NVreloader posted a link to the thread on accurateshooter.com but I thought I'd just start one on here too since of all people, you guys will appreciate this the most!

Alex Wheeler at Wheeler Accuracy finished this up for me last week and hopefully I'll have it by next weekend to test fire it. The whole project started as a joke about building a 375 BR pistol off of a CT case. It quickly turned into just building a 338/408 improved to see how fast I could get a 300gr bullet to move from a 20" barrel.

Build list:
-BAT model CT octagonal single shot action
-Joel Russo pistol stock made from Bubinga wood
-Jewell HVRS trigger
-Terminator T5 brake
-20" barrel (1.450" tapered to 1.350" at the muzzle)


Here are a few of the pics I got from Alex at Wheeler Accuracy last week.




I sent him 5 rounds to try and test fire it; I haven't heard back whether he got up the courage to try it or not yet. I'm hoping to get a 300gr bullet to 2900 fps from the 20" barrel. The goal was to simply match the 338 Edge ballistics from a SP so that I could shoot out past 2000 yards or so before going subsonic. Here's a picture of a loaded round for those not familiar with it.

Left to right: 6.5 BRX, 6.5x47 Lapua, 284 Win, 338/408 improved


I'll try and get updates posted as I get a chance to test it.

Andrew

Andrew,
That's definitely a beast of an SP!
Let us know how the test goes for the smith, and a range report once you get her in your hands.
Thanks for sharing
-Mike

WOW!!!!!!!
Nmhunter

Cool! Not for the feint of heart or wallet or arthritis (of the hand)!! Should be a dandy groundhog gun.

Wow that's about as big as they come! Very cool thanks for sharing!!!!

COOL!

Andrew

Thank you for the update/info, on your SP.

I was hoping you would come over to the dark side,
We have some very outstanding shooters/builders here,
I know they will help with any questions, you may have.

But be careful,
hang on to the rear wallet pocket also,
as these guys will lead you down garden path,
you will soon have the itch for the next one,
and the next one etc,etc,etc.

I know, as I started with one,
and now have 2 more builds going.

Tia,
Don

Word to the wise. Plugs and muffs! And then have fun!!!!

You think that would be enough???
I was thinking double that amount.......

Tia,
Don

quote:

Originally posted by bowstryder:
Word to the wise. Plugs and muffs! And then have fun!!!!

DANG! That's cool!

The smith got a chance to test fire it the other day and it sounds like it went pretty much the way I expected. He said it took a couple minutes to get up the courage to pull the trigger! Not surprising though, the recoil was really anticlimactic. He said you could almost shoot the gun free recoil and that was with a load using 140gr of H50BMG and a 300gr bullet! The blast was something else entirely he said. Loud and abusive are the words he used to describe it.

I should have the pistol back by Thursday and I'll try and get out this weekend to get some video of the first few shots.

Andrew

I've got a .338 ax and the only thing I tell folks is what Ernie said to me..... 'IT'S AN EVENT!' But yeah the recoil is negligible with these awesome brakes today! Of course with 30%~ more powder in this hoss I'd put another exclamation on that. Lol.
Put up a video when you get her home!

I'm thinking there better not be anything Flammable within a 30 foot radius of that thing!!

How big of a deal was it sizing down to the 338?

375 Snipe-Tac (375 Chey-Tac Improved). This was back in 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...oqqK-q7iARmKwk742NZg

quote:

Originally posted by ANGRYREB:
How big of a deal was it sizing down to the 338?

It's one pass into the sizing die and then fire formed with COW. I form all of my brass in a rifle I had made with the same reamer so I don't have to burn up the barrel on the pistol.

Ernie, do you have any performance numbers from the 375 Snipe-Tac SP? I remembered hearing about one a few years ago but I never saw or heard anything more than your short video clip.

Andrew

Thats pretty cool! Whats it weigh?

Aaron

Chuck shot it a couple times before I did and then I ran like 20 some rounds through it and we tore up the scope and then we just filed it away. really haven't played with it since. We tore up an old trigger too.
I'd like to put a rubber grip on it that will be a little easier on my hand.

