Remington 700 in 338 Lapua Mag: Looking for some opinions

sleev-les · Apr 25, 2017

So let me start out with my setup and then I'll get to the point

Remington 700P .338 LM
Built in muzzle brake
"Out of the box" stock
Swivel nut rail adapter
Atlas Bipod
Nightforce 5.5 to 22 (Nightforce Rings)

I was finally able to get out and shoot this lil guy over the weekend and I know there has to be more potential to this rifle. First off, the swivel nut adapter comes loose no matter what you do to keep it tight. Any further its going to strip out. So this is making the bipod wobble, creating issues maintaining the target. Second, the stock just does not feel that great as its just the basic stock (whatever it comes with). Third, this rifle hops like a kid in a moon bounce.

So, I'm looking at improving. I'm looking at a manners stock or XLR chassis system. Other recommendations are welcome, but the reviews and price points seem pretty good on either of these (I know AI is even higher cost, but probably one of the best). Either way, I want a stock that accepts the Atlas Bipod without an adapter.

I'm also looking at a better trigger since I've already determined I want to customize this rifle and take full advantage of what it can do.

The biggest thing I'm looking for options on is the brake. The built in brake just doesn't cut it and looks like I'd need a smith to cut it off and thread the barrel. Now, since I want to make this a badazz rifle would you have a smith work the barrel and install a new brake or would you rather rebarrel the rifle with something better through and through?

Let me know what you guys think.

steves1911 · Apr 25, 2017

Apa fat bastard.....Have one on my 9lb 300rum even my 130lb wife shoots it no problem.

Pinecone · Apr 25, 2017

I really like my Manners T-4A on my Rem 700.

I would find a brake and have a smith fit it. I had Short Action Customs do my thread and brake install. Took less than a week do to door. They cut and threaded the barrel. Installed the brake and timed it. Contoured it to the barrel and Cerakoted it.

sleev-les · Apr 25, 2017

steves1911 said:
Apa fat bastard.....Have one on my 9lb 300rum even my 130lb wife shoots it no problem.

I saw some of the APA brakes.. They look like they get the job done. I'm going to check them out a bit more. The brake is what I want to try and work out first. This thing hops so much that by the time it settled the target was almost out of the scopes field of vision. haha.

Pinecone said:
I really like my Manners T-4A on my Rem 700.

I would find a brake and have a smith fit it. I had Short Action Customs do my thread and brake install. Took less than a week do to door. They cut and threaded the barrel. Installed the brake and timed it. Contoured it to the barrel and Cerakoted it.

Are they local?

BradMacc82 · Apr 25, 2017

Wellington, Ohio - semi/somewhat local....

http://shortactioncustoms.com/contact/

sleev-les · Apr 26, 2017

BradMacc82 said:
Wellington, Ohio - semi/somewhat local....

http://shortactioncustoms.com/contact/

Road trip haha.. J/K... I'm going to look into them because I want the brake done before I go shooting again...

and Brad, I got to shoot my own damn helium tank on Friday

sgt23preston · Apr 26, 2017

Remington 700 in 338 Lapua Mag: Looking for some opinions

The biggest question is:

Where can you shoot it..?

sleev-les · Apr 26, 2017

sgt23preston said:
The biggest question is:

Where can you shoot it..?

Delmarva Shooting Clays and Rifle Range.

The only thing not allowed is 50BMG still. I never made it out to the 500y once I saw how much it would hop. I went through 60 rounds Friday and stopped when I said "f" it, this is going to need a tune up to get better. Overall a great round to shoot, but the rifle needs modifying for sure. I've seen comparison videos with a different brake and that difference alone was significant.

Pinecone · Apr 26, 2017

BradMacc82 said:
Wellington, Ohio - semi/somewhat local....

http://shortactioncustoms.com/contact/

Easy. FedEx Ground.

Just ship the barreled action.

Have them do their bolt knob mod also. They not only machine the old knob and thread, but they drill and tap the handle, then install all thread to reinforce the bold handle. Rem 700 bolt handles have been known to break due to voids in the casting.

sleev-les · Apr 26, 2017

Pinecone said:
Easy. FedEx Ground.

Just ship the barreled action.

Have them do their bolt knob mod also. They not only machine the old knob and thread, but they drill and tap the handle, then install all thread to reinforce the bold handle. Rem 700 bolt handles have been known to break due to voids in the casting.

That was going to be one of my questions, but if all I have to do is unbolt the barrel/action/bolt and send that in, that isn't too bad. Heck, its 2 bolts I believe. I was going to call and ask about cost today and see about availability.

