What is the best bolt action to get in .338 Lapua?

A

AX338Mike

Private
Minuteman
Nov 30, 2011
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0
48
#1
Hello! I'm Mike. I'm look to get an extremely accurate long range gun in .338 Lapua. I've been looking at the AI .338 AX series. These seem like great rifles. I was thinking of putting a Schmidt & Bender or Night Force for a scope. I will also be getting an AAC Silencer. I'm new to the long range game and only want to spend money once on this package. All your suggestion and help would be very much appreciated steering me in the right direction.

Mike
 
#3
Re: What is the best bolt action to get in .338 Lapua?

Look at the Desert Tactical Arms SRS rifles. They are available in .338 Lapua, 300 Win mag, .308, .243, and a few others now. They are a change barrel gun with very good accuracy in a bullpup layout. My gun with a 26" .338 lapua barrel and a 10" long suppressor is still shorter than a SAKO TRG42 without a brake. Bullpup may not be your cup of tea but its another worth considering. Check the thread higher up for more info.

Frank
 
#5
Re: What is the best bolt action to get in .338 Lapua?

For Optic S&B is great you also may want to look at US Optics. NightForce is good and I have one on my .308. However for me the USO has much better clairity for shooting out past 1200 YDS, now it may be my eyes too.

Also consider getting a setup that will allow you to use multiple calibers. So you spend money once but you are not locked into a single caliber. Shooting .338 can get expensive, so having the option to change out the barrel and bolt by the end user can be a great thing. It also saves the shoulder quite a bit of wear and tear shooting .308 rather than .338. Not to mention that your wallet will have enough money left over for a hot dog.

With respect to the suppressor I would hold off until you have decieded on a manufacture and platform. Then look for the suppessor that has the best reviews for that platform. AAC is good, you may want to look at Thunder Beast they have a great option where you use their muzzle break and just screw in the suppressor right over the muzzle break. That allows you to have the best of both worlds. AWC also makes a great suppressor as well.

Best of luck...
 
#6
Re: What is the best bolt action to get in .338 Lapua?

There are a lot of good rifles out there, but I highly doubt you will be disappointed in the AX.

However, as mentioned above. If this is your first precision rifle, .338LM is not a good choice. It will hurt your wallet and not allow you to build the skill you need.
 
#7
Re: What is the best bolt action to get in .338 Lapua?

Mike, just to provide a framework for 338 ammunition cost:

Factory rounds cost $4.50 per round, and up

The best I can do using top quality components (Lapua cases, Federal primers, good name brand powder, and Sierra 300g Matchking) is about $1.10 to $1.15 per round.

IF your anticipated number of rounds per month times cost per round is compatible with your monthly shooting budget, no problem. But if it's not, you might consider that .308 can be handloaded for just about exactly half the cost.

I shoot both. 338 Lapua in my TRG 42, and .308 in my LMT MWS.

Jim G
 
#8
Re: What is the best bolt action to get in .338 Lapua?

If you're sure you want to go big bore, go with a 300 win mag and save yourself a lot of money. .338 ammo can cost any where from $85/box to $130. Sako trg-42 is a great rifle and you will not be disappointed with it in 300 win mag. If you're set on .338, +1 on the .338 edge, look up defensive edge.
 
#9
Re: What is the best bolt action to get in .338 Lapua?

buy either an Accuracy International or Sako TRG. Both are outstanding rifles that were made to shoot the .338 Lapua Magnum. With a little bit of luck, you will get hooked on long range shooting and not run out of money shooting this very expensive caliber. And the fact that the excessive recoil and noise of the .338 LM along with the difficulty in finding a place to shoot ultra long range frequently enough to feed your addiction might drive you away as well.

But if that happens and you've bought an AI or Sako TRG you're in a good place. Both those rifles hold their value well and are easy (relatively) to sell.

Otherwise, save yourself a ton of money and buy a .260 Remington Sako TRG (EuroOptics carries them) and shoot to your hearts content.

Not enough recoil for you? Ok, buy a .300 Win Mag in either an AI or TRG and you'll still save a ton of money over the 338LM.

Just my opinion, worth a whole lot of nothing in the greater scheme of things.
 
#11
Re: What is the best bolt action to get in .338 Lapua?

The above mentioned are excellent choices but I would suggest a different route. Go with a remington sendero or the like in 300 RUM. You can easily find brass and excellent bullets, It gives up very, very little to the 338LM in long range performance. Have a good brake put on there like a centershot muscle brake and the recoil is very manageable. With a good bedding job and a trigger tweak you should have yourself a 3/4-1/2 MOA rifle with tons of horsepower, a pony kick, and get your first 1000-2000 rounds downrange without going broke. Once you burn through the factory sendero barrel its just a minor change to rebarrel to 338 EDGE and you will already have all the brass and whatnot you need to keep on trucking!
 
#12
Re: What is the best bolt action to get in .338 Lapua?

I am new to both precision rifles and to 338 Lapua, but for what it's worth, my shooting improved notably immediately when I started shooting the Sako TRG 42 in 338 Lapua, despite the fact that the 338 Lapua is a much more powerful cartridge than the 308 fired by my LMT MWSE semiauto rifle.

I attribute that to the superior and adjsutable ergonomics, better barrel quality, and way less oging on inside the rifle itself once the shot is fired.

I love my LMT, and I view a semiauto as a better choice to have and shoot if The World goes to heck, but the TRG is, for me, at least right now, more satisfying to shoot.

And, while the LMT is a fine rifle when shooting my handloads for it, my very first handload range session with the TRG resulted in a 3-shot group notably betetr than any I have been able to shoot so far with the LMT. And remember, that's 338 versus 308 too.

Jim G
 
#14
Re: What is the best bolt action to get in .338 Lapua?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AX338Mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">All great suggestions! Thanks everyone. Much appreciated!! What's the max range on .260 Remington? </div></div>

it is mostly a handload round, fairly short barrel life when loaded hard,( 6.5 cred and 6.5 x 47 are similar with less powder capacity), maximum is probably 2 1/2 miles, practical target range 1200yds, hunting 600yds
 
#16
Re: What is the best bolt action to get in .338 Lapua?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: AX338Mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> What's the max range on .260 Remington? </div></div>

Guys shoot out to a mile at Thunder Valley all the time with their 260's. May not be ideal, but they do pretty good. Those 140 Bergers and 142 SMK's are some slippery bullets.
 
#17
Re: What is the best bolt action to get in .338 Lapua?

If you're new to the scene then i'd forget the .338 Lap.

Mainly because you won't be able to utilise the range it provides for many years of practice, and you'll get to that point years later and have nothing to 'look forward' to.

If this is your first precision rifle, i'd suggest a .308, .243W or .260 if you handload.
 
#18
Re: What is the best bolt action to get in .338 Lapua?

I have a Remington 700 in .308 that I shoot with a can now. There is something about AI's .338 the intrigues me. I've shot a Lapua before and didn't mind the recoil. I could see a day of shooting taking its tole on the body. I used to use a .260 all the time foe deer hunting.
 
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