Win mod 70 .338 win mag=good tac rifle platform?

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JAMES77257

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I have an unfired m70 in .338 mag that I bought before they stopped making "good ones". Lately I've been having wood to build a long range sniper-style rifle. I have another .338, It shoots really flat out to 800 yds. w/220 gr. matchkings. What limits me to 800 yds. is my 3-9 Leupold.

Does anyone have any suggestions for mods, accessories, stock, optics, etc.

Feel free to voice your opinion.
 
wow, 800 yards with a 9x scope? i cant see well past 200-300 yards with a 9x. after 300 yards i have a 12 x on my varmit gun and thats limited to about 400 yards in my eyes.

200 yard benchrest guys like the 24x and 36x leupolds. for superlong range, i'd like to have one of them

but i'm not expert on this. for a good choice for all ranges would probly be a 6.5-20x or similar. not exactly sure on what the variable ranges are for the high end tactical scopes, its something like 6-20.
 
I haven't seriously played the long-range game... yet... but a few things come to mind...

What's your goal? Paper-punching? Minute-of-man? Simply have a hard-on for .338 mag and ultimate accuracy? How about an AI in .338 Lapua?


-josh
 
I've been thinking about this very thing. I have a 700 donor reciever in ultramag, and the 338 IS a good long range bullet to start with. I have looked at every barrelmakers ( and sellers) webpage for 2 months. Decided on a stock, remy factory H-S precision, and have a elite 4200 AO mil dot 6x24x40 that has been gathering dust. A rock steady bipod and recoil pad seem required- muzzle brake optional; a can is out of the question $$$. The only reason I defer from the laupa is the brass & dies cost, something the ultramag is a small amount better pricewise. Rings and mounts require alot of money- my 375ultra w/brake proved that to me. Don't have a clue why I want this. Back to your question- great scope and lots of reloading time will get you what your after, and a GREAT trigger.
 
wow, 800 yards with a 9x scope? i cant see well past 200-300 yards with a 9x. after 300 yards i have a 12 x on my varmit gun and thats limited to about 400 yards in my eyes.
Click to expand...

Let me clarify, the target was an 18" round steel swinger. Let me tell you, it hits it like a freight train. My .308 is good to 800 yds. also, but when it hits the swinger it sorta just plinks it. I am actually wanting to shoot 1200 yds plus.
 
Unless you foresee a hostage situation involving Alaskan bears, you aren't describing a tac rifle.

But as a long range toy to ring the gong with authority, .338 is a good choice.

With 250 grain VLDs, you'll be able to get about 2700fps or a smidge more out of the 338 WM case. The Ultramag or $$$Lapua$$$ will give you another 250fps or so on top of that, which amounts to 12 or 15% less wind drift.

Whether that's worth the extra noise, kick and money is up to you.
 
Just to wonder, a 7mmSTW would do what you want with more powder. BTW, keep the model 70 338 untouched, in about a few years you'll be glad you did.
 
There's nothing wrong with the 338 Win Mag for long range shooting. The 250gr Scenar has a BC of 0.675; shooting that at 2700 fps provides much better ballistics than the 308's 175 SMK @ 2700fps.

However, because the 338 Win Mag has relatively less case capacity for the high-BC bullets in .338 caliber, it is not amongst the best long-range cartridges. You pay a high penalty in recoil and rifle weight for the heavy projectiles, but they aren't going fast enough to really take advantage of their high BC's. By this I mean if you step down to 6.5mm or 7mm, you can beat the trajectory (wind & drop) of the 338WM with less recoil. To beat those with the .338 bore size, you need to be able to shoot the 250's a bit faster than what the 338WM can do.
 
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