4g64loser · Apr 26, 2017

I'd suggest talking to Doc Ed (properly known as Ed Harren of Harren's Custom Rifles in Ijamsville) about your needs. A local smith and a killer benchrest shooter. He once joked to me that he had Lynnwood and Walter Harrell (Harrells Precision in virginia) working night and day when Remington started offering the RUM chamberings and the 338LM just to keep up with the demand for muzzle brakes. I have a JP Recoil Eliminator on a .300RUM Sendero (commonly called The Tank Brake). It works well. I was using a can but the RUM just heats the can up way too fast so I went to a brake (I hate brakes). Doc can fix you up. He likes the Harrell brakes. They work, but I went with a JP just because I already had one.

On the subject of stocks, that's all personal preference. I own a Manners on a full custom match rifle and I like it. I also own an XLR Element chassis system on a semi custom match rifle and I like it. If I had it to do over again I would have bought a folding Manners stock (wasn't an option at the time). Folding stocks, from my perspective, have little to do with "cool" factor and all to do with functionality. I hate having to adjust my comb and/or stock plate to allow cleaning rod access or remove my bolt from the action. Save the aggravation. Buy a folder, whatever you go with, unless you are 100% sure your rod/rod guide and bolt will clear (this is usually only possible when using an optic that sits low to the bore. If you go XLR and you mostly shoot prone or from a bench, DO NOT buy any stock but the Tactical or the Extreme. The standard models and the Tactical Lite are very hard to get a consistent rear bag fit on and, under recoil, tend to wind up skidding back off the bag and thus you will not return to sight picture. If purchasing a Manners, this advice also applies to stock angle selection. a flat stock bottom is advisable for bench shooting and KD match prone shooting. an angled bottom is easier to adjust your bag under in the field or under "improvised" positional conditions but will result in the aforementioned sight picture issues.

The Atlas is an ok pod for use on flat ground (and yes, DSC is flat) but I prefer a Harris as they will allow me to rotate the weapon to level my reticle on uneven ground or from oddball barricades. Again, this is personal preference. I have watched Atlas shooters struggle on unlevel ground. Their advantage? Every foot type available for the Atlas, including skis and large, mud and sand friendly, "lily pad" discs.

Keep us up to date on your build.

Good shooting

sleev-les · Apr 27, 2017

4g64loser said:
I'd suggest talking to Doc Ed (properly known as Ed Harren of Harren's Custom Rifles in Ijamsville) about your needs. A local smith and a killer benchrest shooter. He once joked to me that he had Lynnwood and Walter Harrell (Harrells Precision in virginia) working night and day when Remington started offering the RUM chamberings and the 338LM just to keep up with the demand for muzzle brakes. I have a JP Recoil Eliminator on a .300RUM Sendero (commonly called The Tank Brake). It works well. I was using a can but the RUM just heats the can up way too fast so I went to a brake (I hate brakes). Doc can fix you up. He likes the Harrell brakes. They work, but I went with a JP just because I already had one.

On the subject of stocks, that's all personal preference. I own a Manners on a full custom match rifle and I like it. I also own an XLR Element chassis system on a semi custom match rifle and I like it. If I had it to do over again I would have bought a folding Manners stock (wasn't an option at the time). Folding stocks, from my perspective, have little to do with "cool" factor and all to do with functionality. I hate having to adjust my comb and/or stock plate to allow cleaning rod access or remove my bolt from the action. Save the aggravation. Buy a folder, whatever you go with, unless you are 100% sure your rod/rod guide and bolt will clear (this is usually only possible when using an optic that sits low to the bore. If you go XLR and you mostly shoot prone or from a bench, DO NOT buy any stock but the Tactical or the Extreme. The standard models and the Tactical Lite are very hard to get a consistent rear bag fit on and, under recoil, tend to wind up skidding back off the bag and thus you will not return to sight picture. If purchasing a Manners, this advice also applies to stock angle selection. a flat stock bottom is advisable for bench shooting and KD match prone shooting. an angled bottom is easier to adjust your bag under in the field or under "improvised" positional conditions but will result in the aforementioned sight picture issues.

The Atlas is an ok pod for use on flat ground (and yes, DSC is flat) but I prefer a Harris as they will allow me to rotate the weapon to level my reticle on uneven ground or from oddball barricades. Again, this is personal preference. I have watched Atlas shooters struggle on unlevel ground. Their advantage? Every foot type available for the Atlas, including skis and large, mud and sand friendly, "lily pad" discs.

Keep us up to date on your build.

Good shooting

Thanks for the information. I'm still up in the air on the stock and going to keep researching. Manners or XLR are what I've narrowed it down to. I'll check out Doc too. I like what I've seen on the APA brakes though..

Pinecone · Apr 27, 2017

sleev-les said:
That was going to be one of my questions, but if all I have to do is unbolt the barrel/action/bolt and send that in, that isn't too bad. Heck, its 2 bolts I believe. I was going to call and ask about cost today and see about availability.

They will tell you to send it in, and they will go it.

