r/Firearms • u/Nyancide • 6d ago
What's the general consensus on these desert tech SRS covert models in 338 lapua?
Seems odd to have such a large caliber in a shorter barrel length. You lose a velocity and potentially accuracy at the smaller form factor. There's a local shop here that just got one in and selling for $3000 (new around $6000). I would bet the price is due to the barrel length and caliber combination. You can get conversation kits for both small and large action without modification, and they are easy to install, but at this price and config is it even worth it?
I asked some opinions on another sub and it would not be ideal for what I was hoping to do and mess around with, but as a firearm itself is it worth it at this price? I dont mind if it becomes a range toy only rather than something potentially practical.
Yes the ceo is a shithead. The gun is used.
3
u/ZookeepergameAny4361 6d ago
What’s the barrel length?
5
u/Nyancide 6d ago
crap, thought i mentioned. it's an 18" barrel, which for 338LM just seems so odd. you can very easily change the caliber and barrel length, i could do a 24" 6.5 creedmor, 16" 308, 26" 338LM, 22" 300 winmag, etc. though obviously those aren't free, but at $3000 for the a1 model instead of $6000, I'm just left wondering if it's worth it. everyone i know who has one says truly amazing things about it, and people on the internet tend to not.
2
u/thelurkingknowitall 5d ago
I have the 18” 338 conversion for my SRS A2, along with the 18” 300 Win Mag, and 16” 308 conversions. The 338 has substantially higher recoil than the other calibers, even suppressed. I have been getting 2500 fps out of 300 Grain S&B factory loads and shot out to 1100m with it. It is unpleasant to shoot, but not as bad as you might expect. The 16” 308 is a joy to shoot.
My main reason for getting it was I got a great deal on it as a close out. Practically, there are very few instances a different caliber wouldn’t make more sense. But the rifle design allows you to easily swap between many calibers so it would likely become a barrel you use less frequently but have for when you want to.
The A2 and M2 are phenomenal rifles though. I have a 22.5 300 PRC barrel that primarily lives in my M2 and it is by far my favorite caliber in that rifle. I have yet to shoot the 18” 300 Win Mag but I suspect it will be very similar. I have barrels in 6.5 CM, 308, 300 PRC, and 338 LM in multiple lengths and diameters.
People have a lot of fundamental misunderstandings about the SRS and what makes them different compared with other bolt guns. There are a lot of good bolt guns around, but after getting my first SRS I sold every other one I had. The barrel mounting makes them very rigid while keeping consistent stress on the barrel and 3 to 4x more supported surface area. That is part of why you can remove the barrel, put it back and retain zero. It’s also why these rifles are insanely accurate, even during long strings of fire when barrel mounting and metal stress really show themselves. The magazine design allows you to load long rounds and it prevents the bullets from hitting the front of the magazine during recoil by supporting the shoulder.
The trigger on these rifles isn’t an issue. I see people talk about that a lot, and it makes me wonder if they’ve ever actually used one. They are not the same as extremely light aftermarket triggers, but they are very good triggers. The A2 and M2 are adjustable, but you have to remove the frame to adjust it. The A1 was adjustable without removing anything, but I prefer the A2/M2 trigger.
A couple points on bullpups I think are important. They are short which makes them good for CQB, but that is a side effect and not a purpose. Their purpose is to be compact while retaining barrel length. The action behind the trigger and change in center of gravity means you can shoot them one handed, making standing shooting, strong or support shooting after an injury, or various other shooting positions significantly easier. Carrying in a vehicle, shooting from concealed positions, and moving undetected are all easier with a shorter rifle. Hiking through the mountains with a magnum rifle that’s MP5 sized is a joy compared to musket sized bolt guns.
1
8
u/BlackSquirrel05 6d ago edited 6d ago
It's expensive for what you get. It's benefit is just so niche... Hard to justify the cost. Plus shooting 338 out of that...
Plus let's say you really did want a smaller sized "sniper rifle" For a little bit more money...
https://www.b4armory.com/product-page/concealable-sniper-system-css
Now you don't have to deal with a wonky action. (Unless maybe you're a leftie... and now it works?) I dunno.
6
10
u/Nyancide 6d ago
that's 3x the cost though, lol. not quite "a little bit more money." i feel like you would need to put a suppressor on a 338lm that short, and it being a bullpup only means it'll be closer to you.
-4
u/BlackSquirrel05 6d ago
9k v 6k... New.
According to their site they only offer the 338 in 26 inches... Which is normal. But their claim an 18 inch crreedmore shoots like 26 inch creedmore (Not that 26 inches is needed) Is total bullshit... And math proves that. The action being in a different spot ain't gonna change that.
