What Bullet for my Lapua Improved

[snox801]

Just a side note I never tried the other as the lapua improved my brother did shot the 300gr laser at 3160fps.
I'm mag feeding mine and I'm short barreled so I'm pushing the hammer 246gr

 

[jessej]

Yes it's slow I figure it's the H1000 I'm just using it to FF.
Gonna switch to retumbo or 33 for final load. But can't deny I'm kinda shocked with what it's doing

That's as close to perfection as you could ask. Leave it alone. Keep us posted.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Just a side note I never tried the other as the lapua improved my brother did shot the 300gr laser at 3160fps.
I'm mag feeding mine and I'm short barreled so I'm pushing the hammer 246gr

It's a tough decision going to an 8-8.5 twist barrel for the solid 300 grain bullets vs 300 lead core using a 9-10 twist. Not sure if the advantage really. Both have near identical BCs. 300 OTM vs 300 CE solid. I think more speed is obtainable with the solids for sure that being an advantage no doubt.

 

[jimbires]

So Jim, my questions to you would be as follow.
Have you ever compared the lighter lower BC bullets having more initial velocity to the ones you now use?
If so, at what point as for yards does the higher BC bullet overtake the lighter one?
Have you or anyone you know ever killed an animal at that distance? Especially in Pa?
For a hunter, including long range hunters, velocity rules to a very large degree.
And that includes the 338s

Hi yobuck , how you doing ?

no , I have not shot anything but the 300 berger elite hunting bullets . I'm pushing them pretty fast out of my regular Lapua , with a 30" bbl . the velocity I use in my ballistic program is 2939 FPS . I thought I had a long shot this year , but the snow shut down my rangefinder . it kept reading 30 or 40 yards , not the correct distance . if I used a kestral I could have put the distance in and got my corrections . the deer stayed there feeding by the 1600 yard target for a fair amount of time . I looked at a 75* temp drop sheet I have printed , but knew better , it was cold . after the snow stopped I ranged the 1600 target , it was calling for 17 moa more elevation than my printed sheet . that was my only chance at a long shot , this year .

 

[snox801]

It's a tough decision going to an 8-8.5 twist barrel for the solid 300 grain bullets vs 300 lead core using a 9-10 twist. Not sure if the advantage really. Both have near identical BCs. 300 OTM vs 300 CE solid. I think more speed is obtainable with the solids for sure that being an advantage no doubt.

You sir are correct. I'm not sure how I missed that. I even knew I needed a 8 twist when doing it. Just lost on me in this post. Not worth the barrel swap.

 

[jessej]

. I'm pushing them pretty fast out of my regular Lapua , with a 30" bbl . the velocity I use in my ballistic program is 2939 FPS

That's purty puert for a std lapua.
I'm makin 2840 outa my 26" HS. with the 300 grain elites.

 

[yobuck]

Hi yobuck , how you doing ?

no , I have not shot anything but the 300 berger elite hunting bullets . I'm pushing them pretty fast out of my regular Lapua , with a 30" bbl . the velocity I use in my ballistic program is 2939 FPS . I thought I had a long shot this year , but the snow shut down my rangefinder . it kept reading 30 or 40 yards , not the correct distance . if I used a kestral I could have put the distance in and got my corrections . the deer stayed there feeding by the 1600 yard target for a fair amount of time . I looked at a 75* temp drop sheet I have printed , but knew better , it was cold . after the snow stopped I ranged the 1600 target , it was calling for 17 moa more elevation than my printed sheet . that was my only chance at a long shot , this year .

Well id suggest you get hold of some say 250 grain and just compare the data at that 1600 yd target with the 300s.
Id be willing to bet that it would take that much for the 300 to catch up with it. Again, how many animals are shot at those distances? I can tell you there are very very few.
BTW, your standard Lapua is running a bit faster than my sons 338x378.

