338 Lapua

[jays375]

Me and a co-worker have been kicking around the idea of owning a 338 Lapua.He is alot more serious than I am.In fact he is looking at purchasing a Remington.Where I am looking into the Savage Long Range Hunter.Plus at the moment the longest distance to shoot it would be 300 yards.Does anybody own one or either of these rifles?Not looking into custom guns.Any information on the caliber would be appreciated.

[Thebear_78]

The only advantage that the 338 lapua holds over the 340 weather by or 338 RUM is in match grade loaded ammunition.     Other than that the lapua is almost as expsive to shoot as a 50bmg.  Brass is expensive, and the case is really on the big side for a remington action.   It is a very fat cartridge being a shortened and necked down 416 rigby brass. 


ballistics are very comparable to the 340 weather by or 338 rum, the RUM will actually beat it out just a tad.    Another worthy cartridge is the 338 Edge.   The 338 Edge is a necked up 300 RUM.  It is probably the best all around long range round if you reload.    Brass is readily available and relatively cheap and guns are are easily made by rebarreling a 300 rum or rechambering a 338 RUM.


In the long run you would be money ahead if you just got a set of 338 Edge reloading dies and made up an edge.    You can get a remington spa in 300 rum and have it rebarreled for $400 dollars or so and still come out cheaper thany n a lapua and have a better performing rifle/cartridge.   I'm sure there are some very accurate 338 Lapuas out there but its a function of the components used not anything special about the cartridge. 


You also not going to see any real advantage to any of the big 338s at 300 yards or under.  They really shine at 500+ yards and you couldn't really notice any real ballistic advantage between a 308 and 338 lapua at 300 yards.

[Thebear_78]

I just did some quick checking on ballistic calculator and found an average of 3-4 inches less drop for the lapua over a 308 at 300 yards.  That's not a significant difference.  At 500-600 is where the big 338s come into thief own.

You can get a nice accurate 308 for much less than you can get a lapua, take the money you save and put it towards really good optics and come out way ahead.

[JesterGrin]

 You did not mention what you plan to use the 338 Lapua for?

[Silvertp]

well Bear78, I was with you until you mentioned a .338 Lapua has no balistic advantage over a .308 (assuming winchester) at 300 yards.  Not sure that gives the correct impression comparing the two.  That may be true if you are purely wanting to put holes in pape.  However, the Lapua was initially developed as a Military Round to stop small armoured vehicles at 1500 meters.  Last I checked the record distance military  sniper kill (something near 1 1/2 miles) was held by the .338 Lapua.  It is balistically a lot more than a .308.

Silvertp

[jays375]

It would be just for target shooting.I know it is very costly to load for.Personally I will play with a couple of my other guns at 300yards.

[Thebear_78]

well Bear78, I was with you until you mentioned a .338 Lapua has no balistic advantage over a .308 (assuming winchester) at 300 yards.  Not sure that gives the correct impression comparing the two.  That may be true if you are purely wanting to put holes in pape.  However, the Lapua was initially developed as a Military Round to stop small armoured vehicles at 1500 meters.  Last I checked the record distance military  sniper kill (something near 1 1/2 miles) was held by the .338 Lapua.  It is balistically a lot more than a .308.

Silvertp

At 300 yards there is plenty of power in the 308 to kill whatever he is interested in.  Maybe I was assuming his intentions where poking holes in paper but even if he was hunting I doubt there is anyone here that wouldn't agree that the 308 is adequate out to 300 yards.   I was speaking more to the fact that less than 4" of drop at 300 yards is insignificant comparing the 338 lapua to the 308.   When talking specifically about 300 yards military sniper records and light armored vehicle comparisons are mute.  Properly loaded there is nothing you can do with a 338 lapua that couldn't be done with a 308 wincheter at 300 yards.


I'm not debating the usefulness of the 338 lapua for specific purposes, namely heavy, high BC bullets for use at long range 600+ yards.   I still think the parent cartridge of choice wasn't the best.  There are better parents in my opinion but one thing that the lapua insured was that they could control the brass and loaded ammunition to make sure it was very accurate.   Excelent consistency in brass and loaded match grade ammunition combined with specialty rifles built around the cartridge allowed for great long range accuracy.   Being very difficult to form from existing brass kept all lapua brass consistent.


