First shots with my 700P MLR .338 Lapua

[YetiSlayer]

So I finally got some glass on my 700P MLR and was able to take it out and zero at 100 and spend $6.00 a shell and see what it would do. Pretty sure that it is more accurate than I am. Was shooting 5 shot groups and would routinely group 4 nice and tight (about 3/4 min max) and then I would get a flyer that was off about a minute. I will say that the factory "Brake" is not that effective (as has been observed by others and something that I will soon rectify).

It definitely speaks with some authority, recoil was a little sharp for what I am used to in a precision rifle and I was a little amped up on coffee and the excitement of shooting it for the first time. That is why I think that it was more me than the rifle. Also was not getting a consistent flyer. Sometime I would pull the first round and then settle down, other times I would pull another shot in the string. Shot 25 rounds of Federal GMM 250 grain MK's and then let some others at the gun club shoot it. They did worse than I did.

But I did leave the range with a big smile on my face and think I have found my new favorite gun.

 

[YetiSlayer]

Re: First shots with my 700P MLR .338 Lapua

Oh and before you all say anything, I know that this is useless without pics, forgot my camera and only got a couple of shots of my buddy shooting it from my phone. He's a pretty big dude and he even thought that the recoil was a bit sharp.

Here is one:

Still waiting on my bi-pod (atlas 8.1 and rail) and my Spuhr mount (couple weeks out).

 

[TallShot]

Re: First shots with my 700P MLR .338 Lapua

I can't help but think that the barrel on those look so thin and short for a .338...

Are you going to change stocks?

 

[desertrat1979]

Re: First shots with my 700P MLR .338 Lapua

Is the brake removeable? If it is, there are definately better ones out there. Looks like it would be time to invest in some reloading gear. It would be more cost effective, and you could squeeze some more accuracy out of handloads.

 

[turbo54]

Re: First shots with my 700P MLR .338 Lapua

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: desertrat1979</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is the brake removeable? If it is, there are definately better ones out there. Looks like it would be time to invest in some reloading gear. It would be more cost effective, and you could squeeze some more accuracy out of handloads. </div></div>

Brake is removable, requires a little heat to breakdown the loctite on it. Threads are standard 5/8-24.

The barrel on these is kinda short, but 338 is actually a rather efficient cartridge and doesn't REQUIRE a long barrel. Lots of folks hitting 2850+ fps with 300gr SMKs and ~94gr Retumbo.

 

[YetiSlayer]

Re: First shots with my 700P MLR .338 Lapua

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: desertrat1979</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is the brake removeable? If it is, there are definately better ones out there. Looks like it would be time to invest in some reloading gear. It would be more cost effective, and you could squeeze some more accuracy out of handloads. </div></div>

Already have a 100 rounds of virgin Lapua brass and the 40 rounds of brass that I just shot. Already have powder for load devoplment. My dies, primers and bullets show up this week, so am already on top of that. Will get another couple of hundred round of Lapua brass as finances permit, might try to save some money on that and buy some once fired Lapua brass off of gunbroker.

The brake is removable, just kind of a pain from what others have said. I wanted to find out how this thing shot before I put any more money into having any work done on it. If it threw rounds all over the place I would have sold it off and got something else (I got the rifle on a really sweet deal NIB, so I could have sold it and made money on it). Now that I know that this thing shoots, I feel more comfortable putting some more work into it.

I am looking to have a APA Fat Bastard Brake installed, have the barrel re-crowned (from what I have read here, the factory crown looks like Remington took a haksaw to the end of the barrel, but I won't know till I get the factory brake off) and at the same time and have the barreled action Cerakoted in OD Green. Also would like to have a Winchester 3 positions shroud installed on the bolt and would like to know from some of you all what issues I am going to have getting that Cerakoted when the bolt is done.

Trying to do this all on a blue collar budget so it takes a little time to save up the cash for it.

 

[YetiSlayer]

Re: First shots with my 700P MLR .338 Lapua

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TallShot</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I can't help but think that the barrel on those look so thin and short for a .338...

Are you going to change stocks? </div></div>

I'll do something with the barrel after I burn this one up. As for the stock, I kind of like the factory one, might have it bedded with some marine tex and install some flush cups, maybe paint, but like it otherwise.

 

[YetiSlayer]

Re: First shots with my 700P MLR .338 Lapua

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Brake is removable, requires a little heat to breakdown the loctite on it. Threads are standard 5/8-24.

The barrel on these is kinda short, but 338 is actually a rather efficient cartridge and doesn't REQUIRE a long barrel. Lots of folks hitting 2850+ fps with 300gr SMKs and ~94gr Retumbo. </div></div>

I read that about the brake, but am going to wait till I have the cash for the new one before I take off the old one. Got a few pounds of retumbo for load development and am going to try some Ramshot Magnum and see how that does, I use it in my .300 WSM's and have been happy with the performance of it so far.

94 grains gives me a starting point on my load.

 

[Lowlight]

Re: First shots with my 700P MLR .338 Lapua

Nice set up, good luck with it ...

 

[HPLLC]

Re: First shots with my 700P MLR .338 Lapua

Pretty rifle- It's surprising that while Savage can't make .338's fast enough to sell, Remington has a nice factory threaded, .338LM and apparently doesn't advertise it.

 

[turbo54]

Re: First shots with my 700P MLR .338 Lapua

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Craven Morehead</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Brake is removable, requires a little heat to breakdown the loctite on it. Threads are standard 5/8-24.

The barrel on these is kinda short, but 338 is actually a rather efficient cartridge and doesn't REQUIRE a long barrel. Lots of folks hitting 2850+ fps with 300gr SMKs and ~94gr Retumbo. </div></div>

I read that about the brake, but am going to wait till I have the cash for the new one before I take off the old one. Got a few pounds of retumbo for load development and am going to try some Ramshot Magnum and see how that does, I use it in my .300 WSM's and have been happy with the performance of it so far.

94 grains gives me a starting point on my load. </div></div>


CAUTION: 94gr Retumbo and a 300smk is NOT a starting load. In most of these rifles, it's a full tilt max load. Proceed with caution, it feels like bomb going off.

 

[aaronraby1]

Re: First shots with my 700P MLR .338 Lapua

yeah that brake is garbage. get an FTE and youll be golden!