under its own weight just like a custom. Try loosening the rear bolt and see if the bolt travel smooths up. Take the action out of the stock and see if this smooths things up.

bolt timing is a big improvement on the ease and feeling of cycling the bolt. some factory actions are seriously clunky

the 338 RUM = the 338 Lapua at standard magnum pressures. yes, you can hot rod the Lapua but that is most certainly way over SAAMI spec. 300gr rated at 2700ish FPS.

the 338 edge is a 338-300RUM with no shoulder changes. Typical gain of 100 to 200fps over the smaller RUM/Lapua with 300gr. 2800 to 2900fps

the 338 LM improved is similar to the Edge in case capacity so will do the same thing

338 tomahawk or Mystic - 338-300RUM Improved and throated long. In long barrels you are around 3000/3100fps. Standard length barrels a solid 2900+fps

Variations on barrel lengths and quirks can have all these larger cases overlap in accurate velocity.

The real boomers start with the 338-378 Wby. Getting more juice with the 338-416 rigby improved and ending with the 338-408chey Tac.

Each step gains you another 100ish FPS and the CT monster is supposed to spit the 300gr MKs OVER 3300fps in a 28" barrel.

The cost to build on a Savage action is equal in any chambering. A 338 Edge barrel is no more expensive then a 223.

All the extra costs associated with a Rem build simply aren't there.

In fact, for hunting, the Accutrigger is one of my favorite triggers and it comes for 'free'. Around 2lbs with no creep and overtravel. My present VLP is under 2lbs with factory parts.

There is little reason why you can't build a semi custom Savage for around $1000.

Jerry
 
Mystic Player,
It isn't bedding but could very well be timing. Sounds like a good wintertime project. As it stands, the only parts of that rifle that are still Savage are the action and bolt body and that is enough to evoke a "Ya gotta be kidding me" response just using it as a single shot.Shoots though.
 
you got a 'clunker'. The factory bolt lift ranges from not bad to what were they thinking.

Is your bolt handle aftermarket or just a larger knob put on? some aftermarket knobs DO NOT FIT aggravating the bolt lift issues.

A good work over gets it running like a champ.

If you need some help, I can do it for you for a nominal cost and fast turnaround.

Jerry
 
It's an aftermarket bolt handle, I've got the original around somewhere. I'll probably get you to look at it during the winter, no use wasteing shooting weather or hunting seasons.
 
I kind of harp on this but think it bears repeating; If a comparison beteen cartridges is not done in the SAME barrel and loaded to the SAME pressures, the results are 100% meaningless. Much of this is reminiscent of Layne Simpson's 7mm STW comparisons where he compared a 28 inch barreled STW, loaded to the nuts, with a 24" barreled 7 Rem Mag with the slowest factory load he could find.
The 338 Edge MIGHT get you 100 fps but probably not. Still, I guess it makes guys feel better knowing they can add a little powder and there's nothing wrong with that. Regards, Bill.
 
I have a heavy Gaillard blank here and an Edge reamer. The 338 Gaillard barrel I uesd on a Savage for a 338 Lapua shoots extremely well with the 225 accubonds and Lapua brass. I ordered this one for myself but never made it yet, can`t think of a good reason to. I should sell it really.

Bill, same comparision with the wsm`s and the rem mags, 24`barrel.
 
Dogleg said:
It's an aftermarket bolt handle, I've got the original around somewhere. I'll probably get you to look at it during the winter, no use wasteing shooting weather or hunting seasons.
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Look forward to it.

Leeper, absolutely but with the extra case volume, there is the possibility of using more powder to get more speed IF there is an appropriate powder and enough barrel to make it worthwhile.

Jerry
 
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