Well I did 2 things never thought I would do the last day of 2016.
I bought a new gun. As in I expected to actually shoot it without completely building it first. I buy cheap Savages in pawnshops and then screw on real barrels, put them in a real stock and spend about 20 hrs getting them how I like. I haven't bought and shot a STOCK rig in 20+ yrs. Haven't shot a stock barrel in 20+ yrs. Well now I have!
I also bought a 338 Lapua. I have run 338-378, 338-416, 340 Weatherby and lately the Edge. Never thought I would buy a Lapua due to the FANBOY issue AND brass cost. Well guess what? BRASS for any RUM based rig is now more $$$ per shot and WAAAAAAY harder to find than Lapua brass. Oh and RP brass, Nosler and even Norma SUCKS compared to Lapua.

It was hard for me to buy this rig. What can I do to improve it? IDK. Probably nothing except another barrel when I burn this one to cinders. I will tear it down and bed it, see if the action, bolt, lugs or nut needs work but I'm pretty sure from looking at the surfaces that they wont. Someone built this thing really well.

The trigger is within a very small step of a Jewell, yeah I know BLASPHEMY. Of course I can buy another one of these for the price of 3 installed Jewells so there is that.

Bought 100 pieces of brass (weighed 20 and got tired of looking at the same number on the scale). More fun to sort RP brass into 13 different lots.

Loaded H1000 from 88 to 92 in .5gr increments into virgin brass (No prep, have you seen this stuff lol). Pretty close to my Edge loads.

92gr ran 2820 with zero pressure at 50 degrees.

All 50 shots went into 1.25" while I was learning the gun and the 6 oz trigger. It's a tad harder to shoot than my usual 40lb 338 so I'm OK with that with a 4gr powder spread, no break in and 20 mph wind.

Gun is very well put together for a $1000 rig.

I would say this is the most LRH effective rig ever produced for this kind of money. I have been hesitant of the Lapua on a Savage platform and yet now I wish I had done this 2 Edges ago. I couldn't build this much gun for $1k with a $500 head start.

If you have thought of wanting a 338 and shied away due to cost, this is your rig. I won't spend $3k on a gun. I used to drag race and rich guys would write big checks for fast cars and then have to pay someone to drive them. It isn't what you spend, it's what you can do with it that matters.

Of all of the guns on the market, in all of the many different niches out there, I really believe this rig is the most bang for the buck that I have EVER seen.

If you have been dreaming of running 300gr pills past 2750 but haven't robbed a bank lately, go buy one of these and go have some fun and kill some stuff. Make 2017 the YEAR OF THE LAPUA and never look back!

Happy New years and hope everyone had as great of a 1st day as I did. I haven't been impressed by a stock rig in over 30 yrs and never thought I would be, just glad I was the one who bought one and not the guy at the next bench over.