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338Lapua vs. 300 Weatherby
pwillie
Member Posts: 20,253 ✭✭✭
so,what say yee about performance?....I was not impressed about the LApua....am I wrong?
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added Then you should spend some time with an external ballistics' program and a reloading manual.
http://www.hornady.com/ballistics-resource/ballistics-calculator
http://bisonballistics.com/point_mass_calculations/new
My 7mm Rem Mag with a 162 BT has more energy and velocity at 500 yards than a 170 gr factory loaded 30-30 has at the muzzle.
The 338 Lapua is no joke. It currently holds the record for the worlds longest sniper confirmed kill, which is encroaching upon the 3000 yard mark. There is another cartridge, which is the ballistic twin of the 338 Lapua, and that is the 338 RUM(Remington Ultra Mag.). The brass is not as expensive to find, and the rifle builders do not have to modify, or use any special bolt face, for the larger rim of the Lapua.
If the 500-600 yard mark is all that you are looking for, there are several factory rifles that will get you there, like the Tikka T-3, SAKO 85, a good refined/blue printed Remington 700, and several others.
The cartridges I would look for would be anywhere from a 7mm WSM/7mm Remington Mag, to the 300 WSM/300 Win Mag. I do love the 6.5's for getting this done too, 260 Remington, 264 Winchester Mag, and the 6.5-284 is also a good one, that are common. Simply stated, the 6.5 can do anything that you can do with up to 30 caliber, except the big toothy critters with toe nails, that can eat you. In that case I would be carrying something a little bigger than 30 caliber too.
If you would like more insight on tack driving rifles, pm me.
EDIT 1
quote:There are a lot of rifles that have enough "steam" for 500-600yd deer, starting with the 30-06 (point being you don't need a mangle-em for that range).
The big thing is bullet construction VS impact velocity. As the IV drops, the bullet needs to be more frangible in order to expand (the converse is also true, the higher the IV the less frangible the bullet needs to be).
That is exactly why, for most hunting applications, I like the Barnes TTSX bullet. It has better penetration, and controlled expansion, than any bullet on the planet.
Your 300 Weatherby is perfectly adequate, and the Lapua has more inherent accuracy than your Weatherby, ever thought of having. Truth be told, the gentle, and mild 308 will do anything you need to do out to 800 yards. Come the 6.5mm version of the 308, called the 260 Remington, and it is even better than the 308, with less recoil.
You can absolutely take anything that walks the Americas with much less powerful loads, but this certainly gives you a margain of insurance. The 338 RUM will do the same thing and both the Whby and RUM burn some less powder than the Finn's monster.
As far as performance either would take a white tail deer at that range.
You will be dealing with some stiff recoil or a really heavy rifle.
I think the inherent accuracy would go to the Lapua due to headspacing on the shoulder.
As far as performance either would take a white tail deer at that range.
You will be dealing with some stiff recoil or a really heavy rifle.
Same place the RUM uses
There are a lot of rifles that have enough "steam" for 500-600yd deer, starting with the 30-06 (point being you don't need a mangle-em for that range).
The big thing is bullet construction VS impact velocity. As the IV drops, the bullet needs to be more frangible in order to expand (the converse is also true, the higher the IV the less frangible the bullet needs to be).
quote:I have a model 70 300 Weatherby with a Hart barrel,thats very accurate out to 600 yds,but was wandering about the 338 Lapua....and accuracy..
Accuracy is a function of the entire system; rifle, barrel, ammunition and the biggest variable, the shooter of course. The .338 Lapua cartridge has already demonstrated the ability of the ammunition and some systems to be accurate both in the field of sniping and hunting. There just isn't any question about it being an accurate cartridge. You, the shooter, on the other hand might have something to prove.[:D]
Your .300 Weatherby has set records at 1,000 yards and is still competitive at many of the long range benchrest competitions. With the wide variety of bullets and bullet construction you should be able to find something which will work at the longer ranges. The only advantage that the Lapua has is downrange energy which is due to the bullet weight and velocity. But that's nothing that the Weatherby can't handle.
I personally am concentrating on the 6.5mm cartridges which I am comfortable shooting out to 1,200 yards. My hunting load has a tad over 1,000 ft/lbs of energy remaining at 1,000 yards, which is more than enough for deer and antelope.
If you want a new rifle, don't hesitate to buy a quality .338 Lapua rifle. Do not be persuaded to buy a cheap imitation. Remember to allow enough money to get high quality glass.
Best.