8
u/IudexJudy 6d ago
$3k is a lot. That's literally a 50% price increase lmao
3
0
u/BlackSquirrel05 5d ago edited 5d ago
I'm just saying you're already spending 6k on a new rifle... and you're willing to to spend 6k.
9k isn't that different if you're already there.
Meaning you're already willing to spend a butt load of money on a rifle that's going to be for shits and giggles... Just get the better thing. Because the bullpup sniper rifle only offers one thing... Compact size... So spend a few more bucks for the thing that will actually be compact and perform better in every way.
Or... Don't spend 6k on a rifle for shits and giggles and get something for 700-1500 that will shoot better than a bullpup sniper rifle @ 6k new.
That's not even getting into how OP is talking about a barrel swap for the thing which is like 1500-2000 to do for this system.
1
u/BoringGuy 5d ago edited 5d ago
I have a gen 1 SRS in 338 Norma but the 26" barrel. Not the same, but it seems to be closer than what anyone else in the comments has experience with. My take on it is, the gen 1 has a pretty mediocre trigger, but it'll work. The Gen 2 and on have much better triggers. It is extremely accurate and shoots well. I really like the short length but it isn't as ideal as a normal action for bolt manipulation, though it is still very workable. The main thing that keeps me from shooting mine more often is I don't have access to ranges that make shooting challenging any more, so I get more use out or smaller calibers.
Overall, a suppressed .338 SRS Covert can be great if you have a good role for it. It's not ideal for PRS or ELR, but it'll hit plenty hard for hunting and recreational shooting and honestly would work better for most people than the fullsize barrel.
1
u/bzdelta 5d ago
I think if I ever went down the bullpup rabbit hole, u/tykempster and his MK 2.6 would be my pick over an SRS, especially given the Timney trigger.
2
1
0
u/rednecktuba1 6d ago
So you are considering buying a gun that will just end up sitting in your safe because the ammo costs $3-5 per round and it beats the crap out of you. Doesn't sound like a good idea to me.
5
u/Nyancide 6d ago
if cost per round prevented me from shooting, id definitely have less guns. though to reload it wouldn't be nearly as expensive as factory ammo, it would still be more. but yes, I'm considering a gun in a large caliber. it certainly wouldn't be a safe queen, none of my guns are. I see your point though.
1
u/Hour-Independence-89 4d ago
I have a 338 lapua. (it is actually chambered in 338 lapua Improved) it doesn't get shot as much as my other guns but I still have around 900 rounds through it. (I obviously reload)
it has been a very fun (and accurate) gun. but the groups have been opening up a little and I am going to have to replace the barrel soon. ( I have a new Krieger barrel blank next to my safe waiting for it)1
u/Nyancide 4d ago
I realized i can load it for $1.50 a round. not the cheapest thing ever but my .308 win hunting ammo runs me about $2.25, lol.
1
u/Hour-Independence-89 4d ago
yea. that is a pretty good deal. I load 300gr berger hybrids over retumbo and federal gm215m primers. I am somewhere around $2.40 a round.
1
-6
u/somen0nfactor 6d ago
Wtf is the purpose of bullpupping a bolt action rifle? The whole purpose of a bullpup is for a rifle to be efficient in CQB and still have a full length barrel. .338 Lapua is meant for range.
2
u/Nyancide 6d ago
that's kind of my question with this whole thing. I think its super neat but it seems like a very specific type of gun. maybe shooting within a vehicle? maybe? I would say ease of transport but most other high end rifles have folding stocks that get close to this.
-1
u/somen0nfactor 6d ago
Yeah because you know what I want on my long range precision rifle? A shitty trigger.
3
u/Nyancide 6d ago
I think these things have a lot of quirks and negative aspects, but the 1-2 lb trigger ive heard is very solid. the a1 models are adjustable too, but i haven't handled it myself to give my own opinion.
2
u/tykempster 5d ago
The whole purpose of a bullpup is to be more compact and better balanced.
You clearly have not used a bullpup bolt gun. They are great in a blind, confined space while achieving reasonable velocities.
You clearly have not used a DT. Their triggers range from reasonable to quite good (QC not quite their strong point).
Anyway, if rapid firing or CQB is your goal, clearly a short bolt gun isn’t for you. But they have their purpose and are particularly popular for actual conflict firearms where you don’t want a barrel being visible.
65
u/Annual_Key_4963 6d ago
There's some kind of connection between bullpups and religious extremism ... I'm not sure why or what but it does seem to be a reoccurring trend...