Beginner caliber

[Hurl427]

You would have a dead deer or elk on your hands and, if you are shooting heavy bullets, probably with very little damaged meat. The Lapua isn't all that fast, it mostly allows you to launch heavy, low drag bullets that are very efficient at long range.

A few years ago, I shot a small doe at 12 yards with a .375 H&H. The 250g lead bullet made a caliber sized entry hole, took off the top of the heart, and made a caliber sized exit hole. It didn't appear to expand and, other than the little bit that got blown out the exit hole, there was no meat loss at all. Granted, I used ammo that I had downloaded to 38-55 velocity, but I don't think the results would have been much different with a full power load.

IME, it is the lighter, faster rounds that tend to damage meat. One advantage of being "over gunned" (relative to deer) is that the larger stuff tends to kill cleanly while keeping meat damage to a minimum.

Well then, as long as my range gives the ok I'm gonna get my dream rifle...

 

[benchracer]

Go for it! You only live once. I would be interested in your findings when you have the rifle in your hands and start burning powder. Enjoy!

 

[Hurl427]

Oh yeah there'll be a thread! Budget says beginning of next year, but I'm patient. Plenty of time to research ...

 

[majohnson]

If it was just shooting I would point out the 6.5CM. Easy to shoot very accurate with factory or hand loads. Its better ballistically then a 308 from 600yds and beyond. The 338 Lapua is a great caliber, it will shoot well past 1200yds. But I wouldn't take it deer hunting, close range it would be a game spoiler.

 

[bigngreen]

You would have a dead deer or elk on your hands and, if you are shooting heavy bullets, probably with very little damaged meat. The Lapua isn't all that fast, it mostly allows you to launch heavy, low drag bullets that are very efficient at long range.

A few years ago, I shot a small doe at 12 yards with a .375 H&H. The 250g lead bullet made a caliber sized entry hole, took off the top of the heart, and made a caliber sized exit hole. It didn't appear to expand and, other than the little bit that got blown out the exit hole, there was no meat loss at all. Granted, I used ammo that I had downloaded to 38-55 velocity, but I don't think the results would have been much different with a full power load.

IME, it is the lighter, faster rounds that tend to damage meat. One advantage of being "over gunned" (relative to deer) is that the larger stuff tends to kill cleanly while keeping meat damage to a minimum.

You'll have a dead deer alright but it won't be a nice tidy little hole like your thinking, hit it in the front shoulder and it will be a mess like you've never seen, the 338 Lapua would not be a good all round deer rifle. I don't even pull the big 338 out till the range gets past a grand, then it unbeatable.

At 300 yards a 300gr OTM will leave about a 6in hole in and 8in hole going out with a rib shot held back, it will blow organs out both holes gun)

 

[Hurl427]

Not a horrible thing if placed right. Would you let a deer or elk walk if it was to close?

 

[benchracer]

You'll have a dead deer alright but it won't be a nice tidy little hole like your thinking, hit it in the front shoulder and it will be a mess like you've never seen, the 338 Lapua would not be a good all round deer rifle. I don't even pull the big 338 out till the range gets past a grand, then it unbeatable.

At 300 yards a 300gr OTM will leave about a 6in hole in and 8in hole going out with a rib shot held back, it will blow organs out both holes gun)

At 300 yards, with an impact velocity of around 2500 fps, a 300g OTM is going to leave a 6" hole going in and an 8" hole going out? Absent supporting evidence, I am not buying this. You are essentially making the claim that a 300g OTM is going to behave like a varmint bullet at 300 yards, with a fairly low impact velocity. This is a highly suspect claim.

Has this actually happened to you or have you actually observed this? If your 300g OTM behaves this explosively on a deer, why on earth would you consider shooting it at an elk?

I've seen bullets from calibers up to .30 caliber come unglued at close range (inside 30 yards, not 300 yards) and ruin meat. I have never seen or even heard of a heavy, large caliber projectile doing this. In fact, quite the contrary.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Not a horrible thing if placed right. Would you let a deer or elk walk if it was to close?

Placement is key. The vast majority of my hunting shots have been rib/lung shots. Very little meat damage. Based on my experience, a non meat damaging shot usually presents itself. If you do have to take out a shoulder at closer range it would certainly not be optimal but sometimes stuff happens.

 

[Hurl427]

Benchracer pm sent

 

[bigngreen]

At 300 yards, with an impact velocity of around 2500 fps, a 300g OTM is going to leave a 6" hole going in and an 8" hole going out? Absent supporting evidence, I am not buying this. You are essentially making the claim that a 300g OTM is going to behave like a varmint bullet at 300 yards, with a fairly low impact velocity. This is a highly suspect claim.

Has this actually happened to you or have you actually observed this? If your 300g OTM behaves this explosively on a deer, why on earth would you consider shooting it at an elk?

I've seen bullets from calibers up to .30 caliber come unglued at close range (inside 30 yards, not 300 yards) and ruin meat. I have never seen or even heard of a heavy, large caliber projectile doing this. In fact, quite the contrary.

I'll post some pictures later this evening of a couple antelope hit with a 300 OTM starting out at 2800fps, one hit at 300 yards and one at 965 yards.

I know what your talking about in previous posts with large bullets hitting slow, I taken a pile of deer with a 45-70 with bullets ranging from 300 HP to 520 cast lead and I've seen a few with a 40-65 with cast bullets all very minimal damage but if you'd shot any light game with a 300 OTM you'd know what they do. An elk can suck it up but a light deer or antelope simply can't hold it's self together when that big bullet opens, it's violent!!

I would not hesitate to shoot an elk or deer close with one because I have but I'm just letting the OP know it in a different league!!

 

[barnesuser28]

May i also add that 300 grains is a lot of lead to disperse in the 12" required to make it half way through an elk chest up close.

 

[Hurl427]

Apparently I forgot to mention I have 7.62x54r to fill the need of short to mid range paper and deer. Will probably use it for form and practice too.

 

[benchracer]

I'll post some pictures later this evening of a couple antelope hit with a 300 OTM starting out at 2800fps, one hit at 300 yards and one at 965 yards.

I know what your talking about in previous posts with large bullets hitting slow, I taken a pile of deer with a 45-70 with bullets ranging from 300 HP to 520 cast lead and I've seen a few with a 40-65 with cast bullets all very minimal damage but if you'd shot any light game with a 300 OTM you'd know what they do. An elk can suck it up but a light deer or antelope simply can't hold it's self together when that big bullet opens, it's violent!!

I would not hesitate to shoot an elk or deer close with one because I have but I'm just letting the OP know it in a different league!!

Roger that! If you have observed this, I am not inclined to argue with real world experience. Good enough for me! It would seem, then, that one would need to be mindful of shot selection at closer range with the big stuff.

Good to know!

 

[Hurl427]

I'll post some pictures later this evening of a couple antelope hit with a 300 OTM starting out at 2800fps, one hit at 300 yards and one at 965 yards.

I know what your talking about in previous posts with large bullets hitting slow, I taken a pile of deer with a 45-70 with bullets ranging from 300 HP to 520 cast lead and I've seen a few with a 40-65 with cast bullets all very minimal damage but if you'd shot any light game with a 300 OTM you'd know what they do. An elk can suck it up but a light deer or antelope simply can't hold it's self together when that big bullet opens, it's violent!!

I would not hesitate to shoot an elk or deer close with one because I have but I'm just letting the OP know it in a different league!!

Pics please? Not that I don't believe u, I just want to see