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338-378 Weatherby or .338 Lapua?

Ol Thumper

Ol Thumper

I’m thinking about buying or building a 338-378 Weatherby or a 338 Lapua, anyone with information good or bad id appreciate some insight and even more so on a gun choice. I’m not looking to spend a fortune on a gun, maybe around $3,500 give or take for a hunting rifle plus optics. I’m looking for something different to play with in terms of a new pig gun, they can never be to dead ;) I’ve been using a 375 H&H and 416 Rem Mag but the range sucks at best however devastating at close range.
 
The 338 Lapua or the Improved version is a great cartridge.
if I was going to use the 338-378 Wheatherby as a “base” cartridge I would get rid of the ventury type shoulder and go with a straight 35-40 degree shoulder and plan to push the heavier bullets hard.
The 338 Lapua Improved has everything you’ll need IMO and experience in running 3 rifles with 30”, 32” and 34” barreled on custom actions Has proven that 300 gr. Bullets at 3000+ FPS is obtainable.
 
338 Excalibur, no belt 30 degree shoulder and more case capacity. or 33XC.
I have a 338L now and thinking on moving up to 338 Excalibur.the 338L just doesn't have enough case
capacity to push the 300grn or heavier projos imo,unless you loaded hot.
 
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Me my next is a 338-378, how can you not love that 125gr case capacity. I already have an EDGE so that is the next logical step for me anyways. I cannot wait to send those 160gr TTSXs down stream, I am already getting 4200fps with 105gr of RL17 from my EDGE, so to add another 20gr 4500fps cant be that far off. If not it should be close.

Dean
 
Before I had my 338 Lap Imp built I had a 338-378 and the issue I had with it was when I wanted to start standing on the gas to get the velocity out of it the brass was the weak link and the primer pockets would give up on me. Loaded moderately it was fine but what's the point in having all that case capacity if I couldn't reach the upper limits of the velocity scale without the brass going to shit so it went down the road and I had a 338 Lap Imp built.
 
Prior to the Lapua coming out, I built myself a 338-416 Rigby Improved 45 degree shoulder...awesome cartridge once I was able to determine loads for it.
Today, if I was doing it again, seeing as though they are similar, I would build a 33XC on the same action, a CZ 550 Safari Magnum.
My design, and also the XC, are so efficient that the velocities you get, even with a 28” or 30” barrel are quite impressive.
Mine runs a 32” barrel.

Cheers.
 
Ol Thumper said:
I’m thinking about buying or building a 338-378 Weatherby or a 338 Lapua, anyone with information good or bad id appreciate some insight and even more so on a gun choice. I’m not looking to spend a fortune on a gun, maybe around $3,500 give or take for a hunting rifle plus optics. I’m looking for something different to play with in terms of a new pig gun, they can never be to dead ;) I’ve been using a 375 H&H and 416 Rem Mag but the range sucks at best however devastating at close range.
Click to expand...
What action will you be building on?
Some people have had problems with case bulging from using Lapua Magum size case head cartridges in a standard Rem 700 diameter action /tenon barrel shank .
It has been suggested to use an action that will take a larger shank diameter to handle the case head peak chamber pressure.
 
I have no idea, im a rookie on building anything other than telling somebody to build me X gun. I’m wanting to keep a 26” barrel as well, it’s going to be a hunting rifle not a target gun.
 
Sako TRG in straight 338 Lapua is the direction I’d go.

I’ve shot extensively a lesser factory 338L. It’s fantastic and will be great on hogs without all the headache of a wildcat.

I’m saving up for the TRG. Used they’re quite a value.
 
Ol Thumper said:
I’m thinking about buying or building a 338-378 Weatherby or a 338 Lapua, anyone with information good or bad id appreciate some insight and even more so on a gun choice. I’m not looking to spend a fortune on a gun, maybe around $3,500 give or take for a hunting rifle plus optics. I’m looking for something different to play with in terms of a new pig gun, they can never be to dead ;) I’ve been using a 375 H&H and 416 Rem Mag but the range sucks at best however devastating at close range.
Click to expand...
Are you wanting a repeater or a single shot?
 
I’m thinking like lb-ft, above. If a carry weight hunting repeater is the goal, that’s really in the wheelhouse of factory guns. Dedicated, heavy target guns aren’t produced by the factories and would be a custom maker’s specialty, but that’s not really your goal with a 26 inch barrel.

I’ve got the TRG 42 and that Sako accuracy and detachable box platform is tough to beat. Lighter weight for easy carry is the Weatherby MV which I have in TRR with a floor plate, and a 9 lug Mark V is a classy rig the world over.

But I would have to recommend the H&R Precision Professional with a box mag and their fully adjustable stock for a hunter. For hunting, this conservative and traditional rig looks completely appropriate even though it came with a certificate of compliance with the requisition terms of a particular country’s long range engagement rifle.

The other two rifles honestly look more like pure military or swat sniper rifles, because they are. I don’t discriminate lol - but in hunting camp circles, a guy that brings a .338 LM sniper rifle might be looked at like one wearing a 24 inch, 4 pound serrated Bowie survival knife that he won’t unstrap from his thigh the entire trip.
 
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The Sako’s are reaching well above what I’m willing to pay for a store bought gun. If Im going to push $4500 then I’d most definitely be having a full custom built at that point. I guess I’ll wait out the gun rush and just use the 50 again for a while before having something built. Thanks for the input guys..
 
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