 

[Blake72]

So Jim, my questions to you would be as follow.
Have you ever compared the lighter lower BC bullets having more initial velocity to the ones you now use?
If so, at what point as for yards does the higher BC bullet overtake the lighter one?
Have you or anyone you know ever killed an animal at that distance? Especially in Pa?
For a hunter, including long range hunters, velocity rules to a very large degree.
And that includes the 338s

I am not saying I disagree more velocity is always a good thing, but weight in LONG range is just more important IMHO.
I and my friends have shot a lot of animals at 700+ and the bigger stuff always seems to just get the job done better from our experiences.
My most glaring example - Shot a doe a few years back at 1147 (on film) Good shot she ran off ended up going over 150 yards. Shot with 190 grain HVLD @ 3460 fps. I have never had anything go that far or even half that will a 285 or 300 grain bullet at those distances.

 

[jessej]

Shot with 190 grain HVLD @ 3460 fps

How'd that bullet perform at that distance? Pass through?

 

[Blake72]

How'd that bullet perform at that distance? Pass through?

No pass through, but the performance mushroom and weight after digging it out was all actually very good. I have shot the majority of my deer between 700-1200 and with a WSM using 208's rarely get a pass through but they usually only go 15-20 yards at best. The 338's almost always drop them on the spot.

 

[Taylorbok]

Well id suggest you get hold of some say 250 grain and just compare the data at that 1600 yd target with the 300s.
Id be willing to bet that it would take that much for the 300 to catch up with it. Again, how many animals are shot at those distances? I can tell you there are very very few.
BTW, your standard Lapua is running a bit faster than my sons 338x378.

The 250 grain will beat the 300 in elevation to approximately 1950 yards. The heavier higher BC bullet wins in the wind immediately.

 

[VLD Pilot]

The 250 grain will beat the 300 in elevation to approximately 1950 yards. The heavier higher BC bullet wins in the wind immediately.

Close for me. 250s at 1750 are around equal to the 300s in elevation. About one MOA difference at 2K. Big difference in energy tho. Slight edge in fps to the 300s, not much tho.

 

[yobuck]

Close for me. 250s at 1750 are around equal to the 300s in elevation. About one MOA difference at 2K. Big difference in energy tho. Slight edge in fps to the 300s, not much tho.

Energy alone dosent kill animals.
Tissue damage and blood loss is what kills them.
I have personally watched animals get hit with 300 grain bullets in very good locations and simply walk away as if not even hit.
Mind you now they all died, but that wasent caused by the initial energy from the hit alone.
Ive also seen them get back up on their feet after being knocked down with the 300 grainers and appearing to be dead. Again, they didnt go far before dieing, but it takes more than energy to put them down and keep them down.
Will the heavier high BC bullets perform better from a shooters standpoint at the extreme distances? Absolutely they will, but that alone dosent mean they are a better choice for hunters.
Will their be a difference between cartridges sending the 300s at 3250 or more as compared with those sending them less than 3000? You bet, again its all related to velocity.

 

[VLD Pilot]

Energy alone dosent kill animals.
Tissue damage and blood loss is what kills them.
I have personally watched animals get hit with 300 grain bullets in very good locations and simply walk away as if not even hit.
Mind you now they all died, but that wasent caused by the initial energy from the hit alone.
Ive also seen them get back up on their feet after being knocked down with the 300 grainers and appearing to be dead. Again, they didnt go far before dieing, but it takes more than energy to put them down and keep them down.
Will the heavier high BC bullets perform better from a shooters standpoint at the extreme distances? Absolutely they will, but that alone dosent mean they are a better choice for hunters.
Will their be a difference between cartridges sending the 300s at 3250 or more as compared with those sending them less than 3000? You bet, again its all related to velocity.

My comment was meant simply for wind bucking ability. You can bet that 300 grain Berger will beat that 250 in wind at that 2K range. That was my meaning. Weight momentum with that extra 300 ft lbs will help in wind. Weight gives that advantage providing BC is as good or in this case quite a bit better. Energy will carry that heavier bullet into a big elk or moose better aside from tissue damage given equal or close velocities. Both bullets constructed equally I'd say the heavier on bigger heavier game would give it the edge. That's an opinion more than fact. Haven't ever needed a 338 Lapua for any game animal I've hunted nor killed any big heavy bones critters with one at 1000+ yards to say.