I need your opinions

[LeddSlinger]

The meat damage tends to be the opposite of what your thinking, we see very little meat damage from our 338's!

Shot placement is the exact point a lot of us are trying to make, I'll argue shot placement all day long as apposed to trying to muscle your way through to some vitals BUT if your shooting in strong or variable winds you simply can not replace a big high BC bullet for helping you keep that shot placement where you need it. I've shot antelope at normal ranges with a big 338 simply because I needed every advantage possible to make a good clean kill in some harsh conditions, another day I'd just pop them with a 22-250.
Last season we were taking some elk out of a herd at a decent range, it was inside my range with my smaller cals but the wind was starting to die then gust as it does in the mountains here as the sun goes down so we pulled out the 338's and laid some elk down, ya we miss the wind a little but we knew we would and by how much and the 338 still kept us in the kill zone where a smaller cal would not have.

Your smith not being able to get a 338 to shoot only tells us he does not know how to build or load a 338 and instead of learning he'll just bad mouth them so he does not have to build one, it has ZERO to do with the 338 or Lapua case. I don't know anyone who shoots a 338 for groups at a 100 yards, a mile+ that's mostly what you'll see!! The last group I shot with a 338 Lapua AI at 1500 yards you could cover 4 rounds with your with the palm of your hand which the last time I checked was well under 5/8ths of an MOA!! I've watch Broz hold half moa or better with his Terminator well beyond 2000 yards, that is well under 5/8ths MOA.

You can actually have your cake and eat it to with a 338, I run the 300's from my RUM's at 2800 fps OR I run the 250 Berger at 3100 fps which is fast, flat and Thors hammer to boot!!

+1

Very little meat damage in my limited experience. And I don't give a **** what it does at 100 yards because I know it's "Minute-of-kill zone". However, my 338-375 Ruger will shoot well under 1/2" at 100. Also shoots a 1" group at 300 and about a 2" at 500. Not too shabby for a 10 lb (scope, bipod, and sling included) hunting rifle with no muzzle brake. She's got some snort when the bullet takes off, but recoil is still manageable.

 

[Brewer]

I humbly lend my support to what MudRunner has said. I think there are lots of guys out there that have sunk a ton on money into the .338 LM and an expensive Leopold scope (another overpriced, overrated product) and think they have the world by the tail like the guy who has his 4x4 Diesel cranking out 750 Horse Power just so he can do burnouts and buy new tires. (I can feel the heat already form the .338 owners)

I would hate to be hit in the chest by a 180 grain .30 caliber bullet at 1500 yards fired from a .308. I don't know if I would make it to the hospital in time to live... think about it for a minuet.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I humbly lend my support to what MudRunner has said. I think there are lots of guys out there that have sunk a ton on money into the .338 LM and an expensive Leopold scope (another overpriced, overrated product) and think they have the world by the tail like the guy who has his 4x4 Diesel cranking out 750 Horse Power just so he can do burnouts and buy new tires. (I can feel the heat already form the .338 owners)

I would hate to be hit in the chest by a 180 grain .30 caliber bullet at 1500 yards fired from a .308. I don't know if I would make it to the hospital in time to live... think about it for a minuet.

Don't lump us all together... I have a 6.7 Cummins cranking around 550 rwhp, but I definitely don't do burnouts or roll coal all over innocent people and cars, or blackout intersections just for the sake of being an immature ***** or a douche. Those are the mental morons who are giving the diesel community a bad name.

I'll reserve those activities for the diesel-ricers and flatbill hat & tapout shirt wearing d-bags. There seems to be more and more of them invading our sport these days.

However, now that we're straight on that aspect, I'm glad to see someone else agrees with me about gun calibers. Your support is greatly appreciated.

 

[HARPERC]

like the guy who has his 4x4 Diesel cranking out 750 Horse Power just so he can do burnouts and buy new tires. (I can feel the heat already form the .338 owners)

I would hate to be hit in the chest by a 180 grain .30 caliber bullet at 1500 yards fired from a .308. I don't know if I would make it to the hospital in time to live... think about it for a minuet.

I thought for a minute, and can't see how 4x4's, or possible military applications, had anything to do with the conversation.

However, given the example of a hit in the chest at 1500 yards, the military seems to have decided that magnums with heavier bullets increased hits at those distances.

 

[Bravo 4]

I thought for a minute, and can't see how 4x4's, or possible military applications, had anything to do with the conversation.

However, given the example of a hit in the chest at 1500 yards, the military seems to have decided that magnums with heavier bullets increased hits at those distances.

I can see the analogy between being overpowered for your "needed" application, whether it's a truck or a rifle. It's also called hypocrisy when somebody says I'm over gunned and the drives off in 500+ hp vehicle when my little 4.7 littler V8 can get it done.
Not knocking it, I just prefer to compensate for my shortcomings elsewhere.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I can see the analogy between being overpowered for your "needed" application, whether it's a truck or a rifle. It's also called hypocrisy when somebody says I'm over gunned and the drives off in 500+ hp vehicle when my little 4.7 littler V8 can get it done.
Not knocking it, I just prefer to compensate for my shortcomings elsewhere.

Nice personal attack... I have no need to compensate for any short-comings. I have a racing and hotrod background. That is why I don't have anything that is not modified.

 

[HARPERC]

Not knocking it, I just prefer to compensate for my shortcomings elsewhere.

My shortcomings don't seem positively, or negatively affected by either the .22LR or the .375 H&H in my safe. I did get a little excited finding a brick of .22's on the shelf awhile back.gun)

 

[Bravo 4]

I would hate to be hit in the chest by a 180 grain .30 caliber bullet at 1500 yards fired from a .308. I don't know if I would make it to the hospital in time to live... think about it for a minuet.

