Ulfberht .338 Lapua Magnum

[LRRPF52]

We had the opportunity to do some shooting with the Ulfberht at the Multi-Gun Training we ran in September, and had a blast with the rifle.

The action is extremely smooth, and is constant recoil. It uses a DP28 Degtyarev-type locking system, which has flaps on the side of the bolt carrier that lock into the receiver. It also has a really long piston, and a very long stroke. Recoil without a muzzle break is a firm, long push.

It's fun to shoot at extreme long range, and we were able to start out with it at 1000yds at North Springs Range, then took it over to Buffalo Canyon behind the Cowboy Town and stretched out a bit more.

The rifle is built like a tank, with exceptional fit and finish between the components. It was kinda boring to shoot with it 1000yds, and due to my focus on running the course, I wasn't able to get as much trigger time as I would have liked.

I was also impressed with the quality of the polymer magazine for it.

Alexander Arms has a holiday discount on them right now, for $5460. Ulfberht

[NugginFutz]

I had and opportunity to put a few rounds through it as well. I find it interesting that you mention it had no brake. I really didn't pay that much attention to the muzzle when I was on the trigger. I guess I just assumed that it had one. Even still, I came away with the impression that it was very manageable. You describe the experience quite well.

Again, our thanks to bwaites for allowing us the opportunity to try his most excellent Ulfberht and to Alexander Arms for the ammo we sent through it.

Maybe next time, LRRPF52, you won't be so busy trying to stuff that 10 pounds of schedule into the 5 pound sack and have a bit more spare time.

[rabiddawg]

Im gonna ask a dumb question. Keep in mind im coming from a whitetail hunting/target shooting mind.

Is there another market for this big of a gun aside from extra long range target work? And is the market really big enough to offset the expense of developing it?

[LRRPF52]

Im gonna ask a dumb question. Keep in mind im coming from a whitetail hunting/target shooting mind.

Is there another market for this big of a gun aside from extra long range target work? And is the market really big enough to offset the expense of developing it?

I asked the same thing, but then we see several .300 Win Mag AR's being introduced to the market, with competition rising, rather than falling. .50 BMG's have been steadily growing since the 1980's, and there are a growing number of discriminating customers who like to launch lead at extreme long range.

The Ulfberht is unique in several ways:

* It's a semi-automatic .338 Lapua Magnum.
* It uses an operating system that is totally different than any other big bore semi-auto.
* It has undergone extensive research, development, testing, and evaluation under the expertise of a school-trained engineer.

[Sniper338]

Pretty cool! I get my bolt action 338 Lapua back to me here in a week or two from the smith! I'll be dying for a while saving up to buy another Steiner Military or Schmidt and bender PM2, but I'll at least be able to run it with a cheaper scope for a while.

What gets me wondering on these semi auto rifles like this is how much performance is lost out of that round out of a semi auto. It take us a tiny bit of energy blowing back the bolt dispensing the empty brass, unlike a bolt gun where the round is locked in and full power is blown forward. I've always wondered the same about a regular AR too about what is lost due to the operating system.. Just food for thought for me, not that I cant sleep at night, just always wondered haha.

[MKo]

Sniper338. I see your point. My take is that you don't loose anything or is really neglectable. Once bullet passes gasport it's not accelerating too much. If I had to guess velocity loss is few fps. In end game it doesn't really matter due massive energy delivered to the target. Nothing that I have hit with 338LM has come back to complain. For example running moose at ca 500m needed only 1 hit and it was done. Shoulder hit breaking shoulder joints and puncturing lungs exiting on the other side.

[Sniper338]

I guess thats true with gas operated semi autos. I was thinking off the wall about other semi autos that werent gas operated... my buddy had a 3006 browning semi auto that was pure "inertia"? driven.. my thoughts are all together here today.. forgive me as im feeling alittle under the weather and bot thinking with a full deck of cards today haha..

[MKo]

I don't think you loose anything on inertia driven systems. There recoil energy (impulse) is conserved and stored into a spring which then recycles the bolt. So energy produced by firing a round has certain amount of energy (1/2 times mass times velocity). It'll then create inertia which is either fully felt by shooters shoulder or divided between recoil spring and shoulder. And in "closed system" all energies when added together equal zero. Every action has equal and opposite reaction (newton III)

Somebody with better understanding the physics maybe can explain this better.

[BluntForceTrauma]

For when you want to reach out and touch someone. Again. And again . . . and again . . . and again . . . . Just keep pulling the trigger.

Military guys can better address this, but wouldn't this be handy as a counter ambush tool in the mountains of Afghanistan? Pretty sure you're not gonna be outranged by any PKMs. . . .

[LRRPF52]

I think it would make a great alternative to the Barrett, since you have .338 LM, which allows more ammo to be carried, and the longest shots have been made with .338 LM now. With .338 LM impacting even near you, it tends to deter anyone from popping their head up, or staying at their position.

[Joseph5]

There is also match grade ammunition being produced for the 338 LM. The Mk 330 Mod 0 ammo shoots a 300 gr Sierra MK at 2640fps and is a 0.8 MOA round. That would really ruin some ones day!

[MKo]

I might be bit biased but having tested Lapua 338LM API rounds I see clear point having 338LM sniper rifle system. Many of the systems are clearly lighter than 50-cal and man portable. Those API bullets have same ballistics than 250gr Lockbase plus it penetrates 8mm (ca. 3/8") of armor at 700m. Having that capability and pin point accuracy ..... well I wouldn't want to be at receiving end.

[mwilkins]

Since getting into the bolt action world, my semi's haven't seen as much trigger time as once before but I can see the appeal of this particular configuration. I tend to like things on the heavy side (only in my rifle builds...) as it aids in recoil management. Talking about large calibers here. My current 338 build weighs in at 26 lbs loaded and ready to go with 5 rounds. It doesn't get carried too far while hunting but then again, with the Lapua round, you shouldn't have to. Having the lighter weight weapon with the feed rate of a semi could be both fun and expensive in a rather short period of time. One would surely need to spend more hours at the reloading bench.

[Rootshot]

I'm curious to see the details of how the flapper locking mechanism has been engineered. Since aluminum couldn't deal with the force of firing if the flaps engage directly into the receiver, there must be a newly designed barrel extension for the flaps to engage into.

There is a great video on flapper locks at Forgotten Weapons. This includes some criticism of the design towards the end of the video.

--Rootshot

[LRRPF52]

No aluminum, all steel in the upper receiver. It's nothing like an AR. The fit and finish between the receiver parts, as well as the smoothness of the operating parts, are exceptional. I can't think of any other rifles off the top of my head that are that smooth.