ICANHITHIMMAN
Well-Known Member
Well I wanted to vote for the 338 EDGE but it was not listed. I chose the 338 LAPUA in place cause its so close. I like the EDGE cause it gets close to 338 LAPUA for alot less money.
The Perfect Long Rifle
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meatyrem
Well-Known Member
I was torn between the 7rum 300rum 338rum. Don't own a 338rum. The 300rum is hard to beat. I think because of better component selection.
Whip-Line
Well-Known Member
Like an early post is this a perfect long rifle or long range rifle? Due to economics and availability I would chose between the 30-06 and 308. If it where strictly a personal hunting rig probably the -06 would be the choice. If it had to pull double duty and also be a competition rifle then I would lean towards the 308.
Not a single 6.5??? My vote would be either for a 6.5x55 in a newer action such as the Steyr SBS (I have one, its a sweet little gun!)or 6.5-284. I am quite familiar with all of the downfalls, barrel wear and the such. But my reasoning is Low recoil and it still carries plenty of energy and velocity a long way. The 6.5x55 may not be a great long range rifle but it is every bit as suitable as a .308, likely more. People turn away from at it because they look at the loading manuals that only have loads listed up to 46,000 PSI, but with a new action you can go far beyond that.
rem300ultra
Well-Known Member
I voted for the .300 RUM. I have a long range rifle built around this cartridge. The .338 Lapua would be the better choice but the recoil would be harder to manage for some.
I voted for the 7mm rem mag because not a bad recoil, great b.c. for bullets, good all arourd hitting power. But most of all my father inlaw gave me his reloading equipment and that was the die that matched the cal. that would give me the most versitility for what i wanted to do.
SES50
Well-Known Member
I shoot a 338 Lapua and love it but I know a bunch of guys that are getting great accuracy out of the 338 RUM. So I picked it simple because the accuracy is on par with the 338 Lapua and the brass is half the cost.
SES50
SES50
Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
I voted for the 338 RUM because I didn't think it had enough votes yet. It is the best long range rifle for large big game that can be had on a working mans budget. I got my Rem 700 used for a good price and it shoots 4" groups at 800 yards with the same velocitiy as the 338-300 RUM and within 50-75 fps of my two Lapuas. All three are a wash performance wise but the 338 RUM does it cheaply.
Longtimelongranger,
I know this is off topic, so hopefully the OP will give me alittle lattitude, but I appreciate your posts on this site, and did not like how they treated you over at Snipershide.
Good vote for the 338 RUM. I would add my vote for any of the 338's, EDGE, Lapua, or Norma.
I know this is off topic, so hopefully the OP will give me alittle lattitude, but I appreciate your posts on this site, and did not like how they treated you over at Snipershide.
Good vote for the 338 RUM. I would add my vote for any of the 338's, EDGE, Lapua, or Norma.
Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
Trueblue, It doesn't matter to me what a guy shoots. But most of the big 338's are so close just pick one you like and run with it. That has always been my point. Thanks for your concern. I visited sniperhyde for one day and will never go back. Obviously there is no moderator on there to weed out idiots. Looked to me like a few kids on there without a clue what they were talking about tried to run the show.
Perfect is a tricky word when it comes to rifles. I went ahead and voted 300 win mag. Here is why:
The .338s offer quite a bit of advantage in downrange energy and bullet drop, but in every one listed brass is expensive, recoil is stiff, bullets are more expensive, and about the largest quarry most on here hunt at long range is Elk. While an elk is a very tough animal the .300 win mag offers enough to reliably kill an elk at extreme ranges. A fine shooting .300 can be had for a very reasonable cost, brass is inexpensive, it is very easy to load for, there are more bullet choices than any other caliber period. Recoil is manageable without a loud obnoxious brake, you don't need the best most expensive brake if you want one. With the drop compensating reticles out there the extra drop in the 300 is not hard to make up for. You can shoot anything from prairie dogs to plains game with it and it will take an elk easily out to 800 yards or more. Sure there are some on here that are shooting game beyond that range but just how many really? So in the grand scheme, of the choices given, it is probably the most well rounded cartridge out there. In my opinion Perfect means all around cartridge for shooting whatever is your game at long range. While a .338 may very well be perfect for elk it is well beyond what you need for just about anything else other than maybe long range brown bears. If someone goes to africa I don't think they even allow extreme range shots, so that is not a question. That leaves you just looking at north american game or that sized game at least. On that note you have to look at ease of transport, most of the .338 long range setups I have seen are bulky, heavy, and not a lot of fun to tote on your back up and down mountain sides. You can buy a .300 win mag even with a 24 inch standard barrel in Savage, Remington, Winchester, T/C, or whoever is your favorite maker. Bolt on a good bipod, and a 400-600 dollar scope, load up an adequate projectile for the task, then go out and shoot an elk at close to 1000 yards and make reliable kills. all for way under $1500.00 and do it with a straight out of the box rifle with few if any adjustments to the rifle its self. Cheap bullets allow the average guy more practice and reasonably priced is one more aspect of perfection. While I love my odd ball calibers and would love to have a big custom .338, likely will some day, They could never be considered the perfect long range rifle. I mentioned the 6.5-284 the other day on this thread but even with it good brass is $1.00 a case and bullets cost about the same as .308s, box ammunition is not reasonably priced at all and very hard to find if you get in a tight where you have run out of ammo or it was otherwise lost. This negates its being anywhere near a perfect long range rifle. So .300 win mag, second choice would be the 7 rem mag for all the same reasons but without looking at a ballistic chart I am thinking the .300 delivers more down range energy with suitable bullets which could be had out of a box.
