My mission to find the best short barreled big 338!!!

[Elk Hunter 338]

Wow!! What magazine box/bottom metal do you use for the Reaper? And, can you shoot the Berger factory 338 LM ammo in it?

I set them up with a wyatts CFE-9 center feed in the bdl style.. and i also runt he UM DBM

No my reaper rounds aren't designed to be able to shoot factory!!! JAMM them babies

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

how much does that ridge reaper weigh?

7 pounds 10 ounces as you see it

BAT VESPER ACTION
PROOF SENDERO
AG K2 STOCK
BIX N' ANDY PRO
HAWKINS BDL
WYATTS CFE9
TI PRO BRAKE

 

[odoylerules]

So…is there a 20" 338 that could give you elk minimums at 1000 yards? (1800 fps/1500ke)

 

[Northkill]

As many know, I am infatuated with larger 338's and how well they .. for a lack of a better term SIMPLY SMASH ****!!!

The last few years though, I have been traveling down the road of being a short barreled suppressor running kinda guy. So, with that, finding what works and what does not for my needs is a fine line that I'm willing to walk due to what the returns are!!

Last years rifle was frickin awesome and it stacked up the game with every trigger squeeze! With big 338's There is never a wonder " did I hit it?" It's actually always more like "welp get the packs ready boyz" I even let my oldest son shoot his bull with it, and after absolutely stoning it at 486 yards off my RRS tripod he turned and said .. "that was so awesome, I saw him hit the dirt and it was sooooo quiet.. can I have this one DAD""??

This rifle was a last minute project.. and I absolutely loved it!

BAT VESPER, BARTLEIN #3B 22" 9.4 TW, MCM GAMEHUNTER 2.0, UM DBM, TRIGGER TECH DIAMOND, TBAC 338 ULTRA! This rifle has since been sent to very great customer of mine to enjoy for years to come.View attachment 461579

So, After last seasons end, I started a new quest for the ultimate short barrel big 338 build and cartridge simply because of the success I had. I have received quite a few calls, emails and PM's wanting know what's the best and have I done it all to see which is best!! The simple answer is NO .. but I promise I have shot more large 338's in many different setups than most, and I know what I want and dont want, and i know what it takes to get to my set parameters.... I can tell you this .. for absolute certainty, there is no replacement for displacement!!! You want horse power? You have to feed it! Velocity comes from fuel being burned .. I've done them all from from 338-06 ACK on up! There is no substitution for displacement!!

So I thought maybe I could fine tune it into a serious platform for myself as well as others wanting to experience the raw power the larger 338's possess in a shorter package!

This years rifle is what I decided to try out and I have enough time to tweak and change how I see fit!!

build specs:
BAT BUILT LPR SPEC'D HR .. THE BEST ACTION ON THE PLANET ..PERIOD!
WYATTS CFE9 TUNED TO PERFECTION
HCA 20" 9.5 TW
CHAMBERED IN LPR 338 NORMA IMPROVED
TT SPECIAL @2#
DISCONTINUED GAMEWARDEN MAX HAND PAINTED BY THE MASTER @custom GUN COATINGS
HAWKINS BDL
TBAC 338 ULTRA
NXS 5.5-22X50 NP-R1 FOR SIMPLE TESTING
AS IT SITS FULLY LOADED 10.6# SO NOT TERRIBLE.
BARE RIFLE IS 6 POUNDS 10 OUNCES!!!! MY U;TIMATE GOAL HERE IS TO GET A STOMPER UNDER 10 POUNDS FULLY RIGGED..
View attachment 461612
View attachment 461605View attachment 461606View attachment 461607View attachment 461608View attachment 461604

Picture is formed and unformed with 250 accubond

I will be posting velocities, bullets used and everything else here at later dates so follow along and feel free to add your builds if they are very similar to my (our) goals .. I would love to see them !!! DISCLAIMER !!!! I WILL NOT BE SHOOTING ANY UNICORN TEAR POWERS!!!!. NO RL THIS, NO VV THAT.. IT WILL ALL BE DONE SQAURE WITH H1000 ONLY.

P.S. ///// I have several others being built spec'd similar to mine for customers that i will also test and post on here .. they wont be running cans so it will be interesting.

all 22 or 20" barrels 338 edge, 338 reaper 338 ultra

Love your concept. Anxious for reports.

 

[Northkill]

That's really light ... I dont believe it will handle a 338 edge or 338 lapua on a 20 or 22" barrel running 3200 fps for very long and or be as quiet as my 338 TBAC ultra can.. I could be totally 100% wrong too!! .. YOU SHOULD buy one and tell us how it does

A little comparative info:

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

So…is there a 20" 338 that could give you elk minimums at 1000 yards? (1800 fps/1500ke)

In my little 20" im going to find out!! i will shoot and test the most accurate and stable bullet i can find for my liking and that will ring out the most potential in this given setup.. my plan is to not go above 250gr and really try to get to that 3000 fps or above. last yeasr shot just under 3200fps in a 22" barrel .. so we will see

In the process of building a 23" Long barrel 338 RUM. Hoping to shoot a mono in the 230-250 gr range. Any experience with something like that compared to the Norma? Great looking rifle you have there.

Last year I shot the 223 hammer hunter in a 338 edge and it did fabulously on deer and several Elk..

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

A little comparative info:

View attachment 464497
View attachment 464498

Nice

 

[BAKPAKR]

In my little 20" im going to find out!! i will shoot and test the most accurate and stable bullet i can find for my liking and that will ring out the most potential in this given setup.. my plan is to not go above 250gr and really try to get to that 3000 fps or above. last yeasr shot just under 3200fps in a 22" barrel .. so we will see

Last year I shot the 223 hammer hunter in a 338 edge and it did fabulously on deer and several Elk..

With the 223 HH, what did you use for B.C., what was the longest range it was used on game, and how did it perform at that range? My experience with Hammer Hunters is limited to one whitetail each with a 124 and a 181 out of a 300 RUM, both at about 200 yards. It appeared that the front petals sheered off and formed their own wound channels (like they are supposed to) while the rest of the bullet went right on through.

 

[TheFishBox]

Bringing this one back up. Any news on testing?

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

With the 223 HH, what did you use for B.C., what was the longest range it was used on game, and how did it perform at that range? My experience with Hammer Hunters is limited to one whitetail each with a 124 and a 181 out of a 300 RUM, both at about 200 yards. It appeared that the front petals sheered off and formed their own wound channels (like they are supposed to) while the rest of the bullet went right on through.

The BC used in my sig and Leica apps was .240 g7
furthest Shot on game was just under 500
no real long shots and bullet performance was hammer esk.. and really couldn't ask for better performance from any bullet.

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

Bringing this one back up. Any news on testing?

I will be heading to the range this week hopefully if time allows. i have 50 pieces for forming and a 10 that are ready loaded with some sauce to see where she falls

 

[TheFishBox]

How did the testing go?

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

@TheFishBox funny thing about rifles that you want to keep so bad .. others want them just as badly!!!
This rifle is going to a great home, and he insisted on working up a load using 285 eld-m. The initial ladder with h1000 and this bullet went just under 2863 fps which actually surprised the crap out of me!! I will say that got my attention especially in a 20" barrel..

 

[DirtNap35]

@TheFishBox funny thing about rifles that you want to keep so bad .. others want them just as badly!!!
This rifle is going to a great home, and he insisted on working up a load using 285 eld-m. The initial ladder with h1000 and this bullet went just under 2863 fps which actually surprised the crap out of me!! I will say that got my attention especially in a 20" barrel..

Was that on your Reaper?