I think of all the new calibers this one will make it because of its military connection.I hope that there is cheaper brass,ammo and rifles to come.I already shoot the weatherby 338-378 and its about 200 fps faster than the lapua with most bullets.I see this caliber becoming the new long range rifle standard for the big game hunting world.I love shooting long range targets and game with my 338-378.My load for the 338-378 is a Nosler Paretition 250 gr at 3150 fps.Remington is building a new 700 police special in the 338 lapua . R uger was supose to build a few 338 lapua RSM 77s but I dont know if they really did or not.That would have been a nice rifle.It will be interesting to see if Weatherby chambers their Accumark in the 338 Lapua.I love my 338-378s in it ,an awesome long range rifle!!!!

I shoot a 338 Lapua Improved with a 32" barrel, I would say my ballistics are similar to your 338-378.

300 grain bullets up to about 3050 fps.

180s at 3600

quote:

Originally posted by dgr416:
I think of all the new calibers this one will make it because of its military connection.I hope that there is cheaper brass,ammo and rifles to come.I already shoot the weatherby 338-378 and its about 200 fps faster than the lapua with most bullets.I see this caliber becoming the new long range rifle standard for the big game hunting world.I love shooting long range targets and game with my 338-378.My load for the 338-378 is a Nosler Paretition 250 gr at 3150 fps.Remington is building a new 700 police special in the 338 lapua . R uger was supose to build a few 338 lapua RSM 77s but I dont know if they really did or not.That would have been a nice rifle.It will be interesting to see if Weatherby chambers their Accumark in the 338 Lapua.I love my 338-378s in it ,an awesome long range rifle!!!!

I shoot a 338 Lapua with the 250 SMK I can spit them out at 3200 FPS. The 300 SMK's cruise at 2800 FPS

I had one but in the area I lived in I had a very very hard time getting any ammo for it or brass or reloading stuff so traed it for a 338-378 Weatherby Mag Accumark and 5 boxes of ammo and the reloading dies, (Find it odd that i can get 338-378 Weatherby mag ammo in that area)

my 338 Lapua rem 700 SSP it had a 26" fluted barrle and a brake on it had 3 magazines 2-10 round and a 5 round haris bipod and mark 4 bass and 30mm rings and a case I made up for it only owned it for 6 months and never fired it ...

Guys,
anyone load 338 lapua mag with imr powders, i just bought the rifle last Nov, and been shooting plains game in africa and have taken few cape buff with it, Its amazing on buff. i am using BTS 250grain, I am just curious about loading with different powders,
If you guys have any advise let me know.

The problem I see (if it is really a problem) is the rifles are geared toward a different market. More military style than hunting or old school target shooting. Looks dont necessarily matter, but I am not going to be seen hunting with what looks like a military sniper/combat rifle. Thats me. A 50BMG is on my wish list, but thats not something I would ever hunt with.

The other problem, already mentioned, is cost. Everything about the Lapua is big dollars. True for the 50BMG also, but that is a monster gun. Then the 50BMG loaded ammo is not that bad a price at cabelas considering the size of the round. I asked on this forum, where I was told there are some special requirements for the Lapua brass and barrels due to the pressure. Myth or real? I do not know.

I was thinking like you, its a military round, like 308, etc and should become popular for sporting use. Does not seem to be happening.

I saw the 338 Lapua was listed by CZ for the 550 mag in normal wood stock hunting rifle with 25" barrel for $1000 (I think it was standard price). Now discontinued. A normal gun for hunting. Thats the only gun I ever heard of that looked intended for sporting use and its gone. Seems a logical choice for Weatherby.

Edit: as an afterthought I checked Hornady. While not cheap premium target loads are the same price as the similar size 416Rigby. No hunting loads. Brass $56 per 20 - high.

I have the Rem 338 Ulter Mag . I shot a Zerba
and killed it With my 300 Ultra mag Shooting a
200 gr bullet.

