338 Lapua Ai barrel

[Mt.Boy]

I have a savage 112 338 lapua. Been kicking it around about going 338 improved. Was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on a barrel for it. Like what would be a good length contour and maker. Gun is not a hunting gun. Just something I take out and shoot at distance for fun. Thanks

 

[B23]

I think when you start burning that amount of powder you need a 28-30in pipe.

But, and hopefully others like Alex Wheeler will weigh in on this, but IMO when you go that long and it's in a big boomer like a 338 Lap Imp a longer tube needs some meat in it as well so I wouldn't go with anything smaller than a Sendero contour and larger is probably better.

But, then you have to think about is my receiver rigid enough to support a long heavy contour tube without flexing.

Point being, sometimes it's not quite as easy as getting just one answer. Nothing wrong with asking multiple questions to try and check as many boxes as you can.

 

[Mt.Boy]

I think when you start burning that amount of powder you need a 28-30in pipe.

But, and hopefully others like Alex Wheeler will weigh in on this, but IMO when you go that long and it's in a big boomer like a 338 Lap Imp a longer tube needs some meat in it as well so I wouldn't go with anything smaller than a Sendero contour and larger is probably better.

But, then you have to think about is my receiver rigid enough to support a long heavy contour tube without flexing.

Point being, sometimes it's not quite as easy as getting just one answer. Nothing wrong with asking multiple questions to try and check as many boxes as you can.

Thanks for the info

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

For a while I was looking for a prefit barrel replacement for my Savage 338 Lapua, but I was having trouble finding something. A friend told me it’s because a lot of barrel makers think the Savage barrel nut isn’t really strong enough to be running a 338 LM. If you look at the two different barrel nuts, it looks like they made the large shank barrel nut by boring out the small shank barrel nut. Bigger bore rifle plus less barrel nut sounds odd to me. So I guess I would be hesitant to use a heavier and longer barrel than the one that came with the rifle in this case.

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

I have a savage 112 338 lapua. Been kicking it around about going 338 improved. Was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on a barrel for it. Like what would be a good length contour and maker. Gun is not a hunting gun. Just something I take out and shoot at distance for fun. Thanks

I've ran a 28" finished length Bartlein 1-9.3" from Greg at Bugholes.com (SPR) on a 112 Savage with a Hollands Brake with no problems. - The barrel is 0.900 at the muzzle and basically a H.V. contour for a Large Shank Savage. - I fire-formed my brass with a standard 338 Lapua charge of RL-33 (97.0 gr.) & a 300 gr. Berger. - Then after fire-forming I started out at 103.5 gr. of RL-33 and worked up.

All The Best.

 

[Mt.Boy]

I've ran a 28" finished length Bartlein 1-9.3" from Greg at Bugholes.com (SPR) on a 112 Savage with a Hollands Brake with no problems. - The barrel is 0.900 at the muzzle and basically a H.V. contour for a Large Shank Savage. - I fire-formed my brass with a standard 338 Lapua charge of RL-33 (97.0 gr.) & a 300 gr. Berger. - Then after fire-forming I started out at 103.5 gr. of RL-33 and worked up.

I've ran a 28" finished length Bartlein 1-9.3" from Greg at Bugholes.com (SPR) on a 112 Savage with a Hollands Brake with no problems. - The barrel is 0.900 at the muzzle and basically a H.V. contour for a Large Shank Savage. - I fire-formed my brass with a standard 338 Lapua charge of RL-33 (97.0 gr.) & a 300 gr. Berger. - Then after fire-forming I started out at 103.5 gr. of RL-33 and worked up.

All The Best.

