Sold my beloved 338 Lapua today
- Thread starter RCCaduceus
- Start date
A few of my shooting buddies have a .338 , and yup they are prestigious eye candy at the gun range that packs a nasty bang , but eventually the thrill subsides, and your left with owning an expensive to shoot long range caliber that is simply not practical for the typical short to mid range recreational shooter. (disreguard this opinion if you can frequently reach out to 1K yards and beyond). When I was looking for a heavy magnum I ended up choosing on a more practical .300WM
Patch - I'm glad you like my table! lol. Yes, this is only a hobby trying to satisfy my need for competition and my love for science. Trying to figure out how to shoot out to 1K reliably fascinates me.
Road_Claim - I loved the "bang" but when it's only going out to 200 yards there really isn't much point. Closest 1k range is 3 hours away, which makes it hard to hone shooting skills. So, I sold it to a future Navy Seal who will love it the way it was intended. My .308 and I have a ton of work to do when this damn arctic winter lets up!
Road_Claim - I loved the "bang" but when it's only going out to 200 yards there really isn't much point. Closest 1k range is 3 hours away, which makes it hard to hone shooting skills. So, I sold it to a future Navy Seal who will love it the way it was intended. My .308 and I have a ton of work to do when this damn arctic winter lets up!
I had a number of custom tactical rifles on my tables at our club's gun show last weekend, and the most often-asked questions were "Are any of these 300 Win Mag/338 Lapua?" I've been hauling a selection of the rifles I've built for myself to this same show since 2006, and this was the 1st time I've been asked about the bigger boomer chamberings. Spin off from so many folks reading Chris Kyles' book after seeing American Sniper?
I can build myself a good rifle in just about any chambering I desire - and "desire" is the key word here. I have no desire to invest the amount of money it takes to shoot a 338 Lapua regularly, even though I've got my own 1200yd range 1.5 miles from the house. When I want to shoot something with a little more authority than the 6x47/6.5x47/260 Imp 30* rifles I typically shoot in matches, I get out one of my 284s, a 280AI, or a nice 30-'06 I built last spring. Not knocking those of you who love shooting your 338 Lapuas - I just don't see the point for what I'm doing.
I can build myself a good rifle in just about any chambering I desire - and "desire" is the key word here. I have no desire to invest the amount of money it takes to shoot a 338 Lapua regularly, even though I've got my own 1200yd range 1.5 miles from the house. When I want to shoot something with a little more authority than the 6x47/6.5x47/260 Imp 30* rifles I typically shoot in matches, I get out one of my 284s, a 280AI, or a nice 30-'06 I built last spring. Not knocking those of you who love shooting your 338 Lapuas - I just don't see the point for what I'm doing.
Sorry for your loss. I love my 338 Lapua. It would be tied for the title of my last gun to go if I had start thinning the herd. I'm almost through my second barrel on it now. I enjoy shooting nice groups with it at 100 yards, but it really shines at 1000+. I have a whole 5 minute drive to a range with steel at 1-mile, another 2 hours and 25 minutes and I have access to a private range with steel every 100 yards from 300 to 1000 and a 48"x48" steel plate at 2300 yards.
It is an elk hammer too
It is an elk hammer too
Chris Kyle's assailant just got a GUILTY verdict. Thank God there is still some shred of sanity in our courts.
Yeah, I bought the Savage right after the Sandy Hook craziness and thought it would be great. I love the mental aspect of being able to group rounds at 1k+, and all the detail that goes into building and exacting that gorgeous 338 load. This is a hobby, so I wasn't stressed about the cost. Turns out I'm still learning to shoot, reload, and learn long range shooting in general. Spent a weekend with an accomplished 1000 yard champion who mentioned I might want to spend more time on the 308 and work up to the 338 Lapua. Combine this with the fact there is limited range yardage in Iowa, and it was obviously time to make a choice. Let a 5K of gun sit around or reinvest in other things.
I'm really looking forward to learning from the great experienced marksmen on this site. Glad to be here.
Yeah, I bought the Savage right after the Sandy Hook craziness and thought it would be great. I love the mental aspect of being able to group rounds at 1k+, and all the detail that goes into building and exacting that gorgeous 338 load. This is a hobby, so I wasn't stressed about the cost. Turns out I'm still learning to shoot, reload, and learn long range shooting in general. Spent a weekend with an accomplished 1000 yard champion who mentioned I might want to spend more time on the 308 and work up to the 338 Lapua. Combine this with the fact there is limited range yardage in Iowa, and it was obviously time to make a choice. Let a 5K of gun sit around or reinvest in other things.
I'm really looking forward to learning from the great experienced marksmen on this site. Glad to be here.
Flatlander, couldn't agree with you more. I have thought about it a couple of times or even building a big 30 but then my 284 does anything I want to do including shooting out to a mile. I have access to my own range where I can shoot out to 1300yds and my son in law has one where we can shoot farther yet. There are a couple of friends who have the big boomers but I don't feel I am taking a backseat to any of them with my 284. Plus I get a lot of rounds out of it so whats not to like!!
this is a sad day. My Savage single shot would be one of the last rifles to leave my house. At least, until I die...
Dittos, Raptor. A few years ago, I was making regular trips out to CRC near Byers, Co. to shoot their LR weekends - we shot 3x600 any/any on Sat, & 3x1000 on Sundays. I shot a couple of 284s at 1000 there, and always had good results with either of them. Far as that goes, I shot my Palma rifle with a 6 Dasher bbl on it at the Co. State 1000yd BR champs match in June of 2007, and managed to shoot the small group of the day in the light gun class, IIRC with Berger 105VLDs. Wasn't anything earthshakingly good, at 4.750", but still - it was the best group of the day, shooting a little pipsqueak 6mm round that only holds around 34grs of powder. No argument as to which round packs the most wallop at 1000, just sayin' - you don't have to shoot a magnum to get good groups at 1000.
It is not that expensive to shoot a 338lm. One just needs to buy in bulk.
Dad gave me his extra LEWilson case gauge for 338LM; my 223 cases fall right through...
Buying in bulk indeed! So much fun though!
-Mac
butchlambert
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IF! I had a place that was easy to get to, I would build a serious LR rifle. A 375 Warlord. All I have right now is the brass.
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