I am going to have a cust rifle made some time soon. My goal with this rifle is to be able to take large game as small as deer and big as oryx and elk at 1k and under. My choices that I have decided on are the 300 win mag, 300 RUM and 338 LM (just because I can?). I have asked a couple of knowledgable guys on here about this but thought it would be interesting to put it as a poll. Which would you choose and why?
Which custom build would you go with?
- Thread starter Korhil78
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I love the way the 300 grain bullet puts stuff down. I have a couple 300 rums & really like them and practice with them but have never taken them to my longrange stand because I have so much faith in the 338. I have also shot the 300 win mag to distance and in my opinion its not in the same league for making first round hits with any wind at longrange. Im an edge fan,but of your choices id go with the 338.
matt_3479
Well-Known Member
The 338 edge definitely has the advantage over the other two cartridges with power and wind! The 300. RUM also puts the win mag in the dust. I am in the beginning of starting a build for long range hunting purposes. I am choosing the 300. win mag! still has plenty of power and speed to harvest big game out to extended ranges plus you dont need a brake! You dont need to fire form (338 edge), cheapest in reloading, and has the best barrel life. Another plus side is if anything ever went wrong where you ran out of bullets, or lost/forgot some you can run to the closest store and pick up a box of 300 win mags. Cant do that with the edge and harder to find the RUM.
If i had the money, and experience and capabilities i would LOVE to own and shoot an edge due to the power! But for me, the 300. win mag is more practical.
Wish i had an edge!
If i had the money, and experience and capabilities i would LOVE to own and shoot an edge due to the power! But for me, the 300. win mag is more practical.
Wish i had an edge!
pyroducksx3
Well-Known Member
I voted for the 338 because you stated you wanted a 1000 an elk. The 300 has plenty of power to do it and I think if you were just talking about energy and possibly a little easier to shoot I would vote that but I have been hearing that the 338 gives much longer barrel life. I was having the difficulty of deciding between the 7 RM and 300 ultra for my build. I went for the 7 to learn with. If I find I want to shoot further on elk than 800 I will jump the 300 most likely and go to the 338 simply for brrel life and the gain in power is much more. Using the 300 vs the 7 you only get a few hundred foot lbs more but have a large increase in powder, recoil, bullet weight, muzzle break... if Im going that big I think I would just take a full step and get the 338 and get 600+ ft lbs of energy, over what the 7 mag can get with 180's. I hope by the time I rebarrel berger will have a 338 bullets out in the 250gr class hopefully around .7 bc
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bullfrog
Well-Known Member
My vote goes for the 338. It seems to be much more consistent and predictable in the wind than the 30 cal and the smackdown it delivers on animals is just plain awesome. The downside is that it is not as easy to handle in a lightweight hunting rifle. 12lb rifle and a muzzle brake make it a pleasure to shoot. My current long range rifle is the 338 edge so I may be a little biased.
Most ump for $ is the. 300 RUM, esp. With the 210 and 230 Bergers!
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Outlaw6.0
Well-Known Member
Another vote for the Lapua. The 300RUM is one bad dude, especially with th +200grn boolits, however, the 338 will carry more energy at distance as well as impart more shock up impact (cross sectional area). Add that to the well known facts of 1- Longer bbl life & 2- WAY better brass.
Everybody needs a 338, right?! Remember, elk @ a grand deserve some serious horsepower... You can't kill anything too dead, the heaviest game @ the longest yardage should dictate what cartridge you choose.
Definitely some added insurance with the 338.gun)
Everybody needs a 338, right?! Remember, elk @ a grand deserve some serious horsepower... You can't kill anything too dead, the heaviest game @ the longest yardage should dictate what cartridge you choose.
Definitely some added insurance with the 338.gun)
I voted for the 338, because of the 1000 yard requirement for elk and oryx. Not that the 300's wouldn't work, but I have hunted oryx(gemsbok) in Africa and didn not feel overguned with a 375H&H. They were very smart, tough, hard to hunt, and liked to hug the brush, very rarely giving you a clean broadside shot. A big heavy bullet can drive through to the vitals with angled shots which may be your only shot on a good animal. Also, as has now happened with me, after mastering my 1000 yard range requirement, I'm seeking more challenge and ready to extend further. As long as you are considering the big magnums, might as well go all the way.
SpencerSS
Well-Known Member
I said 338Lapua, because I don't particularlly like .308", or belted cases for the WM. Big 338s with Scenars or 300Hybrids are extreme range capable, though I prefer 7mm for the range/game your looking at. I'm always thinking of adding a big 338 to my stable, maybe LapuaAI or an Edge. Kinda wondering what a 338WSM could do.
I imagine the .338 bullet would take up too much case space for it to be very good.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
300Rum. As much power as you need for anythiong out to 1,000yds and beyond with very tolerable recoil, and the great selection of .30cal bullets.
I got over the "need" to shoot the biggest thing I could get shouldered years ago shooting the .50 cal.
Unless I was hell bent on killing the largest and most dangerous game at beyond 1,200 yard I don't think there's any way I could justify going bigger than the 300Rum.
It is to the 300wm what the 300wm was to the .308 and 06.
If you were going to stick to an 800yds limit then I'd say go with the .300wm.
Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
The best of these three for 1000 yard elk is the 338 Lapua. The best bullet for hunting with the 338 Lapua to 1000 yards is the Cutting Edge D62 225 grain .64 BC bullet. Nothing else will compare to it ballistically or with on game performance to 1000 yards. My accuracy loads out of my 26" barrel 338 Lapua hovers right around 3300 fps.