The big 338s are specialty weapons and their specialty isn't 300 yards.


I've shot a couple of 338 Lapua's, and have owned both 338 RUM and 338 Edges.  They are absolute hammers at long range.   The 250 accubond and rumored 300gr accubond will be excellent extreme range hunting bullets, and the 225gr accubond and 210 TSX proved to be excellent all around bullets.  My hunting load was 225gr accubond @ 3140fps out of the 338 RUM and only used on one moose at 320 yards, very effectively. 

[yooper77]

I thought about making a 338-8mm Remington Magnum from a Thompson Center Encore 338 Winchester Magnum barrel using the 500 plus pieces of 300 H&H magnum brass I had on hand.  This would be an easier 340 Weatherby Magnum, without the radius shoulder.
 
The 338-8mm Remington Magnum could be done in a bolt action too, without much trouble.
 
yooper77

[martineta]

What can I say.  I love rifles from both ends of the centerfire spectrum.  While I don't mess with the .17 caliber stuff, I dearly love my 22 hornets, a couple of .308 winchesters, lots of calibers below the .308, and also love my Barrett Rifles in 338 Lapua and 50 BMG.
 300 yards, you have lots of options without going to a 338 Lapua.  My .243 Winchester comes to mind.

[MS10point]

A buddy of mine had a custom .338 Lapua that was built on a Mark V action with a 28" supressed Walther barrel. It was about as loud as a .223 and a blast to shoot, but I could think of a lot of guns I would rather have. To each his own though.

[nomosendero]

It would be just for target shooting.I know it is very costly to load for.Personally I will play with a couple of my other guns at 300yards.

It matters if you simply want one, but you application sure doesn't call for it.
 
The bigger capacity 338's come into their own in 2 ways. 1. For Elk size game and above, especially at long range. 2. On the range, from 800 yds. & beyond with the extremely high BC bullets, esp. 300 gr. & above.
 
At 300 yds., it will bring nothing to the table, but will be much more costly to shoot with much more recoil or if you use a good brake will have big time blast & again for nothing really. For 300 yd. shooting I would rather spend that extra money for a premium barrel & superior optics & more ammo for some serious trigger time & small groups.
 
But again, it's your money & whether or not you just want one.

[NFG]

I just picked up my Savage Long Range 338 LM on Monday and it snowed 4" that night so I haven't done much except load up 20 rounds and fire off 5 and clean.
I've been at this game for a long time, build my own rifles etc...to compare a 308 to a 338 LM is a bit ludicrous to my way of thinking...not even anywhere very close in the drop department OR the energy end.
You might also review the reason for it's development...it wasn't designed to "take out military vehicles"...only the driver if anything.
While the 338 WM(83gr H2O), 340 WBY(99gr H2O) and 338 RUM(106gr H2O) all have similar case capacities and are all excellent hunters, the Lapua has the highest capacity(depending on who's case capacities you use) unless you go to a full length Rigby case(132gr H2O) or a  338- 378 WBY(124gr H2O)...actual fired case volume Hornady brand 338 LM 117gr H20.
Lapua and Norma brass is always more expensive and superior to the Rem stuff...I didn't think the price of the Hornady brass was out of line considering the size of the case.  MOST large cases cost more than Rem 308...I use Hornaby Rigby cases it for my 510 Makatak.
I plan on shooting 300 gr VLD bullets with a BC in the .800's(depending on the G1 or G7 factor) about 2700-2900 fs.
I bought the Savage because of the rifle price and excellent reports on it and I wanted the larger Savage action, 5 round clip, muzzle brake, accutrigger and accustock.  I plan on doing a 416 Rigby barrel for it so I can shoot those HI BC 450 gr VLD's also.
While a 308 will do most jobs out to 300 yds...the 338 LM will do it much better...300 yds isn't very far for a hunting/target rifle in any cal from 6.5 up if the shooter knows what he/she's doing.
BUT...If you're only doing 300 yds, stick with a any of a dozen good cals unless you just want a 338 LM like I did...I couldn't build one for the price of the Savage 111FCNS...but stretch out the distance about twice that.  Your talking buying a Masaratti to go to the corner" stop and rob 7-11" for a 44 ouncer.  Hahahahahahahah

[nomosendero]

