Are the .338s becoming pointless?

[Ernie]

Heck no. Rather see your XPs. Laying on top of critters that is.

If I was good at Photoshop, I would do that for you...But I couldn't hunt with a handgun in New Zealand, so I used a rifle. Hopefully, more XP's killing stuff in the next couple of months.

 

[bdyal1972]

THIS!
I'm not in a position to buy and shoot a 338 anything but do have a Sweet 300 Win Mag as well as a 50 BMG, both of which have been used to hunt and not just ELR either. That said, I'm now physically Disabled and on permanent disability which doesn't allow me the cashola to buy another quality rifle and glass but my point is that YOU buy and tune a rifle/ammo combination that works for YOU under the hunting circumstances YOU are comfortable with and skilled in. Buying the latest Whiz Bang whatever to keep up with the Jones's is silly for Just Because. If the venerable .30-30 Winchester is what you can afford and shoot competently, and bring home the bacon with every shot, WTH am I to say you cannot be a successful hunter because you don't have a .338 Earga-Splittin', Louden-Boomin' that'll reach into the next time zone?
So enjoy that .338 Win Mag and shoot it within the capabilities of the round and YOUR skills and you'll be both successful and a happy hunter.
Good Luck to you.

300win and 50 cal


I think your covered if shtf!!!!

 

[bdyal1972]

The 338 Lapua actually started life as a long range military sniper round adopted by several Nato countries. Of course not as powerful as the 50 bmg but not an "Anti Material Round" as the 50 was designed to be but more an "Anti Personell Round" which is does ellegantly.

The 50 is used as a personel round but mostly where they are under hard cover. For what ever reason (quality of manufacture) the Lapua 338 brass is almost $3.00 per round. In volume it's out of the reach of many the typical shooter. Some will argue this but the 338 Lapua HAS proven itself to out preform the other 338 offerings, sorry guys. You can trust this, the 338 Lapua is very much alive and well.
There's one in my safe!

338 lapua IS NOT ANTI MATERIAL????

KNOW QUITE A FEW KURDS WHO WOULD DISAGREE....

3 CLAYMORES DESTROYING THE FRONT OF A COLUMN OF BAD GUY VEHICLES....

A COUPLE OF ENGINES DESTROYED BY 338LAPUA AT THE END OF AND MIDDLE OF THE COLUMN....

5 or 6 vehicles full of kurds with belt feds...

Couple of toyota hi lux technicals for good measure!!!

Typical kurd ambush...

PAYBACK!!!

BLAC FLAG!!!

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!!

IRAQUIS AND SYRIANS NEVER KNOW WHAT HITS EM..... JUST 3 MINUTES TO 6 MINUTES OF HELL FED BY A HATE 50 YEARS IN THE MAKING....

 

[P7M13]

There's irony, hunting north of the Umpqua, when just south, at the preserve, there'll be 300+ head and a bunch of bulls that look like B&C candidates.

Kangaroo skin cowboy hat (culling in Australia for aerial target practice) waterproofed liberally with mink oil, whites chokersetter 12" cork boots both waterproofed with used chain saw motor oil and or mink oil, goretex jacket over helly hanson overalls over hickory shirt, key double front pants (pegged of course)

Yep you do what you got to!!!

That must have been a sight. Haven't looked at Helly gear in a decade. IIRC, their top-of-the-line stuff goes for the price of a Weatherby Mark V.

 

[bdyal1972]

They don't need to. A 338 Lapua with a 300 grain bullet is good for farther than most people will ever shoot. By the way, the Special Ops boys have ordered MG 338's from Sig, and LR sniping rifles from Barret in .338 Norma, optimized for the 300 grain Sierra MK bullet. Velocity for this round is around 2640fps.

HOOYAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

GET SOME!!!!

338 NORMA BELT FED MAKES A M60 LOOK LIKE A 22!!!

 

[Stgraves260]

And people still thank they need a 30 cal, 338, 375 cal rifle.

 

[bdyal1972]

There's irony, hunting north of the Umpqua, when just south, at the preserve, there'll be 300+ head and a bunch of bulls that look like B&C candidates.

That must have been a sight. Haven't looked at Helly gear in a decade. IIRC, their top-of-the-line stuff goes for the price of a Weatherby Mark V.

Lol it was and is pricey!!!

How ever I have only bought 3 sets since age 10, 38 years ago!!!

Set many many many chokers in the rain with whites corks, wool socks, cutoff jean shorts, tank top, helly hansen set and black plastic cowboy hardhat!!! I was a little cocky as a teenager!!!

 

[bdyal1972]

There's irony, hunting north of the Umpqua, when just south, at the preserve, there'll be 300+ head and a bunch of bulls that look like B&C candidates.

That must have been a sight. Haven't looked at Helly gear in a decade. IIRC, their top-of-the-line stuff goes for the price of a Weatherby Mark V.

First bull I helped pack out near reedsport must have been 1000lbs +++++

6 point, palm size pedicales, red horns, maybe 2' long max, longest tine 4" max!!!

Went to town, harbor restaurant??? Been awhile 1985? 1986?

We have 3 of us AND the elk parts all IN AND ON A VW BAJA BUG!!!!

STOPPED AT VIEWING area tired, sweaty, cold, wet.....

3 bulls with #6 tines longer than this elks ENTIRE ANTLER!!!!

LOL


WHEN A ROOSEVELT HAS ANTLERS LONG ENOUGH TO SCRATCH HIS HIP!!!!!

HES BONAFIDE!!! HES A KEEPER!!!!

AND

WILL HAUNT YOUR DREAMS FOREVER!!!

