what Savage actions will fit .338 Lapua??

Until the other day, I was under the impression that any Savage Long Action could handle a .338 Lapua chambering. But... I saw a comment the other day, and I'm now not so certain of this.

Are factory Savage .338 Lapuas made with a receiver unique to handle its overall length?

Or could I just buy a stainless Long Action from the 110 family, and be certain I could order a Lapua chambered barrel, the correct bolt head, and be confident it would be safe and feed reliably from a box mag?

I ask because of a comment comparing the Lapua to the .338 Edge... but I may be missunderstanding the situation here.

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Originally Posted by Rick90Can

Until the other day, I was under the impression that any Savage Long Action could handle a .338 Lapua chambering. But... I saw a comment the other day, and I'm now not so certain of this.

Are factory Savage .338 Lapuas made with a receiver unique to handle its overall length?

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Length and diameter.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick90Can

Or could I just buy a stainless Long Action from the 110 family, and be certain I could order a Lapua chambered barrel, the correct bolt head, and be confident it would be safe and feed reliably from a box mag?

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No.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick90Can

I ask because of a comment comparing the Lapua to the .338 Edge... but I may be missunderstanding the situation here.

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Yes. The diameter of the Lapua cartridge doesn't leave enough meat in the action/barrel to safely handle the pressure of the Lapua. The Edge is built on a smaller diameter cartridge.

Ok thank you!

So is there a special designation for that unique receiver?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rick90Can

Ok thank you!

So is there a special designation for that unique receiver?

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Yes. The Edge does not have as much bolt thrust as the Lapua. Sounds odd but it is true that you can do the Edge but not the Lapua. Why do the Lapua anyway? Edge brass is a bunch cheaper and it is faster.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jamie

Yes. The Edge does not have as much bolt thrust as the Lapua. Sounds odd but it is true that you can do the Edge but not the Lapua. Why do the Lapua anyway? Edge brass is a bunch cheaper and it is faster.

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I did it because load data is easier to come by and supposedly Lapua brass is very nice.

I have a Savage in the McMillian stock & it's a very nice rifle for what I paid compared to anything else chambered in 338LM & from what I understand they shoot better than the mid priced brands so the best shooters seem to be the Savage & the crazy high priced top shelf rifles.

I remember in the 50s knowing some people who sent their model 70 06s to Roy Weatherby to be rechambered into the then modern marvel 300 weatherby.
In looking back, it actually made about as much sence as adding another hole in a part of their body, or putting twin carbs on their 6 cylinder chevy. Yet people did both and earned the right to brag about having them. I suspect that at some point there will be a glut of 338 barrels and lapua boltfaces available.