How many of you are using 30-378 or 338 Lapua Mag?

[sideshowbob]

I was contemplating a 338 Lapua Magnum or 30-378 build. How many of you guys out there actually hunt with either caliber?

Thanks.

 

[BobbyL]

I use a 30-338 lm improved. Really a 338 would be fine as well. It all depends on how far you want to shoot and what kind of hunting you are planning on doing. I like being able to shoot he 180 Nosler b-tips for out to 1k and 240 sierras for the long range or close up shots. Both caliber have a wide range of bullets available for hunting. Cost wise you are better off going with the lapua over the 378. You get better brass life with better accuracy.

[FONT=&quot]Wts 30-338 lm imp - LongRangeHunting Online Magazine[/FONT]

 

[RDM416]

Sideshowbob,

What is your thought process with those two specific rounds? I am not being critical at all, it is just the 30-378 and the 338 Lapua are two totally different animals.

Personally, I am a big fan of the 338 caliber and shoot a 338 Kahn (338-378 improved), a 338 RUM and a 338 Edge. I don't have a Lapua (yet) but performance wise it is similar to the 338 edge. There are lots of good 338 bullets out there with 250 and 300 grain SMK's probably being the most popular on this site.

I'm not trying to start a argument with the guys who favor 30 cal, I just like the 338s better for a long range rifle. You can certainly get more speed from the big 30s, although not that much, but the downrange energy of 338 tips it in favor of the big 338s for me.

That is why they make so many different calibers and cartridges......... everyone has a favorite!

To answer your question..... I do most of my hunting with my 338 Kahn. It seems to do a good job killing everything I shoot with it...... elk, deer, antelope, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, ground hogs........

Good luck with your build, let us know what you decide on and how it turns out.

 

[signature542]

I have shot both a 30/378 and a 338/378 both in an Accumark configuration.

I am also familiar with the Edge and my new one is nearly completed. No experiece with the Lapua.

The 338/378 achieves velocities in a 26inch barrel The 30/378 is simply an awesome round and I believe Mark Thompson can shoot that far with one. I wont give you the load but the factory Accumark is spitting 210 Bergers at over 3200 fps and I have placed 3 in the one hole at 100.... A bit of a bedding and a trigger and our Accumarks can hold there own..

The difference is noticeable punching steel out wide with wind and the 338/378 wins. The gong really can tell the difference b/w both .. now throw in a cross wind and the 338 shines.
Mind you my custom Edge is nearly finished.. Shawn has sent me some dies and that will be another journey.

The cost of brass is an issue and 100 cases cost us 600.00 in Australia at a discount!
Performance has a price and if I new then how good the 378 parent case was I would not have bought the 300 weatherby in an Accumark and gone for the 30/378.

A good mate is building a .338 snipetac so the price for Norma brass in reality is cheap!

 

[Sendero_Man]

338 LM.... best brass, great cart. great energy.

 

[Broz]

338 LM.... best brass, great cart. great energy.

I could not have said it better.



I have owned two 30-378's and one 338 Lapua mag and have hunted with both extensively.

Not that I don't like the 30-378, but it was just not for me. My 30 cal is a 300 Win with 210 Bergers. Great to 1000 yards.

My 338 LM with 300 gr Bergers takes it from there with authority.

Jeff

 

[signature542]

Have to agree the 338 calibre has a lot more authority!

I had a 300 Rum as a donor so the Edge was a no brainer..On the other hand I think if starting fresh with a new custom action...why not the 338 Lapua? I wouldnt waste my time truing and modifying a 700 next time just buy a custom action and the Lawton 7000 would have worked out nearly the same cost .. Installing extended mags.. tactical bolt handle mods .upgrading to bigger scope mount screws for the base...trigger .. it all just adds up...

Actually the Lapua price for brass Down Under is very reasonable... Dies are factory standard...no specail order... a few big pluses

My Lawton barrel is in the air as we speak...

My smith had 2 lapuas going out last time I spoke to him and the hand lapped cut rifling ... well ..... a sight to behold!

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

man now I need a 338 thanks alot guys

 

[sideshowbob]

I will try to walk you through my rationale. I mostly shoot paper and I have several guns in 338 Lapua Mag. I wanted to parlay my long range shooting to long range hunting. So I started to look into long range hunting. I started off looking at 7mm, however a friend suggested something bigger. I did a little more research, and it seemed like 30-378 and 338-378 were pretty popular cartridges for hunting. They seemed ballistically similar to 338 lapua; being big and powerful. Then came this post. I wanted to find out if 30-378 or 338-378 were really that popular for hunting. If so, then could 338 Lapua be similarly used?

Sideshowbob,

What is your thought process with those two specific rounds? I am not being critical at all, it is just the 30-378 and the 338 Lapua are two totally different animals.

Personally, I am a big fan of the 338 caliber and shoot a 338 Kahn (338-378 improved), a 338 RUM and a 338 Edge. I don't have a Lapua (yet) but performance wise it is similar to the 338 edge. There are lots of good 338 bullets out there with 250 and 300 grain SMK's probably being the most popular on this site.

I'm not trying to start a argument with the guys who favor 30 cal, I just like the 338s better for a long range rifle. You can certainly get more speed from the big 30s, although not that much, but the downrange energy of 338 tips it in favor of the big 338s for me.

That is why they make so many different calibers and cartridges......... everyone has a favorite!

To answer your question..... I do most of my hunting with my 338 Kahn. It seems to do a good job killing everything I shoot with it...... elk, deer, antelope, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, ground hogs........

Good luck with your build, let us know what you decide on and how it turns out.

 

[Boss Hoss]

Had Speedy Gonzales build me a 338 Lapua Imp on what was my 30-378 a few years ago(took some doing he does not work on Weatherby's) and it shoots very well. Have a couple of others built on Stillers now so it sits in the back of the safe but the 30-378 was a screamer just not what I wanted for my fast .30. Built a 300 Slowpoke on a BAT repeater which is based on a 300 RUM with very little taper and sharper shoulders. Picked up about 6% capacity---just something to tinker with.

 

[BobbyL]

If you already have the Lapua then i would not bother with anything else. It will do what you need it to out to 1500 yards. You use the right bullets for the right shot and it will work great. If you want a longer range weapon then you need to step up to a Cheytac. If you want a 30 cal i would build the 30-338 lapua.

 

[Boss Hoss]

I shoot competition and was working with the 338 Slowpoke (have a few Krieger tubes) and found that I can still shoot the 6.5x284 better because of bag manners in LV Class. For hunting I use the 338 Slowpoke quite a bit along with the Warp 7 (starts off as a 300 Win) which is a 7mm for most things around here. Truth is I have a couple safes full and there is always a new project to tinker with---it is a disease!lol

 

[ewallace]

I like the 338 lapua for long range hunting I have personal used my 338 Nawakwa (338 lapua IMP) in the last 7 years to kill deer and elk from 10 feet to 2042 yards. I also have a 375 Cheytec I built 3 years ago that works good also. If you already loading for the 338 lapua I would not look any further for a long range rig. As for the 30/378 you may want to look at the 30/416 same thing with out a belt I have experience with a 338/416 but not a 30.

 

[jwp475]

I have a 338 Laupa on a Rem 700 axtion and I hunt with mine