Re: Savage 338 Lapua and general questions
on the above post - for 284/other 7mm chamberings: the 175 SMK 7mm does not get the attention it merits -- it is not exotic, overpriced or hard to load for -- but beats the BC of 250 grain 338 projectiles
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some parts of my posts from other 338 threads:
Originally Posted By: Lee Blackman
If someone could give me the actual function of dollar to MOA performace, that would be just fine to
ok lets take a stab at this: lets say for an equal shooter and all with good factory or handload ammo at 600 yds
to me these are the practical alternatives:
bare bones set up: savage or rem, 1K scope, basic rings, bipod, etc 2500 total--- 3/4 - 1 moa
TRG fully equipped with brake, bipod, good rings, 2K scope-6500 total-----------1/2 moa
component built single shot with a good basic set up, 2K scope - 6500 total -------------1/4 -1/2 moa
component cadillac build: magazine fed, atlas bipod, plenty of extra magazines, 3K scope, nice case to hold it all----10,000 total--1/4-1/2moa
AIAW fully set up, 3K scope------------------11,000 total-----------------1/2 moa----WARNING-if you pull up to the range in a hummer and pull this out everyone will think you are compensating for a small weiner!
so you see, like always a diminishing return of precision per $ spent on the rifle
the point you are missing (why I bring up the price of ammo) the real cost of any rifle is always the ammo
In this comparison all systems had the same ammo cost, if you actually shoot the 338 (which mostly no one does) lets say 5000 rds over 5 years with any of the systems you will have 7000 in ammo/barrel costs and the depreciation of all the systems will be similar: 2500-3000 as the basic setups will need breakage repairs/scope replacements while the high end systems are unlikely to break but will still loose value
so if you are going to shoot 50 rds, let it sit for 2 yrs and sell it a basic set up makes sense, if you actually use it, the long term cost of the mid priced alternatives with 1/2 moa expectations is about the same as the low end with 1 moa expectations
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about recoil:
TRG with the brake is similar to my buddies 300WM without a brake, stiff but not ridiculous, worst I had was a 300 rem ultra mag with a sporter profile barrel
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about cost of use:
338 calculations for my cost of use
once fired brass 1.50 -----------------.17
300 SMK ---------------------------.50-------- (with 250 gr blem bullets @ .15 less)
powder by the 8lb--------------------.25
primer-----------------------------.05
barrel wear-------------------------.33
total-------------------------------1.30 per squeeze-------about the same as shooting 308 with FGMM---- realistically nowhere near that 5.00 mark
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when you really get down to the hard numbers the 338 does not have to be that expensive to shoot -- I would expect barrel burners like 7mm STW or rum would actually end up more per squeeze