 

[bdyal1972]

And people still thank they need a 30 cal, 338, 375 cal rifle.

AWESOME

HOWEVER

NOT PRACTICAL FOR 90% OF ELK HUNTING

BUT STILL AWESOME

 

[Huntz]

The 338s can punch through stuff smaller calibers can`t.Its all momentum baby!!

 

[bdyal1972]

If you THINK about the 338 it creates the questions you ask. If you use the 338 you fall in love as your questions are replaced With experience.

I once happened upon an out of state hunter in Eastern Oregon near Tupper butte near heppner.

Heard shooting in the clear cut and **** near got killed as a herd of 200+ elk just mowed down EVERYTHING in the ponderosa pines @ mach 4!!!

Found a nice guy, covered in hunter orange, carrying a 25-06 browning bar with a bipod, shaking....

First time elk hunting....

Says he shot it quartering away left to right....

He says he spotted the hit before said bull took off faster than any whitetail he had ever seen.....

DUH!!! 3 TIMES THE STRIDE!!!!

LONG STORY SHORT 3 HOURS LATER FIND A CUTE BULL WITH A BLOOD STAIN NEAR MOST REAR LEFT RIB...

I GO PRONE WITH BIPOD.

ROUGH RANGE WITH VARI X 3 RETICLE....

GENIUS UNBEKNOWNST TO ME HAS LAYED DOWN HIS 60# ??? FLORESCENT ORANGE BACK PACK AND POPS OPEN A GIGANTIC CAN OF MILLER LIGHT AS I AM GETTING MY BREATHING AND HEART RATE STEADY

UP HILL SHOT, 5300 FT ALTITUDE, 350 ROUGH YARDAGE, FACING AWAY FROM US, DOESNT KNOW WE ARE HERE!!! GONNA ASASSINATE THIS GUY!!! NICE 100 YARD HIKE DOWNHILL TO A SKID ROAD!!! 2 MILES TO GRAVEL ROAD!!! 4? MILES TO PICKUP AND CB TO CALL CAMP FOR SUPPORT!!

GONNA BE A CAKEWALK!!!

POOOSHHHHHHHHHHHH

THAT CAN OPENS!!!!!

BULL THROWS HIS HEAD BACK LOOKS RIGHT AT AND THROUGH US!!!!!

**** CITY FOLK



GRAB THE BROWNING 338 LIKE MY LIFE DEPENDS ON IT

WHEN CROSSHAIR IS VERTICAL AT TOP OF BACK HOLD RIFLE AS HARD AS I CAN

CRUSH TRIGGER

BULL GOES DOWN LIKE LIGHTNING AND CRASHES HEAD OVER TEAKETTLE FLIPPING OVER A 4 LEGS IN AIR....

PURE MOVIE RESULTS...

VERIFY HE IS DONE....

GRAB BEER CAN OUT OF HIS HAND AND THROW IT LIKE A GRENADE!

CHEW DORKS BUTT.

BROTHER APPEARS 500 YARDS AWAY, WHISTLES, HEADS TOWARD BULL...

GET TO BULL...

OPEN HIM UP.

BULLET (225 BARNES X) ENTERED 1? INCH FROM ANUS, LEFT THOUGH BRISCATE...

3" EXIT HOLE....



338S ARE IN A CLASS OF THEIR OWN FOR ELK....

PENETRATION WITH ACCURACY TRUMP ALL....

 

[Pro2A]

I hear what you are saying, but there is more to it than just exterior ballistics. According to some of the more experienced guys, .338's are easier to tune, so they appear to be of some advantage when looking for 1st round hits past 1000.

 

[Pro2A]

Not looking to offend or claim they're not effective, BUT...it used to be that the .338 lapua was regarded as in a league apart compared to .300 and 7mms because of the bcs on the 338 bullets. Now this is definitely a thing of the past, with high .7 and even .8 range g1 bc 7mm and .308" bullets that can be driven faster all things equal For true extreme range the big .375s are dominant. For tactical purposes all of the above are way more than adequate antipersonell rounds, body armour or not. None of the above are truly suitable anti material caliber. The way it seems now is that the .33s don't have an advantage over the 7 and 30 trajectory wise and can't match the 375s out of similar size rifles. Nothing wrong with .338 cartridges but not a whole lot I see that would make me choose one with things as they are now. Show me if I'm wrong!

FYI, USSOCOM has announced intention to delete the .Barrett 50BMG in favor of the .338Norma Magnum....also replacing the 338Lapua Magnum....... for anti-material role. With current cartridge developments, the 338 carries almost the same anti-material terminal performance as the 50BMG with much better accuracy, lighter rifles (15lbs 338MRAD vs 28-33lbs M107), lighter weight cartridges equals more rounds actually humped in field. Warriors love the Barrett 50BMG but often leave it in the compound due to weight. Everything has its role. 338s aren't going away. Maybe a more finely defined role in ever the expanding cartridge world.

 

[bdyal1972]

FYI, USSOCOM has announced intention to delete the .Barrett 50BMG in favor of the .338Norma Magnum....also replacing the 338Lapua Magnum....... for anti-material role. With current cartridge developments, the 338 carries almost the same anti-material terminal performance as the 50BMG with much better accuracy, lighter rifles (15lbs 338MRAD vs 28-33lbs M107), lighter weight cartridges equals more rounds actually humped in field. Warriors love the Barrett 50BMG but often leave it in the compound due to weight. Everything has its role. 338s aren't going away. Maybe a more finely defined role in ever the expanding cartridge world.

HUUAAAHHHH!!!!!!