Savage 110 BA (.338LM) conversion to .338 Edge?

[FREE RIFLEMAN]

I am ordering a 110 BA next week with plans to do the following:

30" Hart 416R Stainless Fluted .875 (est.) barrel chambered in .338 Edge (.338 -.300 RUM).
Does anyone know if the 110 BA bolthead is removeable like the standard 110 bolts, and if it is necessary going from the .338 Lapua to the .338 Edge (.300 RUM case necked up to .338)

The goal is to shoot .338 at 1000+ meters cheaper than the Lapua.

Additionally, how many times are the .338 Lapua shooters reloading their cases (like the Lapua or equivolent)?

Does anyone see any other issues I should be factoring?

[geargrinder]

Why start with the BA to begin with? That's an awful expensive rifle just to tear apart.

If you're just going to tear it apart why not start with a cheap Stevens 200 and add a custom trigger, stock and barrel. You'd be money ahead in the long run.

[McKinneyMike]

Why start with the BA to begin with? That's an awful expensive rifle just to tear apart.

If you're just going to tear it apart why not start with a cheap Stevens 200 and add a custom trigger, stock and barrel. You'd be money ahead in the long run.


Absolutely

[schemi]

I would guess it is so he can have a repeater. Even with the rum action, SMKs are too long for the mag. I am not sure if 300 mag is the same length as the 338, but if it is, it will already have the correct bolt face for the edge.

[geargrinder]

I would guess it is so he can have a repeater. Even with the rum action, SMKs are too long for the mag. I am not sure if 300 mag is the same length as the 338, but if it is, it will already have the correct bolt face for the edge.



Shhhh....don't tell my Edge it isn't a repeater. It is. I can get 3.85" OAL. Built from a 7mmRM action.


Still may not be able to load to the lands. RUM's are longer than the Lapua

[ctrout]

How did you accomplish that? I built mine on a RUM action and can't load them that long.

[geargrinder]

Remove some of the material from the back of the mag opening so it is about flush with the lip of the bolt face.

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee269/geargrinder123/S8000906a.jpg

I also smoothed out the front of the mag opening. Just enough to get to the bottom of the slot for the magazine tab. Sorry no picture.

Then I cut out the end of the magazine to load the bullets long.

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee269/geargrinder123/S8000910a.jpg

I fixed the magazine so it would stay in the stock since the magazine tabs and slots are gone.



It works but it sure isn't as cool as the BA.

[MT_Hunter]

FREE RIFLEMAN-
I have to confess my first thought when I saw that nice, extra long action was the same as yours (I think); how would I go about converting it to an Edge repeater. After hours of pondering and adding up the costs it seemed tough for me to justify starting with a $2k rifle just to tear it apart. Especially when the Edge and the LM are so close in performance. I have resigned myself to position that if I were to buy this rifle I would shoot it until I shot out the barrel or got tired of the "too short" barrel (IMHO), and then spin on a 28"-30" barrel chambered for an Improved LM to get to 3000 fps with 300 grn pills.

I know the Edge is quite a bit cheaper to shoot but it seems to me like a fair amount of effort and cost to end up with a nearly the same ballistics. Though expensive, the Lapua brass is supposed to last for a lot of firings. Of course if you already have brass & dies for the Edge, that would make for a bigger cost savings.

Since I have neither, I came up with the a few options that would suit me.
1. Budget Option: Build an Edge on a Stevens action and accept the single shot (or do as Geargrinder shows and "work" it into a repeater).
2. Lobby Savage to offer the 110 BA action in action only form & build an Edge repeater from that (I'll believe it when I see it).
3. Shoot the 338 LM as is, live with the short barrel and pay the piper to shoot it.
4. "Improve" it and add a longer barrel (this is what I'd really like to do).

Just my .02 and many would argue it's not even worth half that!

Also FWIW, someone recently posted here that they were able load the new 300 grn Bergers and still feed them through the 110 BA magazine.

[bigngreen]

I wouldn't even do an Egde, go with the 338 RUM. The performance is so close in equal tubes that it's not worth going through the brass forming and resizing issues for. From there I'd go to the 338LM Improved to get you up into the 3000fps range, but I would also stup up for a bigger action so you can rock it how you know you want to!!