my next 30 cal

[ishootkittens]

Hey guys, its been a while. I am in "need" of a biggggg 30 cal and a 30-378 is outta the question. I am stuck between a 300rum and a 30-338lm (because of the great brass) so if u guys would kindly gimme some advice on this decision id really appreciate it. Before yal get started (i have beena member for a while so i know) i do not want a 7mm anything and not really a need for a 338lm (for me atleast). Thank u so muchh!

 

[.284]

I am going with a 300 Norma. Still waiting for dies and reamer but its all on order and the smith has the brass already. It's a 338 Norma necked to 30 cal, hard to guess exactly what muzzle velocity I'll get with the 230 Bergers but I'm pretty sure it will be north of 3000 fps. Good points are that the loaded rounds will run in a lapua size mag with no oal length issues to get to the lands and you use Norma brass. It's a bit pricey for the dies though as they are custom from redding. Gonna run a 26 inch 8 twist with a m40 contour on mine.
Something for you to look at maybe

My smith has the reamer for a 30-338 lapua and says he is close to 3400 fps with the 230's but would be surprised if he hit 1000 rounds with accuracy

 

[ishootkittens]

Barrel life is a big concern as always... I am actually only looking to push the 230gr bergers to about 3000-3100fps in a 28" barrel and I dont know too much about the bigger 30's. I am wanting the biggest 30 with the best barrel life. Then again, I kinda think of barrel life as if they were tires on a car. They all wear out over time, and it sucks when you have to replace them, but its gotta be done regardless. I have a .300wsm and can get somehwere around the 2800 range with the bergers but a few 100fps faster wouldnt hurt. Thank you for the response .284!

 

[Broz]

I have owned and worked with all you mentioned. If you plan to go with a 230 gr bullet the 30-338 LM is a great choice. But after making the rounds I will tell you where I ended up. Look over the ballistics of a 300 win with a 28" or longer tube with a 215 Berger hybrid .696 BC. Mine here at 4000' is sending them out at 3035 + fps. Barrel life is good, brass selection is good too. I have taken game to 1285 yards with one shot and rocks and steel to over a mile. I am in no way trying to change your mind. Just offering my experience after running the gauntlet with 30 cals. I am a huge fan of them and I feel I now have the cream of the crop for what I need to do with a 30.

Jeff

 

[MudRunner2005]

Just wondering, but why is the .30-378 Wby out of the question? It's, IMO, the best of the ones you mentioned. Why disregard it?

If it has to do with brass quality, the Norma and Weatherby brand brass (which are both made by Norma) will last pretty good if you neck-size and don't get abusive on your powder charge.

 

[Broz]

Just wondering, but why is the .30-378 Wby out of the question? It's, IMO, the best of the ones you mentioned. Why disregard it?

If it has to do with brass quality, the Norma and Weatherby brand brass (which are both made by Norma) will last pretty good if you neck-size and don't get abusive on your powder charge.

I have spent lots of time with the 30-378 in both factory accumarks and custom rifles with a 30" tube. They do well with the 230 gr bullets. Lots more efficient than that long case with a 210. But when comparing this chambering to the shorter, powder stack of the Lapua case, and the conventional shoulder I prefer the LM. Now when we talk case life the LM walks,,, no,,, runs away with it. The soft Norma brass in this size of a case is hard on primer pockets. If I got 5 firings I was feeling very lucky and this was not a hot load.

Jeff

 

[cohunter14]

I have owned and worked with all you mentioned. If you plan to go with a 230 gr bullet the 30-338 LM is a great choice. But after making the rounds I will tell you where I ended up. Look over the ballistics of a 300 win with a 28" or longer tube with a 215 Berger hybrid .696 BC. Mine here at 4000' is sending them out at 3035 + fps. Barrel life is good, brass selection is good too. I have taken game to 1285 yards with one shot and rocks and steel to over a mile. I am in no way trying to change your mind. Just offering my experience after running the gauntlet with 30 cals. I am a huge fan of them and I feel I now have the cream of the crop for what I need to do with a 30.

Jeff

Jeff, I know that you settled on the 215's in your 300, but I was curious if your son was still shooting the 230's or did he switch to the 215's as well? From everything that I have been seeing and reading, the 215's and 230's seem very comparable once you start stretching them out and would love to hear your thoughts. I think it could be great for the OP as well, might change his direction a little bit.

 

[Broz]

Jeff, I know that you settled on the 215's in your 300, but I was curious if your son was still shooting the 230's or did he switch to the 215's as well? From everything that I have been seeing and reading, the 215's and 230's seem very comparable once you start stretching them out and would love to hear your thoughts. I think it could be great for the OP as well, might change his direction a little bit.

