Daydreaming about ELR: 338 Edge vs 300 PRC

[284winner]

I own both a 300 PRC and a 300 NM. I was the first one to get 300 NM brass in the country. Special project for special people.
They each have their place but as I'm fond of saying "the older I get I find I can do more with less" but more is fun sometimes. Something else that applies. The 80-20 rule.
Get 80% of your goal and you'll be OK. That last 20% can be expensive and elusive.

I'll add that if I was very serious about 2K I would have a dedicated single shot rifle like we used back in the 90's.

Fortunately today you can have both. I'll probably set the rifle up for a mag fed platform and single feed if I want better performance. Obviously for optimum accuracy, throating the chamber for the bullet you'll use is best. I found that the ELDs are very tolerant of jumping a long ways without losing any accuracy in fact I get the best accuracy with long jumps using ELDs. Berger's not so much. Berger's for matching the chamber reamer spec and mag fed rounds using ELDs. Best of both worlds. This 300 PRC build will be a lengthy build as I'm doing a 6.5-284 currently. Just gathering the parts slowly. I'll use a MDT chassis on a Weatherby action for the build. 9 twist barrel is what I'm thinking in a Palma contour.

 

[DaveTooley]

Food for thought. As Alex stated a lot of us know that accuracy lives around 3000 FPS in big bores. Faster than that and like race cars sometimes brute horse power isn't enough.
If I was building a dedicated ELR rifle I'd go 30-338 Lapua Imp, AKA 300 Yogi,SS and shoot 250 gr. A-Tips in a 30" barrel right around 3000 FPS.

 

[284winner]

Food for thought. As Alex stated a lot of us know that accuracy lives around 3000 FPS in big bores. Faster than that and like race cars sometimes brute horse power isn't enough.
If I was building a dedicated ELR rifle I'd go 30-338 Lapua Imp, AKA 300 Yogi,SS and shoot 250 gr. A-Tips in a 30" barrel right around 3000 FPS.

Seems I have that rifle currently in my 338 LM improved. 29.5" barrel running the 300 Berger/SMKs at 3000 fps. I did build my 338 imp to be strictly an ELR rifle. Time will tell how much use it gets being from a location that has zero ranges close to a mile. Finding places is tough without heading out west

 

[DaveTooley]

I'm waiting for 338 A-Tips. If they will shoot with the 30's we have something to work with in 338.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Dave, do you know if the atip acts like an amax on game?

 

[284winner]

I'm waiting for 338 A-Tips. If they will shoot with the 30's we have something to work with in 338.

Boy those could sure be a game changer in ELR with the 338. I mean the 338 is a great ELR round but I think it will carry it to a higher level of what it is today. Was hoping Berger would introduce their 329 grain bullet but still waiting.

 

[DaveTooley]

Dave, do you know if the atip acts like an amax on game?

I do not know but by design they should open up fast. They are a target bullet and the thinner the jacket the better the accuracy. I know we want everything.

 

[DaveTooley]

Boy those could sure be a game changer in ELR with the 338. I mean the 338 is a great ELR round but I think it will carry it to a higher level of what it is today. Was hoping Berger would introduce their 326 grain bullet but still waiting.

I don't know anything but there is no reason for Hornady to stop developing the A-Tip line.

 

[284winner]

I don't know anything but there is no reason for Hornady to stop developing the A-Tip line.

Have you heard about a 338 bullet release in the A Tip ?

 

[DaveTooley]

I refer you to my previous post.

 

[284winner]

I refer you to my previous post.

Dave,
You made reference to waiting for the 338 A Tips. I guess I assumed you were aware that they were on the way. Sorry. I'm also waiting on them as I think with the performance of the ones currently offered will prompt the development of the 338 line. Thanks. John.

 

[Dud]

Well, I can't do a 338LM, my action does not offer that size bolt head.

If I step up to a bigger action at some point, I would probably go for a 375 CheyTac and skip the Lapua.

I don't want to sell my action, I don't like selling guns, that's why I'm trying to figure out the next step up that will fit in the Remington long action form factor of my action.

Unfortunately I think I need to shelve the project for the time being. I'll finish up my 284 Savage project first and try to do some ELR shooting before I pick it back up. Maybe 2021 will be a good year for it.

 

[Terry]

.338 Edge, Standard Magnum Bolt Face. What I decided to build.

 

[Dud]

I was just looking at the 338 Edge +P. It sounds like the chamber is the same but the throat is different (tapered somehow) but it allows much more powder before pressure shows up and higher velocity.

I'm just thinking, what about a 338 RUM which is 0.090" shorter, made with a +P throat but tweak it to fit a 285 ELD or something in the magazine without a huge jump or single load 300 grain Berger's through the ejection port?

The RUM takes away some MV, the +P gives it back and hopefully a good load will feed from a magazine. Brass might be hard to find in 338 RUM but it sounds like it could be formed from any brass that 338 Edge can be made from.

Loading dies should be cheaper probably and it probably only gives up velocity compared to the 338 Edge +P.

 

[284winner]

I was just looking at the 338 Edge +P. It sounds like the chamber is the same but the throat is different (tapered somehow) but it allows much more powder before pressure shows up and higher velocity.

I'm just thinking, what about a 338 RUM which is 0.090" shorter, made with a +P throat but tweak it to fit a 285 ELD or something in the magazine without a huge jump or single load 300 grain Berger's through the ejection port?

The RUM takes away some MV, the +P gives it back and hopefully a good load will feed from a magazine. Brass might be hard to find in 338 RUM but it sounds like it could be formed from any brass that 338 Edge can be made from.

Loading dies should be cheaper probably and it probably only gives up velocity compared to the 338 Edge +P.

I think any case size such as the RUM ( which is around 338 Lapua volume) is plenty for your goals. Just the step up into that bullet weight and bc will make tremendous gains in help when the wind is gassing.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

The stepped throats have been around for a while. I even have them on a dasher reamer. And have a set of throaters to put them in and at any length. They do effect barrel life, the throat is the most important part of the barrel for accuracy and my opinion is if you want more speed go with a bigger case. You'll be better off in the long run.