Feasibility of varmint hunting with the .338 Lapua

[M Powered]

On a Serious note, I am actually considering varmint hunting with my Sako TRG-42 338 Lapua.

My M1A Scout has an Aimpoint mounted, so that limits the range already. Not to mention it not very accurate.

I am not to concern with the cost of the .338 Lapua because I do reload and I can obtain reloading components at cost and the brass I can pick up really cheap as well.

My question is will the .338 Lapua shooting Sierra Matchking have the "explosive" effect on varmints as the lower caliber ballistic tips does?

Friends I am going with will be shooting .222 and 22-250 on up to as high as 45-70 Govt.

Aside from the obvious fun of exploding varmints, is their any downside to varmint hunting with the .338 Lapua?

 

[Guest]

What grain matchking would you hit them with?

Please post pics!

 

[Terje338]

Hey M Powered!

I use 200gr Nosler Ballistic Tip and 94gr MRP in my TRG 42 for "varmint" hunting.
I believe that 180 and 200gr Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet is a better bullet for varmint hunting than Sierra mk, because you get higher speed, and I know that the 200gr Nosler bt will explode water cans.

If you want to see pictures of my shooting with 200gr nosler bt at water cans, I can post it out here.

Terje

[ 04-14-2004: Message edited by: Terje338 ]

 

[M Powered]

Sure! Post some pictures

 

[Terje338]

Huntinfool

First I use my Canon digital camcorder, and capture a video clip of the act.
Than I connect the camcorder to my computer with a firewire.
Than I use Pinnacle studio(comuter program) and cut/edit/compress the video clip, and also grab pic. of the video clip.
But you may also use a computer program who have the "print screen" when you watch your video with f.ex windows media player.

Here is another pic. I grabbed.

Sorry M Powered if this got to much of topic

 

[M Powered]

Any topic about guns is on topic

Nice photos... unfortunately here in LA there is no such area to plink. Our best bet is in Nevada Desert

I see you are a Sako shooter as well

 

[ewallace]

I shoot varmints with a 300g 338 Lapua imp. You will not get the explosive effect like a 22-250 with Vmax bullets but the 338 will get the job done way out there. You will want a scope with a lot of elevation adjustment or and adjustable base for the long shots past 1800 yards if you keep the shots under that you would be able to get away with a tapered base and a scope with at lest 80 moa of adjustment form your 100 yard 0.
Crow Mag

 

[Terje338]

Here is som pictures I "grabbed" from my video camera.

This is a 10 litre water can at 100yards who was hit with a 200gr Nosler bt in about 960m/s(3150fps)

Terje

[ 04-14-2004: Message edited by: Terje338 ]

 

[Huntinfool]

Hey Terje,

Neat photos how did you grab them from your camcorder. I have a dig. Sony handi-cam that has still feature it'll freeze frame for about 8 seconds. But I've never known how to extract pics from it. I was just wondering if it takes special equipment?

Thanks
"The Chuckster"

 

[Mysticplayer]

Mpowered, if you use your 338 at distances where impact vel drop below 2500fps, the chances of explosive impact on such a light object is probably nil. The real benefit of such a bullet is its very high BC and the reduced wind drift at long range.

Also, a 300gr bullet arriving will certainly be lethal at any range you can hit a pop can.

Be careful of richocets. That MK is not going to break up unless it hits the ground square. That bullet has an "effective" range of around 3 miles.

Jerry