What caliber do you guy's recomend???

[NorthernSniper]

What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

Which caliber due you guy's recommend for 500-600yd shots?? I would like something reasonably flat shooting so that I don't have to carry a ballistic's computer in my pocket to figure out the bullet drop. I'm mulling over the 338 Lapua magnum, 30/378 Weatherby and I have seen this crowd mention the Tomahawk many times although I know nothing of it? Why do people complain about the belted mags like Weatherby? What is the recoil from the 338 Lapua like are muzzle brakes effective on the 338 Lapua? Anybody have any comments on the TRG-S M995 super magnum 338 Lapua? Thanks for any comments!

 

[Guest]

Re: What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

I would think a fast .264" caliber would do fine, though most will probably say .308". Really any inbetween would do as well, so long as you get a decent bullet weigh and get it moving at a decent clip.
I'd take a .308", 180g or heavier, going around 2800 fps or faster. That means 300 Winchester or bigger.
As for bullet drop, there's no way I'd go out planning a 500-600yd shot and not take a rangefinder.
And all you need for a ballistics computer is a small piece of paper, since you'll have practiced out to as far as you're going to shoot, and will know the "real world" bullet drop for your load. Not a big deal.
Given that, I'd take a shot at a deer with good presentation, just this side of 500 yd, with a 165g going 2900 from an '06 if that's what I had.
But I don't. I have a 270g .358" going 2900 fps.

 

[COBrad]

Re: What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

A lot depends on what you are shooting at. I hunt elk every fall with a 7.5 lb. .300 Jarrett pushing 200gr. bullets at just a hair over 3K fps. Its' relatively flat shooting and has the punch to humanely kill elk at the ranges you have described. I use an IOR MP8 reticle ( 1/2 mil )and feel confident ranging elk out to 500 yds with it. I also have my trajectories memorized out to this range, and I practice, a lot. That said, I have shot a couple of elk at around 500 yds. with a 30-06 and 180 gr bullets with good results. I use a muzzle brake on this rifle because it works, very well.

 

[sniper2]

Re: What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

Bullet is probably more important than case to a point. A high BC is a must for taking game at long range, it will not hurt if the high BC bullet is traveling at a good rate of speed + 3000fps. If a gun will take game at 1000yds it will kill it all the way back to you. Pick out a caliber that you can handle easily, muzzle brakes are wonderful
and longer barrels spell more vel but there is no replacing bullet placement.Don't try to
make one gun do all! You need an excuse for more guns.

 

[Brent]

Re: What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

NS,

Which caliber due you guy's recommend for 500-600yd shots?? 30 cal. 300 WSM, WM, Ultra or Lapua.
I would like something reasonably flat shooting so that I don't have to carry a ballistic's computer in my pocket to figure out the bullet drop.You'll have to deal with monitoring and acounting for varying atmospheric conditions one way or another if shooting way out there, your choice how. The Kestrel 4000 and pocket PC programs do work very well. Flat shooting will get you so far, but there's a point you're just fooling yourself if you think things don't have enough effect to cause a miss or wounding shot placement.
I'm mulling over the 338 Lapua magnum, 30/378 Weatherby and I have seen this crowd mention the Tomahawk many times although I know nothing of it? Why do people complain about the belted mags like Weatherby? The 30/378 is the fastest, but it has a belt, short neck, and proven a throat burner. The belt can't be sized back down on the big WBY, and it will expand and get too tight with hotter loads. Larry Willis makes a collet die for the smaller ones. WBY brass is $2.00 each, Lapua is $1.30 each and can be sized down to keep from getting tight, it's also a boatload stronger! I shoot both brass, one a 30-338 Lapua Imp, the other the 416 WBY. The Tomahawk won't get you much more than the Ultra, and still uses soft Remington brass, and you still need custom dies $$$. The 300 Ultra Mag's body is blown out to .005" per inch body taper, and has a 35 deg shoulder instead of 30. The neck length is retained for headspacing purposes, so that's the 300 Tomahawk.
What is the recoil from the 338 Lapua like are muzzle brakes effective on the 338 Lapua? Like a real hot loaded 338 WM. Get a brake, they're very effective on ANYTHING.
Anybody have any comments on the TRG-S M995 super magnum 338 Lapua? Thanks for any comments! I think Darryl Castle had one for sale here recently, and there's a few other guys here that use them too.

[ 01-28-2004: Message edited by: Brent ]

 

[Michael Eichele]

Re: What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

[ 01-28-2004: Message edited by: meichele ]

 

[Danny308]

Re: What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

Hello,
This is my first post on this site. Doc King encouraged me to do so, so here I am.

I'm thinking of a "long" range 338 but don't know what yet. Is an AI Lapua worth the effort (how much is truely gained)? What about the large Lazzeroni's (I would REALLY like to hear from someone who has experince with those)?? My goal is a 300gr SMK at 3000fps (doable with a long barreled Lapua). In which case, how much more can be gained by going with a 416Rigby version/wildcat???

 

[NorthernSniper]

Re: What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

I'm thinking 338 Lapua with a brake looks pretty darned good right now.

 

[LDO]

Re: What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

lazzeroni brass is terrible-especisally for the price-my-2 dave

 

[Guest]

Re: What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

Danny, 300 fps is pushing it with the 300 smk and 338 lapua. That bullet is deadly accurate around 2650 fps (1/4") on the standard Lapua. That was with a 26" barrel. With the 338 Lapua you don't get more than 15-20 fps per inch of barrel added past that. I don't know anything about the AI Lapua, but I can't imagine a 300+ fps increase.

Pushing the velocity decreases the accuracy. This is not a flat shooter but a dead on balls accurate shooter.

I used to be a velocity freak, until my buddy set me straight.

 

[Michael Eichele]

Re: What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

The rifles you mentioned are more like 1300-1500 yard rifles. If all you want to do is shoot 500-600 yards consider any of the 6.5's or 308 or 300 WSM. No need to burn expensive powder and tenderize your shoulder if you dont want to shoot over 600 yards. Unless your shooting grizzlies or elk. Or unless you just desire something big!

[ 01-28-2004: Message edited by: meichele ]

 

[Danny308]

Re: What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

Thanks for your replies. Anybody have experence with/knowledge of the Dakota or A-Square (Excaliber) brass/cartriges??

-Danny

 

[Dave King]

Re: What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

Danny

Welcome to Long Range Hunting.

Do a search on 338 lapua on this site and you should find a lot of older data. Also post a new thread in Long Range or Ultra Long Range Hunting about your quest.

/r

 

[Guest]

Re: What caliber do you guy\'s recomend???

The Dakota's are Jeffery cases trimmed to about 2.5" for a COL of ~3.34", and have a bit more power than the Win Mag. The Excaliber and Pegasus, I think it is, are made on basically improved Rigby dimensions, or beltless Whetherby cases, you might say.
I do believe they are kept to OL of 3.6", but might be ~3.75". Either way, they're screamers, but for the money I'd do it on a Ribgy case if going long mag, and Lapua if staying within 3.6" COL.
With that large a case, I'd get at least a 28" bbl, and seriously consider much longer.

As for the Lapua AI, it doesn't look to me like you can even really get your money's worth in the straight Lapua Mag with less than 28" bbl, so there's no use in making more muzzle blast. In fact, with 26" tube, I'd take a RUM/404 case unless shooting heavier than 250g regularly. (Or 210 for .308".)