Bolt knob was 1 week door to door. Muzzle brake was 1 week door to door.

They pretty much do most work same day it arrives or the next day. And then ship right back.

CNC is wonderful.

I had Long Rifles Inc do a Lilja barrel for my CZ455. Same deal 1 week door to door. They threaded for suppressor, made a thread protector, and Cerakoted the whole thing.

The thread protector fit so well, I had NO idea where the seam was, until I started to unscrew it.

BradMacc82 · Apr 27, 2017

sleev-les said:
Road trip haha.. J/K... I'm going to look into them because I want the brake done before I go shooting again...

and Brad, I got to shoot my own damn helium tank on Friday

First time around, yeah - I was THAT guy.

Second time, not on me...

sleev-les · Apr 27, 2017

Pinecone said:
They will tell you to send it in, and they will go it.

Bolt knob was 1 week door to door. Muzzle brake was 1 week door to door.

They pretty much do most work same day it arrives or the next day. And then ship right back.

CNC is wonderful.

I had Long Rifles Inc do a Lilja barrel for my CZ455. Same deal 1 week door to door. They threaded for suppressor, made a thread protector, and Cerakoted the whole thing.

The thread protector fit so well, I had NO idea where the seam was, until I started to unscrew it.

Funny you say that because I've seen a few people say the factory brake is not part of the barrel, but I have seen others say it is. I can't see a seam at all and I'm pretty sure it's part of the barrel hence my need for a smith.

Pinecone · Apr 28, 2017

The smith would know.

But a good job with the seam, and it is invisible.

And in the case of my thread protector, there is not even a contour change to hide the seam.

4g64loser · Apr 28, 2017

A machinist/gunsmith can determine very easily if you brake is barrel metal or if it is attached. The easiest way is to simply look for the seam INSIDE the brake where the crown of the barrel sits. If none exists and the counterbore meeting the crown was obviously recess cut the "brake" is actually barrel metal. This is uncommon for several reasons, not the least of which is that a consistent crown is much harder to obtain. Factory rifles, well, that doesn't really concern Remington. In either case it is almost always easier (and thus cheaper) to cut it off and start fresh. I have run into this with the Savage "on/off" brakes and a couple of remingtons for friends of mine. They are invariably installed (if threaded on at all) with a ten foot wrench operated by Paul Bunyan after the evil Loctite Leprechaun spreads his juice all over the parts. Chuck the thing up, run a parting tool into the barrel, cut fresh barrel, then indicate in on bore, reface, thread if desired, and recrown.

I forgot to note that when you select your stock/chassis preference to budget in for bottom metal, inletting, and bedding. The XLR is a pretty tight fit on the rifles I have set them up on but for a truly perfect fit (particularly in a heavy recoil round such as you have) skim bedding may be desired. The chassis is the "bolt in" solution. A Manners stock will require final fitting, bottom metal installation, and a good epoxy bedding job.

sleev-les · Apr 30, 2017

4g64loser said:
A machinist/gunsmith can determine very easily if you brake is barrel metal or if it is attached. The easiest way is to simply look for the seam INSIDE the brake where the crown of the barrel sits. If none exists and the counterbore meeting the crown was obviously recess cut the "brake" is actually barrel metal. This is uncommon for several reasons, not the least of which is that a consistent crown is much harder to obtain. Factory rifles, well, that doesn't really concern Remington. In either case it is almost always easier (and thus cheaper) to cut it off and start fresh. I have run into this with the Savage "on/off" brakes and a couple of remingtons for friends of mine. They are invariably installed (if threaded on at all) with a ten foot wrench operated by Paul Bunyan after the evil Loctite Leprechaun spreads his juice all over the parts. Chuck the thing up, run a parting tool into the barrel, cut fresh barrel, then indicate in on bore, reface, thread if desired, and recrown.

I forgot to note that when you select your stock/chassis preference to budget in for bottom metal, inletting, and bedding. The XLR is a pretty tight fit on the rifles I have set them up on but for a truly perfect fit (particularly in a heavy recoil round such as you have) skim bedding may be desired. The chassis is the "bolt in" solution. A Manners stock will require final fitting, bottom metal installation, and a good epoxy bedding job.

I never would have known that on a stock. Thank you. Looks like I'll be learning something new with this customizing for sure. I'm hoping to get this build done before the next time I head to the range, which is still a bit out since now I need to buy some more ammo. I'm looking forward to modding something other than an AR

Pinecone · May 1, 2017

4g64loser said:
A Manners stock will require final fitting, bottom metal installation, and a good epoxy bedding job.

Huh?

Not with the Mini Chassis. Bottom metal included. No fitting required. Just install the action and torque the bolts.

J.T · May 1, 2017

Cadex is supposed to be the shit...but pricey

Remington 700 in 338 Lapua Mag: Looking for some opinions

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