you are going from hamburg to ribeye
(Vortex->ZCO)
(Vortex->ZCO)
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Went with 6.5 creed. Not sure if my next barrel will be 33xc or 300nm.
For this one I wanted something I could just shoot factory ammo with, I'll keep reloading the big boy rounds.
Got lucky and just picked these up. 200 rounds, all the same lot number
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If your ZCO turret is stopping in-between hash marks, I'd give Jeff at ZCO a call. It should not be doing that.
The 15 mil elevation turret models have pretty positive clicks. The clicks on the 10 mil elevation turret models have the clicks spread out a little further and they do feel better than the 15.
My recommendation on a 33XC or a 37XC is to go heavy and long on the barrel, maybe even add some MLOK weights to the rifle when shooting those calibers. Weight is your friend when shooting heavy recoiling calibers.
I've been shooting 36" .338LM Improved 40 barrels for a little over ten years now, and I concur: they can beat the crap out of you. These days I shoot .300NM a lot more than the .338s primarily because they still carry the distance very well, but also because they don't punish me. I also may have softened up in my old age because the other rifle that beats the crap out of me is a .308WIN semi auto.
Don't think I'll end up going with an HTI, I'd love to but I can't really justify two 10k plus weapon systems.
My 300nm with a 30" barrel was amazing at a mile but I was only hitting about 30% of the time at 2k yards. Granted, the winds were pretty tricky that day but I really think I hit the wall of capability in the 300nm compared to larger cartridges. Could just be me though.
I'd need to dig through book to see the target size but I want to say it was 2' wide by 6' tall. I could be way off though.
Just picked up my 3rd 375 barrel from Eric Smith Es tactical tonight. I think I finally found the perfect profile: 36” finish length. 1.620 for 8” them straight taper to 1.15” at 36. Honestly, my next one will go to 1.05 or 1.00” at 36”. I just like the aesthetics. Here it is beside a 35” barrel that tapers to about 1.25”. Notice how just 0.100” changes the profile significantly to the eye. 1.0” at the muzzle would be just about perfect for a 35-36” straight taper. I previously had one that tapered to 1.35” and it was way too fat. Wasted steel and weight I think.
Can’t wait to get out and test this Lilja with my 390 loads!.
Can’t wait to get out and test this Lilja with my 390 loads!.
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Here are my last 3 blanks that are all more or less 36”. Taper from left to right is 1.15, 1.25, 1.35” at the muzzle. Next time at 1.00-1.05” I’ll have it just perfect!
To be fair, I based the fatty on the right on my 41” 50 BMG barrel, which is perfect for that length with an AR50 brake. It’s just when you chop it 6” shorter and put on a 375 brake, 1.35” is just way too much. That extra weight is best used for length rather than girth. Lol
To be fair, I based the fatty on the right on my 41” 50 BMG barrel, which is perfect for that length with an AR50 brake. It’s just when you chop it 6” shorter and put on a 375 brake, 1.35” is just way too much. That extra weight is best used for length rather than girth. Lol
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My first 36” barrel back in 2014. Initially was straight taper, but my local smith did some step tapers from the tenon to about a third of the way to the muzzle, doing straight flutes from there.
What’s the diameter at the muzzle and what caliber is that jammed into that covert? 338 I presume
Edit to add never mind. Since it’s a covert, it must be 1.250 at the muzzle. That thing is ridiculous. Either way.
Edit to add never mind. Since it’s a covert, it must be 1.250 at the muzzle. That thing is ridiculous. Either way.
Yup, .338LM Improved 40. This was originally a 1.25” straight 37” blank from Bartlein - basically a truck axle. At this point in the picture everything was done except contouring and finishing, and I wanted to see how it felt. I think it was something like 8lbs. So I had him do the step flutes towards the rear and straight flutes the rest of the way.
I burned it out long ago but still use it for fireforming new brass.
Picked up a A1 covert with a A2 308 26" kit. Looking at getting a short 18" 300wm spun up. Will try and keep this one for stalking deer.
We have the factory 18" .300 WM conversion kit in stock. I also have some 18" Proof CF barrels on the shelf in 300 PRC, we have Proof blanks to spin up an 18" 300 WM if you'd like.
Damn! Now that's an impressive barrel for a 338LM, what kind of velocities were you getting? Here I thought a 30" was big
3025 fps with 300s is a pretty comfortable load, and I can push 285 Flatlines to about 3100 fps.
Impressive numbers for sure! I had a great load worked up with the 300NM but it was only pushing the 230 bergers at 3060
One of the many beauties of the desert tech platform is that you can stretch those barrels out and still have a rig with a manageable overall length. And the weight just helps with recoil. As long as you’re not lugging it around the hills lol.
