Which one and why?

I have narrowed down to one of the two and am looking for opinions.

.340 Weatherby--cause I have one and enjoy shooting it. It destroys anything in it's path/

What is the primary use for the big .338?

Targets/LR hunting= .338 Lapua

General purpose hunting= .340 Wby.

I have a .340 and I love it.

I would throw another option out there. If you really want a big 338 I would opt for the 338 RUM or 338 edge. The 338 Edge is just a 300 RUM necked up to 338, brass is easy to make and dies are redily available. Either of these will put you right in the same range of performance as the lapua or weather by.

The reasons I would go with the rum is three fold.

First is cost. For what 338 lapua ammo and components cost you could shoot a 50 bmg. Weatherby ammo is similarly expensive and only a few places load for it.

Brass. Weatherby and lapua brass is very expensive, 338 RUM or edge would be much less expensive brass. The 338 edge would be easiest because there is no shortage of 300 RUM brass out there and it is very easy to neck up.

The comercial rifles available in the 338 lapua and weather by are also very expensive. For the money you could get a remington 700 for much less in 338 RUM and easily have it bored out to 338 edge very reasonably.

While there really isn't anything wrong with a 340 weather by I'm not a big fan of belts or the weather by radius shoulders.

For me its really a no brainer if you want a big 338. If you want to load your own get the 338 edge in a remington 700, if you want to buy your ammo get the 338 RUM. They is nothing that the 338 lapua or 340 weather by will do that either of these won't do and you can have a nicer rifle for the money.

Did you have a tactical rifle in mind or a hunting style?

Ive used a 340wby for nearly 37 years, other than the fact the rifles a bit heavier than ideal to carry, its 100% dependable and accurate, and kills like thors lightning bolt and you appreciate the rifle weight once your actually shooting it

I would pick the Lapua because it is not a Weatherby.

LAPWAH paper, WBY meat.

Gunner

Originally Posted By: Josh Sorensen



+1 Great advice, especially considering brass availability and pricing for equal performance. My experience has been with the 338RUM but expect equivalent ballistics from the 338 Edge.

IMHO the greatest contributor to long range accuracy is the quality of the rifle build and of the ammo, rather than which of these cartridges you pick.

Right on, Brutha.

Here is yet ANOTHER idea. Do what I did and build what I call a 340 Tyrannosaur. 8mm RemMag necked up to 338. Kind of like an AI'ed 340 WBY. Inexpensive easy to find brass, and performance that is right there neck and neck with a Lapua without having to build such a monster of a rifle. Any action that can house a 7STW, 300WBY etc (like a model 70 classic, BIG hint in there somewhere) can be a 340 Tyrannosaur. Mine, with a mere 26 inch bbl, is pushing 225gr TTSX's out the snout at a full Chrono'ed 3100 FPS.

Gunner

Lots of info on the .338 EDGE here at the creator's website:

http://www.defensiveedge.net/

The 338 EDGE is a good one, basically a 2.85", FL 375 RUM case necked down with the same case capacity as the 338 Lapua but works without the larger boltface required by the Lapua case.

Or for max performance go to a FL 2.90", blown out Rigby case and gain another ~20gr H2O capacity.

Why limit youself??...nothing but personal bias/preference pulling the wagon otherwise.

I see very little difference in using the Edge, Lapua, Wby case for paper OR hunting...the Lapua and Edge have ~10% more case capacity than the WBY so do have a bit mo' bite.

My Savage 111 Long Ranger 338 Lapua cost ~$1000.00 and I WOULDN'T call it a "monster rifle". It does buck a bit but no more than my other larger cal, heavy bullet rifles. Brass for the Lapua and WBY is about the same price from Midway or Grafs...the RUM brass is cheaper...bullets cost the same...dies cost the same unless you go custom.

If you're chump changing the difference in the price of brass you probably need to stick with a 223, 308, RUM...

You can check component prices easy enough online.

Is there really that much difference? A couple hundred fps? Hodgdon shows 2700 fps w/ a 250 gr in the latter; about the 2800 in the former.

I'd really like either, but have been recently leaning toward the latter.

Once the first part of this Q gets answered then we can move forward. I'm guessing that the Edge isn't gonna give him any real world edge for what he's wanting to use it for. But, I could be wrong...have been so many times b4

Dober

This is the load that is listed on Hodgdon web for the 250 grain bullet and H-1000 in the 338 Lapua

250 GR. HDY SP Hodgdon H1000 .338" 3.550" 88.0 2567 41,400 CUP 98.0C 2838 52,800 CUP

When I shoot 98 grains of H-1000 in Lapua cases lit by federal 215M, all behind a 250 grain SMK my rifle chrono's 3189 PS

You must have been having a moment of rectal-cranial inversion.........the cost's are not even close.

