Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

[mdavlee]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Layton</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mdavlee</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What is your mag length? Mine is 3.850". </div></div>

That's a lot longer than I thought they were. So you're able to mag feed with a 3.85 COAL? </div></div>

No that's the length the mag says it will hold. I haven't tried to seat one that long since I can't chamber it.

 

[TheMyth]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

i believe the mas OAL is about 3.75 or around there. and my rifle will chamber rounds way longer then that. i just cant believe mine would be that much longer than normal, but it is. i guess if i cant get anything to work with this barrel ill have to put a new one on it. Oh darn! my scenars are coming in tomorrow so hopefully i will have time to load em up and get out by friday and let em fly.

 

[mdavlee]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

Do you have a comparator to measure the ogive? The ogive on the 300s are shorter seated longer than the 285 hornadys were at 3.625". I don't remember the actual numbers since I'm not at home until friday night.

 

[TheMyth]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

no, i dont have one. and maybe it is just that the 300s are that much longer, but it seems that im having to load them longer then anyone else is either.

 

[mdavlee]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

I was thinking that also but it seems they like that seating depth. I'll report after the weekend and let you know my results for the 3.770" loads.

 

[Ishallbie O'Cullkillin]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

I'm getting the same OAL, 3.775", with the 300gr Bergers in My 110FCP. My mag has 3.850" stamped on it. The 300gr Scenars max out to the lands at 3.700" on the nose. They also clocked at 2850fps with 93gr Retumbo, grouped 1.285" at 200yds

 

[TheMyth]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

well i made it out yesterday and am making progress. i was shooting 400 yds again. it went better today. although i still had groups from about 4 inches to 2 inches. my second group was under and inch. after that i couldnt get better then 2". maybe it is the shooter, cuz if the rifle can do that once, i dont know why it wouldnt be repeatable. ive noticed that after i shoot im am very far off target. this rifle gives ya a pretty good rockin. im able to hold very steady on the target and my trigger pull is smooth, but maybe i need a more solid rest.

 

[Danhalen7.62]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

I have a 110 fcp w/ a NXS 12-42 and badger rings. Out of the box basically every screw was loose, after tightening my groupings were terrible. I could not get any kind of group, it was all over the place. I sent my rifle back to savage to have it inspected, after a month they notified me that the barrel was bent. They were going to replace the barrel and send it back to me, but after about two more months and ALOT of fighting w/ sportsmans warehouse I got a completley new rifle. The best groups I have been able to acheive so far are 1.2-1.5 in. at 200yrds. Which in my mind is sub par. I have had the best luck w/ smk 300gr and h1000.

 

[mdavlee]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

I got one round off today before a thunderstorm shut me down. At least I got my new PST sighted in.

The mag will probably only feed 3.770 or shorter even though it says 3.850". I'll get you an ogive measurement here shortly for you if you want to start measuring yours.

I've noticed the recoil sometimes moves the rifle to the left just a shade. Most of the time I can be back on target almost instantly shooting prone.

 

[dennisnielsen]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

Do you hunt and if so
what projectile do you prefer?

How do you think they would do for hunting?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: diego-ted</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

BA 110 300 yards
87gr of H1000, 300gr SMK, 15 thou of the lands, full sized Lapua brass, FGMM Mag primers. Load is good out past a mile!!

Nuff said.

Diego </div></div>

 

[diego-ted]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

Myself, I have not taken any game with these; however, my buddy who was the head of Albq swat for many years has used them and taken severl huge elk at over 400 yards with the SMK 300. He also has used the SMK 175 for big mules, all about shot placment or so he tells me. Most of my other buddys use the Nosler partiations?

 

[dennisnielsen]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

Thanks for the input

I had posted this same subject on another forum
and was told the following

Copy and pasted

Hunting projectile question/338 Lapua

Shooting a Savage 110BA
1 in 9 twist

looking at the Sierra 300 grain match kings & 300grain Bergers
but wondering if these hollow points would expand enough for the job

250 grain Sierra spitzers have not given me good groupings

The Lapua 250 senacars are a much tighter group


seating depths,powders and such have been taken into consideration
and tested thru the scale

Am I asking too much from a hunting bullet?





I guess I could just use a match grade bullet and hit them in the head?

____________________________________________________________________
from:
nononsense

dennisnielsen,

The search for accurate, longer range, larger caliber hunting bullets will be ongoing until the manufacturers determine that there is a sizable enough market that they can pillage. Right now there just isn't the call for hyper-accurate .338 hunting bullets.