I got some video of the my first shot fired from the 338 pistol yesterday. Recoil is non-existent, muzzle blast is a different matter entirely! I didn't have a good front rest with a wide enough bag so I had to improvise and build one but it worked pretty well.

https://youtu.be/pQ6PEAWF5Zk

Sweet!

Excellent!
That big brake is doing its job
How was the initial accuracy?
Thanks for the video!

-mike

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 40xmike,

That's not bad at all. Can't wait to see how it does at distance.


Aaron

Saw the group over on Accurate Shooter-Excellent shooting!

Thanks everyone!

quote:

Originally posted by 40xmike:
Excellent!
That big brake is doing its job
How was the initial accuracy?
Thanks for the video!

-mike

This is the first 4 shots out of the gun at 100 yards. #1 went a little high and then 2, 3 and 4 went in to one stretched out hole.


I was adjusting zero and messing around trying to get the Magneto Speed to register a velocity for the other shots so I didn't get any real groups. Next trip out will be the real test phase at 300+ yards.

Andrew

quote:

Originally posted by yorketransport:
Thanks everyone!

quote:

Originally posted by 40xmike:
Excellent!
That big brake is doing its job
How was the initial accuracy?
Thanks for the video!

-mike

This is the first 4 shots out of the gun at 100 yards. #1 went a little high and then 2, 3 and 4 went in to one stretched out hole.


I was adjusting zero and messing around trying to get the Magneto Speed to register a velocity for the other shots so I didn't get any real groups. Next trip out will be the real test phase at 300+ yards.

Andrew

Andrew,
Looks like it shoots as good as it looks
Won't be much doubt about hits on steel at distance with it
Very cool,

-Mike

Great looking pistol, I have 338wsm and with out a muzzlebrake, I shot it a total of 4 times before ripping the grip off and coming back and hitting me in the fore head. Since then I have installed muzzlebrake,it shoots around 2700 with a 225gr with a average 1" moa groups.

Crash

Great video! Thanks for sharing. Of course we are all wondering what kind of velocities youre getting.....

I probably won't get a chance to go out shooting again for a few weeks. I hope to have the chronograph issue figured out by then even if I just buy a Labradar. I get a pretty easy 2700fps with a 250gr MK from my 18" 338/375 Ruger Stiker so I really hope to hit 2900+ with this gun.

The real problem I'm having with this whole project is that it's done! Now I need to come up with something else to work on and I think I may have maxed out the SP concept. I'll be forced to start working with rifles I quess!

That's a bad a$$ pistol you have!!! I also have a 338/375 ruger barrel that needs to be put together. It's a 26" Savage bull barrel. After i get it together i might hit you up for some load data if you wan't to share.

quote:

Originally posted by yorketransport:
The real problem I'm having with this whole project is that it's done! Now I need to come up with something else to work on and I think I may have maxed out the SP concept. I'll be forced to start working with rifles I quess!

Just go to a 375 or 408 in a SP...

or .50 BMG, thats about the only thing bigger, but man would that be a slick SP!

Here's an update for you guys.

I still haven't actually chronographed any of the loads but today I calculated the velocity of the 300gr OTMs by measuring drops at 300 and 600 yards from a 100 yard zero. At 300 yards I dropped 8.75" (2.8 MOA) and at 600 I dropped 63" (10 MOA). Since I know that the 300gr OTM tracks with my ballistic app if I use a G7 BC of .418, I played with the velocities until the drops matched up. I came up with 2845fps! I plugged that in to the calculator and then dialed 21 MOA to try a shot at my 965 yard gong and was rewarded with a beautiful ringing sound.

I'll call this project a success. I wanted to be able to match the 338 Edge from a pistol and it looks like I did it. Now, on to the next project!

Andrew

Awesome!!

Andrew,
Thanks for the report
What a hammer!

-Mike

My Lapua Improved (338 AX) XP-100 ran just at 2700 with 300 grain bullets.
That's about 150 fps faster.
That is a good reference point to know, if you want to jump MV with 300's past 2700 fps.

Good call Ernie. I haven't ran anything but the 250's in the AX and only pushing them at 2725. Easy as pie to shoot and the 10 twist has taken a liking to them I think.