338 lapua vs 338rum vs 300win mag vs 308

[anaconda33]

i have been looking to buy a remington 700 police 338lapua but i have seen the price on the ammo and ouch i dont reload currently idont have the time. i've been looking to have more options and would like some input on the 338rum 300rum or the 308. i want something that can go long and also have some punch for hunting but would like to test my limits on long range. looking to purchase withing a week or two. thanks for your input and have a merry christmas and a happy new year everyone.understandable. i like the 338 lapua because of its range and effectiveness, i hunt on a ranch that has whitetail and nilgai. the nilgai are pretty tough to hunt they are very skittish, i have seen them no closer than 500yds hence my interest in these calibers. i am really interested in the lapua, yes ammo is expensive but i dont plan on shooting everyday either. i'm in law enforcement and shiftwork sucks but it was my choice. i would like to really know what would be my best option of caliber, i have found the rem 700 in 338 lapua for$1,150.00 which is in my budget i don't want any custom rifles at the moment since i want to keep it a bit simple. hope this helps yall help me.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

You need to define you paramiters more, each round you selected is so out classed by the next they are not even close to compairable.

 

[Long*range*Lapua]

Without handloading you are talking some serious money in order to shoot both the 338 Lapua and 338 Ultra....factory rounds are pretty pricey for both. Might be worth thinking about. All of the cases you mentioned can be very accurate but I agree that more specifics needed....about what you want rifle to be capable of.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

The lapua and 338 RUM are the same performance so take your pick there. The 300 RUM is also a good choice for long range big game. The 308 is accurate at long range but not nearly as good as the others if the wind is blowing. Not good as a long range big game round because it just doesn't have the energy. Either one of the first three and you can kill stuff as far as you can hit it. Barrels will last longer with the 338's.

 

[Buano]

Do you want to kill elk at 1,500 yards, deer at 1,000, elk at 800, or deer at 500 yards? Until we know what range you want to shoot & what power is needed on the target, it's impossible to suggest an "ideal" round.

If you are new to longer range shooting but want enough power to kill at extended ranges I would suggest you narrow your focus to the following: .300 wsm, .300 win, 7MM wsm, .270 wsm, & 7MM Rem. These are not horrendously expensive to shoot, have tolerable recoil, are good hunting rounds for many species, and are chambered in rifles you don't need a second mortgage to buy.

 

[meatyrem]

You said that you can't get much closer than 500yds. The 338RUM and lapua will do that just fine, with the lapua more of an expensive choice. My choice and this is my opinion, is the 300RUM, if you can only go with factory ammo there is im sure more of a selection. I would say 200gr will get you there. The PSS or the sendero II. gun)I would toss the .308 idea. But if you can manage the price on the lapua ammo, Black Hills has a couple loadings that I know of off the top of my head.

 

[drt4lfe]

Snipercentral.com has HSM .338 LM for $60 a box....not Lapua ammo but gets job done....

 

[wvcountryboy]

Even if you hand load the rum is way cheaper. The rum brass is $1 a piece and the lapua is $2.50. But if you want good brass you can't get it for the rum. That lapua brass is good stuff though.

 

[captacademy]

Just based on what you said, you might want to look at the 300 win or 7mm Rem mag in the Rem 700 police or Sendero. You can pick one up fairly cheap and the accuracy is very good out of the box. Both the 300 win and the 7mm will do what you want at 500 yards and a bit beyond. The beauty is that the ammo is cheap, you can find it anywhere and there is a large variety to choose from. I also have an LE background.

Just my opinion

 

[Buano]

If you WANT a cannon, the Lapua, or a Rum in .338 or .300 are great cannons capable of twice the range you are talking — and then some. They are also eat lots of powder, burn barrels relatively fast, have monumental recoil, and are expensive to shoot. Don't get me wrong, I like the cannons for when a cannon is the right choice & I'm in the market for a .338 RUM or Lapua.

I've become a fan of "just enough" rifle. This minimizes recoil, weight, cost... while still getting the job done. If you want enough gun for 500-800 yard shots on this game, I suggest you narrow your focus to the following: .300 wsm, .300 win, 7MM wsm, .270 wsm, & 7MM Rem. (The .300 weatherby also qualifies, but ammunition is more expensive than the WSM that now outperforms it.)

 

[drt4lfe]

Recoil is not a problem with most .338's, most have muzzle brake which is necessary IMO, my Armalite AR30 .338 recoils less than my single shot .308, it is very loud due to that fact, but can be shot from the bench easily.

 

[wvcountryboy]

My 338 ultra mag is a bench only gun so it weighs 18lbs. I do not have a brake. It has significant recoil with 250grn bullets. It kicks about like an average 30-06. If you are going to have a gun under 10lbs i would say a brake is a must.

 

[Bravo 4]

A good deal on a .338 Lapua isn't much of a deal if it will just sit around collecting dust. For what the ammo cost, even the "cheap" $60 a box ammo, you had better find the time to load your own. I have a pretty tight schedule most of the time, but make the time to spend an hour here and there when needed. There is a big step between .308 and .300 mag, and just as big a step from .300mag to .338 Lapua/Ultra mag... not only in performance but in price per shot.
I went with the .338 EDGE as a poor man's Lapua and couldn't be happier. However, it still cost about twice what my 7mag does to load and shoot.

 

[anaconda33]

i have read that the rum ammo is possibly going to be dicontinued i dont know how true it is but it is a concern. i want to get into reloading my own ammo but im ignorant about the equipment hence why i have not done so. everyone has shed some light on my question and i thank you all for your time and input. im still un sure what to get since i dont want to waste money on something im not going to be happy with. i also have a trip to west texas next year for some mule deer and audads. so thats another reason for the interest in these cals.gun)