Savage 110 .338 Win Mag vs. .338 lapua mag

Forgot to mention barrel erosion. The Lapua will eat barrels faster as well, no new news there. Accuracy depends mostly on the rifle and shooter but the argument can be made for a shorter powder column and lower velocity. The belted cartridge with a full size rim is much stronger than a non-belted cartridge especially if it has a rebated rim as well. This make for more positive extraction in the case of sticky cartridges, something important with charging bears but of no life or death concern to paper punchers.

Shooting game animals at 1,000 yds? Who do you think you are White Feather?:confused: Not an ethical shot any pro guide would endorse. Hitting the animal in the wrong place would allow the animal to run awhile before sufferng a lingering death. Niether would be guaranteed to penetrate well at that range on large CXP 3 game. It is an internet dreamers shot not an ethical one. :p
 
With a 250 gr. bullet the Lapua will get you an extra 325 fps. with and extra 20 gr. of powder. Max. point blank range is 325 yards with the Win. and 360 yards the Lupua. With max 250 gr. loads and a 200 yrs. zero the Win. will hit 327 in. low at 1,000 yards and the Lupua 293 in. low.
 
Has anyone desiring to use a 33 caliber rifle shooting 300-gr. bullets out the barrel of a 10-pound rifle hoping to smack cinder blocks at long range ever noticed that no such thing is used in competition with rifles held by humans and fired off their shoulders?

Folks winning the matches and setting the records with shoulder fired rifles at long range switched from the 30 caliber ones on belted cases to rimless ones in 26 caliber in the 1990's for the same reason.

Think about the facts that when several 28 caliber and larger (up through 33) were tested by military forces at ranges up through 1500 yards to pick the one best suited for sniping that the cartridge that produced the best accuracy and first-shot hit numbers on the target was the .300 Win Mag.

And less than 10% of the top ranked long range competitors laying on their belly with rifles and ammo able to keep all their shots in accuracy tests inside 6 inches (same as the best long range benchrest 20 to 30 pound rifles) hit a cinder block size area on a 1000 yard target with their first shot down range. Even after getting zeros on that same range with the same rifle and ammo the previous day.

One word defines and explains the reason such things happen.

Recoil.

That which happens before the bullet leaves the barrel. Nobody holds a rifle perfectly still while there's a monster inside of it pushing you around and moving its point of aim all over the place about your desired point of impact. No wonder large caliber double rifles have their bore axes toed in crossing 10 to 20 yards downrange so they point at the desired point of impact when the bullet leaves their barrels. Their toe-in angle's 7 to 8 MOA; each barrel is half that from the line of sight.

If the affinity to be cool in "The Group" hitting what you shoot at more than 70% of the time is important, then a 33 caliber magnum probably ain't going to work for you. If much lesser percentages are acceptable, then by all means go for it.
 
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Yes, the dead zombies shall rise unless hit by a .338 Win Mag in the head.:eek: The .338 Win Mag was never meant to be a long range sniping tool and neither was the 300 Win Mag. With the right bullet, load, and weapon with the 4" extra inches of barrel the Lapua test data comes from it can hold its own out to 1,000 maybe 1,300 meters. The Lapau can definitely stretch that by 200m but that is about it.

Snipers have a one shot one kill opportunity from maximum range, they get no practice shots like National Matches. Comparing some fat, overweight, out of shape near senior citizen shooting match to a sniper who spent days in the field to get that one shot is no comparison. It is like taking a trap shooter out in the field to shoot some pheasant in the cat-tails. Trap requires very little cardio ability and the tromping in the cat-tails will kill the heart attack prone guy before he ever gets a bird.

A Hollywood star died from a heart attack in WI last fall getting to his tree stand. A picture of him said it all. A sniper has the ability to hit the guy even if it is not perfect the man is out of the battle and a severely wounded man takes more men out of the battle than a dead one. But I doubt ones chances of surviving a somewhat well placed shot with a .338 of any magnum is very good. The .50 is damn near certain death if in the dog house. One may have a better chance if hit with a .30 cal but I would not want to be involved in that experiment.:D
 
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The .338 Win Mag is the King of Elk, Moose and Bears in North America. Is it the best for everyone, nope. It is thoroughly proven with many years of use by professional guides and that is why they chose it in Alaska to back up those who cannot handle the recoil of a medium bore magnum and fail to place their shot properly. Stopping power is what the .338 and larger bores have that the small bore .30 cal and smaller lack on charging dangerous large game. Some fail to differeniate stopping power from killing ability of a well place shot in the ideal spot. A charging bear does not care if you have a good shot or not.:eek:
 
Back to the original post some years ago. I am not sure if Savage makes a 338 Lapua but a quick internet search would tell. They do make a fine 116 Weather Warrior Stainless with an Accu-Trigger in .338 Win Mag and even an Alaskan Guide in 338 Win Mag with iron sights and a shorter barrel. Recoil wise the 338 Win Mag will be tamer. There are also many more choices.

If you grew up shooting 12 Gauge Slugs at deer than you probably experienced more recoil. I was given an HR single barrel 12 gauge 3" magnum as a 12 year old. Guess what my 115# frame shot Magnum 1-1/4 oz slugs from it. It likely kicked harder than a 375 HH in a heavier bolt gun. Best I can estimate is it was around 40# of recoil. Many shoot turkey with 1-3/4 oz loads or larger (over 52# of recoil) and you do not hear them whining about recoil.

I guess I do not get the recoil argument unless one decides it will become their range queen. Might as well go ahead and get a 10 gauge for trap as well then. Otherwise put a muzzle break on if the range allows that. I like to shoot cheaper ammo at the range like the 7.62 and 5.56 which recoil much less. I love 5.56 as it is pleasurable to shoot all day:) which I would not say about even a 7-08. Well there's my 2 bits.
 
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Pet Load vs Versatile Cartridge

Another consideration is that the 338 Win Mag is the standard of the medium bore cartridges and it is much easier to find versatile hunting loads commercially and much cheaper than the other medium bores. The 338 Lapau is a specialty pet load that is much more expensive to shoot considering 2 or 3 boxes would cost the same as an entry level rifle.
 
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