I went 32 inches for my 338 Lapua barrel and for me that’s optimal with a TBAC ultra suppressor. I Get right around 2950 with a completely safe load using 92.5 grains of retumbo and a 285 ELD. Can’t say enough good things about Desert Tech, this set up, and that load.
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Excellent performer I'm sure with those velocities.
Never had a 338LM barrel for my DT. On my GAP build I had a 28" barrel that pushed 300 OTM bergers to 2651 with 87 grains of h1000. It was on the mild side of loads but worked well enough although it left a lot to be desired. One of the reasons I went with the Norma instead of another 338 lapua on the desert tech.
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I just saw a video from @coldboremiracle using a 6GT barrel. I’ve been out the loop for a couple years, I didn’t know that a cartridge that short would work.
How many others have used a 6GT in their SRS? Feed for a standard short mag okay without crazy modifications?
How many others have used a 6GT in their SRS? Feed for a standard short mag okay without crazy modifications?
Woof. That’s speedy. If I could source primers I’d give that a go!
Exactly - I'm no longer humping/jumping precision rifles, so weight doesn't bother me that much. My original motivation for the long barrel and improved chamber was to get a leg up in ELR competitions I was doing in NZ. I was shooting a first gen DTA .338LM barrel while these top performers were shooting 32” barrels in custom Barnards, and I always fell short against them past a mile. So not only am I going with an improved chamber , but I figured I would gain a couple inches as well. I delivered the 37” blank to my smith and said “make as long as you think is reasonable.” I was pretty surprised when he returned it at 36”, but it has served me well and I’ve stuck with that length for follow on .338 barrels.
There is a point of diminishing returns with long barrels though, and I tend to keep my .300NM barrels between 28-30” but I think with the slow powders we use in big magnums that extra long isn’t too long.
If anyone is interested I have 12" carbon fiber handguards for the SRS-A2
These will fit a 1.5" suppressor inside the rail (see photo below) with a sub 22" barrel.
The rail is also a lot more rigid/sturdy over the OEM rail and about 3oz lighter. I believe this improves accuracy shooting off the bipod.
DM me if interested.
NOTE: They WILL NOT FIT AN A1, and I do not have it have any in the works.
These will fit a 1.5" suppressor inside the rail (see photo below) with a sub 22" barrel.
The rail is also a lot more rigid/sturdy over the OEM rail and about 3oz lighter. I believe this improves accuracy shooting off the bipod.
DM me if interested.
NOTE: They WILL NOT FIT AN A1, and I do not have it have any in the works.
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They feed great. But you need to run the bolt quickly for ejection
Mine runs flawless from both 5 and 10 round mags and using the 308 bolt. It is exceptionally accurate in the rifle.
This is telling: click on the "Support" page - it's blank
deserttech.com
SUPPORT » Desert Tech
Desert Tech support page. If you have any question about our rifles, or need any help with a special order, please contact us via email or phone.
deserttech.com
I just used their contact form, to send this about TRASOL. I'll let you know if they respond.
"Hi, I'm a local long range shooter, been using the HTI SRS and TRASOL since they first came out!
TRASOL has a small oversight that is easily fixed. For the scope correction factor, it only allows 3 decimals. That means if you know your scope is off by just 0.5%, meaning instead of coming up 0.1 MRAD it comes up 0.0995 MRAD, the "5" in the 4th decimal position is lost, and you may as well not use the feature, because when it rounds to 0.099 (which it does!), you now have exactly the same error but in the opposite direction! So the feature only helps guys with crappy scopes that have greater than 1% tracking error. Simple fix too, just add another decimal!
One other thing is that you ought to be able to lock the output units (MOA/MRAD) for the ballistic solution for each gun. For example, I shoot with guys using both MOA and MRAD, and right now if I select MRAD for one gun and then change to a gun with a scope that's in MOA (and the inputs for each rifle even specify MOA or MRAD on the rifle setup screen!), it defaults to the prior MRAD setting for the new gun output, which, if I'm not paying attention, I tell the MOA shooter "come up 1.0!" but he dials MOA rather than MRAD because he's shooting an MOA scope. If a gun is set up with an MRAD (or MOA) scope in the setup screen, all ballistic output under that gun should be in MRAD (or MOA). I don't know why somebody would even want the option to change the output on the ballistic screen (e.g. report output in MRAD for a gun setup in trasol with an MOA scope), but if the option is there, the starting default should always be the one entered on the gun-specific settings page.
