Savage 110 BA .338 Lapua Question

olopokram

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Hey everyone,

So I'm looking at the Savage 110BA in .338 Lapua. There's just something about the gun that I've fallen in love with and I'm pretty much ready to take the plunge, but I have a big concern with noise. With the muzzle break, I've been told that its very loud. The largest caliber I own is a .308, Remington 700P and that's all I have to compare it to. If I was shooting it at the range, I wouldn't even slightly care, but I'll be shooting it on private property. The neighbors tolerate the .308, but will they with the .338? I do try and respect the neighbors, within reason, that's why I'm trying to gauge this before buying it. I've watched countless Youtube videos, but it's just so hard to tell just how loud is really is. Any input would be appreciated!

Thanks!
 
Ive got a savage 110 fcp-k in .300win mag. It has the identical brake. Ill give you a little history on myself to give you an idea what I think is loud.

Ive had competative SPL stereo systems that pushed nearly 150db, i would drive around all day at full volume, it would ocassionally blow a window out. Aparently a 747 type airliners jet engine exhaust is about the same.
I listen to music in my earphones as I ride my loud piped sled and dirtbike, i have them turned to full just to hear it over the exhaust, my ears ring afterwards.
Ive been a metal fabricator for years and years, banging metal with hammers, 100's of hours griding... Almost never wear ear protection.
I love the euphoric sound of open headers only a few feet away from my head for hours at a time jet boating.
I almost never wear ear protection when i shoot, no matter what im shooting except when i shoot that braked .300. I have no problem shooting unbraked magnums without protection.
I love loud..period!
But i have fired my braked .300 exactly 2 times without protection.
Once i was firing from prone position on a gravel road with large boulders on the sides. The instant i fired i was in so much pain i thought my rifle exploded in my face, i was rubbing my face, looking at my hands for blood, sticking my finger in my ear, looking for blood. My ear didnt even ring, it rattled. When people spoke, it rattled like a blown up speaker. It rattled for a couple days. I was afraid it would never be the same.

A years or so later i figured maybe it was just because of the hard terrain, perhaps i could get away with the odd shot if i were to use this rifle hunting, so out in a wide open logging slash with 2-1/2ft of snow i fired a shot without ear protection. Found myself panicing again.. Oh sh*t, im alone out here and i blew my face off.... Looking for blood again, days of rattling.

Ill never do it again. Its loud. It ocassionally flips my hat off. I have to be careful what under the muzzle, or it blows dirt/debris back in my face, and in the action.

Get the picture?
 
Ive got a savage 110 fcp-k in .300win mag. It has the identical brake. Ill give you a little history on myself to give you an idea what I think is loud.

Ive had competative SPL stereo systems that pushed nearly 150db, i would drive around all day at full volume, it would ocassionally blow a window out. Aparently a 747 type airliners jet engine exhaust is about the same.
I listen to music in my earphones as I ride my loud piped sled and dirtbike, i have them turned to full just to hear it over the exhaust, my ears ring afterwards.
Ive been a metal fabricator for years and years, banging metal with hammers, 100's of hours griding... Almost never wear ear protection.
I love the euphoric sound of open headers only a few feet away from my head for hours at a time jet boating.
I almost never wear ear protection when i shoot, no matter what im shooting except when i shoot that braked .300. I have no problem shooting unbraked magnums without protection.
I love loud..period!
But i have fired my braked .300 exactly 2 times without protection.
Once i was firing from prone position on a gravel road with large boulders on the sides. The instant i fired i was in so much pain i thought my rifle exploded in my face, i was rubbing my face, looking at my hands for blood, sticking my finger in my ear, looking for blood. My ear didnt even ring, it rattled. When people spoke, it rattled like a blown up speaker. It rattled for a couple days. I was afraid it would never be the same.

A years or so later i figured maybe it was just because of the hard terrain, perhaps i could get away with the odd shot if i were to use this rifle hunting, so out in a wide open logging slash with 2-1/2ft of snow i fired a shot without ear protection. Found myself panicing again.. Oh sh*t, im alone out here and i blew my face off.... Looking for blood again, days of rattling.