Ok, off my soap box, feel free to flame. I just think that while the .338s are better for certain purposes such as elk hunting when you don't have to walk far, to be called a "Perfect long range rifle" it must be good for several purposes and ammo must be accessible and reasonably priced without reloading.
The .338s offer quite a bit of advantage in downrange energy and bullet drop, but in every one listed brass is expensive, recoil is stiff, bullets are more expensive, and about the largest quarry most on here hunt at long range is Elk. While an elk is a very tough animal the .300 win mag offers enough to reliably kill an elk at extreme ranges. A fine shooting .300 can be had for a very reasonable cost, brass is inexpensive, it is very easy to load for, there are more bullet choices than any other caliber period. Recoil is manageable without a loud obnoxious brake, you don't need the best most expensive brake if you want one. With the drop compensating reticles out there the extra drop in the 300 is not hard to make up for. You can shoot anything from prairie dogs to plains game with it and it will take an elk easily out to 800 yards or more. Sure there are some on here that are shooting game beyond that range but just how many really? So in the grand scheme, of the choices given, it is probably the most well rounded cartridge out there. In my opinion Perfect means all around cartridge for shooting whatever is your game at long range. While a .338 may very well be perfect for elk it is well beyond what you need for just about anything else other than maybe long range brown bears. If someone goes to africa I don't think they even allow extreme range shots, so that is not a question. That leaves you just looking at north american game or that sized game at least. On that note you have to look at ease of transport, most of the .338 long range setups I have seen are bulky, heavy, and not a lot of fun to tote on your back up and down mountain sides. You can buy a .300 win mag even with a 24 inch standard barrel in Savage, Remington, Winchester, T/C, or whoever is your favorite maker. Bolt on a good bipod, and a 400-600 dollar scope, load up an adequate projectile for the task, then go out and shoot an elk at close to 1000 yards and make reliable kills. all for way under $1500.00 and do it with a straight out of the box rifle with few if any adjustments to the rifle its self. Cheap bullets allow the average guy more practice and reasonably priced is one more aspect of perfection. While I love my odd ball calibers and would love to have a big custom .338, likely will some day, They could never be considered the perfect long range rifle. I mentioned the 6.5-284 the other day on this thread but even with it good brass is $1.00 a case and bullets cost about the same as .308s, box ammunition is not reasonably priced at all and very hard to find if you get in a tight where you have run out of ammo or it was otherwise lost. This negates its being anywhere near a perfect long range rifle. So .300 win mag, second choice would be the 7 rem mag for all the same reasons but without looking at a ballistic chart I am thinking the .300 delivers more down range energy with suitable bullets which could be had out of a box.
Ok, off my soap box, feel free to flame. I just think that while the .338s are better for certain purposes such as elk hunting when you don't have to walk far, to be called a "Perfect long range rifle" it must be good for several purposes and ammo must be accessible and reasonably priced without reloading.
Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
cfvickers, I don't think anybody is going to flame you on here. The 300 win mag is a very good and popular cartridge. It is the first magnum rifle I ever owned back in 1969 or 1970. I own at least two of all those listed. The best long range rifle listed to vote on is the 338-378 Weatherby. There is not another rifle on there even close to what you can do with a 338-378 wby as far as long range goes. The 338 Lapua would be next and then the 338 RUM. Both those are more than 200 fps slower than the 338-378 wby. For a rifle that does not require a brake the 7mm STW is the best one listed. I have seven 338-378's and six 7mm STW's. For a guy that has been doing this for about forty years those are the two I own the most of and there is a reason for that.
But the question was the perfect long rifle and not the best specialty rifle. There is a difference and that is where points you, I and others made factor into the equation. It didn't even ask long range rifle, just long rifle. Well, the best rifle cartridge listed there is probably the 308 winchester. Cheap, easy to load for, deadly accurate, no recoil, plenty of loading components available, made by every rifle manufacturer and will kill anything within ranges where over 90% of hunters shoot.