I have used the Nosler Accubond with decent results in the .338 Lapua, .338-378 Weatherby, .338 RUM and the newer .338 Norma Mag. The other alternative is the Barnes Tipped Triple Shock which perform on everything up to and including Grizzly.

As always, the killing shots will be head, neck and heart. I don't collect trophies so it's easy for me to justify a brain shot, more especially with the smaller caliber cartridges than the Lapua, RUM, etc. But that certainly wouldn't stop me from doing it if the opportunity presented itself.

Barnes .338 225 GR TIPPED TRIPLE-SHOCK BT*

Barnes .338 285 GR TRIPLE-SHOCK BT

NOSLER .338 225 GR SPT ACCUBOND*

NOSLER .338 250 GR SPT ACCUBOND

I have avoided the 300 grain hunting bullets simply because I haven't had the need. I'm showing about 4600 FT/LBS of energy at the muzzle with the 225's which leaves no doubt about the outcome when I take the shot. I do shoot the 300 grain Berger and Lapua Match bullets though. Some of these are getting pretty pricey so I try to husband them for competitions now.


Best.

 

[shanksalot]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

I think I can give some positive input into this thread.............. My Father-in-law bought the long range hunter and I personally thought it was a mistake, but through sheer will and perseverance it has become an unbelievable hunting rifle. He took a great mule deer at 720 yards one shot with a 300 grain scenar, and it may only be a paper puncher, but it blew the lungs out of the fist sized exit wound. He changed out the accutrigger with one I had never heard of before out of Brownells and it is great. Uses lapua brass H1000, 300 grain , kissing the lands. He cleaned the barrel so much at the range that it drove me bonkers, but I really think that his hard work paid off because the gun out performs my HS precision 300 win mag. My buddy drew a sheep tag and he is going to borrow the savage instead of my win mag. I have become a huge fan of 338L and savage. Great weapon at a great price.

 

[Ishallbie O'Cullkillin]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

+1 on the cleaning the snot out of the Savage .338LM 110's. When I first shot mine, velocities were slow, groups were large, copper fouling was massive and took way too long to get clean. A nylon brush made a sound like a zipper when pushed down the bore. After 150rds & 11 Iosso cleanings later, my groups are finally getting tighter, & i'm able to back off the charge weights 2gr for the same velocity.

 

[dennisnielsen]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

Well I used the Lapua # 4PL8012 250 senacars this year at deer camp.

They are tighter than Diego's groups pictured,so shot placement falls on the operator's shoulders if they don't DRT.

We thinned the hog packs,scored some deer meat and did some night predator hunting with a TLR-2.

I set it up in the RCBS RAAS for the girls,
between them and pre teen grandchildsons
they have eaten up almost all grandpas senacars
so I found some 300 SMK's direct at Sierra online and dug up this thread for a base line load.
Thanks


Still love the Savage110BA
out

 

[dennisnielsen]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

BTW

I am having good results with moly coatings.

 

[lead ƒarmer]

Re: Savage .338 lapua grouping issue.

tagged for interest

 

[orion94us]

tagged for reference

Great Info BTW. Thanks to all

 

[mikeym1a]

Berger's are extremely finicky bullets and can be dead on at one seating depth and then change it by a thousandths and its all over. When I develop a load I grab my Hornady overall length gauge. This allows you to measure the seating depth of the bullet you are using to the lands. This gives you a starting point and allows you to no just guess on where to start. Then I start making loads somewhere in between min and max powder, not extremely important at this point. Next I start making loads for seating depth. I might start 6 thousandths back from lands and then make 5 loads for each, then I would go to 8, 10, 12 thousandths back from the lands. Go to the range and shoot at 100 yds. After I finally get good grouping .5 moa I'll start to be more precise with the seating depth, I may end up with 11.5 thousandths back from lands. The last step I'll have my seating depth all figured out and then I'll go and stat getting picky on the grains of powder. I'll increase each load by half a grain. until I reach about 1 grain under max or even .5 under max. Most of the time for me it seems this is the sweet spot, but each gun is different. I ended up with my .338 RUM and 300 gr. bergers shooting .38 moa groups at 100yds. Load development is time consuming depending on how picky you are, but Each gun has its own load that works just right for it. Hopefully this helps.

 

[Desert Fox]

Myself, I have not taken any game with these; however, my buddy who was the head of Albq swat for many years has used them and taken severl huge elk at over 400 yards with the SMK 300. He also has used the SMK 175 for big mules, all about shot placment or so he tells me. Most of my other buddys use the Nosler partiations?

Hell yeah you can hunt with 300 SMK. I shot this pup at 480 yards with my 338 Lapua Ackley Loaded with 300 grain SMK. The exit wound clearly showed expansion.