Ill never do it again. Its loud. It ocassionally flips my hat off. I have to be careful what under the muzzle, or it blows dirt/debris back in my face, and in the action.

Get the picture?

Picture is perfectly clear! Thank you for the heads up!
 
Obviously your neighbors will tolerate some gunfire, so it would be a crime to let the noise prevent you from owning the rifle you want. Do you shoot in the same place all the time?...Perhaps you should look at something to reduce the noise. Several years back I saw a set-up with a pair of 45 gallon drums, with ends cut out, set up end-to-end to shoot through.They were lined with some foam or something and reported to work quite well.....
Or even a piece of wall put up beside shooting line, if neighbors are in one direction only....
Just an idea to think about....
 
I have a 110BA in 300win Mag. Its definitely loud!
But i dont think you should forgo your dream rifle because of someone elses percieved preferences! Buy it, use it, if they complain, just find another area to shoot "that particular rifle".
It is amazing how little recoil this rifle platform has!
 
So I just got back from the range and I tried out my new Savage 110BA in .338 Lapua. I have to say that I've very surprised in a number of ways. I cannot get over the fact that I feel it kicks less than my Remington 700P in .308! Based on the sheer weight of the gun and the technology in recoil management, anyone can shoot this gun without worry! It's funny because it's absolutely amazing in every single way, I'm impressed beyond my expectations, but I'm not sure it's what I was expecting oddly enough. I wanted a big gun with a big bang and big kick, just something really cool and it almost seems like this gun does its job too well. I bought it instead of a 50 BMG because of the cost savings, but now I'm starting to wonder if a 50 BMG would be more over the top, closer to what I'm looking for? It's weird, I've never, ever felt this conflicted about a new gun before! LOL
 
Sounds like you had fun. Ive never shot a BA in 338LM but recoil is very tame in 300WM.

Honestly if you want a 50 or something big I don't think you can be happy with a smaller caliber.

Get a 50!!
 
Jesus people. It's just a 338 ffs. Ballistically identical to a 340 Wby or a 338 RUM, which thousands of hunters use every year without a brake. I shoot my 338 LM Sako TRG-S without a brake. When I hunt with it I don't even wear ear protection, don't need it. Man, stop swallowing the propaganda, it's just another medium weight/velocity cartridge. - dan
 
Jesus people. It's just a 338 ffs. Ballistically identical to a 340 Wby or a 338 RUM, which thousands of hunters use every year without a brake. I shoot my 338 LM Sako TRG-S without a brake. When I hunt with it I don't even wear ear protection, don't need it. Man, stop swallowing the propaganda, it's just another medium weight/velocity cartridge. - dan

Lay down and shoot 50 rounds in a day with no ear pro... let us know how your shoulder and your ears are doing afterwards.
 
Honestly Dan no need to rain on the guys parade. Sure the .338 LM is just another medium bore but it is a darn cool round to fire if all you've ever played with is a .308 and Savage ( and I ain't a Savage 'fan-boy' ) have done a real nice job with this rifle. As many will know, I have a number of pretty cool rifles and I have to say I was really impressed when my 110 BA in .338 LM arrived. Oh, and btw, shooting without ears on really ain't that smart - I've lost a fair portion of my hearing from shooting in the service in just such a way.
 
Lay down and shoot 50 rounds in a day with no ear pro... let us know how your shoulder and your ears are doing afterwards.

If you're going to spend a day at the range with it, yes protect your ears. Hunting? no thanks. As to the recoil, what does that BA weigh? 15 pounds or so? How much recoil do you think there is? I'm not trying to rain on his parade, it's a cool cartridge in a cool gun. But I keep reading these threads that talk about the 338 LM as if it will knock down walls. It's a useful cartridge, but lets stop trying to scare people with it. It isn't that loud (without the brake) and it doesn't kick that much, unless you put it in a six pound rifle (don't ask me how I know that. Stupid is as stupid does). - dan
 
Ah, I see now what you are saying Dan - apologies due , I read your earlier post as being something that it wasn't. Mmmmm, .338 LM in 6 LB rifle eh - sounds like a self-correcting error to me :)
 
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