I am also patiently awaiting a temperature correction factor for powder, even though I'm getting away from Alliant powders. I'm still using them some and it would be nice if I could document the "zero temperature" and have the App automatically add/subtract some amount of velocity per degree change when the ballistic output is delivered, e.g, 1fps/degree F. If I had a zero at 40 degrees and 2900 fps, when I go out in summer and it's 90 degrees, it would change the velocity to 2950 fps.
Just some thoughts. Thanks for listening.
Scott A...
SLC, UT"
"Hi, I'm a local long range shooter, been using the HTI SRS and TRASOL since they first came out!
TRASOL has a small oversight that is easily fixed. For the scope correction factor, it only allows 3 decimals. That means if you know your scope is off by just 0.5%, meaning instead of coming up 0.1 MRAD it comes up 0.0995 MRAD, the "5" in the 4th decimal position is lost, and you may as well not use the feature, because when it rounds to 0.099 (which it does!), you now have exactly the same error but in the opposite direction! So the feature only helps guys with crappy scopes that have greater than 1% tracking error. Simple fix too, just add another decimal!
One other thing is that you ought to be able to lock the output units (MOA/MRAD) for the ballistic solution for each gun. For example, I shoot with guys using both MOA and MRAD, and right now if I select MRAD for one gun and then change to a gun with a scope that's in MOA (and the inputs for each rifle even specify MOA or MRAD on the rifle setup screen!), it defaults to the prior MRAD setting for the new gun output, which, if I'm not paying attention, I tell the MOA shooter "come up 1.0!" but he dials MOA rather than MRAD because he's shooting an MOA scope. If a gun is set up with an MRAD (or MOA) scope in the setup screen, all ballistic output under that gun should be in MRAD (or MOA). I don't know why somebody would even want the option to change the output on the ballistic screen (e.g. report output in MRAD for a gun setup in trasol with an MOA scope), but if the option is there, the starting default should always be the one entered on the gun-specific settings page.
I am also patiently awaiting a temperature correction factor for powder, even though I'm getting away from Alliant powders. I'm still using them some and it would be nice if I could document the "zero temperature" and have the App automatically add/subtract some amount of velocity per degree change when the ballistic output is delivered, e.g, 1fps/degree F. If I had a zero at 40 degrees and 2900 fps, when I go out in summer and it's 90 degrees, it would change the velocity to 2950 fps.
Just some thoughts. Thanks for listening.
Scott A...
SLC, UT"
It’s been over a week since I’ve asked DT about purchasing a LH 338 mag bolt assy or bolt head. Crickets…..
Maybe @coldboremiracle could help you guys that can’t get a DT employee to return a phone call or email. Most of us have more than one SRS rifle and it’s a damn shame we can’t even get acknowledged when we need assistance. I know I couldn’t a few months ago.
Other than this headache, these are by far my favorite rifles.
Other than this headache, these are by far my favorite rifles.
I could call or text him easily but it’s not his job and I’m not going to be that guy.
DT needs to figure their own shit out.
DT needs to figure their own shit out.
I agree that this isn’t his job and that DT needs to figure their shit out, but he may be willing to help. That’s up to him. Obviously these guys are fucked without his help. I’d help if I could.
You guys can message me anytime if you need help. Whether it has to do with my job or not I can get your concern/question/problem in front of someone who can help.
If you are state side shoot me a message. We have lefty parts in stock.
Yeah, one thing Desert Tech is definitely doing is driving people to deal with guys like PR driver who can cut through all the BS for them
More and more manufacturers are moving to a direct sales model to capture the margin they are giving to dealers. I think moves like this are often proposed by bean counters (yes, I've been one of those before as I was a controller for multiple companies before pursuing my business full time). What most of these decision makers don't realize is that on high end items, sales are typically a high touch sale, requiring knowledgeable sales staff and fairly lengthly conversations with customers to answer necessary questions to assist them in their decision making process. All too often, manufacturers don’t have the infrastructure in place to handle it and keep customers happy.
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On a happy note, just got my most recent 375 cheytac barrel from Eric Smith, and load development took all of 11 rounds. The last five of them can be seen here.
Bump for this. I think virtually everything I've done is through you, for that reason. I've been part of businesses (healthcare) that expanded from comparatively small owner-operator size to multi-billion dollar EBITA private-equity backed models. It's damn near impossible to scale volume while maintaining the personal touch. I like the product. I haven't had a *great* time getting in touch with Desert Tech themselves in general. I accept that the economy of scale drives the need for a few plugged in dealers who can do a lot of the support.
