anyone has reloaded and shot 338 lapua? I�m thinking of a 338 caliber, and this one seems to be a good one.

Alg, I don't have experience with this 338 but am having one built. See the threads "Enfield to 338 Lapua" on the gunsmithing forum and "338 Lapua" on the Benchrest forum.

What do you plan on using it for?
They're all "good" calibers, with different parameters, if you know what I mean.
For a hunting rifle, you have to consider what your max barrel length will be, which for most is about 26". Given that, there's a serious drop in return after about a 340 Weatherby-sized case. With a 26" bbl and a bullet seated one caliber deep, the expanion ratio is about a 7.9, which is really quite good and it's performance is respectable. The Win Mag is about 8.7, the Lapua 6.4, so you have less and less time to burn the powder you're gaining.
There's the Ultra (same as the Canadian, or other 338-404), the Lapua, the 338-378, and the Excaliber (338-416 Rigby). This last one has an expansion ratio of 5.5 in a 26" bbl!
I haven't seen much difference in performance data between this and the Ultra round, despite the 10gr difference in capacity.
The Ultra case is cheaper and more abundant. And you can easily fit 3 in a magazine without much work, as opposed to the Lapua.
Unless you're shooting 300gr Matchkings I'm not sure you need the shorter case length (and even then?)
There are still folks chambering the Lapua, so what is the upside?
Also, there's the Yogi (?) ot Lapua Imp, which seems to be a real improvement (in terms of velocities).
When we're talking about big 338's, A-Square's Excaliber (250gr @ 3300 fps!!) is the one to beat, if you have a 3.75" action, and don't mind a 30" bbl.

To make a long story end, pick a bullet weight and a velocity you're happy with, then see how long a barrel you need to acheive it in a couple different chamberings.

If you are considering a .338 for �lg(moose)you will be better of with a .338-06 or 338-06 A-sqaure 338win is also fine for moose. .338 Lapua is mainly a target and military caliber.

Kimmo

I have a 338 Lapua, it's ballistically a 340 Wby with out th belt. A little faster, but not much (2950 fps w/250 gr bullets). I don't subscribe to the this is better then that school of thought much, if you want one, get it. It will do the job, and do it well. - Dan

I just bought a .338 Lapua from a buddy because it was a real bargain. I got 100 rounds of brass and the dies as a throwin in the deal. I had shot it for him before, now I will get serious with it. Does anyone have any favorite loads, I will be glad to try them out in my rifle. I also have a couple of .340's that I have had great success with, just thought I would compare. Having a good selection of .338 bullets already with make the task interesting. The .340's are awesome, hope the Lapua holds up for the .338 calibers as well. Good shooting.

Thanks for the info. I will have to check desired bullet velocity and barrel length.

since I am in europe, it will be easier to find 338 lapua brass than the new 338 ultra.

i do not plan to use it specifically on moose; also for african plains big game. that�s why I like these bigger cartridges, they give you an edge on speed and therefore flatter trajectory than the 338 w.m. or those derived from the 30.06.

By the way, I do not want you guys to think I�m hunting in africa day in day out. I still have not been there and since I�m planning a trip soon, i want to have a powerful enough round to take the big antelopes.

at present time I�m hunting with a 7 rm.

alg

I've had 3 rifles chambered 338 Lapua and one in 338 Remington Ultra Mag. There was a significant difference in the 338 Lapua rifles as far as velocity I could achieve and it was not all attributed to barrel length alone.

I had a rebarreled (30 inch HART) TRG-S that I could shoot 250 Sierra GameKings at 3240fps no problem and Nosler 200 BT at near 3450fps.

My Second was an H-S Precision 2000-LA and 28 H-S 10X inch barrel. Very slow by comparison to the TRG-S. I had real grouble getting 2900fps with the Sierra 250's.

The one I have currently in built on a CZ-550 Safari Magnum (416 Rigby) action. It has a 32 inch Mike Rock barrel and I have worked up loads with the 300 Sierra MatchKing (SMK) at speeds of over 3100 fps. My current load for that rifle is the 300 SMK, Retumbo, Lapua brass, Fed 215M and the speed is slowed down to 2850... there is no break on this rifle (weight 17 pounds) and shooting heavy loads (more than 10 or so)literally gives me a headache.. I can live with the 2850fps and no-Motrin.

My 338 RUM (28 inch Pac-Nor barrel) would get 2840 FPS (pushing it) with the 300 SMK.

I much prefer the 338 Lapua to the 338 RUM but I'm a Remington action fan and that kind of drives me toward the RUM.

As an uninformed, never been to Africa kinda guy... is/are there restrictions on rifles chambered for military cartridge in some of the African Nations? 338 Lapua may somehow fit into this military chambering restriction if one exist.

David, 260 fps with a 4"-longer barrel?
I'll bet 200 of it is just the barrel.
If that is so, you have about a 2% increase in velocities.

David:

David:

You were getting impressive speed out of the TRG-S.

Since you have shot both the lapua and RUM, could you give an indication on recoil and rifle weigths? The military origin of the 338 lapua may be a problem; all I am searching is a 338 that can give me flatter trajectories than the classic 338 WM.

As for the lapua, I am only aware of sako (TRG and TRG-S ) and dakota ( sniper style) making rifles for this caliber; the 338 RUM should be much more accesible.

David, by the way, what about accuracy?

Was lapua better than the RUM with the adequate loads?

Alg

The Sako TRG-S was very accurate... fairly common to shoot .5 MOA at 300 yards with the 250 Sierra.

The H-S Precision was adequate but I sold it soon after getting it...tooo slow.

The Remington custom 338 RUM is very accurate... I've shot that rifle to just under a mile (1740 something yards). I traded it to a fella and he called me to come get it back... kicked too much for him. It'll thump the shooter pretty hard (no muzzle brake) pushing the 300 Sierra.

My latest, the 338 Lapua on the CZ-550 action is as accurate as any other and the long bullet can be loaded out to utilize the large volume case. I threw together a load last fall to use for a whitetail and moose hunt and haven't worked up the rifle for more accuracy and velocity... It's easily a .5 MOA rifle in the 2900 fps range but I'd like to play with it some more. (The 338 RUM was limited to ~ 3.6" OAL for magazine fed ammo).

I like the Lapua brass and the ability to load long so the CZ is great in that department. I like the Remington action so the 338 RUM was nice there. If I were to buy a factory rifle chambered in the large 338's I'd probably get the Remington...in 338 RUM. I've had a few Weatherby's including an Accumark and for the most part I stay away from them so the 340 is out.

All these rifles were custom built, the TRG-S started life as a 338 Lapua but I sent it off to replace the stubby barrel.

I believe that the Lapua can go a little faster than the 338 RUM but it's more about accuracy than speed... I can detect no significant degree of accuracy difference between the two with a good rifle.

I can buy 338 RUM ammo over-the-counter easily... finding 338 Lapua ammo is not so easy.

Most of the makers that I'm aware of for the 338 Lapua will be more tactical/military type... EDM Arms (Windrunner I believe), McMillan, Dakota, H-S Precision, Sako.

David, thanks for the info.

You might want to consider the .338-378 Weatherby Magnum. I did and never looked back. It's an excellent cartridge, and has a slight edge over the .338 Lupua. Brass is cheaper and more easily obtainable. And the Weatherby Accumark is an excellent "delivery system". Bill T.

THANKS BILL.

HOWEVER, I UNDERSTAND RECOIL IN THE 338-378 MUST BE FIERCE.