338 Lapua in a Savage Action?

vin007

vin007

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I plan on building a long-range rifle and want to start with a savage action as its the cheapest allowing me to spend more moolah on the barrel. My question is would a 338 Lapua chamber and feed properly in a standard savage long action?

Also wondering if Alberta Tactical Supply can obtain 338 lapua barrels?

Thanks
 
If you use it as a single shot, the action will work. I'm not sure about the bolt face diameter though. Midway used to sell prethreaded and chambered barrels for the Savage in 338 Lapua I believe, I don't know if they still do, and they don't ship to Canada since getting thier pecker slapped by the US gov't. - dan
 
The Lapua is a tad larger than your average magnum action. The bolt face will have to be opened up, you may have some OAL issues, and I doubt they'll feed from a magazine.

Otherwise, it SHOULD work.
 
vin007 said:
Also wondering if Alberta Tactical Supply can obtain 338 lapua barrels?

Thanks
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Vin... I don't see why not, if Canadian barrel makers supply .338 barrel blanks. They don't become .338 Lapua barrels until someone runs in a .338 Lapua spec. chamber reamer.


NormB
 
Gaillard, Smith, King, maybe McGee/McPhee (?) would be sources of barrels equal or better then anything from the US and accessible.

If going through the entire import process, consider PacNor as they will make a prethreaded/chambered barrel you can install yourself. They can also make some very long barrels.

ATR, Guntech, Leeper may have the Lapua reamer. PGWSteve of course has it but may not have time. Maybe Corlane????

The Savage action will feed the Lapua case as it has been used for the Lazz monsters. Best to mod a RUM mag and follower if you can't get parts already set up to work. You might still be able to find a RUM Savage at Wholesale for dirt cheap. I know they had some 7RUM's they had trouble selling.

From there, you will need to play with the bolt face and open it up slightly.

Personally, if you want a 338 cannon and can get that RUM Savage, just go for a 338 Mystic (338 - 300 RUM improved) or the 338-300RUM (reg. 300 necked up to 338).

You know it will fit (no bolt work) and feed (OAL may not allow the 250/300gr to stick out too much though). Brass is dirt cheap by comparison and available. Case capacity is higher for more performance (makes a difference if you want to launch the 300gr MK's or feed from the mag). You can use 338RUM dies to do most of the reloading duties (bushing or collet die for sizing, reg seater).

The Lapua will be a great cartridge once it becomes mainstream enough to have off the shelf actions. There are similar alternatives that are way easier to work with.

Jerry
 
I'll be building one too , at least gathering the parts for one, in the coming months. I'll be building mine on a CZ550 Safari in .416Rigby, that way the bolt face will be big enough to accomodate the super magnum size cartridge of the .338LM and feed properly from a magazine, either original or DBM if i could get my hands on one from PGW.
 
For what those CZ's cost, why not just go a bit more and get a custom action?

With a bit more work, a P14 Enfield can handle the cartridge and can be made to feed (they have been converted to the Rigby's for African DG rifles). Can handle very heavy barrels without needing a block (bedding under barrel in front of action is sufficient). 1/4 to 1/2 MOA capable.

Jerry
 
do you know many repeater custom actions in .338? And those TRG-S are damn near impossible to find. Plus i can shoot the CZ while i gather the other parts

Edited to add: i talked with Francis Gaulin who told me he was looking into building a custom .338lm action, so that might be a possible venue
 
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Any action that will fit the Rigby or big Wby cases will fit the Lapua case (which is just a shortened and necked down Rigby, really). The Sako TRG-S (M995) rifles are still around, I see them at gun shows and on here occasionally. I have one in 338 Lapua, it's not really a tactical rifle, more of a sporter. In the case of downrange ballistics, Mystic is right (as usual), the 338 RUM, or it's wildcat variations will do everything the Lapua will. FWIW - dan
 
yes except the other .338s are not lapuas

kinda like owning a souped turbo civic vs owning a porsche, in the end, it's still just a civic
 
TheCanuck said:
yes except the other .338s are not lapuas

kinda like owning a souped turbo civic vs owning a porsche, in the end, it's still just a civic
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Not exactly the analogy I had in mind. If you're comparing the Savage action to that of a Sako, I'd say you have a valid point.

Who gives a poop about what the cartridge is called if it delivers the ballistic performance you are looking for. Choosing the .338 RUM may not have the cache of owning a Lapua proprietary offering but you're going to pay for it!

If you can get the performance you desire at a relatively more economical price, you might want to at least consider it first.
 
A souped up civic still cannot offer the same performance a porsche can. It'll always be front-drive, small engine, unibody, mass market car.

Lapua vs RUM - same performance. It'd be more like comparing a BMW to a Mercedes.
 
I guess you guys have not played with alot of Hondas... For the given engine displacement, the Porsche is no where close to the Honda. Then neither are BMW's, Audi's, and many other brands.

Think SOLO 1 & 2, Touring sedans, and any SCCA class you want to study. Yeah, I used to race cars...

For me, I shoot my rifles and performance, not lables, matter. I really don't care if the platform cost $500 or $5000 as long as it performs. After a certain point, you run out of engineering and just pay for bling/cache/ego.

So we understand the rankings, the 338 RUM is a bit smaller then the Lapua, the 338-300RUM is LARGER then the Lapua, the 338 Mystic is bigger then all the above.

The Mystic has a case capacity similar to an Improved Lapua. Only the 338-416 Rigby Improved and 338-378 Wby reg and improved are bigger.

When you want LR horsepower and a 250gr is a light bullet, 300gr common, 325gr to 335gr very interesting, there is no substitute for displacement.

Since we are using car analogies, if the Lapua is a Porsche, the 338-300RUM is a Corvette, the 338 Mystic is a Viper.

Jerry
 
Still, you get my point

I want a .338Lapua Magnum, not a 338-300rum ora 338-416 or the rest.

besides, i have a good idea of what it costs
 
TheCanuck said:
do you know many repeater custom actions in .338? And those TRG-S are damn near impossible to find. Plus i can shoot the CZ while i gather the other parts

Edited to add: i talked with Francis Gaulin who told me he was looking into building a custom .338lm action, so that might be a possible venue
Click to expand...


The Canuck, Francis is building me one on his redesigned action. It is promised before summer begins ....

Ill send you some pics when i'll get it to show you what it looks like.
 
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