I have a buddy that took a bullet to the chest (single lung) from a 7.62x54R at 1/10 that distance 10 years ago in Iraq. He made it, so much for shot placement is key. I highly doubt he would have survived a round from my .338.

 

[Bravo 4]

Nice personal attack... I have no need to compensate for any short-comings. I have a racing and hotrod background. That is why I don't have anything that is not modified.

My apologies for the perceived attack. I have a military Sniper background and like hotrod rifles, I usually modify them as well. My point is that guys are into different things, and like power. I'm not into dumping money into my truck, but I wouldn't knock another for it. As knowledgeable as you seem your posts can be very opinionated and at times "attack" others. Like you saying I'm stupid for hunting with a .50! Whether you meant that to be a personal attack or not, if you attack a man's methods it can be as if you are attacking the man.

 

[MudRunner2005]

My apologies for the perceived attack. I have a military Sniper background and like hotrod rifles, I usually modify them as well. My point is that guys are into different things, and like power. I'm not into dumping money into my truck, but I wouldn't knock another for it. As knowledgeable as you seem your posts can be very opinionated and at times "attack" others. Like you saying I'm stupid for hunting with a .50! Whether you meant that to be a personal attack or not, if you attack a man's methods it can be as if you are attacking the man.

Hunting with a .50 BMG just seems entirely overkill and unnecessary. But if that's what you want to do, go for it.

Just because a rifle uses a bullet small than a .338 doesn't mean it's not a hotrod.

Yes, I am a very opinionated person. I make no qualms about that, and even joke about it from time-to-time, it's quite well-known. I am also quite brash. My life has hardened me quite a bit. My appologies if I seem like an a-hole, it's not intentional.

 

[Brewer]

So, I didn't means to spark a debate that got personal here. I am kind of wanting to set the record straight here on my thoughts as well. I am not trying to be a *****. I like accuracy more than I like killing power. Its my diesel truck. What I was suggesting is that power is something we all want in our own way. I'll admit I have now dumped about $5k in my first semi-custom and haven't even taken a single shot with it yet, its still at the smith! what I was trying to combat was this 'necessity' of the power. I think this was Mudrunner's point too, though I shall not speak for him here...

Your buddy who was shot with an {(AK) some other cheap foreign job} was no doubt shot with a full metal jacket, was medivaced and raced to a hospital, had it been a soft point, things would have probable been different for him. I thank him for his service. Glad he made it home alive.

 

[MudRunner2005]

So, I didn't means to spark a debate that got personal here. I am kind of wanting to set the record straight here on my thoughts as well. I am not trying to be a *****. I like accuracy more than I like killing power. Its my diesel truck. What I was suggesting is that power is something we all want in our own way. I'll admit I have now dumped about $5k in my first semi-custom and haven't even taken a single shot with it yet, its still at the smith! what I was trying to combat was this 'necessity' of the power. I think this was Mudrunner's point too, though I shall not speak for him here...

You are correct!

When you give away all your power to wants over needs, is when you let it determine what you are capable of.

Basically, if you have no faith in your gun unless you have atleast a .338 Lapua or larger, then you will have no faith in something smaller.

Your buddy who was shot with an AK was no doubt shot with a full metal jacket, was medivaced and raced to a hospital, had it been a soft point, things would have probable been different for him. I thank him for his service. Glad he made it home alive.

7.62x54R is not an AK round (which is 7.62x39), it's from a Russian Dragonov sniper rifle, PSL, SV-98, Mosin-Nagant, or something like that. However, he said he was shot in hadji-ville, so he was most likely shot by a raghead with a cheap old Mosin-Nagant.

Tell your buddy thanks for his service. And it's good to hear he made it through everything ok.

 

[Bravo 4]

Your buddy who was shot with an {(AK) some other cheap foreign job} was no doubt shot with a full metal jacket, was medivaced and raced to a hospital, had it been a soft point, things would have probable been different for him. I thank him for his service. Glad he made it home alive.

Just throwing some info out:
I see the correction about the AK, it was an Al Kadesh (their version of the SVD). The rifle was captured and it was loaded with what is believed to be 7N1 ammo. That is not just your average FMJ. It was purposely designed for Sniper rifles and has an enhanced terminal effect on soft targets, so it is unlikely a "soft point" would have done much if any worse. Add that into almost an hour till he got to a med center.

I don't always hunt with the largest caliber I can get my hands on. My favorite all around go to rifle is usually a .308, and a 7mm before I shot the barrel out. My daughter has a .243. They all have their place...and limitations.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Just throwing some info out:
I see the correction about the AK, it was an Al Kadesh (their version of the SVD). The rifle was captured and it was loaded with what is believed to be 7N1 ammo. That is not just your average FMJ. It was purposely designed for Sniper rifles and has an enhanced terminal effect on soft targets, so it is unlikely a "soft point" would have done much if any worse. Add that into almost an hour till he got to a med center.

I don't always hunt with the largest caliber I can get my hands on. My favorite all around go to rifle is usually a .308, and a 7mm before I shot the barrel out. My daughter has a .243. They all have their place...and limitations.

I was fixing to say...I wouldn't imagine the hadji's having Dragunov SVS or SVD's...But an Al Kadesh makes more sense. I forget they also made their own weapons.

When I was a kid I shot a Dragunov at a local shooting range, and have wanted one ever since. Those suckers got expensive over the years. Should have bought one years ago when they were 1/2 what they are now. LOL