20" Barreled AX338?

[Matt in Virginia]

Gentlemen,
I have noted a personal preference for shorter rifles rather than their longer and more common brethren through the years. That said I have no experience with 20" barreled .338 Lapua Magnums and wonder if this is not taking a good thing too far? Does anyone have any experience with the new AX338 or TRG42s in .338 Lapua with 20" tubes? Custom builds are of course also included...

The rifle will never be fired without one of my two AAC TiTan QD Suppressors on board. Very much interested in your thoughts on the matter...

Regards, Matt Garrett
757-581-6270

 

[Lowlight]

Re: 20" Barreled AX338?

They work and work well.

I have shot several 20" 338LM and it gets the job done. Several times Barrett brought down their 20" MRAD as well as a 20" 98B and the results were excellent and that was sea level. Add some elevation it works even better.

After a lot of trying in the past 7 years of so of hosting SH Matches the first 338LM to break the Top 10 was Tom Fuller shooting a 20" 98B, with no suppressor just a brake. He managed to keep pace with 60 other shooters, most of them using short action chambering, so that should tell you something because a lot of people have tried and this was the first time someone succeeded. Kyle Lynch also was one of only 2 people to clean the sub MOA -- Walk in event with the 20" MRAD.

In fact I was at Mile High Shooting yesterday talking about the 20" and plan on grabbing one after Thanksgiving.

My personal, first hand experience they work.

 

[Matt in Virginia]

Re: 20" Barreled AX338?

Frank,
Much obliged. I feel a 20" AX338 in my near future...

You realize you are an enabler....(grin)

Regards, Matt.

 

[Lowlight]

Re: 20" Barreled AX338?

Call Diann at Mile High, I know she has them there, several as I was just there yesterday. She'll hook you up, drop my name for the Friend of Frank deal.

 

[Papagallos]

Re: 20" Barreled AX338?

Lowlight,

Is it safe to say a 20" 338 in any stock/chasis platform will perform moderately well if not very well?

 

[Lowlight]

Re: 20" Barreled AX338?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Papagallos</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lowlight,

Is it safe to say a 20" 338 in any stock/chasis platform will perform moderately well if not very well?
</div></div>

When you consider the example of the Barrett 98B, as well the MRAD, I would have to say "yes" --> caveated to say your personal mileage may vary I don't know how sensitive you might be to the recoil, but I consider both Barrett rifles to be pretty light.

This video is with the 20" MRAD
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wj1z6DL83fg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This was at sea level, so you can see at 1k it was easy hitting sub MOA targets. The second plate I shot was 8" wide, body was 11" tall.

Look at the DTA too, they bring the muzzle pretty close to the shooter so it would be a similar effect.

For me, I think living here in CO the 20" is a no brainer, for every 1000ft I am going up in Elevation I am adding an 1" to my barrel, so if I am using a 20" 338LM with a Suppressor, at one of the ranges I use the elevation is right around 9,000ft above sea level. I just added almost 9" of barrel back on the rifle. without having to carry it.

 

[THUNDERBOLT68]

Re: 20" Barreled AX338?

The DTA you can have your cake and eat it to....

A Twenty four inch is still awesome..and short.

 

[Papagallos]

Re: 20" Barreled AX338?

That's awesome, Lowlight. Thanks for the info.

 

[Sid Post]

Re: 20" Barreled AX338?

How harsh is muzzle blast? I hate those 10.5" AR-15/M-16's. Sure you've got 9.5" more barrel but, you have a whole lot more gas volume.

 

[BLANKSGUNS]

Re: 20" Barreled AX338?

With the SAS QD muzzle brake installed it is much less than several others and completely bearable. The crowd around you will not like you very much as you might imagine.

 

[Lazlo]

Re: 20" Barreled AX338?

Lowlight,

By any chance do you recall the dialed elevation for 1k?

I've been considering a 20" 338, but others have stated requiring 7.9mils at 900 yards. As the USTC data book states 4.3mils elevation at 900yds, I'd like to know if you're seeing a similar difference between a 20" and 27" barrel.

 

[THUNDERBOLT68]

Re: 20" Barreled AX338?

Does anyone have velocity of the 300 gr bullet ot of the 20" barrels compared to the 27"

 

[coldboremiracle]

Re: 20" Barreled AX338?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: THUNDERBOLT68</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Does anyone have velocity of the 300 gr bullet ot of the 20" barrels compared to the 27" </div></div>

I know bigsky23 has a 16" Covert in .338 and he's chronoed them at 2500.