Meet BOOMER! My 17″ 338 Lapua Magnum

Meet BOOMER!  My 17″ 338 Lapua Magnum

After I conducted the 338 Lapua Magnum barrel length and velocity test (with the help of the guys at Precision Addiction), I was left with a very well-worn 17″ tube.  Rather than send it to the scrap heap, I decided to finish it up on the lathe and see how it shot.

Looks good, doesn’t it?

Specifications are as follows:

• Defiance Machine 338 Deviant action
• Accuracy International AX chassis system
• Timney 517 trigger
• Surefire brake
• Sierra-7 bipod
• Spuhr ISMS scope mount
• Nightforce 8-32×56 NXS scope

You’ll note the brake just barely passes the fore end of the rifle.  That is OK with me.

How does it shoot?

I loaded up some 250 and 300 grain Sierra MatchKings and headed to the range to find out…

Boy, touching off the trigger of a 17″ 338 Lapua with a brake is a violent experience.  Far worse than a 16″ 300 Win Mag (don’t ask, but click the link if your are curious), and more along the lines of a 50 BMG pistol indoors with no ear protection.  I fired 22 rounds (2 to get a zero, and 4 5-shot groups) and had enough.

The 300s grouped a little over an inch and the 250s in the .800s.  Not too shabby for a very short and very worn barrel that made A LOT of noise.

BOOMER!  My short 338 Lapua, don’t try this at home…