Model L Action

L

L.G

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Hello Guys, I know this is a Benchrest site, but what do you guys think about a 10 inch by 2 inch diameter Bat, bedded in a McMillan 50 Takedown stock. The gun will be a heavy tactical in 338 norma Mag. with a heavy palma barrel. Thanks for opinions or suggestions
 
Well, I have two 10-inch BATs for my 1 K benchrest rifles. One of them has been cut down a bit to make weight (with Bruce's blessing), and is chambered in a .338/404 improved. Case capacity of that round is 114 grains water -- I measured -- right at what Wikipedia lists for the .338 Lapua. It shoots fine -- better with 4831 than the slower powders, so as a benchrest shooter, I take the better accuracy over the higher velocity. Sort of a waste of the case's capacity, but there you are.

Last outing I shot a 50 with it at 1K, and that's on the IBS target with a 7-inch 10 ring. I also have groups shot at 100 yards that measure under 0.2, one just about a flat 0.100. There are some bigger ones too, of course, there always are. Large size .338s are not easy rifles to shoot. You're wise to pick the Norma, but it isn't that much smaller...

It also shoots the older (thin Jacket) .300 Bergers better than the new tactical 300 Bergers (thicker jackets). If you can get a good lot of the old Gen II 300's on the thinner jackets, I'll trade you 500...

But I'm not sure what you're asking about with the BAT L. They don't come in black, and they don't have a magazine. Tolerances are Brenchrest grade, not combat, which means if you drop one in the dirt, it probably won't cycle. Don't know if they'll build you one with a bit sloppier bolt. And in spite of the deservedness of Wall Street Bankers, I think it's still unlawful to shoot them?

Edit: I just went & looked, the 8.86-inch long, 1.250 tenon HR's are repeaters, and will take a .338 Norma -- anything but the .505 Gibbs, & thus no CheyTac... For those, you need a single-shot
 
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Thanks for replying Charles, I have enjoyed your post the action will be single shot and melonite coated. I love to shoot small groups from a bipod I feel like the larger bedding area of the model L is free accuracy.
 
Charles, Do you feel the jackets on the 230 hybrids are of better quality?
 
The only two bullets that interest me are the 300 Bergers and the 285 Hornadys. I have a .30 magnum (.30 on the 8x68S case) that is very accurate, and performs well with a 210 custom. But that .810 B.C. of the 300-grain Bergers means only 2/3 drs the wind drift at 1,000 yards, so if the accuracy of the .338 bullets are real close to my .30s, there is an advantage to them.

Whether or not the slightly thicker jackets are better or worse in your rifle is probably an open issue. Certainly Berger feels they are as good as the thinner ones generally, though they do not designate the .338 as "Match," as is they do with most other calibers. We are left with "not in my rifle" as the only really sure thing.
 
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LG,

I should add that I don't know much about what's called "Tactical Shooting." I have some friends that do gunsmithing for tactical shooters -- their offhand comments are that it pays a lot better than gunsmithing for benchrest shooters. There's a fair bit to be gleaned from that, but it's just gleaning.

One of these guys does a lot of work for the military -- not military shooters, but "the military" if you see the difference. Aside from matters of ammunition resupply, as I remember he believes most of the tactical needs would be better met by an appropriate .30 caliber, reserving the .338 for certain, specific tasks. For various reasons, that's not going to happen anytime soon.

My opinion only -- "tactical shooting" as an element of combat is very different than the new competitive sport of "tactical shooting," just like "varmint hunting" is different than competitive sport "benchrest." Military & police needs are also different, both from each other and the sport.

Long preamble, but needed that to say I know next to nothing about tactical shooting as a competitive sport. Which means I also don't know the overlap between it and long-range benchrest. I probably should have just kept my mouth shut -- too many guesses about what you're trying to do, and I'm sure to get a significant part of it wrong.

For example, in both 600 and 1,000 yard benchrest, the small 6mms now dominate. Just go look at the match results

http://internationalbenchrest.com/results/long_range/_longrangeindex.php

You can't trust the equipment reports too far, but there is so much data there it should present a pretty clear picture about chamberings and bullets.

So, what is it about Tactical Shooting that makes, say, a 6BR not the best choice? I haven't a clue.

Those of us sticking to the bigger calibers in 1K benchrest are mainly old-timers who began long-range shooting in the last millennium. Or, a few of us who see the ballistic advantage of the heaviest of the .338s, and are willing to make the many compromises involved to see if we can get them to outperform the proven winners.

That performance quest always goes back to what you see in "Match Results," and I'm afraid that's probably different than what you're looking for.
 
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