Didn't know if I should post this here or in the reloadig section. Maybe others are blending powders for high performance loads. Found this on Cabela's web site for a customer review on a savage 110 .338 lapua. Enjoy,
Absolutely the best bolt rifle in its class!Date:September 1, 2012
I had read about this rifle, and it sounded quite interesting as I absolutely love .338 Lapua Mag, regardless of the distance I am shooting. I have owned dozens of bolt action rifles, from cheap plinkers to high-end extremely-accurate pieces of art, and ranging in caliber from .22WMR up to .458 SOCOM and just about everything in between.I do a lot of competitive shooting, from practical pistol/rifle and 3-Gun to 1000yd+ bench-rest and "tactical" competitions (timed killhouse runs). I actually went for years without having a good bolt action, preferring AR-platforms with 11" to 16" barrels for what I was doing, as well as lots of semi-auto handguns (particularly fond of the HK USP.45 Tactical and Sig P226T .357SIG).However, a friend that used to serve as a Scout Sniper Instructor in the USMC took me to one of his regular ranges one day, and when we got there he opened the trunk and there were over a dozen bolt-action and semi-automatic long-range precision rifles, ranging from (one) .223/5.56 to a few .308/7.62 to .300WM/.338LM/.458 and even a single .50cal Barrett.
I was hooked. I became absolutely obsessed with the incredible amount of variables that come into play when shooting at such ranges, stuff that is never even thought about at the 5-50yds common in my "regular" events.The next week, I went out and bought my first bolt, a Remington 700 Tactical with the 24" barrel. That rifle was one tough cookie, and I put a good 40,000 rounds through it before selling it and in that time it had maybe 3 FTF's and 2 MF's.I began collecting bolt action rifles, as I had already established an armory of semi and select-fire weapons.This rifle, well, it took me by surprise. .338 Lapua Magnum is not exactly a common cartridge, though I suppose it is more common than it was even a couple years ago.
<span style="font-weight: bold">I typically shoot an extremely heavily customized Accuracy Intl. AWM .338Lapua (custom-made spiral-fluted 26" barrel, Surgeon-enhanced action/bolt, completely custom trigger assembly with Molybdenum coating and adjustable from 0.5 to 10lbs of pull in 1/100th of a lb increments, a variety of optics depending on range but typically a Leupold 4.5-14x56, Nightforce 12-42x56, Leupold Mk4 8.5-24x50, or a Swarovski Z6 5-30x50; and typically a Harris Benchrest Bipod)...
This rifle, the AI, shoots sub-1" 5-shot groups at over 400yards with my "special recipe" loads (basically, it's a pretty heavy Boat-Tail Hollowpoint, moly-coated, with a mix of a few powders pushing it over the SAAMI pressure limits significantly but well within what the custom receiver/bolt/action are all capable of... compared to the same bullets with a "regular" load, it's good for another ~400fps at the muzzle), and only when not using the GemTech/AAC sound suppressors but instead a heavy muzzlebrake (looks very similar to what is used on the Barrett .50's).</span>
At 100yds, it shoots 1/4" 5shot groups no matter what you put in it, and often it will put all 5 rounds through the same hole when shooting from a bench rest.So, imagine my surprise when I get this rifle, throw on a Leupold 4.5-14x56 scope and a spare Harris bipod, sight in the scope with a laser bore-sight for 100 yards, and load a magazine with just regular old out-of-the-box Lapua Scenar 325gr BTHP rounds...
...and the rifle proceeds to put 5 shots in 0.425"!! First 5 rounds out of the rifle, excluding a few non-aimed rounds down-range to ensure that the everything was copacetic.Now, after having spent time practicing with it, it will consistently shoot 1/2" groups of 5 shots at 200yds using slightly-modified Lapua Scenar boat-tail hollowpoints.EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE RIFLE!! DON'T HESITATE
Absolutely the best bolt rifle in its class!Date:September 1, 2012
I had read about this rifle, and it sounded quite interesting as I absolutely love .338 Lapua Mag, regardless of the distance I am shooting. I have owned dozens of bolt action rifles, from cheap plinkers to high-end extremely-accurate pieces of art, and ranging in caliber from .22WMR up to .458 SOCOM and just about everything in between.I do a lot of competitive shooting, from practical pistol/rifle and 3-Gun to 1000yd+ bench-rest and "tactical" competitions (timed killhouse runs). I actually went for years without having a good bolt action, preferring AR-platforms with 11" to 16" barrels for what I was doing, as well as lots of semi-auto handguns (particularly fond of the HK USP.45 Tactical and Sig P226T .357SIG).However, a friend that used to serve as a Scout Sniper Instructor in the USMC took me to one of his regular ranges one day, and when we got there he opened the trunk and there were over a dozen bolt-action and semi-automatic long-range precision rifles, ranging from (one) .223/5.56 to a few .308/7.62 to .300WM/.338LM/.458 and even a single .50cal Barrett.
I was hooked. I became absolutely obsessed with the incredible amount of variables that come into play when shooting at such ranges, stuff that is never even thought about at the 5-50yds common in my "regular" events.The next week, I went out and bought my first bolt, a Remington 700 Tactical with the 24" barrel. That rifle was one tough cookie, and I put a good 40,000 rounds through it before selling it and in that time it had maybe 3 FTF's and 2 MF's.I began collecting bolt action rifles, as I had already established an armory of semi and select-fire weapons.This rifle, well, it took me by surprise. .338 Lapua Magnum is not exactly a common cartridge, though I suppose it is more common than it was even a couple years ago.
<span style="font-weight: bold">I typically shoot an extremely heavily customized Accuracy Intl. AWM .338Lapua (custom-made spiral-fluted 26" barrel, Surgeon-enhanced action/bolt, completely custom trigger assembly with Molybdenum coating and adjustable from 0.5 to 10lbs of pull in 1/100th of a lb increments, a variety of optics depending on range but typically a Leupold 4.5-14x56, Nightforce 12-42x56, Leupold Mk4 8.5-24x50, or a Swarovski Z6 5-30x50; and typically a Harris Benchrest Bipod)...
This rifle, the AI, shoots sub-1" 5-shot groups at over 400yards with my "special recipe" loads (basically, it's a pretty heavy Boat-Tail Hollowpoint, moly-coated, with a mix of a few powders pushing it over the SAAMI pressure limits significantly but well within what the custom receiver/bolt/action are all capable of... compared to the same bullets with a "regular" load, it's good for another ~400fps at the muzzle), and only when not using the GemTech/AAC sound suppressors but instead a heavy muzzlebrake (looks very similar to what is used on the Barrett .50's).</span>
At 100yds, it shoots 1/4" 5shot groups no matter what you put in it, and often it will put all 5 rounds through the same hole when shooting from a bench rest.So, imagine my surprise when I get this rifle, throw on a Leupold 4.5-14x56 scope and a spare Harris bipod, sight in the scope with a laser bore-sight for 100 yards, and load a magazine with just regular old out-of-the-box Lapua Scenar 325gr BTHP rounds...
...and the rifle proceeds to put 5 shots in 0.425"!! First 5 rounds out of the rifle, excluding a few non-aimed rounds down-range to ensure that the everything was copacetic.Now, after having spent time practicing with it, it will consistently shoot 1/2" groups of 5 shots at 200yds using slightly-modified Lapua Scenar boat-tail hollowpoints.EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE RIFLE!! DON'T HESITATE