On an impulse I bought a Rem 700 MLR 338 Lapua of Gunbroker a while ago,the price was too good and I was kinda bored ,I got it shooting with 250 Hornady interlocks,put a 2.5x8 Leopold on it that I had laying around,took the rifle to SA for a plains game hunt last nov,don't know how fast the 250's were going,but everything that I hit was DRT,except one where I botched the first shot,my PH was impressed enough to take a warthog with it,this round just plain drops em on the spot,the biggest game taken was Kudu,I now have a Dakota African coming my way also chambered for the Lapua round,I always take a double rifle and a bolt gun when I hunt Africa,I think I have found my favorite caliber in bolt guns.I can see dropping buffalo with this round,can't wait to try it one day!

Bill, Barnes now has high-BC 265 and 285gr bullets made specifically for the 338 Lapua. Worth a try.

quote:

I was thinking like you, its a military round, like 308, etc and should become popular for sporting use. Does not seem to be happening.

True, because it really only shines for shooting 1000 to 2000 yards. There are many other reasonable alternatives for game and targets from 0 to 1000...

I have done load development for a custom .338 Lapua and shot it a lot. It would be fun to have....

quote:

I see this caliber becoming the new long range rifle standard for the big game hunting world.

quote:

True, because it really only shines for shooting 1000 to 2000 yards. There are many other reasonable alternatives for game and targets from 0 to 1000...

rc,

I was thinking along the initial proposal too. The 338 Lapua does not seem that different form some other mega 338's currently offered. Like RUM and Wby, but being mil figured this one would eventually rise to the top. The 223 is found in two totally different gun types black and varmint/target. Except its not happening or maybe it is slowly.

Why, exactly, does the Lapua not shine while the 338RUM and 338-378 are so brightly? Or other way around?

Recoil has to be rough in any gun light enough to hunt with. Is the powder selected for a longer barrel? Noise & flash a concern?

I am totally ignorant on this. I am just prodding for more insight. Is this a 'real' difference or more a marketing and perception thing. Which 338 would you recommend for hunting say 400 to 800 yards instead of the Lapua? And why?

Again, this is so far beyond my hunting reality to be purely out of curiosity that I even ask.

The ballistics of the RUM are virtually identical to the Lapua. I have no experience with the Weatherby, but it must be amazing.

I would look at the RUM for a .338 hunting rig at the ranges you are talking about. For the game I hunt, I don't need a .338 caliber round at those ranges and that was the point of my comment.

What animals do you hunt at those ranges that will require a 250 to 300 grain .338 bullet?

Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Bill, Barnes now has high-BC 265 and 285gr bullets made specifically for the 338 Lapua. Worth a try.

I think if cheap ammo and cheaper rifles come out in the 338 lapua will sell like hotcakes.If the ammo were $60 a box with a 250 Nosler Partition and the Rifles were $800 and cheaper brass. I think it would become the #1 long range hunting rifle of the world.Prvi Partizan has loaded ammo with 250 fmj bullets for $60 but a cheaper hunting round is needed.Its needs to be in a 8 pound rifle with a 3 shot magazine with very good scope rings and mounts such as Ruger and light enough to tote with a removeable muzzlebrake.The Weatherby Accumake in the 338-378 is the best rifle I have found under $2000 .I only paid $1000 each for my 338-378s .If weatherby could make this Rifle for $800 I think they could not keep up with the demand.My gunshop said every 338 lapua that has come in has sold the same day that they got it in.And these were the very expensive $2500-4500 rifles.I dont see why they cant make a afordable 338 lapua.With the military backing world wide this will be the big game long range rifle of the 21 century.I see it coming but as lang as there a demand for these high dollar guns it will be a little while.For Alaska on the wide open tundra is where the 338 lapua will shine.I love my 338-378 its just a big game long range varmit rifle that you can actually tote.I have not shot anything with the 300 gr serria match king but have heard lots of stories with it.I trust the 250 gr Nosler partition on bears ,moose,caribou ,deer and about anything in North America as far as big game goes.I think Elmer Keith would really like the 338 lapua its almost identical in preformance to his 338-378 KT.

I built my 338 Lapua on the Rem 700 action. With the use of the Seekins Detachable Box Magazine and a lengthened bolt throw, I can utilize a 3.9" over all loaded length.

I built mine on a Sendero 338 RUM and kept the stock for the Lapua. I have pushed the 250 SMK to 3200 FPS, but setteled on the 300 SMK at 2800 FPS for its wind bucking ability.