Yeah I was looking at the H load data after I put together my post and wondered why in the world one wouldn't just stick w/ the '06... IIRC I was getting 2600 fps from 250s for a TON less powder than the Bee or Lapua eat up.

There has GOT to be more heat available in those massive hulls or the ROI just wouldn't be there...

neither, 338 Ultra Mag

Case capacities...APPROXIMATE, your numbers may vary

340 WBY...~100 gr H2O
338 RUM(Rem Ultra Mag)...~107 gr H2O
338 Lapua...~115 gr H20
338 Edge...~113 gr H2O

338 Rigby FL 2.90" case...~135 gr H20
338-378 WBY...~138 gr H20

They're ALL GOOD.

FIRED case water weight can vary 4-9 gr depending on case brand, chamber size, actual case trimmed length.

What you are looking for is the maximum NET capacity with the specific bullet you want to use, seated to your specific COAL in a case trimmed to a specific length.

My fired Hornady cases averaged 117.2 gr H20 for 5 trimmed 2.720" UNSIZED cases...116.0 for SIZED cases...116.5 gr H2O for new, unfired trimmed to 2.722"....

That small difference in case volume means the chamber is very well matched to my sizing die and I'm VERY PLEASED about that!!!! The cases should last at least 10 firings. The neck is another story...it is a bit on the large size. I'm using RCBS dies while I break the barrel in, but when I go to load development I will buy a bushing style FL die.

The question of "efficiency" is always lurking. I won't even try to answer that one, in ANY shape or form. except to say Bigger is always better when it comes to driving heavier than "normal" bullets, but not necessarily true for light to normal bullet weights...but letting "efficiency" drive the wagon is a penny telling the dollar what to chew...totally illogical to me especially in the long ranger game where you're looking to keep both the velo AND the accuracy at the top end.

The arguments are always apples and corn fritters and usually make no sense to me at all...some powders work better than others but depends on the case volume/bullet weight...MANY powders overlap and which is the "best" is no more than personal bias.

There are so many variable that reflect in the velocity that it is very hard to pin down WHICH is the one driving the goat.

I use whichever powder, primer, and bullet that produces the highest level of accuracy at the highest velo I can get WITH those components for a specific purpose...but in many cases it ISN'T the highest velo I can achieve with that bullet...just the highest accuracy...I always try to get BOTH, but it doesn't always happen.

My choice for my purposes and my reasons is the Lapua, this being a dedicated long ranger paper/varmint puncher, and I've looking at using the full length Rigby case blown out to equal the 378 WBY case, that will hunt with the best if I want to poke a bite of venison/elk steak in my face.

Yeah...ain't no grass growing under the '06...and I never had any trouble collecting my deer/speed goats/elk with a 25-06 OR my 250 Sav AI...for even less powder.

It's just nice to have the choice of all these nice toys...

338 RUM holds 113 gr. Brass is far cheaper. Lapua has no real advantage except "cool" (wannabe sniper) factor.

Going to a longer barrel will get you far more than a few gr of powder.

Got a build underway for a 34" 3 groove nitrided barrel in 338 RUM on a Savage match action.

Betting on a minimum of 3300 w/Berger 300s.

As a side note on the ease of building and owning a 340 Tyrannosaur. The late Dick Nickel did my barrel and chamber and after boring what had been a 300 WBY to .338, he merely ran a 7STW reamer into the back end of the barrel and it worked wonderfully - still does. NO extra cost for special remamers, and no need for special dies, either. I just use 340 WBY dies and don't run them in all the way to the shell holder. Re Size just enough to get good neck tension and easy re chambering and there we have it.

I agree. (Consider the big .338's from Lazzeroni and A-Square too.)

I think the more pressing question is - Why are we talking about .338's (of any case size) in the "Big Bore" forum?

Check out the price of loaded ammo for the 338 lapua and compare it to 50 bmg. In midway catalog the average price of loaded 338 lapua ammo is $6.03 a round, the average of 50 BMG ammo is $5.88.

now check the price for brass. Average cost of 338 lapua brass is $2.66 a round, and 50 BMG is $1.97 each.



now pull your head out of your own backside.

338RUM! Mainly for the cheaper brass. I have a friend with one in a sporter profile (ie light) but has one of those evil muzzle brakes on it - makes it shootable.

It is a sub-MOA performer (not as accurate as a tactical 338Lapua though) but he still shoots Fallow deer at 700m with it.

