Caribou Hunting in Alaska - 338 Lapua Magnum

[alaskangreg]

I just purchased a Barrett 98b .338 Lapua Magnum for long range Caribou and Moose hunting in Alaska (where I live).

One of my hunting options will be off my deck on a remote cabin overlooking a large 1000m wide lake. Moose and Caribou frequent the far shore and during the winter Caribou walk across the frozen lake.

My plan is to calculate shooting solutions for different ammo, distance and wind.

I would appreciate suggestions on the best .338 Lapua ammo to use for long distance hunting.

Thanks,
Alaskangreg

 

[Speedo]

Are you going to reload?

Gus

 

[500mag_guy]

Well reloading would be your by far best choice. But if your not into that HSM is a pretty good round.

 

[alaskangreg]

I do plan to reload at some point. Right now I am trying different off the shelf ammo. And keeping all the brass!

Greg

 

[snowpro440]

Greg, Buy the lapua brand brass if your planning on reloading . It may be a little more money but you will reload it many more times than the others.

 

[jesterg]

alaskangreg, Do yourself a favor. For this season order a couple boxes of HSM Ammo.. They are respectably accurate for all rifles.. If you will be able to reload before season, in your best interest buy good brass!!!(Nosler,Lapua) it pays off.. Then come ask the forum for load data.
Good luck and Happy hunting..
Jesterg

 

[Yrcan]

I have 31 reloadings on my Lapua and Norma brass in my 338lm.
They seem to last forever. I anneal everytime I reload them, and my chamer is super tight, leaving very little play on the brass, I guess that helps.
300 grs OTM and SMK are my favourite bullets. They shoot well, and fly good. I will take the OTM's out to 3000 meters on friday.

 

[paul2atlo8]

Hornady 285grn BTHP SHOOTS WELL OUT OF MY FRIENDS 98B it's fair in
price and we have reloaded the brass 6 times so far, the load is

Hornady brass
H-1000-88.5 grns
215 mag match primer
300 grn berger otm
2.981 to ogive

ES 9fps -this was the first accuracy node we found (2638avg)we found
three nodes all the way up to 92.6grns but kept the lower node to extend
brass life hope this helps.

 

[Sourdough]

I too live and hunt in Alaska, I live in North Pole. I shoot a .338/378 Weatherby. I am partial to the .225gr Nosler Accubond. In front of IMR 4828, the 225 is traveling at 3210fps avg. I also use the 250gr Nosler Partition. I killed my first Grizzly with the 250gr Nosler Partition at 620 yards. Not real long range I know, but farther than my hunting partners thought it could be done. Made my day.

Powder to use for the so called overbored cartridges is a big debate. Roy Weatherby shelved the .338/378 for years because there was not a powder that could do the cartridge justice. Today with the development of the newer slower burning powders they have brought it back. The .338 Lapua is also a overbore cartridge, and needs a slow burning powder. Stay away from the older powders they just don't cut it in the bigger bores.

I tried Retumbo, and did not like it. Just did not shoot well in my gun. My partner has the same gun and swears by Retumbo. My gun likes the IMR-7828. Have not tried the new SC version yet, but will try it the next time I buy powder.

The Hodgden manual for the .338 Lapua with Nosler 225gr bullet, gives a starting load of 92gr and a Max load of 102gr for Retumbo. 85gr starting and 90.5gr for IMR-7828. The Retumbo will give 2744fps for the starting load, and IMR-7828 will give 2831fps.

 

[alaska]

For factory loads nosler factory ammo with the 250gr Accubond........Sportsman warehouse has it.

For hand loads Berger New 300gr Elite Hunting Bullet and 91.6 of Retumbo is what I Use.

For 1k shooting the new 300 gr Berger elite hunting and 300 gr Accubond Nosler have the proper BC.

suggest Retumbo or h1000. And Reloader 33 when it comes available

 

[mdalemt]

I shoot Hornady Match 250 gr. Great ammo guy has 2 boxes for sale on here.

 

[alaska]

How is your Lapua coming along?

win 780 supreme worked very well with 250gr AB in the Lapua

 

[bowstryder]

As far as off the shelf I only have cor-bon 300gr scenars and lapua brass down the tube. Though scenars aren't recommended for hunting. Hand loads are lapua brass, 300gr otm and h-1000 at 91.8 gr My rifle doesn't seem to care how far off the lands I put em as they have all shot great when I found my mid node. they are 2755fps with very low es. good luck and let us know how it comes along.

 

[alaska]

I use this in my Rem 700P in 338 Lapua

Retumbo at 89.3 with the new Berger Elite hunting bullet 300gr

Lapua brass and Fed 215m primer

2700 FPS

26" barrel

Duplicates Hornady factory load

Retumbo @ 94
285 Hornady bTHP match
Hornady brass and Fed 215m