I built mine as purely a long range hammer. I alos used a 30" Rock Creek barrel carbon wrapped by ABS inorder to keep the weight down. My rifle wieghs under 13 pounds including the Scope a 5X25X56 S&B PM11 (with mounts is 2+ pounds) and bipod.

I chose the Lapua primarily because of the quality and strenght of the Lapua 338 brass

That OAL must be one of the drawbacks for the 338Lapua.

I looked again. The CZ550 magnum action is still offered in 338Lapua in two totally different guns. One is the classic safari wood stock and the other is a tactical police style. Both are over $3000, which is apparently what the market will bear. I can see both have some high end bells and whistles.

I think the CZ police gun had 28" barrel & brake, Kevlar stock with aluminum bed. Muzzle brake seems unnecessary in this heavy 14lbs weight. I guess that means ear protection even for hunting (or some way to cover or remove it for field use). I never had a gun like that, but maybe it is the best way to go for this type of round? Dont know.

Perhaps a lighter and shorter gun (normal size) gun would work better with a 338Win or 340Wby and reserve the Lapua for heavy 28-30 inch long bbl guns. If I understood maybe that was part of RC's point?

quote:

Originally posted by Tyler Kemp:

300 grain bullets up to about 3050 fps.

)

IMPRESSIVE. What's recoil like, without a brake?

In my 338-378 the 250 gr at 3150 with the brake kicks like a 270 win to me.Without the brake it kicks about like a 375 H&H .The 300 gr at 2900 fps is another story .It kicks a little more than my 338 win mag with 250 gr bullets.Without the brake the 300 gr bullets at 2900 fps kick like my 416 rem mag.Mind you my 338-378 is only 9.5 pounds with a 6.5x20 Nikon sling and 3 rounds.I keep thinking about either building a 30" 338-378 Weatherby or a 338-378 kong which is a 338-378 improved.I think the 338 lapua is going to be a winner.It fits in more guns than the 338-378 does and has a military backing.I wonder how many 338 lapuas have been ordered by the Army.

I use my .338-.378 for shooting deer during our January antlerless seasons. I use the 225-grain Nosler Accubond and get good bullet expansion to 750+ yards (my longest kill). It is probably larger than needed for long range deer but I had the rifle and it seemed like a good idea at the time. It is (or was) an Accumark which was not accurate. It was accurate enough to get me a large Alaskan moose but not all that great, so I had it re-barreled with a heavier 28-inch barrel without a brake, the stock bedded better, added a set trigger and added a 4-14X scope with range compensating dots. It has taken a lot of deer between 400 and 750 yards the past six January antlerless seasons. However, I am pretty sure a .338 Lapua would have given nearly identical results. With a proper scope maybe my 7MM STW would have worked as well with a lot less recoil.

Ruger #1 338 Lapua 28" heavy barrel 45" OAL with a 14" LOP

Blaser Tac-2 , 12-42 NightForce CH-2, shooting 300 SMK's and 300 Berger Hybrid's

I have a Sendero chambered in 338 RUM. I like it a lot more since I had a Vias brake installed.

Had the opportunity to pick up a Sako AV chambered in 338-378 KT, cheap.
In the deal I got 51 loaded rounds, a set of full length dies and the form dies.
Will try it out soon. See what it will do.
GWB

I have shot a Sako Model 995 in .338 Lapua for some years now, got it from a buddy for a song because he couldn't take the recoil, even with one of the most expensive brakes available. It is a real shooter with 225 or 240 grain North Forks, 250 grain Barnes X or 225 or 250 grain Swift A-Frames. It will shoot one holers with all of those mentioned, but most consistently with the North Forks and Barnes X. My son, grandson and myself have taken several Elk with it and it will continue to serve us in the years to come. It has a 4.5X14 Ziess Conquest on it that is outstanding. It thrives on Federal 215M primers and H-1000 and RL-22 powder. Those bullets listed at 3100 plus fps are real killers if the shooter does his part. Good shooting.

Baser Tac 2, Badger mounts, 5-25 SB, Atlas Bipod, Sako MB using 250 SMK with RL22 and 250 Scenars.
I'm waiting on some 300gr Berger Hybrids I have held back because I heard they did not cope with 3000 fps. I really like bergers in my other caliber rifles.

I have A 338 RUM And that rifle is very accureate. With the 250 gr bullet accubond it shoots at 3178 fps.