I'm currently playing with two of the TAC338's and I'm freakin' IMPRESSED.......
These are BadBoys....far and away the best deal in the market IMO. I cannot think of an improvement and I've tried. They are melonited bolts and blued receivers so are quite slick. Not great but quite slick. This is HUGE for hunting stuff..... you take an action that long and fat and as the mfgr you want to minimize it, to keep it as short as possible. The common answer is to rob support from the rear receiver bridge. The result is binding at the rear of the stroke.....BAAD idea for us users....... You're bellied down in the mud with yer foot hooked on a limb and you honk one down for your spotter and kit'ch-SLAM for the next round while the bullet's coasting in and 'chUUUNGGGGG!!!!!! it just FREEZES and bruises your thumbpad.....
At this point I'm ready to throw the whole works over the mountain. The gun is off track, the whole setup is compromised.....
So it's important to me that it WORK!
And so far,
on the bench bitchslappin' it around the TAC338 seems to work. I haven't tried it with someone pouring water over it yet but I will.
I'm happy with Badger metal and I use "CIP length" metal which means you must mill a little tab at the rear of the loading port. This allows for 3.970 coal if memory serves.(I'll need to verify that next time I'm down in the shop) this stuff is all so new even the salesmen are cornfused. No pix but here's the page, this is all aluminum stuff and wicked light.
http://badgerordnance.com/triggerguards/ I've got probably 15 Accuracy International and Accurate Mags magazines in hand right now for WSM/RUM/338L cartridges and their all marked (or UNmarked!) differently. I've got "WSM mags" that say 308 on them, magazines with no names at all and a few with "300WSM" actually stamped on them. You'll need to buy a set of wide-billed pliers (tile or welding pliers) and adjust the peewaddy out of them all.
I verified with Badger today that they WILL NOT MAKE nor is anyone making short magazines. the "short" mags available all hang down to the trigger guard bow. The Badger metal uses the ubiquitous AI mags (Accuracy International) which are quite robust. Clanky and cranky mil-spec, but fairly robust. I've wrapped them with tape etc......but so far nobody's interested in flush mags except HS Precision.
Glenn Seekins has another incarnation of this same setup and Precision Shooting Sports has it in the works but Badger HAS IT, in hand with the bugs out, and all the stock companies have their inletting numbers. I recently had two stocks inletted for PSS metal and it left a lot to be desired. PSS is OK bottom metal but the finish flakes off easier than Badger. They all have stupid "tactical quick release" razor-hook mag levers on them except for Seekins
http://www.cstactical.com/Seekins-P...on/Seekins-S/A-308-Bottom-Metal.html?vmcchk=1 and THEY have been a little cagey about whether or not they're really set up for bug-free 338L stuff.... They SAY yes, and people over on the "shoot long and hard" forums talk about them and even use them. But they're not listed on the website and I've heard of some tics..... Let me just say that I DON'T KNOW about the Seekins stuff but it sure looks good!
AI mags will hold 3-4rds in the short and 6 or 7 in the long. Reason I say this is, I "improve" the 338L (I think it's worthless as it stands. The 20degree shoulder ruins it) and this makes it really tight to fill up. Same with WSM's, they list one more than I ever put in. In other words, the stuff is all called "5-rd" and "10-rd" but that's rated for 308 sized stuff. You'll get a bunch of rounds in anyways.
A company called Accurate Mags has been promising new bottom metal and new staggered mags for about a year and a half now. I spoke with them after the SHOT Show (last week) and they're again promising "shipping this month."
My personal problem is that I detest magazines that hang down. In this (as in most aspects of my life) I differ radically from the mainstream buyer. The typical buyer LIKES hooks and protrusions and fingerbiters of all sorts. Threy want CAPACITY!! This same bunch of buyers will ignore a 6shot 45ACP and brag about their "18rd 9mm" and they rule the market. This is specifically why I have trouble "getting into sporting goods" as in dealing/selling. The buying public WANTS smoke and mirrors!
but anyway..... I also spent some time with HS Precision. I'm not sure yet but this may be an option for all steel bottom metal. I'm working on the details.
Stiller's been running 338's every three months. They normally have them in stock. Call Russ.
As I said, new stuff right now. I haven't found exactly what I want in a hunting setup yet but my perfect setup is flush on the bottom for carrying and only holds two rounds...... I doubt it will ever be made. I will end up cutting my own mags down sooner or later.
The only person I found who'll index the 338 Lapua is Gordy hissownself. I'll save my opinions on this matter as it's a contentious subject here on this board
and elsewhere.
Suffice it to say that I bought a lathe....... I'm sick of people calling me names.
And I'm LOVIN' IT!!!!
LOL
al
