Wanting a do-it-yourself custom 338 Edge for the non-gunsmith. I've been thinking about starting with a Savage magnum action and dropping in a McGowan 338 barrel prefit replacement. Then adding an aftermarket stock. Has anyone gone this route? Also wondering if there are extended box magazines for the Savage to load the 300 gr. Bergers long and keep it a repeater. Finally, opinions on the best trigger for this build. Thanks in advance.
Anyone build a Savage 338 Edge?
- Thread starter kellyz
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Danny1788
Well-Known Member
I've done this before. I started with a 300rum large shank action. No mag box is available, I milled the receiver front and back, then cut the box and welded it back together with another mag box that was cut to make it longer. It would feed 3.900" pretty decent not the best but it worked. Also cut the bolt stop back to make it pick up the longer case. I would recommend the Sharp Shooter Centerfire & Rimfire Triggers I tried the rifle basix sav2 trigger and didn't care for it personally.
Danny1788
Well-Known Member
The problem is that you have to mill the action ALOT, it's not that easy to do like a Wyatt's box. I shortened the feed ramp and reshaped it. I got the most out of it by cutting it in the back. Then you have to recut the slits that the bag box slides into the action. If it was as easy as milling it longer and putting a longer box in I'm sure someone would do it. But it's more involved then that.
geargrinder
Well-Known Member
I've built a couple 338 Edges on Savage actions. I built a repeater first and it wasn't worth all the effort and irreversible modifications to the action.
Single shot is the most simple and easy way for a Savage.
If you really want a repeater, start with a Rem 700 and use a Remage style barrel and a Wyatt mag box. Much easier to get the OAL for the Edge.
Wedgy
Well-Known Member
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- Feb 9, 2013
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Use any of the large shank actions, not the small shank. Jim at Northland Shooters Supply will be happy to explain why and tell you what you need to know. The 112 mag target is a large shank. A repeater makes it a much bigger project.
http://northlandshooterssupply.com/
http://northlandshooterssupply.com/
geargrinder
Well-Known Member
You don't need a large shank action. Small shank works just fine.
The OD of the actions are the same. Small shank has a thicker action, large shank has a thinner action. The front bridge of a Savage action is heat treated. The barrel is not. I'd rather have a thicker cross-section of heat treated material and less barrel, than a thinner cross section of heat treated material and a thicker barrel.
Hundreds of RUM and WSM based rounds have been safely built on small shanks.
The OD of the actions are the same. Small shank has a thicker action, large shank has a thinner action. The front bridge of a Savage action is heat treated. The barrel is not. I'd rather have a thicker cross-section of heat treated material and less barrel, than a thinner cross section of heat treated material and a thicker barrel.
Hundreds of RUM and WSM based rounds have been safely built on small shanks.
