How long COL can you go on a standard action?

[65impala]

Question is, on a standard 110 long action; how long can you go and still have a repeater? I'm getting the urge to build a big bore and I know the 458WM will work since it's the same length as "standard" long action cartridges od 3.340" like the 30-06, 338WM, etc. What I'm curious about is if you can go a tad longer and build a 458 Lott as a repeater? The Lott is 3.600" COL so it's not a whole lot longer, but it is a little longer.

I know the 338LM is 3.681" long which is even longer than the Lott, but I'm guessing that the factory 338LM are a different action?

I've searched, but couldn't find a list of the maximum COL in the various actions offered by Savage over the years.

Thanks,
George

[palerider338]

Was thinking of 338 LM for my 112 30-06 stagger feed using Accurate Mag system @ 3.715. Would probably have to open up the back bottom area of the receiver a little and possibly open up the rails a little if the 458 Lott is too fat. Most of the 338 LMs are built on the Target action.

[bootsmcguire]

I know Savage made the 300 RUM on the H&H/RUM length actions they used to make (which IIRC are just regular long actions with a bigger mag box in them). The 300 RUM in my load manual lists a COL of 3.600" so I am betting you would need one of the RUM length actions to accomplish this project.

[65impala]

Does anyone know of a list out there in internet land of all the various actions that Savage has made in the last 15 years?

[tammons]

Max COL mag length on a normal long action with an internal mag is about 3.4"

For a 458 lott you would need a RUM or a 375 H+H length action, IE longer mag, longer stroke.

You have SA that will feed roughly 2.9" COL max, LA that will feed 3.4" max and the 375 H+H length which is 3.6" but not sure on exactly what it will feed max COL.

The 338 Lapua action is a different action all together, stronger etc.

That said, have you ever shot a 458 Winmag loaded full tilt ??

I had a barrel a while back just because I wanted to try one out since my daughter was going to Africa for several years.
Had it loaded full tilt with everything from 300gr Barnes to 600 gr solids and its way more recoil than I want to deal with.
Reduced loads not bad at all.

If I was in Africa shooting Elephants, Rhinos or Hippos then I would maybe consider a 458 Lott, but with Modern powders the 458 WM will almost do what the 458 Lott used to and bullet construction is a lot better too.

Supposedly from what I have read in the past people were trying to dial up the 458 WM a notch and running compressed loads and that was causing ignition problems in the African heat, so the lott was invented to get more FPS without compressed loads.

Anything else in the world I would be using a 375 Ruger loaded with Barnes bullet.
I also tried that one out for a while and a hot 270 gr load was a baby compared to 458 WM 600 gr full house loads.

A full house load, 500 gr 458 WM load is abusive at the range on a bench - LOL.
Standing was tolerable.
Never have owned one but a 458 Lott would be even more painful and I would not touch one without a brake.

I will say if I was a guide in AK for coastal Brown Bears, I would consider a 22" barreled 458 WM as a stopper.

My recoil tolerance with a good stock ends about with a 375 Ruger hot load.
Thats about 35-38# of recoil out of a 10# rifle.
A 458 WM and 500 gr bullet loaded hot will be close to 55-60# of recoil with a 12# rifle.
A 458 Lott and 500 gr bullet loaded hot will be close to 70# of recoil.

[65impala]

Thanks for the input. As to the recoil, yes I've shot this and more. I have a 45-120 on a modern action, lightweight. It has the same case capacity as the Lott and some of the hotter loads I've run through it were loaded using Lott data. I don't mind the recoil, but this gun is a light weight single shot. The bolt gun would weigh more and have a brake on it so recoil would be minimal comparatively.

Then again, I'm the crazy guy to take a 338 mag out shooting prairie dogs :)

[tammons]

LOL - You dont shoot prairie dogs with your 45-120 ??

[65impala]

I have a few times, but I mostly use it for ringing the steel gongs out to about 1k yards. :) I'm just funny like that

[tammons]

My Grandpa died in the 60's and I have an older cousin that told me he used to sit out on the front porch and shoot crows
out of a pecan tree across the highway. Probably about 300 yards or so.

[tammons]

I always wanted a 50-110 express. I had a chance to buy one maybe 20 years ago, but I passed for some reason.
It was expensive.

[65impala]

Yes, expensive to buy and expensive to shoot. I load my own for everything, but the empty brass cost over $2 each for this thing! I'm toying with selling it to fund the new build, hence my wanting to figure out COL issues first. There's a good chance I'll build a 375 Ruger anyway, but I've always wanted a Lott :)

[65impala]

When I lived back home in GA I used to shoot crows, but never across the highway

[tammons]

I am leaning towards a 338-375 Ruger myself.

The Rum action is nice since you can run a 375 H+H cartridge and I am pretty sure that was a factory rifle at one time.

I ran into a guy at the range a few years ago that had one. A factory 375 H+H savage that is.
Had a gray wood stock

[65impala]

Nice, never knew they made one factory! In the end it will probably boil down to the next great deal I find on a good action :) I already have a very nice 338 so I'm covered there and I have a couple dozen other rifles ranging from the 22 hornet to 45-120. The one gap I have is from 338-458 so any of the medium bores would do just fine if I decide to pass on the 458 Lott build. :)

[tammons]

I posted a WTB 375H+H rifle a while back and got a response.

A guy here had one he would part with but I was looking for a SS rifle.

The guy I saw at the range that time had a stainless rifle.