05-06-2011, 09:30 PM
Quote:1600 meters? PFFFFT try 2800 yards.
The only scope of the group that I've actually got to "fondle" was the IOR Valdada. I was impressed with it's outward appearance, but that doesn't mean it's a great optic. My rifle will be up around 20 lbs and with an awesome WCI brake I doubt recoil will be much of an issue. I will really only use the rifle for banging steel and punching paper at extreme long ranges.
Mad Max,
I'm not sure what hot-rod you're having built, but I think 2800 yards is way out of .338 LM territory. I've been shooting .338 LM for about 5 years now, and once my friends got the Lapua radar data for the Scenars, they were able to start pushing to 2000 meters in favorable wind conditions...(little to no wind) with 2nd round hits being highly-celebrated. Some are even pushing 231gr solids at 3400 fps, but would still call 2800 yds way out of the effective range. If you're referring to the Brit Sniper that supposedly made those 2700+ shots, I think they were really talking about 2700ft, but 2700 yds just sounded cooler to the newspapers/reporters, so they went with it. Kinda like Andy McNab taking out over 200 Iraqis with his 8-man team in the 1st Gulf War...major propaganda (Bravo Two Zero).
There's no way anyone could even identify a human target at that distance with his S&B 5-25x56 PMII, let alone make 3 consecutive hits on two personnel, then a PKM receiver at 2700 yds. At 900m or 900 yards, that is actually quite fair game and totally doable with a .338 LM, but not 2700 yds/m.
Anyway, every .338 LM I have shot has been either topped with a Zeiss Diavari, Hensoldt, S&B PMII, USO SN-3, or NightForce, and all have usually had the magnification range in the 20+ area on the top end. I would stay away from the Zeiss due to durability issues, but they have the best glass. Hensoldt is their tactical line, so same great glass, same durability issues. S&B has all the features, but some issues with durability occasionally. NightForce seems to have the durability record to beat right now, although I do generally like the USO & S&B glass better, but each scope differs.
With your muzzle break, you'll still have the high G forces acting on your rifle, optic, and mounts, but the recoil impulse is just shortened so that you don't feel the whole push as the brake works, so you still need to think about durability with any rifle caliber really. If you're talking about stretching the legs of .338 LM, you'll need great glass, a tighter twist barrel for the longer bullets, and preferably a longer barrel to get the most out of your slow-burning powders. Those are the things I would recommend thinking about when dealing with .338 LM/glass/etc. It's a great cartridge.
There's a guy here in Utah up in Ogden who hot-rodded a whole line of cases and he claims to make a .338 parent case cartridge that pushes 300gr solids at 3400 fps. He basically blows out the case walls until they're straight, does an Ackley type shoulder/neck geometry, and uses longer barrels. He's doing something else for me right now, but I'm very peaked about that combo. He says it's good out to 2400 yards on Elk, and does a lot of custom long-range hunting rifles for people. Those are pretty hefty claims, so I will be looking into it some more.
LRRPF52