Can't decide on the right .338

[hogan]

There are many .338 bore ctgs worth considering.

.338 Norma, Lazzeroni, and Dakota rounds offer a more compact package with similar capabilities to the Lapua.

Look at the Sierra and Barnes books; the .340 Weatherby is very comparable to the Lapua or standard .338rum, but has no need of .590 or other boltface.

Best all-around .338 ctg I've owned in magnum configuration has been the .338win mag, a very easy wildcat; just neck up standard .300win brass. I use a Redding S FL die in .300win to size with as the die has neck clearance for a .360+ neck and all need is the bushing of your choice. Seat with a Forster Ultra seater in .338 win mag.

I've shot a Rem 700 BDL .338/300win w/o muzzle brake with 250gr bullet with powder loads of XMR4350 from 65.0gr to 79gr. With 65gr load the round is very mild. At the high end my data compares with max loads for .340 wby.

Also have a .338-06. Think a .338/284 is best non-magnum load. The .338/300 win mag is a short OAL chamber in the 2 rifles currently chambered for it, headspacing on case shoulder. The rimmed magnum doesn't bother me a bit.

Sako TRG-S or 42 rifle has magazine length of 3.75" which allows better seating of long VLD .338 bullets.

I've owned .30-378, .300rum, & .338rum, and Lazz Patriot.. Sold them all. Not as much flexibility with those large capacity rounds and not really much gain over the .338/300. I also shoot cast bullets and have molds that produce 220gr (Lee) and 290gr (NEI) bullets. I have shot the .340wby with the 290gr cast bullet. Very accurate and impressive penetration with a 43gr load of IMR 3031 (or maybe it was 4064?)...

Have also thought about a .338 SAUM. Might also look hard at the plainjane .338 win mag. longer neck and more efficient case offers a lot of opportunity. I have shot some .338win cast loads in my .338/300 the heavy bullet allowed the case to fill chamber w/o splitting or any damage. Result is kind of a super Gibbs on a magnum case.

 

[wwbrown]

After building a 338 Edge and Lapua magnum one for myself (Edge) and one for a customer I would look hard at the 338 Norma. Nothing against the Edge or LM but the Norma is shorter and more efficient. If it was a decision between a Lapua or Edge I would go with the Lapua as you can use Lapua brass, expensive yes but it will last a long time and is very uniform.

One thing to think about is the cost of shooting a big boomer every time you squeeze the trigger you burn some bucks. Another issue to think about it do you have a range that will make use of the that much energy, 1,000 yards is a nice minimum distance to shoot them, less than that and there are a lot cartridges that will get the same job done easier.

Jim See at CentreShot Rifles makes an extremely effective muzzle brake in his 4 port "Muscle" brake and I would talk to him about the brake and maybe have him build it, he does great work.

Free advice and priced too high,

 

[dennisinaz]

You guys are all missing the obvious. The 340 Weatherby does about the same as the 338 Lapua with much cheaper (high quality Norma) brass. Mine is scary accurate (L61R, Schneider, McMillan). There isn't a nickels worth of difference in them with reasonable barrel lengths.

I can shoot factory ammo in mine as well! I had my reamer ground to throat a 300 gr SMK at perfect length. It is a long throat for a lesser bullet but still seems to make them sing pretty accurately.

 

[hogan]

Agree with Dennis that the .340wby is about all that every other super-mag ever aspired to be.

One thing there's no escaping and that is barrel life; maybe you get 600rds when firing the heavy burners.

Probably the .338/375 Ruger has as much to offer, but pretty hard to beat the .338/300 win mag. One of the finest and legendary 1000yd ctgs has been the .30-338 win. Very efficient case, nice long neck, shorter oal so can load them long VLD high-BC bullets w/o compromising case capacity. If the .30-338 was The Ticket 35yrs ago, the .338win offers even more with the VLD bullets available these days, plus no need for the super-mag receiver length.

Weatherby rifles aren't often touted for precision, but they were making the .340 in a sendero-like configuration, was it the fibermark? Came with a H-S Precision stock and fluted stainless 26" barrel in varmint contour, probably with a muzzle brake. Pretty hard to go wrong for $1200. Forster offers their Ultra seater in .340 also... Probably could use a .300wby Type S FL with .360 bushing and have your custom die set. No real dimensional difference between the .300 & .340 wby ctgs. Yet these are long-assed .375 H&H variants. Shorter is really better.

Lots of potential in a Sako TRG-S. If you're going with a large body ctg, may as well go with an action built with that gear in mind. Of course, the Wby Mk V is also in same league with .378wby case family.

But really is it all about power and velocity? For a rifle you can shoot thousands of rounds w/o worrying about detaching a retina and hunt with w/o losing what remains of your hearing, a .338/284 or maybe .338 saum really makes a lot of sense if you just can't abide a belted magnum case design.

Probably next year, some "authority" will discover that the belted magnums offer greater case stability when used with a "tight-belted" reamer, or when belt is turned down in oal to facilitate case shoulder headspacing.

 

[slabslayer]

hello,
just wanted to add my 2 cents as i went thru this a while back.i ended up having a 338rum built to hunt elk with,shot several with a 7mm rem mag but found it to be a bit lacking at longer ranges (350+) not always getting exit wound.built on trued 700 action 28" pac nor 3 grove with removeable brake 4x14 leupold with b plex poi within 2" to 600 yds. great set up as it is fast (no dialing)210 gr tsx ,90 gr reloader 21,near 3100 fps ,easy 3" groups at 500 yds.i'm sure i could even shrink that but havent found the time or need. shot a 330 class bull in co. was like he got hit by lightning.

 

[ELR Researcher]

Hi snowfighter:

A couple weeks have passed, sounded from you second (last) post that you were headed toward the 338 Edge. Where does your project stand?

BTW, you didn't mention your action - presumably waiting on a cartridge decision. Was that the case? If not, what action do you have?

Best of luck with your project. [For me, I'm going 338 NM 40 degree Improved.]

 

[bfr 4570]

338 AX by Kirby Allen. Looked at all of them. you can get 10 more grains of powder than a Lapua. Plus you can still shoot regular 338 Lapua if you have to.

 

[jcvibby]

I would go EDGE all day long!!!

 

[glbpmc]

Looked at all and think the Lapua is it. Use a CZ550 action it is used for even bigger cals. and at $650 with the trigger (single set) there is no need to worry about strength.