Hey Jack Azz, if you dont spin-doctor things it is not too hard to figure out, if you are trying to make accurate ammo for each (apples to apples) a quality accurate bullet like the Hornady A-Max is $2.35 a bullet for the 50BMG.
Just as accurate if not moreso for the 338 Lapua is the Sierra 300gr SMK it costs about 57cents a bullet.
It takes about 2 1/2 times the powder (2 1/2 times the cost)for the BMG to fire the slug.....just admit you are wrong and it's all good.

You wont touch 3300 with a RUM and a 300gr,even with a 40" bbl.

If you can keep your head from exploding long enough to reply, what are the makers saying regarding a match VLD bullet at 3000+ fps in a 3 groove?

Oh, I forgot "3 groove nitrided barrel"..my mistake1

interthem, The ONLY thing that makes any sense of your post is your signature line dissing "nsaqam" for being a dipp schitt.
Betting on 3300 w/Berger 300s from a 34" 3 groove is the Spit Take line of the year so far


Do yourself a favor if it is not too late and order anything but a 3groove for this project (worst possible choice) and buy a good chronograph to realize the disappointment of not getting close to 3300fps with this project.

oh, yes, the mythical curse of three grooves.

I think its pretty clear that loaded ammo was actually cheaper for 50 bmg vs 338 lapua. Apples to apples on a large national retailer. I wasn't even factoring in the dirt cheap milsurp machine gun ammo available here locally ridiculously cheap.

Obviously the bullets and power costs will be greater with 50 vs 338. but I spoke specifically to brass in my original post as well.

So I was clearly right about ammo prices and partly right with components, i.e. brass. Any way you shake it I would say its more than "not even close" as you stated.

while we are in an admitting mood I didn't see you admitting to being wrong about ammo?

Also you have been very disrespectfully from your original post. I won't repond as juvenilely as you did but if you would care to take this to a more private mode of conversation I would gladly continue this conversation.

Instead of hiding behind a fake alias why don't you come clean who you are? It might make you less likely to make such rude statements.

.............If you want that sniping reputation prestige go with the 338 Lapua. If you don`t desire that kind of reputation in a cartridge, then the 340 Bee will do anything you want it to do.

I myself went with a new 338-378 Bee Accumark last year. Partial to the Wby round despite its appetite for powder and cost of brass. Very small percentage of overall hunting costs.

Here is another option. A square 338 Excalibur. This chart has ballistics for there factory loads. http://a-squareco.com/Ballistics_Chart.html Here is the 300gr bullet
http://www.reloadersnest.com/detail_request.asp?CaliberID=785&LoadID=391

Gunner, you mean, steel!......grin! The small pocks are from a .260, the clean through holes are the work of 300 grain Bergers at 2850fps.

How thick is the metal? What distance and what weight/fps of 260 bullet. I believe that the 264wm with 73gr h4831 pushing 85gr hp 3800 to 4000fps would go through as I came close to pushing one through 1" thick boiler plate on a chain at 100yrds. (speed Kills)

Of the 2 asked about, the 338 Lapua hands down. More factory choices availible, more factory rifles, more brass options, lots of once fired brass at discounted prices, very accurate, lots of load data. The 338 Lapua can be run on a Remington 700 action, as Remington themselves do.

1/2" mild steel at 500 meters. 130gr VLD's at 3000fps.

It would be interesting to see what 67grs of H4831 behind the 130gr VLD at 3500 fps would do.

Looking at the numbers on the 338 Excalibur starting at 3250fps with the 300gr vld it would still be moving 2660fps at 1000yrds with 4714 ft lbs energy. Now thats smoking. Zero at 900yrds mid range is +38.9 inches and -21 inches at 1000yrds.

Ok then, I would pick the Weatherby because it is not a Lapua.

nice shootin' Pat.

Gunner

I have a lot better reason's but along this line of thinking I would pick the Lapua because it is not a Weatherby.

338 RUM.

M700 LSS 338 RUM w/ Mark 4 4.5-14x40mm


JD338

As long as I can get brass, I'll stick with the 338 RUM. My factory barreled Rem 700 has liked every bullet and powder I've fed it so far. Uses standard magnum bolt face, shorter than the 340 Wby (a fine round in itself), enough case capacity to shoot 300 gr bullets at 2700 fps if one is so inclined. What's not to like?

Having said that, the 340 Wby has been getting it done for several decades now and it would be hard to go wrong with it either.

Hi, I have used the 340 Wby for 22 years. I have made brass from 300 Wby, 8mm Rem mag, 300 H&H blown out to 300 Wby and sized. The Rem 300 Wby brass now is the best bet. The difference between the 338 RUM and the 340 Wby is 3.60 OAL RUM, 3.650 OAL Wby a total of 0.050 inches! The 340 is easy to load for, yes it kicks but so does the 338 RUM. I also have a very accurate 338-378 KT that I have pushed a 250 gr to 3150 fps! In it most of my loads are with IMR 7828 at low 340 velocity, 2800 fps. A 340 can be built on the Rem 700, just cut the OAL to fit the mag. Randy

For hunting - the 340.