That’s good to know. I have several barrels from Greg at bugholes. Great to deal with. What kinda velocities did you get with a 28 in barrel

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

At 105.3 gr. of Reloder 50 I reached 2965+ fps with 300 gr. Berger Hybrids at 0.012 off the lands.
104.8 actually shot better at long ranges. - These loads were in Lapua Brass using Fed 215M primers.
The cartridge design is a 40 degree shoulder (at 0.003 less in head space to facilitate ease in forming brass) and less body taper than the standard 338 Lapua. - Approx. 9-10% increase in case capacity over the standard cartridge.
If you can get a blank that will finish @ 30-32" that is what I'd go for to take full advantage of the improved cartridges potential and burning the slower powders. - A 28" will work fine but I've ran 28, 32 & 35 inch barrels on 3 different guns and the longer barrel not only IMO is worth it from a velocity standpoint but it gets things up to speed with less powder, so the brass doesn't need to be pushed as hard.

 

[Mt.Boy]

At 105.3 gr. of Reloder 50 I reached 2965+ fps with 300 gr. Berger Hybrids at 0.012 off the lands.
104.8 actually shot better at long ranges. - These loads were in Lapua Brass using Fed 215M primers.
The cartridge design is a 40 degree shoulder (at 0.003 less in head space to facilitate ease in forming brass) and less body taper than the standard 338 Lapua. - Approx. 9-10% increase in case capacity over the standard cartridge.
If you can get a blank that will finish @ 30-32" that is what I'd go for to take full advantage of the improved cartridges potential and burning the slower powders. - A 28" will work fine but I've ran 28, 32 & 35 inch barrels on 3 different guns and the longer barrel not only IMO is worth it from a velocity standpoint but it gets things up to speed with less powder, so the brass doesn't need to be pushed as hard.

Thanks

 

[Evlshnngns]

I think when you start burning that amount of powder you need a 28-30in pipe.

But, and hopefully others like Alex Wheeler will weigh in on this, but IMO when you go that long and it's in a big boomer like a 338 Lap Imp a longer tube needs some meat in it as well so I wouldn't go with anything smaller than a Sendero contour and larger is probably better.

But, then you have to think about is my receiver rigid enough to support a long heavy contour tube without flexing.

Point being, sometimes it's not quite as easy as getting just one answer. Nothing wrong with asking multiple questions to try and check as many boxes as you can.

The 112 is a single shot, some are pretty enclosed on top as well. My opinion, its pretty rigid compared to some.

It would be nice if they had a standardized reamer and dies for 338AI, mainly dies. Seems like a pretty optimal amount of powder for 300's. I would probably go 30" in an HV contour, .85-.9 at muzzle.

 

[B23]

It would be nice if they had a standardized reamer and dies for 338AI, mainly dies. Seems like a pretty optimal amount of powder for 300's. I would probably go 30" in an HV contour, .85-.9 at muzzle.

I think my 338 Lap Imp is a pretty garden variety 40° shoulder version. Mine is built on a BAT HRPIC single shot with a fluted Lilja finished at 30 that looks like a truck axel. My 338 Lap Imp and reamer print used for it. Redding made my dies back when Pat Ryan was still there.

 

[Mt.Boy]

I think my 338 Lap Imp is a pretty garden variety 40° shoulder version. Mine is built on a BAT HRPIC single shot with a fluted Lilja finished at 30 that looks like a truck axel. My 338 Lap Imp and reamer print used for it. Redding made my dies back when Pat Ryan was still there.
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View attachment 1250476

Nice!!!

 

[andrewsben]

I had a bartlien barrel, ptg 338 ai reamer, forget the exact specs off the top of my head and feeding the baby, put onto a 112 target magnum. Only fire formed rounds to send off for dies to be made, then took a couple years off shooting (took over as chief of local VFD in 2018 and haven't had much time at all). Spouting out no extra information, but want to follow thread, just ignore me. Might pull out and get specs later and have something to actually add to conversation.

 

[Matches]

Here is a 338 Lapua Ackley Improved at 2502 yards. The owner of it posts on the hide and Calguns under the name RickyRacer87.
He might post here as well?

 

[FURMAN]

I am shooting a 338 Terminator with 106 grains of N570 with 300 Berger OTMs at 3080 with a 30" Carbon Six. It is screwed on a Terminus Helios(now called the Kratos) sitting in a Gunwerks Magnus.