Caliber selections??

[ltrbuck]

I know this is a huge can of worms, but I'm throwing it out there anyway and appreciate any and all feedback. Long range hunting options I'm looking at now - pros and cons? Thanks!
338 Lapua
338 Edge
338 RUM
338-378 Wby
300 Ackley
300 RUM
30-378 Wby

 

[WildRose]

I know this is a huge can of worms, but I'm throwing it out there anyway and appreciate any and all feedback. Long range hunting options I'm looking at now - pros and cons? Thanks!
338 Lapua
338 Edge
338 RUM
338-378 Wby
300 Ackley
300 RUM
30-378 Wby

What do you consider to be "long range" or the longest ranges you intend to shoot game at?

What type of game?

 

[Booney]

The 338 edge will be my next gun, but my 338 allen should be here soon

 

[ltrbuck]

Realized I should've been more specific. 1000 yds, whitetail minimum sized game.

 

[J E Custom]

I know this is a huge can of worms, but I'm throwing it out there anyway and appreciate any and all feedback. Long range hunting options I'm looking at now - pros and cons? Thanks!
338 Lapua
338 Edge
338 RUM
338-378 Wby
300 Ackley
300 RUM
30-378 Wby

They are all good calibers and will shoot farther than most people will.

Take them one at a time and look at the ballistics and decide based on what you want/expect
from your choice.

J E CUSTOM

 

[WildRose]

Realized I should've been more specific. 1000 yds, whitetail minimum sized game.

If you can find someone then in your area that shoots or has any of the 338's as "rang guns" so you can try them out for a few rounds.

They are the best of the LR's currently available commercially (unless you step up to .408 Cheytac) but the recoil is considerable and not tolerable to a lot of shooters.

With the right Muzzle break, and decelerator butt pad though the .300's can be very tolerable for just about anyone.

Keep in mind that the 300wm and wsm have taken boat loads of game up to Elk Size at 1000yds for as long as they've been being produced.

Personally I'm giving serious consideration to a .338 RUM for my next build.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Depends on custom or over the counter. Standard magnum action or big action for Lapua or 378 case. Heavy long range rig or lighter carry rifle.

The first three 338 Lapua, 338-300 RUM and 338 RUM are the same thing performance wise and no difference hunting with them at any range. All three are going to get best accuracy with a 300 grain bullet between 2750 and 2850 fps. There is the oddball slower or faster. Go with the 338 RUM because it is cheaper to shoot with cheaper easily available components. It is the best fit on a standard magnum action. It does well in shorter barrel lighter rifles for carry rifles along with the 338 Norma. The Lapua and Norma which is a shortenned imp lapua requires a larger more expensive action.

If you go to a custom heavy long range rifle or a larger more expensive action then 338's off the 378 wby case and the Excalibur case are the best option because of the 200+ fps gain in velocity which comes in handy over 1000 yards. Some of the improved Lapua designs do well and can come in near 3000 fps with a 30" barrel and pushing the good Lapua brass hot. But they are still behind the Excalibur and 338-378 wby improved versions. The 416 rigby case improved was good for many years but with Jamison making good brass now that is easily available for the Excalibur it is the best option with more powder capacity. It is the most powder capacity and fastest without going to the heavy chey-tac action. In other words the fastest that can be done in a carry weight hunting rifle.

The big 30's are hard on barrels. I sold my 30-378's because of this. I have three 300 RUM's I do some long range with and they are very good but not nearly the barrel life of the 338's. The 300 RUM and the 30-338 Lapua imp are excellent long range rigs and the biggest in 30 cal you can get any kind of barrel life with.

Over the counter the most power you can get is probably the 338-378 wby. I have seven of them and it is my go to long range rifle shooting the 300 smk at 3064 fps out of a 28" barrel. I have shot these for many years and all mine are wildcats done before wby brought them out as standard cartridges. If I were doing a long range 338 now it would be the 338 Excalibur improved. I have been talking to Kirby Allen on this site about doing one of those to replace my aging fleet of 338-378's.

I am going with that one and I just got my new 338 SIN which weighs a little over six pounds and comes in about 60 fps shy of the 338 Lapua, 338-300 RUM and 338 RUM. I am shooting the 225 grain CE bullet with .640 bc at 3170 fps out of a 24" barrel. It fits easily on a standard magnum action and does well in short barrels for light gun builds. The ballistics to 1000 yards with this combo are very good for a light rifle.

 

[ltrbuck]

If you can find someone then in your area that shoots or has any of the 338's as "rang guns" so you can try them out for a few rounds.

They are the best of the LR's currently available commercially (unless you step up to .408 Cheytac) but the recoil is considerable and not tolerable to a lot of shooters.

With the right Muzzle break, and decelerator butt pad though the .300's can be very tolerable for just about anyone.

Keep in mind that the 300wm and wsm have taken boat loads of game up to Elk Size at 1000yds for as long as they've been being produced.

Personally I'm giving serious consideration to a .338 RUM for my next build.

I've shot all the ones that I mentioned in the first post and to be honest I'm leaning towards the 338 options to simply have the hardest hitting\flattest shooting long range big caliber within my financial means so maybe I should've limited my questions to just those. Simply looking for other's experience and knowledge of them and what you did and didn't like about them after some real world experiences....... Thanks again!

 

[texan79]

I misread, pulled my comment.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

You need to answer two questions. What are your financial means and how heavy a rifle are you looking at. 10 pounds to carry hunting or 15 pounds to ride around on an atv or truck. The cheapest that will kill something as far as you can hit it will be the 338 RUM. If you want to spend more and don't mind the extra weight there are several well beyond the RUM case that are the fastest hardest hitting out there. I have built and shot most of them and can tell you straight up from hands on experience what most any 338 will do. I own many 338 rifles and had a gunshop with a 1000 yard range right out the door of it so I have seen about everything out there.

 

[angus-5024]

.338 RUM on a m700. It just works for everything and is the cheapest to shoot. It works well in both light and heavy rifles and the 700 action has the most aftermarket options out there. that being said they are all good choices.

I've shot or owned all the calibers mentioned and I only have one big game rifle now. my .338 RUM comes out with me on every trip.

 

[ltrbuck]

Thanks for all the help and advice so far guys!