Remington Sendero .338 Ultra Mag

Guns Magazine, Jan, 2001 by Dave Anderson

Other components of Model 700 accuracy include a fast lock time and a good trigger. According to Stevenson, on Sendero rifles "special attention is paid at the factory to insure the triggers are set at 3.5 pounds with a crisp clean break."

Maybe so, but someone must have misread the scale. The trigger break on our rifle was consistent and clean enough, with minimal overtravel, but weight of pull was two ounces over six pounds.

One Tough Gun

A long-range rifle needs a long-range scope. Anticipating the recoil of the powerful .338 Ultra Mag cartridge, we also wanted a scope that would hold zero. We've been pleased with the Posi-Lock feature on a Burris scope mounted on a rather light, hard-kicking .340 Weatherby.

To sight in, the Posi-Lock screw is backed out so the reticle cell can be adjusted for windage and elevation. If you forget or don't want to use the Posi-Lock, the cell is held in position by spring pressure as with any other scope. Once sighted in, however, the Posi-Lock screw can be tightened down, locking the reticle cell in position.

The scope selected was a Burns Signature 3-12x in matte finish with adjustable parallax setting and Posi-Lock. It was mounted to the Sendero using Burris bases and rings, the rings fitted with the Posi-Align synthetic inserts. These inserts compensate for minor misalignment of rings and scope, and prevent marring of the scope tube.

Bases and rings use "torx" screw heads, which we prefer for this purpose over slotted or Allen-head screws, Other than fitting the scope, the only pre-shooting work done was checking that the action screws were tight and running several patches through the bore to assure it was clean and dry.

Accuracy testing was complicated by the heavy trigger pull, substantial recoil and a strong, gusty wind blowing from right to left. A shooter can manage a tough trigger pull or heavy recoil, but managing both while dealing with the wind is mentally fatiguing.

Groups were fired at 100 and 200 meters since the range is sometimes used for shooting handgun metallic silhouettes and that's where the target stands are located. The first group was an uninspiring 1 1/2" with one shot a full inch away from the other two. Two more groups to finish the sighting in were 1" and .75" -- better but not remarkable.

There may have been some slight reticle cell movement, or maybe our trigger control was improving, but after locking down the Posi-Lock screw and waiting out the wind, the next group was a cloverleaf measuring 0.36". Discounting the one flyer in the first group, five three-shot groups average 0.65".

Waiting Out The Wind

Moving to 200 meters, the wind factor increased, causing groups to string horizontally. Time and again the three shots would fall into 1/2" to 1" vertically but closer to 2" horizontally. Finally wearying of battling the wind, we packed up and started for home, planning to return the next day.

Then just before sundown the wind dropped so we raced back to the bench, got set up and managed to get in three three-shot groups before the light faded. Group average was 1.45" at 200 meters (220 yards) which equates to about 0.66" at 100 yards.