Barrel life: 300 RUM vs 338s

pockets380

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How much more barrel life, if any, would one get out of a 338 Edge or Lapua shooting a 300gr Berger, over a 300 RUM shooting a 215gr or 230gr Berger? I know shooting the lighter bullets at high speeds eats up the RUM faster. I'm just wondering how much more you would get out of the RUM with the heavier bullets. This would be for a hunting/target gun. I'm a little concerned about meat damage if I end up shooting something at a closer range with the bigger 338s but don't know if the 300 RUM is much better in that regard!


Also as far as the 338s go, Edge or Lapua? I know the Lapua has better, yet more expensive brass. Setting that aside which one would you go for?
 
Both 338's have similar case capacity so barrel life would be about the same using the same powder type .
Lapua brass comes from Europe , parent case 416 Rigby and 338 Edge brass is local in the US , parent case 300 RUM .
I reckon it would be way cheaper to load a 338 Edge than a 338 Lapua and brass supply more reliable as you don't know what the Europeans might do in the future as far as exports go.
The Lapua has a big reputation mainly because of all the top end Military sniper rifles and snipers that use it .
I am considering a shortend 300 RUM at the moment as brass will be much easier to get over here. Go the Edge .
 
Edge and LM are very close to the same in ballistics. Load them both to 2800 fps with a 300 g bullet and you will be seeing primer pockets loosen in 3 firings with the Rem brass. My 338 LM at this velocity with 300's after 14 firings the primer pockets are all still tight. So I feel this makes the LM brass less expensive in the long run.

I have done some work with a 300 RUM and 210's. At 500 rounds the throat was moving forward at a very noticable rate. You can chase it for a couple hundred rounds then it is usually barrel time. This also mirrors what I have read from others with the 300 RUM. As for how much the 230 would help I can not say. But it surely would help some.

Jeff
 
That is a good point , if Lapua brass lasts that much longer than Remington then the initial cost is not as great as it first appears . I have had good life out of Lapua 308 W brass so I guess the 338 LM brass would be similar in quality .
 
I posted a topic similar to this a while ago. I guess I'm just looking for more of an actual ballpark number on how many more rounds you would get out of a 338 vs a 300.

Broz, thanks for the info on on the RUM with the 210's. 500 rounds isn't that many! I was thinking it would be more than that.

I'm really starting to look at the savage 111 long range hunter in 338 Lapua. I was looking at brass and I can only find it for around $280 for a hundred. Which seems like alot but when you work out the math with the number of firings you can get out of the Lapua brass it could end up even cheaper. I figured out if you get ten firings out a case at $2.80 per case, that's only .28 cents a case!
 
i have the savage 110 fcp hs in 338 Lapua and i would go with this one because of the thicker barrel and the much better stock.
 
Broz, thanks for the info on on the RUM with the 210's. 500 rounds isn't that many! I was thinking it would be more than that.

I'm really starting to look at the savage 111 long range hunter in 338 Lapua. I was looking at brass and I can only find it for around $280 for a hundred. Which seems like alot but when you work out the math with the number of firings you can get out of the Lapua brass it could end up even cheaper. I figured out if you get ten firings out a case at $2.80 per case, that's only .28 cents a case!

Bingo,!!!!!!!!!!.........

Seriously though, I bought 200 cases when I built my 338 LM. I hvae never used the second 100. They will be for the next project which will surely be harder on case life than the standard 338 LM. I keep records and I do have 1400 rounds through this rifle , cases have been fired 14 times, a few 15 times and they all are still going and in safe condition. The 338 LM has been loaded to max for every shot it has made and all with 300 gr bullets. The rifle is still shooting 1/2 moa like the day it was new.

Jeff
 
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