I just picked up my Savage Long Range 338 LM on Monday and it snowed 4" that night so I haven't done much except load up 20 rounds and fire off 5 and clean.
I've been at this game for a long time, build my own rifles etc...to compare a 308 to a 338 LM is a bit ludicrous to my way of thinking...not even anywhere very close in the drop department OR the energy end.
You might also review the reason for it's development...it wasn't designed to "take out military vehicles"...only the driver if anything.
While the 338 WM(83gr H2O), 340 WBY(99gr H2O) and 338 RUM(106gr H2O) all have similar case capacities and are all excellent hunters, the Lapua has the highest capacity(depending on who's case capacities you use) unless you go to a full length Rigby case(132gr H2O) or a  338- 378 WBY(124gr H2O)...actual fired case volume Hornady brand 338 LM 117gr H20.
Lapua and Norma brass is always more expensive and superior to the Rem stuff...I didn't think the price of the Hornady brass was out of line considering the size of the case.  MOST large cases cost more than Rem 308...I use Hornaby Rigby cases it for my 510 Makatak.
I plan on shooting 300 gr VLD bullets with a BC in the .800's(depending on the G1 or G7 factor) about 2700-2900 fs.
I bought the Savage because of the rifle price and excellent reports on it and I wanted the larger Savage action, 5 round clip, muzzle brake, accutrigger and accustock.  I plan on doing a 416 Rigby barrel for it so I can shoot those HI BC 450 gr VLD's also.
While a 308 will do most jobs out to 300 yds...the 338 LM will do it much better...300 yds isn't very far for a hunting/target rifle in any cal from 6.5 up if the shooter knows what he/she's doing.
BUT...If you're only doing 300 yds, stick with a any of a dozen good cals unless you just want a 338 LM like I did...I couldn't build one for the price of the Savage 111FCNS...but stretch out the distance about twice that.  Your talking buying a Masaratti to go to the corner" stop and rob 7-11" for a 44 ouncer.  Hahahahahahahah

I am interested to see how it shoots, I have some interest in the HS version, but yours also is great. you stated as I did that there are other ways to go for 300 yd. shooting that make alot more sense unless you just want one.
 
But away from what the OP wants to do with a rifle, they are really something for way out there, just no doubt about it.

[Barstooler]

I thought about making a 338-8mm Remington Magnum from a Thompson Center Encore 338 Winchester Magnum barrel using the 500 plus pieces of 300 H&H magnum brass I had on hand.  This would be an easier 340 Weatherby Magnum, without the radius shoulder.
 
The 338-8mm Remington Magnum could be done in a bolt action too, without much trouble.
 
yooper77

Why go through all that trouble, and mess with a belt, when you can buy/build a 338 RUM?  Makes no sense to me....but with truth in advertizing I own/shoot the 338 RUM and love it because it produces .5 MOA groups with either factory (yes factory) or reloaded ammo.   I stocked up on 400 cases and I am set for what ever I want to do.
 
Barstooler

[NFG]

I fired off another 5 yesterday...I have a Leupold 3.9 VariXII on it with the elevation screwed dow as far as it will go and I'm shooting at a foot or more over at ~50 yds... and I don't know how high out about 150 yds...didn't see the bullet impact.. 
Weather still mucking about, slick mud every where so I can't get a target hung...but we need all the wet we can get...no snow pack in the high country at all...Doesn't look good for the ranchers that have grazing rights on gov land.
I think the OEM scope rail must be milled with long range in mind.  I will put another scope with more elevation range and higher power on it.  Them pinecones dodged the bullet literally....  hahahahaha
I have the trigger set as low as it will go, but it's still 2.5 lbs...slightly over a pound higher than many of my varminters....I will stone it a bit...wish Sav would sell the target trigger springs for the easy way fix, otherwise I will dig around my spring drawer and make a lighter spring....that's what I did to a Sav "Hack-xis".
Working hard to finish up my "poorboy" 600NE...20ga/.625", 3" brass.  Did the the muzzlebrake today and only need to silversolder the forend mounting boss so it won't shear off....hopefully.
I'm really going to enjoy this "T-SageRattasaurusRexReker"...   Hahahahahaha

[apache235]

I like my .338 Lapua, but not a 300 yard gun.  When I can I go to a 1000 yard range half a day north and play.  1000 yards isn't all that far with the .338, a lot more challenge with the 6.5x47.