Young-Gun is still shooting the 230 OTM's at 2750 fps. I like the way they work on closer shots but this could be simply from the reduction of MV over the 215's. We still have some 230's at this time, and they are working so good for him, he will stick with them until his 230 supply runs out. Then we will look at either switching his rifle to the 215's or maybe to the 230 Targets with a BC of .745 that were not available when we started with 230's. I believe all 3 of these bullets are great long range bullets for the distances we choose to hunt with a 30 cal.

Jeff

 

[B23]

This past year Broz proved you CAN teach and old dog new tricks.

He took his 300 Win mag, which has been around since the early 60's, added some modern technology with the high BC Berger 215's and Hodgdon H1000 to create a load that allowed his 300 Winnie to take down more game animals at long distances in one year, often with one shot kills, then most of us will get in a life time. What Broz's 300 Win mag accomplished this past season makes me often wonder why I would want anything more. I would bet there is a pretty long list of names that all want first dibs if he ever wanted to sell that rifle.

But, if you are looking for something a little faster in .30cal I would talk to the person who's name appears at the bottom of your post and have Kirby build you a 300AX. Kirby's version of a 30-338 Lapua Improved, ie. 300AX, will get you 3200+ with a 230 Berger and brass life that is second to none. My dad and I have one and with the 230 Berger and a 28in tube the sweet spot for our load is 3250. It will run over 3300 but ours shoots its best at 3250.

I believe a 300 Norma mag has a far bit less case capacity then even a 300RUM so I'm not sure how it could safely get to 3100fps let alone 3400 but stranger things have happened.

 

[ishootkittens]

Thanks for all the replies guys! Why cant lapua make a bigger variety of cases! I appreciate all the 300win advice! My best friend has a 300win and it shoots fine, but to be honest (and maybe a little childish) but id rather not shoot the same cartridge as my friends. We usually reload together and use alot of the same equipment and I realllly dont want to get into a "what brass belongs to who" or "which powder did I buy" kind of argument. we have always done it this way. My best friend shoots a 9mm/300win/22-250 and I have another friend who shoots .45/7REM/.243 and I shoot .40s&w/.300wsm/220swift most frequently. We all have seperate calibers and cartridges and I am looking for something other than the .300wsm I have and the .300win that my buddy has. I know it sounds childish but thats the way its always been. Did I mention we drive different brands of vehicles too!

Is it difficult to neck down a .338lapua. Im very close on pulling the trigger on some .338brass. On Bruno's shooting supply its actually CHEAPER to get .338lp brass than it is .300wsm brass. I like norma brass just fine and to be honest I have never used lapua brass but I heard that its many steps above all other brass. And if it is worth it, I dont mind paying the price for it. Could someone tell me what equipment I will possibly need when necking down the big lapua case? Thanks guys!

 

[B23]

Going from 338 Lapua down to 300 Lapua is very easy and all you will need is a full length die for which ever version of a .30cal Lapua you choose. Run a 338Lap. thru your new FL die and out will come your new 30 cal. Lapua.

 

[ishootkittens]

geez.. i figured that it would be alittle more complicated than that. Now... SOMEONE PLEASE TALK ME OUT OF A .30-338! I dont want to spend thousands on a firearm I am going to regret later. If there are any doubts please speak up. I know barrel life is going to be awful.. around the 800 range but I can deal with putting 325$ into it if its worth it. This will be a 75% hunting rifle and 25% target rifle. It will probably take 2 years to put 800rds through it. Does anyone shoot (or have shot) the 300 lapua? Hows the recoil. Im sure its just as stout as the .338lm.

 

[MMERSS]

My preference would be a 30 wildcat derived from the 338 Lapua case. I currently own a 300 RUM which shoots the 230's approaching 3000 ft/s with relatively good precision. However, I have found the 338 Lapua brass to be very consistent and better quality compared to other brass. Lapua currently doesn't make 300 RUM brass. LAPUA are you listening? The 30-338Lapua would be tough to beat both in performance capabilities compared to other cartridges of similar capacity and quality of brass available.

 

[Chase Curtis]

I have one... 30-338 lapua AI.

I use it for hunting only... I shoot the 240smk with a stiff load of H50bmg. around 3050/3100fps. Brass is great.. no doubt.. recoil is nothing with a good brake. With all that in mind. I would not build another. It is not a very efficient case... With the available High BC projo's in 308 now... IMO you are better severed with something that is inherently more accurate and burns less powder and does the exact same thing. As stated above with Broz 300 win mag... why? because it does the job...

So, if you want a 30-338 lapua that has great brass and WILL kill most anything you shoot at and want the "wildcat cool factor" or just like tinkering with stuff (i do) by all means.. do the lapua.. I did... it will serve just fine as a pure hunting rifle... BUT

If you want something that will be cheaper to run. more than likely more accurate and more efficient...can be built lighter and at the end of the day accomplish the same thing... get a 300 win,308 baer, 300 norma.