? on a .338 Purchase for Long Range Hunting

[Sendero10]

I am looking to purchase a .338 caliber rifle to use in long range shooting and hunting environments. I currently have a remington 700 sendero .300 win mag that I use out to 1000 yards and I need the .338 caliber rifle to get me from 1000-1600 yards. I have looked at the Remington MLR .338 Lapua and have taken a liking to it. Any other suggestions of custom rifle makers who would be good for this or factory rifles that fit the mold would also work.

Of the following rounds which would you recomend? Keep in mind that I do not handload my rounds.

.338 Win mag
.338 Lapua Mag
.338-.378 Weatherby
.338 Edge? (Not sure what it is but have seen alot about it)
Or any other .338 caliber round I have missed you would recommend.

Your input is greatly appreciated and I look forward to learning where to go from here.

If there is a thread already existing on this topic please paste it in so I can read it. I have searched and can't find one.

Thanks in advance!

 

[tCarter]

Since you don't reload, 338RUM or Lapua. The 338Edge is a 300RUM case necked up to 338 caliber. I don't know of any factory ammo being loaded for it yet.

 

[Larry87]

Go with the lapua and you wont be disappointed. The only problem is you gotta start reloading for these big .338's.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

First, if your looking to shoot 1600+ yards you need to start reloading. Second I would look at a custom chambering with quite a bit more velocity than the ones you mentioned. The 338-378 wby would be where I would start and then go up from there. The Wby accumark 338-378 would be the best off the shelf for 1600 yards because of the extra 200 fps over the others you listed.

I would do a Lapua improved on the low end or go up to the big Excalibur or something similar in a custom. You can hit 3200+ fps with a long barrel and some of the big 338's. That is what you want to shoot 1600+ yards. The ones you listed are not what I consider the big 338's except for the 338-378 wby.

 

[shepardsonp]

I agree that the .338 Lapua would be my choice only because you don't reload. The .338-378 would be my 2nd choice. I will also tell you that until you reload, you will be shooting $5.00/shot ammo that is not nearly accurate enough. If you can't shoot 1/2 MOA you are wasting your money.

Shawn Carlock - Rathdrum, ID is the founder of the .338 edge www.defensive edge.net

Brad Stair - Ogden, UT is the founder of the Tejas round .22 - .50BMG Brad is at Cross Canyon Arms. Www.cc- arms.com

Both are excellent smiths and both know their stuff and both friends of mine.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Shepardson, Just to clarify for you Shawn named the very popular 338-300 RUM (Edge) out of his shop in 2001. Several gunsmiths including me had been doing quite a few of these since 1998. It also goes by numerous other names depending on which shop does it. From 1999 to 2001 it had quite a few names before the 338 RUM came out. To eliminate confusion with a hundred different names I have always called it by the official name 338-300 RUM since I began working with it in 1998.

 

[shepardsonp]

Thanks for the clarification - I am new to this site.

While i can't speak for the Shawn Carlock's .338 Edge cartridge (338-300 RUM), i can speak to the .338 Tejas (.338-300 RUM - 50 Degree Shoulder) as it is trademarked through the US Patent and Trade Office and therefore out of respect, shouldn't you refer to this cartridge as its trademarked name? Out of respect to late Parker Ackley, shouldn't we refer to his line of wildcat cartridges as the 223 Ackley Improved vs the .223 Remington with a steep shoulder?.

Not trying to be a PIA, just trying be politically and syntactically correct.

 

[sinarms]

I don't know why one would patent a cartridge like that, anyone can duplicate it or slightly modify it and call it something else. That is why I am not going to patent the 338 Sin. It is a lot different that just necking up a case and I would rather have anyone and everyone use it for free then a select few use it and pay. Just my train of thought.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Shepardsonp, it matters not to me what you, Shawn or anyone else calls a cartridge. Many have several names. It just sounded like in your post you were saying Shawn founded or created it. He named it the Edge. It was quite popular for a few years before he worked with it. Shawn is one of the best rifle men in the country and will continue to do well with his new line of rifles. Me and many of the early guys that were doing the 338-300 RUM quit fooling with it with the introduction of the 338 RUM in 2001. I did extensive head to head tests with both on my 1000 yard range during 2001 and found both shot basically the same numbers and were to close to call since both occupied the same niche. Basically the same performance on a standard magnum action. But like remington told all of us at the 2001 shot show using the 338 RUM case was a much better fit in the remington 700 action with less modifications. Performance was to close to call. If a guy wants more performance than a 338 RUM then there is the Lapua improved case and then up to the 378 wby, 416 Rigby and Excalibur case. So I saw no reason to continue the 338-300 RUM. It is a fine cartridge I just replaced it with the 338 RUM that is a standard cartridge since there was really no need to wildcat the 300 RUM case any more. It is a very good cartridge for the ones who still wildcat it.

 

[shepardsonp]

Good information here!

The reason i went with the .338-300 RUM with the 50 degree shoulder case vs. the .338 Lapua, etc. is:

1. The .338-300 RUM with the 50 degree shoulder case has more powder capacity than the standard .300 RUM case - 119g to overflow water capacity.

2. The .338 Lapua rounds is around $5.00/shot if you buy factory loads vs. wildcatting a .330 RUM case.

3. The specs on the .300 RUM is a larger case vs. the .338 RUM (2.860 case length vs. 2.770).

4. Not many folks have the .338-300 RUM with the 50 degree shoulder case and it just looks cool!

The Patent vs. Trademark discussion is a whole separate thread onto itself.

Nice exchange of information guys!

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Shepardsonp, Forgot to welcome you to the forum. Hope you find it interesting and look forward to hearing your input.