338 Lapua and 110 action ( large shank??)

[SMK Shoe]

Have a friend doing his first build. He wants to do a 338 Lapua. I know he needs to do a LA but do they make a LA in large shank? Trying to push him into the large shank since I know him, and soon he'll be looking a a small caliber target rifle and will want a target action. I have five and once he gets to try a shot he'll be hooked. I really don't want him to have to worry about shank size musical chairs. Any other help on his build would be much appreciated. Just my way of helping another poor soul into our addiction. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[psharon97]

Having never attempted building a 338LM on a savage action I can only go on what people like SSS have said. They advise that the Savage action is not safe to handle the 338LM. As an alternative, have you tried convincing your friend to build something like a 338 Edge? Many on this forum have build a 338 Edge and seems to be working safely.

[stumpjumper400]

sharpshooter answers you question in detail in his post. It has been covered many times. It would also be easier to buy a 110BA. From the things I've read on the remingtons, they have to be modified in order to accept that case. I probably still wouldn't trust it because if it is stronger than savage, it's not by much.

Hope this helps

[SMK Shoe]

Sat down with him for about a hour this morning and I think I talked him into a 6.5 X 47 Lapua. With the light recoil and the ability to take Alabama whitetail, he'll shoot it alot more. Also told him that with the 338 he wouldn't put much thru it due to recoil at the range. With the tgt action he can pretty much shoot anything he wants with a quick barrel change. After this deployment he will probably spend the money on the 110BA as a dedicated rifle but I think he is going to start picking up stuff for a large shank SA right now. I guess I filled my monthly tag of converting a remington shooter to Savage. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[stumpjumper400]

I forgot to post the link to his reply on the subject and now I can't find it. sorry

[geargrinder]

I would do it on a small or large shank, but with a shouldered barrel. It gets more meat around the chamber than even a large shank.

[efm77]

I've never heard of it happening but I would think that even with a shouldered barrel you still have the threaded shank exposed underneath the recoil lug. The recoil lug doesn't fit tight enough around the barrel to add any additional strength there so I would think that would be a weak link and if it's going to let go it would under the recoil lug. The Lapua is a wide cartridge that leaves very little meat around the chamber especially on the small shank. The other concern which is probably a bigger concern is rearward thrust on the bolt head. Sharp Shooter has experimented with them and experienced lug set back with that cartridge. If I wanted a 338 Lapua I'd go ahead and buy one of the factory Savages. They're large shank and still use the nut so apparently the large shank is big enough to provide enough meat and strength around the chamber. But the biggest difference is these receivers are stiffer because they're built with a much smaller ejection port, they're heat treated differently to make them stronger, they have thicker locking lug recesses, and larger locking lugs to withstand the greater thrust generated by the larger diameter of the Lapua cartridge. If I can find the posting by Sharp Shooter on the subject again I'll post a link.

[efm77]

Here it is:
http://savageshooters.com/SavageForum/index.php/topic,36123.0.html

[dcloco]

If your friend is still set on a 338 in the future, build a 338 RUM on a target action (single shot). RUM will do everything the Lapua will....and brass is not 2-3 bucks a case.

[efm77]

+1 on that. Although if you want a repeater, a new long action with the center feed has a long enough magazine port to fit H&H length cartridges. You just need to cut out a gap in the front of the magazine box for the bullets to stick through. Tested mine with a 300 Weatherby cartridge the other day and the box is just barely too short. Thinking of cutting out a slot in the front and getting a barrel made for it.