338 Lapua vs. 7mm rem mag?

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pnolans

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338 Lapua vs. 7mm rem mag?

I've heard that the 338 Lapua is the shizz to have for those long shots during the "latter days", post-apocalyptic world.

I currently have a Rem 700 7mm rem mag rifle , thinking when I bought it , that it would be the most affordable solution for long shooting .

I'm interested in the opinions of the experts here. Would it be worth the $$$ to go for a 338 Lapua ... for long-range accuracy?

Also, should I look at the "ACOG" scope? Again ... for long-range accuracy? Some other reason I haven't thought of?


Thanks in advance.

Pat
 
What is "long range" in your neighborhood?

The only Trijicon that I would think suitable for target shooting is the Accupoint 5-20X and there are a lot of other choices.

Are you a proficient handloader or have a large ammunition budget?
 
If you are not reloading .338 lapua is going to be expensive. If you do reload, .338 lapua is still going to be expensive.

7mm magnum is a powerful enough round to take down any large game in North America. It will be more affordable across the board reloading or not.
 
What is "long range" in your neighborhood?

The only Trijicon that I would think suitable for target shooting is the Accupoint 5-20X and there are a lot of other choices.

Are you a proficient handloader or have a large ammunition budget?
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I live in Colorado. Half of the state is plains, and the mountains are treeless in many places.

So, long range would be 1000 yards.

I am NOT that good a shot , YET. But , if the SHTF, maybe it will be needed.

Ammo budget is fine. I do handloading, but I would not call myself proficient yet. I am getting there, however.

One thing I've noticed, 7mm rem mag is still available , as is 270 win, in many places. I'm extremely well prepared in the 270 win area. I plan to build my 7mm stock at this time.

338 Lapua is not only expensive, it's about as plentiful as 9mm ammo, or even 9mm bullets. I have powder and primer , and 200 9mm 115 grain bullets. I only bring up the 9mm as an example of availability.

These are the pros and cons as I see them at this time. But I'm open to learning, always. Hence, my question.
 
A GOOD 7mm with Sierra, Berger, or A-Max match bullets will do very well at 1000 yards. I would not consider the cost, weight, and kick of a 338 Lap until 1200-1500 yards.
 
I think 7mm mag is the more practical option for 1000 yards in nearly every aspect.

Are you saying 9mm ammo is not plentiful or that it is plentiful? I would think that 9mm would be easier to find than .338 lapua any day.
 
I want a Lapua myself, but most rifles they are chambered in are very expensive, and the ammo or components are expensive. The Savage rifle (can't remember the model) in .338 Lapua is around $1900, look to spend that or more on an optic optimal for the cartridge, and you've just dumped $4,000 in a rifle that is too heavy to do anything with except sniping.

I would personally drop $1200 on a Huskemaw scope for the 7 Mag, buy a good rangefinder, get in a bit of practice, and nothing within 1200 yards of you will be safe. Just my 2¢…
 
Post apocalyptic world?

Forget about that crap. Men have been predicting the end of time since the beginning of time and they've all been wrong. The more salient piece of your question is your reloading experience. The 338 Lapua is a not a round for the casual loader. The 7mmRM will handle your needs.
 
Is this even a serious post???????

If you are actually keen on shooting based on you knowledge, I'd go for a 223 in a heavy barrel AR15 or bolt action, with a 4-12x40 scope or there abouts.
 
i used to see some group on the hunting channels shooting long range, 1000 plus yards with 7mm rem mags. it worked for them and i like mine. i had a 300 mag that i sold in favor of the 7mm rem mag, i'm still happy.
 
Is this even a serious post???????

If you are actually keen on shooting based on you knowledge, I'd go for a 223 in a heavy barrel AR15 or bolt action, with a 4-12x40 scope or there abouts.
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Yes, it's a serious post! Why would you think it's not????????
Did I imply somewhere that I'm new to shooting or something? If you feel I'm BS'ing or something, may I respectfully suggest you simply ignore me.

I've sold all my AR's ... and will build another once parts are available again.
 
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@Ben Towe:

Thanks... I get your point. Partially, the Gun Store is a like Toys R Us for me.
BUT.... I don't want to just waste money for very little gain.
I will look into your suggestion about the Huskemaw scope.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Pat
 
My Armalite AR30 .338 Lapua, for the most part is a dust catcher. I shot it a few hundred times and then decided my .284 Winchester was MUCH cheaper and more accurate for 1000 yd.
 
Reynolds357 brings up a really good point, that the rifle for the 338 Lapua will have to be accurate enough to make the cartridge shine. For the cost of all this, I would shy away from the Lapua.

Since your other choice is 7 mm Mag, that sort of narrows it down. :cool:
 
good point. In fact, if a 338 Lapua was inexpensive, I wouldn't have even asked the question. I would have just bought one and checked it out.

I get the point about the gun sitting in the closet. I didn't fire my 45/70 guide gun much, because the ammo is expensive. I fire it more now... it's just a little more than the 7mm ammo.
 
pnolans said:
Yes, it's a serious post! Why would you think it's not????????
Click to expand...
Well, this for starters:

So, long range would be 1000 yards.

I am NOT that good a shot , YET. But , if the SHTF, maybe it will be needed.
Click to expand...

Will you be shouting "Wolverines!!" when taking this 1000 yard plus shot once the SHTF?
 
Ok...

Well, it is a serious question. I thank those who gave me good answers. It has been answered. I live in an Apt Complex with a lot of Soldiers from Ft. Carson who've been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. Some have talked about the 338, and I was interested in other opinions.. that is, other than Gun store salesmen.

Not a Wolverine, not a troll, and clearly not a member of the club.

Have a nice life.
 
The 7mm Rem Mag is a great long range cartridge, and would be a much more reasonable choice than the 338LM. I've got a Lapua Mag, but it's heavy, and ammo is not cheap (even reloading components set you back over a dollar a shot).

Even a good .308 would serve well for long range shooting.

But the problem is, most folks somehow think that just owning the rifle and a cool "ooh-ahh" scope is all they need. We continue to be amazed at our long range clinics and even our long range shooting matches just how ignorant many folks are of the fundamentals of hitting long range targets. We see lots of deflated egos, no kidding... :o

Without proper training, it's next to impossible to make a shot even at 500 yards--let alone 1000 yards. The only way to learn is to have someone to teach you. The equipment is really the easy part. The cartridge choice is not even so important (there are many good choices)... it's the knowledge that is incredibly lacking...

We recently held a long range match where a fellow scored 65 points out of a possible 777 points on plates ranging from 350 yards to 1050 yards... he had a custom short mag rifle, and a Swarovski scope, and had no clue as to what to do with it. :(

Dan
 
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