Ruger Precision Rifle .338 Lapua Magnum
Model: 18096
Ruger Precision Rifle .338 Lapua Magnum
Model: 18096
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
Ruger's chassis rifle scaled up to .338 Lapua Magnum is a firing-point rifle before it is anything else. It runs 15 lbs bare and 49.25 inches with the stock out, on a 26-inch cold hammer-forged barrel with 5R rifling and a brake already fitted. Two 5-round AICS-pattern magazines come with it, and it has an MSRP of $2,829.00.
The muzzle thread is 3/4x24, which is not the 5/8x24 most aftermarket brakes and suppressor mounts are cut for, so the factory brake is the path of least resistance. The rail is set at 30 MOA, which buys elevation at distance but needs a scope with travel to spare to zero up close, and no optic or sights are included. The handguard carries M-LOK on all four sides. Recoil runs in line from the back of the receiver into the buttstock rather than through bedding, and the trigger adjusts from 2.25 to 5 pounds with a wrench that lives in the bolt shroud.
The Barrett MRAD is the other .338 Lapua rifle here. It holds twice as many rounds, weighs half a pound less, and adjusts its comb and length of pull without tools.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- The magazines are AICS pattern, the common standard in this class, so spares are not a single-source part.
- The bolt is three-lug with a 70 degree throw and a DLC-coated body, and the oversized handle threads on at 5/16-24 so it can be swapped for a different knob.
- The stock folds to the side, which takes close to a foot off the length for a case or a truck.
- The 3/4x24 muzzle thread is uncommon enough that most cans and brakes will not screw straight on.
- Nothing about it is portable. Even folded, with a scope fitted, it is a two-hand carry to the bench.
- Barrel work is gunsmith work, so a worn tube is a trip out rather than a wrench job at home.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What magazines does it take?
AICS-pattern magazines, and two Ruger ones come in the box. That is the same pattern most bolt-action chassis rifles use, so replacements are widely stocked.
What is the muzzle thread?
It is 3/4x24, under the factory Ruger brake. Suppressor mounts and brakes in that size are far less common than 5/8x24, so check before ordering.
Does the stock fold, and what adjusts?
It folds to the side and adjusts for length of pull, cheek rest height and horizontal position, and buttpad height. Nothing on it needs a tool you have to supply.
Can the barrel be changed?
Yes, by a gunsmith using headspace gauges. Ruger states that outright rather than selling it as a home barrel swap.
How does it compare with the Barrett MRAD?
The MRAD takes a deeper magazine and is a little lighter, and its folding stock adjusts without tools. This rifle answers with the lower price of entry into the chambering.
