A similar extreme pressure test was done 20 or 25 years ago but, Bill Miller didn't have the new Sako 3 lug action to try out. Bill was the Vice president of the Williamsport 1000 yard club and a longrange hunter and competitive shooter.
A Mauser 98, a Winchester md 70, a Remington 700 and an Enfield P=17 made by Winchester was used for the test.
All rifles were fitted with used barrels and each chambered for the 30/378 Weatherby. 250 By 30 cal MK bullets (available at the time) were used for the test along with H-4831 powder. The powder charges were worked up a few grains at a time till an action blew or locked up and then continued with more powder in the remaining actions till all of them failed.
The barreled actions were placed in a large earth mover tire (one at a time) and a "long" string was attached to each trigger. This test was done at Bill Millers machine shop in Watsontown, PA.
Here are the results of that testing as reported by Bill at the time. Several of the members of the 1000 yard club were on hand for the testing.
The first to go was the Mauser 98 and it was blown to pieces and the bolt was not in what was left of the action. Both lugs were sheared off. It was not a real heavy charge either as I remember.
Next was the Md 70 which had the front of the action blown away all the way around. The bolt was still in what was left of the action with a large amount of set back and one lug partially sheared away. Part of the bolt head was also gone.
Next came the Remington which had one side of the front of receiver blown out (in pieces) and the bolt locked up and also set back. Both lugs were grooved badly and one lug was half gone.
The last action to fail under "extreme" pressure was the P-17 Enfield by Winchester.
Nothing was blown away on the action but the bolt locked up with 112 grs or 117 grs (not sure right now which) of 4831 which was quite a bit more then what the Remington and other actions failed at. If I remember correctly, the Remington went with 102 grs.
The barrel on the Enfield had to be cut back and away at the threaded area to relieve the tension but, when this was done, the bolt still functioned in the rails. No lug grooves or chips to bolt face were detected.
All the rest of the actions were destroyed from this testing and not usable again. The P17 was not used either but, Bill thought it could be.
Now the only point to make here is, if you happen to screw up and put the wrong powder in when loading or forget to clean all the grease from the cases, you may have a better chance of "living" with a stronger action like the P-17 or a custom or even "possibly" the Sako 3 lug then any of the others that blew apart or locked up during these high pressure tests.
Yes, the Remington failed as all actions will eventually do, under extreme pressures.
Wish Bill would have had a 3 lug Sako to try this test on to see how it would have held up? They weren't being made then however.
This was just a test to see how the actions would hold up under "extreme" pressure and all of them have their limits and can be blown up or locked up in one way or another.
Remingtons "may" be strong enough to hold some of the larger cases like the Lapua but, with the expense of cutting the bolt face out, putting in a special Sako extractor, increasing the size of the magazine box, never overloading a tad to obtain a bit more velocity, it makes better sense to me to buy a complete Sako 995 chambered in the 338 Lapua for about $600.00.
The action is ready to go with "NO" other alterations needed as one would have to do with a Remington. If you just used the action, you probably won't have any more invested then the machine work and initial cost of a Remington action would be, and you would end up with Sako quality and 3 lug safety, if piece of mind is is an issue.
You could sell the stock and barrel and recoup some of the $600.00 spent for the complete rifle.
It just makes much more sense to me to go this route then fooling with a Remington action and all the work and expense needed to use it for larger cases.
Just another view point and I might add, I have several bench rifles made with Remington actions but, would "never" consider chambering a 30/378 or 338/378 on them the way I like to push the velocity and pressure envelope even though they may work fine for some who keep the pressures down.
To each his own.
Later
DC
