338 edge, bare rifle
Now that one looks Very Familiar!!
Did HCA open up your bolt face or did you purchase a new bolt from PTG, etc.?It's a Remington 700 squared up and a hells canyon carbon hunter barrel
I'd have to disagree. Elk are big animals with long hair. Regardless of how far away they are or how deadly a cartridge is, finding a **** elk can be a problem.Nice work on the elk!
Man I've been down this road before with a 9.5lb scoped 338 RUM.
It took everything I had to shoot that thing accurately, and tracking my shots was a fools errand.
There really isn't any need for a 338 when there are such awesome 30 cal bullets out there.
I'd look at a 30 nosler or 300 norma, the ballistics on a 245 or 230 Berger will keep up just fine with a 338 and kill anything with 4 legs.
Ranges are 400 to 800 yards. Typically windy too. lolWhat kind of ranges are you shooting? A 7mag would cut some ammo weight and come pretty close to 338 ballistics in the right configuration.
Also think about cutting barrel length to 24-26" if weight is the main concern.
Muzzle break or suppressor is necessary to tame recoil.
Scope is a good place to shed weight. I'm using a 16oz 4.5-14x40 Mark 4 LRT. You don't need a 40oz 5-25x56 scope to hit an elk.
My 26" (light varmint contour) 7mag with scope and bipod is 10.5-11lb and recoils like a 243.
If the recoil from a 10 lb 338 Lapua doesn't punish you then you are one tough sumbitch...but your brain will know you're being punished and will not let you remain physiologically unchanged by it after a few shots.Lightweight and big recoil usually don't go well together. I personally wouldn't want a 338 Lapua in a rifle any less than 11-12lbs. I have shot one that was about 15lbs with a big brake and it was manageable but I couldn't imagine something much lighter than that. Not really the recoil punishing you, but trying to see your hits and controlling it for precision shots.
HCA supplied the new bolt. I'm not 100% sure it's manufacture but if I had to put money on it it's a PTG.Did HCA open up your bolt face or did you purchase a new bolt from PTG, etc.?
Never understood the need for the 338 Lapua when the 340 Wby has been available for years. Same ballistics, less expensive ammo.I have a 7.25lb Scoped and loaded High Tech Shadow 340 Wby. Does anything a Lapua can with cheaper brass, less recoil and less powder (thus much cheaper). And performance on game is bang/plop.
I can probably get you close to 10lbsI currently have a 338 lapua, it comes in at 14.4 lbs. Im looking at building a light weight 338 lapua or Improved shooting 300gn bergers. I elk hunt with my current rifle but would like to drop a few pounds with all the hiking we do. Just returned from WY and hiked 32 miles in 5 days. Our group went 5 for 5 on cows.
Anyone have experience with a light weight rifle in these calibers?
Would you go improved or standard 338 lapua?