Max performance from a Savage action

[yorketransport]

I'm planning my next wildcat build and I think I've hit the limits of what can be done on a Savage. I'm confident that my 375 BME is about the most performance that can come from a RUM/404 Jeffery sized case. About the only direction to go from here would be to get a Lapua action/bolt head and play with an improved Lapua case. I'm not certain that I can really gain anything by using the Lapua case instead of the 404 or RUM case. Have any of you played around with cases larger than the RUM on a Savage action?

The whole inspiration here comes from a couple of 408 Chey Tac cases that a buddy is sending me to look at. I'm just trying to figure out whether that's the only direction I have to go after playing with the improved RUM case. I've just never heard or anyone doing much with an improved Lapua on a Savage action.

Andrew

[D.ID]

I believe the rum and the lapua are the upper end of the standard actions and do not believe there is enough gain in the lapua over the rum to even bother.
If your looking at improved performance above these cartridges it's probably time to move into an extra large custom action made for the overkill cartridges.

[Jamie]

........I think I've hit the limits of what can be done on a Savage....... Have any of you played around with cases larger than the RUM on a Savage action?

The whole inspiration here comes from a couple of 408 Chey Tac cases that a buddy is sending me to look at. I'm just trying to figure out whether that's the only direction I have to go after playing with the improved RUM case. I've just never heard or anyone doing much with an improved Lapua on a Savage action.

Andrew

Have you ever talked to Neil? He used a 460 Weatherby case necked up to .50 Cal to create ELE on a Target Action pistol. Check it out on You Tube.

The Lapua will have no benefit over the RUM except "It's what the Snipers use!". The Lapua is down around 5th on the .338 speed list. The .338 Edge will get you roughly 100fps faster than the Lapua with about 1/3 the cost.

With that said, Kirby has a pretty tough round in the .338 AX and some other Lapua Improved cases necked up and down, but die cost alone killed it for me.

I saw a TAC 408 Action for sale on another board if you really want to go that way.

[jrhammo08sxt]

I just picked up a CF/Accutrigger Long action. Do I have enough length in the mag opening to build a .338 RUM? I built a .338 Lapua out of the same action. Had the action opened up to accept large shank barrel. Planning on a custom .338 RUM barrel minus a barrel nut. Just wondering if anyone has do it yet?

[Jamie]

I just picked up a CF/Accutrigger Long action. Do I have enough length in the mag opening to build a .338 RUM? I built a .338 Lapua out of the same action.

That is something I would not feel safe shooting. The Lapua action is heat treated differently and is stronger.

I believe you will need to find a RUM magazine to have a repeater.

[jrhammo08sxt]

That is something I would not feel safe shooting. The Lapua action is heat treated differently and is stronger.

I believe you will need to find a RUM magazine to have a repeater.
So, PTG bottom metal with a .338 Lapua mag should get where I need to be?

[Robinhood]

The Lapua action is heat treated differently and is stronger.



Jamie, Can you tell me more about this process?

[yorketransport]

Have you ever talked to Neil? He used a 460 Weatherby case necked up to .50 Cal to create ELE on a Target Action pistol. Check it out on You Tube.


Neil runs ELE at pretty modest pressures, and I believe he was still seeing some lug set back.

The 338 Lapua case is pretty bland in it's factory form. Plus I already have a 338 Edge switch barrel (with 270 RUM/7mm RUM barrels) built by Jim Borden on one of his BRM actions That particular barrel will move the 300gr Bergers at 3050 fps. There aren't a lot of 338's out there that will beat that regardless of case! Once the Lapuas shoulder has been pushed forward and the case blown out, it will meet or beat an improved RUM case. My biggest concern was the additional bolt thrust from the larger case head.

I'm fine with buying another custom action to work with, but I'm super cheap! Plus my target actions which have been T&T'd by SSS are just as smooth as my Borden BRM action but for half the cost! The more I look at the CheyTac cases I have sitting on my work bench, the more I think I just need to move up to those. It's that or start working with the 416 Barrett case!

Andrew

[Jamie]

Jamie, Can you tell me more about this process?

Nope, don't know much about it other than they do those actions different. The Lapua has a lot of bolt thrust and with the standard actions the lugs will start to imprint into the action. Not a safe place to be.


Andrew,
Yep, you seem to be at the end/edge of the Savage action. I do agree that once the Lapua has been improved it can sling'em. Guess it is time to forget about rifles and start building Specialty Pistols. Nothing like out shooting rifle guys with pistol, especially out past 600 yards.

[yorketransport]

Nope, don't know much about it other than they do those actions different. The Lapua has a lot of bolt thrust and with the standard actions the lugs will start to imprint into the action. Not a safe place to be.


Andrew,
Yep, you seem to be at the end/edge of the Savage action. I do agree that once the Lapua has been improved it can sling'em. Guess it is time to forget about rifles and start building Specialty Pistols. Nothing like out shooting rifle guys with pistol, especially out past 600 yards.

Been there, done that too. In fact my favorite long range (1000+ yard) rig is a Striker in 284 Win. So far I've reached the safe working limits of both the Contenders and Encore, so I had to move to the bolt action pistols. I've run Strikers in 204, 223, 6mm BR, 243, 260, 308, 358, 284 Win, 30-06, 300 WSM, 300 RUM, 338 Win Mag, and 338/375 Ruger. Once I get around to it I'm going to try one in my 375 BME. I just need to find the right stock to build it on.

I have a few ideas for the CheyTac cases and one of them was running a shortened 375 CheyTac in a specialty pistol.

[yobuck]

Neil runs ELE at pretty modest pressures, and I believe he was still seeing some lug set back.

The 338 Lapua case is pretty bland in it's factory form. Plus I already have a 338 Edge switch barrel (with 270 RUM/7mm RUM barrels) built by Jim Borden on one of his BRM actions That particular barrel will move the 300gr Bergers at 3050 fps. There aren't a lot of 338's out there that will beat that regardless of case! Once the Lapuas shoulder has been pushed forward and the case blown out, it will meet or beat an improved RUM case. My biggest concern was the additional bolt thrust from the larger case head.

I'm fine with buying another custom action to work with, but I'm super cheap! Plus my target actions which have been T&T'd by SSS are just as smooth as my Borden BRM action but for half the cost! The more I look at the CheyTac cases I have sitting on my work bench, the more I think I just need to move up to those. It's that or start working with the 416 Barrett case!

Andrew

Your correct with your assesment of the large 338 cartridges. There does come a point where being practicle has merit.
My son has a 338x378 wby built on the large 3 lug 995 Sako action. His m v is right around 3000 fps with an accurate
easy on brass load of 106 gr of retumbo with a 300 gr in a 30" barrel. My brother in law has a 338x416 with a 36" and his
m v is about 50 fps faster with again an accurate load. If your willing to throw away brass after 1 or 2 firings then yes you might
pick up a bit more m v but not much. I wouldnt hesitate to build a 338x378 on a mark five Weatherby action also. My gun is the
338 big baer which is a beefed up 505 jeffries case. With 137 gr h50bmg in the 34" it will send the 300 gr at about 3250 fps.
The differences dont really start to show up till about 1400 and especially with wind where the bigger case is more dominent.
But from a practical standpoint for us, due to the conditions we encounter hunting, the 338x378 would be enough gun.
The improved version of the 416 case would yeild another 100 fps at most.
Its much easier talking about this stuff than actually doing it when you get out beyond about 1500 yds for lots of reasons.