Lapua is really orientated toward military use. Twist rates and bullet types reflect that mission.

The 340 has brass options galore, the RUM is the better of the two in theory, but there are trade offs. Brass availability being one. I see lots of 340's for sale at good prices in the east, I guess that level of recoil isn't needed after the one elk hunt of the doctors life.

Wow all this talk about which is better or cheaper.
You have a beautiful rifle made by one of the best manufacturers in the world. It would be cheaper for you to buy 200 cases and reload your 340 than buy a new rifle brass and dies to go with it. The 340 Weatherby will stand along side and above some of the rifles mentioned here. Love your gun that you're use to. Enjoy every round you put down the barrel. And know it's prettier than all the others mentioned here.

400 gr Min..

XZQ beat me to it, Mostly mine are 375 H&H WW cases w/lots of others mixed in. I use the Hodgdon book #25 old long stick H-4831 max load w/250 NPT's, stuff doesn't run away, even rabid gophers-Muddy

I didn't see any votes for the .330 Dakota, but it's ballisticly very good and the effect on game has been amazing in my experience...

HS Precision in 338 RUM, 250gr Swift A-Frame, 381 yards, Alaska.

Very nice, congrats!

Nice! Wish I was up there right now.....beautiful bear!

Had a chance to buy one identical to this but chose a T3 in 9.3 X 62 instead. I'd owned a .340 with a 26" that gave an honest 3000 fps from 90.5 grs of RL-22. Never a problem with brass. I was given 5 boxes of once fired .375 H&H (Remington and Winchester).I just fired formed with a 200gr load at 2200 fps (a great deer load and accurate). That brass never failed and cost nothing. After 10 reloads I just chucked them. Shot a nice moose with the 250 Nos Part at 3000 fps.

Bob

www.bigbores.ca

My 338 Lapua is built on a Rem 700 action. I would not call that a monster action.

Exactly why I went Lapua

If the 338 RUM won't get it done then you need something bigger than the 338 cal. The only thing the Lapua offers over the RUM is the cool factor and higher priced brass, performance wise not worth the effort. My LH SS 700 338RUM

How can the excalibur go from 3250 fps to 2660 at 1000yds?

I haven't used the Lapua or RUM 338's but did use the 340 B for about twenty years. The belt issue isn't one; it's just fashionable to say a case without one is a better design. IMHO, same thing is true with the round Wby shoulder. All three are in the same class power-wise so there is no real distinction there which is to say they are phenomenal on large, soft skinned game judging from my experience with the Wby.

My experience is that Wby brass cost is really not an issue as you can reload it a good number of times; this is no varmint round. A hundred cases will last you awhile. Remington actually sold 300 Wby brass for awhile and maybe still do; I simply necked it up for a more economical option. Someone mentioned or inferred you couldn't chamber it in a Rem 700 action. Yes, you can. My was built on a Rem action with an AR extractor, 3-pos safety and was in a Brown Precision stock. 8.5 lbs with a Leupold 2.5-8 VX3 in QR rings.

I could boot a 210-gr Nos Part at 3200 fps from my 24" barrel; a 225-gr at 3050 and a 250-grainer at 2950 fps. Killed ten bull elk with it, caribou, and several deer. I killed three bulls between four and five hundred yards. It is a great cross-canyon elk cartridge if you can shoot it. The bull that traveled the furtherest went about thirty yards.

I just didn't find the aforementioned disadvantages to the 340 Wby to be of any consequence. I kind of miss it.

My favorite Wby round is the 240 Wby with the 340 Wby a close second . I load all my Belted Cases to head space of the shoulder and not the belt.

Wanted one once - the 240.

The 240 Wby is a great deer round and one of my favorite.

I would probably go 6mm-06 now due to simple pragmatism and have the same thing which would be very good.

I also have the 6mm-06 , 243 , and 6mm Rem . I like the 24's

You do. I'm pretty pedestrian with just a 243 presently.

The counseling is helping.

you should try a SOB named 338 WMG "long throat"....

How do any of these choices fall into the "Big Bore" catagory? I have a 340 WBY and love it- 250 grain OTMs @ 3000 fps, but it is NOT a big bore.

Or why did this thread get drug up from over two years ago......

Some warm milk and lying down May help..

dennisinaz, they are definitely not big bores.

17 rem bone e fide.

Eat bran fore a week then look behind on down.