every now you stumble onto treasure, and now you have to figure out how to best utilize it.

Two weeks ago, I met a buddy from Northern CO in Laramie enroute to StL and he offered me treasure.
A Pence cut-rifled barrel, 1.5" OD, 33" long, fluted by Skip Otto, in .338" caliber (1:10" twist).

This was one of two identical barrels Bud ordered many years ago, with the idea of building a 1000yd+ Elk hunting rifle. It was, iirc, a 338 Rigby, on a 30S action. Sierra 300gr bullets at a claimed 3000+fps. It took an Elk every year for about 17 years, before advancing age dictated its' sale.

Now its' twin lives here.

So, what to build; easy, a 338 Edge.

How big?

leave as is and mount a turret on your truck

don't know if that will work, it's only a half-ton.

1 1/2 inches. WOW I'm sure glad you are going to carry that thing and not me. I built a 7STW on a P-14 years ago. Used a McGowen 28 in target barrel. ! 1/4 in at the chamber end tapering to a mere 1 in at the muzzle. This thing groups 160 gr bullets just great but the only time I have ever hunted with it,is when I can just about drive right to my blind and drop it off.

Put it on a rail gun and put the right barrel on your edge. Butch Fisher had a 1-1/2" barrel on his rail and even had a heat shield over it. Looked awesome! I would put a 32" tapered barrel on your edge to get every little bit out of that great cartridge. Then you could carry it without needing a tractor to move it.

Pegleg,

shorten it an inch?

It's laying here on the floor. My wife asked me if were a truck axle...

IS, how much does this barrel weigh? What do you think the finished dry weight of the rifle will be? If it is over 8.5# finished maybe you should use it as a truck axle. My opine only.

Sounds like a great 1000 yard Bench Rifle to me. Fred Barnes had a 1 1/2" dia.barreled 505 Gibbs. that was over 30" long.
Just enjoy it as is. You got a lot of other rifles to hunt with. roger

Geez, that's a big barrel! Make sure you have a gun-bearer with you when you go elk hunting.

Many years ago I had a 222 Rem made up with a 20 inch heavy Shilen barrel. Carried it prairie dog shooting and promptly got outshot by my son. I was so tired of lugging that 14 pound rifle around.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
a 338 Rigby, on a 30S action. Sierra 300gr

we call that a 338 lapua these days

jeffe,

right as usual. I bring it home, and now I see that Savage has a new model 338 LM out.

They recently announced the 112 Magnum Target 338 LM in a single shot platform. Looks a lot like the FTR rifles, but has a brake.

heck Rich do sumthin cool with it.

a 338-06 or 338 win mag cast bullet bench gun would be something cool.
I dunno what actions you have but Armalite's AR-30 or 31, stock and magazine wouldn't be a bad one to go with.
they generally come with a 30" barrel anyway so yours wouldn't look out of place.

Easy, don't mess with the Lapua, order up a single shot Stiller 408 Cheyenne Tac action in the 1.650 diameter and chamber it up in the 338 snipe Tac or 338 big baer. Easy 3200fps with the 300's with around 140grs of H50 powder....and put a big brake on it, it'll still pound you without one. I have a similar rifle with a a 1.375" dia @ the breach and it really is a long range beast...

Any taper Rich? What does that weigh? Not going to hunt in the mountains with it.