I disagree with some points you made comparing my 338 RUM choice to your 300 win mag. Brass and bullets are not that much difference in price. There are more better long range hunting bullets in 338 than 308. The 338 RUM is just as easy to load for. Sometimes even easier with no belt. It is actually lighter than the 300 win mag by a little since more metal is taken out of the bore. I am color blind and prefer the 338 caliber to anything smaller because I need a huge blood trail and do not like tracking very far. The 338 does a much better job of this on any size animal. I have never killed anything to dead but I have seen many not dead enough. Many people out here shoot prarie dogs with big 338's at long range because of the high BC bullets in the wind. Since I always use earplugs anyway muzzlebrakes are not an issue with me and I brake all my cartridges anyway for seeing the hits so I know where I hit the animal and that gives me a good idea of whether I need a follow up shot or not. The 338 RUM is a much better long range cartridge on big game animals than the 300 win mag. My wife even uses my big 338's on her hunts. Taking a monster deer this year at 516 yards with a 338 Lapua and her last elk at 460 yards with a 338-378 wby. I could go on and on but you get the idea. I prefer the 338 RUM as the most practical long range rifle for the avergae working man on a budget. A guy can buy one rifle and have what he needs to hunt anything in North America and not be intimidated by those critters that can eat you.
I like a good discussion. I wish we had a campfire to sit around up by Len's deer camp this year. It would be fun! If you know me on here, you know next week I will be taking up for some other cartridge
But the question was the perfect long rifle and not the best specialty rifle. There is a difference and that is where points you, I and others made factor into the equation. It didn't even ask long range rifle, just long rifle. Well, the best rifle cartridge listed there is probably the 308 winchester. Cheap, easy to load for, deadly accurate, no recoil, plenty of loading components available, made by every rifle manufacturer and will kill anything within ranges where over 90% of hunters shoot.
I disagree with some points you made comparing my 338 RUM choice to your 300 win mag. Brass and bullets are not that much difference in price. There are more better long range hunting bullets in 338 than 308. The 338 RUM is just as easy to load for. Sometimes even easier with no belt. It is actually lighter than the 300 win mag by a little since more metal is taken out of the bore. I am color blind and prefer the 338 caliber to anything smaller because I need a huge blood trail and do not like tracking very far. The 338 does a much better job of this on any size animal. I have never killed anything to dead but I have seen many not dead enough. Many people out here shoot prarie dogs with big 338's at long range because of the high BC bullets in the wind. Since I always use earplugs anyway muzzlebrakes are not an issue with me and I brake all my cartridges anyway for seeing the hits so I know where I hit the animal and that gives me a good idea of whether I need a follow up shot or not. The 338 RUM is a much better long range cartridge on big game animals than the 300 win mag. My wife even uses my big 338's on her hunts. Taking a monster deer this year at 516 yards with a 338 Lapua and her last elk at 460 yards with a 338-378 wby. I could go on and on but you get the idea. I prefer the 338 RUM as the most practical long range rifle for the avergae working man on a budget. A guy can buy one rifle and have what he needs to hunt anything in North America and not be intimidated by those critters that can eat you.
I like a good discussion. I wish we had a campfire to sit around up by Len's deer camp this year. It would be fun! If you know me on here, you know next week I will be taking up for some other cartridge
I completely understand about the .338 RUM I didn't consider it when I posted that. I was thinking more of the Lapua and 338/378. I know about the difference in weight from more metal removed too. I have an encore 45/70 and 22/250 that have the same length and outside diameter of barrel. the 45/70 weighs a little over a pound less! And hurts! I took the question to mean long range rifle or I would have said the .308, and I almost said 30/06 on the same grounds you gave for the .308 but given the greater capability with heavier projectiles. My father is in ammo sales and I do know though that a box of .300 win mag factory ammo is just barely over half the cost of a box of .338 RUM, and that is much of the reason I say the .300. Is it great for long range elk and the likes? No certainly not, and I would not even attempt to hunt dangerous game with it, but it is adequate for most of the game that the average hunter will pursue. Not overkill for any of it but suitable for anything that doesn't bite back. By the way, I am not trying to convince anyone, just for the sake of discussion, stating my opinion. I like having a lot of guns and I usually am carrying something purpose built for my mission, short of target rifles. All I have are hunting weight rifles. Also I do not own a .338 but again, really would like to have one just to have it. Bottom line is, to me, perfect is a very strong word and nothing will be perfect for every task but a few of them are suitable for all tasks. I think both the 300 WM and the 338 RUM are probably both up to any task, but in my opinion the .300 still has as many positives (although not all the same) and less negatives than any of the .338s. And as much as I shoot, I cringe at the thought of only 50-60 rounds out of a pound of powder. Also had the .264 WM been listed, even though I refuse to own one, because it is a 6.5 I would have picked it. I feel about 6.5mm projectiles as you apparently do about the .338s. I put my first DRT shot on a deer with a 6.5x55 with a poor shot placement in 1989 when I was 12 years old. It put an impression on me that I just can't shake.
