338 LM, Do it?

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clocker

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I've been blessed to fill out my rifle wishlist for the common calibers, but for some reason I've been looking at the Savage 110BA in 338LM for some time. This seems like one of the most cost effective ways to get into long range shooting. I know that there is a heavy cost to get into this game and I already reload, so hoping that will keep the costs from going too high.

Do any of you have a Savage 110BA? Thoughts on the rifle or on others chambered in 338LM?
Have any of you gone through the same struggle with the long range calibers? Did you go with it or pull back?

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
How far are you going to be shooting?

I have heard that if you aren't shooting beyond 1500 yards you are just wasting money and suffering excessive recoil. Under 1500 yards a good 260/6.5CM or the such would be cheaper and just as good.
 
There are a number of places within an hour's drive for 1000+ yard ranges. living in Colorado and relatively near timberline helps. I should also say that this would be used for target shooting and the challenge of shooting far vs for hunting.
 
My youngest son bought one of those rifles and its a lot of fun to shoot. The muzzle brake is very effective-between that and the weight of that monster brings the recoil level down to 30-06 levels.
Takes a ton of powder to fill the cases, and I am not certain what barrel life is like, but we had a great time shooting it last summer!
 
A .338 LM was an easy decision for me. I've wanted one for years and I find that the AI is easy to shoot and recoil is a non issue. It might not be the best cartridge for long range paper punching or ringing steel but it certainly has its uses. If I were interested in long range hunting I'd use my AI, probably with a 265gr TTSX from Barnes.
 
never heard anybody call 338LM "cost effective" before! usually i hear it described as "launching $5 bills downrange"
 
You can reload match grade .338 LM ammunition for around $1.15 per round using a 250gr bullet from Sierra or Lapua. Of course, you'll have to buy brass which costs anywhere from $2.50 to $2.75 per case. If you mouth anneal you can get good life out of those cases.
 
Haha Taliv :) I was more referring to the 110BA with regards to the cost effective comment. I know that it will be a big chunk of change to get into the cartridge and firearm, but less so than the 50 cal that my shooting buddy is trying to guide me into.
 
I own both 50 BMG rifles and a 338 LM, my preference for leisurely shooting is the 338 LM. Has a lighter recoil and no deafening over-pressure.
 
What 50 do you own? I own an AR-50 and I could shoot all day and never feel the recoil on my shoulder. With all the 50 brass, powder, surplus stuff, projos... 50 BMG isnt as expensive to get into as people think.

Even now you can buy surplus ammo for $3 a round and thats the same or less then .338 LM. If you reload you can get it down under $2 using surplus components. I use double hearing protection so noise and over pressure doesn't bother me. Now, standing or shooting next to a 50 is another issue.
 
50 Shooter, those were some of his arguments also. The only downside that I could see was the cost to buy a rifle. $2000 will get a magazine fed 110BA. I think I would need to step that price up quite a bit to get into fiddy.
 
I have shot the savage and it was accurate but brass would get stuck in the camber and have to be tapped out with a rod. I know another guy that had to send his back 3 times with problems. I am planning to get it in the Sako TRG.
 
The particular model my son bought is the Savage 10/110 FCP HS Precision, which is a bit cheaper than what you are looking at. Its a good accurate shooter, and the only problem he has with it is keeping it out of his wife's hands lol.
 
50 shooter, I own a Cobb BA50, a State Arms Rebel, and a semi-auto M3HB. The over-pressure is noticeable when shooting the 22" barreled Cobb (weighs 25 #'s). The Rebel has no shooter perceived issues, except having to handle each round. The barrel is 36" and extra heavy bull (complete gun weighs 44 #'s). The M3 is off topic. My 338LM is a Christensen that weighs just over 7 #'s with a 27" barrel. Recoil from it is less than my 30/06 Rem. 7400. There is no price comparison between 338LM and 50bmg ammo. My choices for ammo per caliber, 338 the cheapest 250 gr scenar I can find. 50bmg is AP or API on my personal range and FMJ at the club.
Clocked, I do not own a Savage 338 and as such have no information to offer for a pro/con to buy one.
 
That's a lot of good info about 50 cals. I did a little more research on the ranges that are nearby and 50 BMG is prohibited nearly everywhere while 338 is still allowed. Guess that sets me back on the original path. Will check with some of the stores this weekend.
 
Clocker;

Just my opinion mind you, but I can certainly think of some alternatives to your scenario. For 1000 yard, and up shooting, accumulative recoil is a real factor that influences accuracy. That's a big reason why calibers such as the 6.5/284 are so popular for that application. If all you want to do is punch paper, don't use a sledgehammer to do a tackdriver's job. Look at the 7mm Practical for that matter, it's a wildcat but nothing more than the .300 WM necked down to 7mm.

Or, if it's simply got to be a .338, why the Lapua? According to the books the Lapua gives you about 100 fps over the common and much less expensive .338 Winchester magnum. I shoot the WM & darn well know that 2900 fps is perfectly possible with a 225 grain bullet if you do your work up properly. Bullets with B/C's over .5 are available from several sources in 225 grains & over .6 in 250 grains, all from reasonably priced manufacturers.

Which brings us to the cost of the platform and what you get for your money. By using either a 6mm/6.5mm/7mm bullet, or a WM you open up a lot of options for the gun itself. Things on the used rack become the much lower cost basis for a practical long-range gun. For that matter there are some off-the-shelf 6.5 Swedes runnin' around that'll knock your socks off at a thousand yards. I've also heard of some outstanding performances turned in by 6.5 Creedmore's though not seen it personally.

your nickle, your choice though.

900F
 
Those are some great points. I've looked around enough to agree that the other calibers and cartridges are totally capable of target use at long distance. If I'm honest there is something about the 338 and 50 that is drawing me though. Call it ego or compensating or something like that :) Guess I won't know until I try it.
 
go for it. i bought the savage 110 fcp hs precision and immediately put it in an xlr industries chassis. for roughly the same price as a 110ba you have an awesome looking and more user friendly rifle without all of the "gawkyness" of the 110ba. but hey, some people like gawky. its hard to beat the feeling of having gun with the capabilities of the 338lm. something about that in itself is fun as heck! do it!
 
Pronunciation?

Heard a Finn pronouncing it with two syllables La-pwa with the w intermediate between the English U and W but sounding closer to a W to my ear. Most Americans seem to do three syllables: Lah-Poo-ah.

It is a town in Finland famous for ammunition manufacturing.

Mike

PS. Found "LAH-p'wah" on line and that sounds like what I heard.
 
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Lapua

My wife works for Wartsila (don't ask me to pronounce THAT, it starts with a "V" and trying to pronounce the vowels like they do hurts my eyes). All the Finns working there have advised her that "LAH-p'wah" is the correct pronunciation but for some reason she hasn't been able to find out what "Scenar" means.
 
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