338 win mag vs 338 lapua mag
- Thread starter aledek
- Start date
Simplistic answer I'm sure someone else can give a scientific one if needed.
A 250 grain bullet fired from both:
338 Lapua 3000fps
338 WM 2600fps
338 Lapua 5-8$ a shot (basic ammo)
338 WM 3-7$ a shot (basic ammo)
338 Lapua Heavier rifle needed
338 WM lighter rifle
From that info you can guess which will kill a barrel faster, which is louder, which has more long range and so on. In my opinion Lapua is an amazing military round, a good long distance round, a bad hunting round (unless your shooting a heavy animal 1000+ yards away) and a horrible bench gun (most ranges are not long enough to use it and the cost of ammo will kill you before you can master it). The 338WM in general is an ok round at the above stuff, still in general I go with 338 Lapua or WM the best one out there.... Is a buddies that wants to show off his toy and let's you fire his on the weekend lol.
A 250 grain bullet fired from both:
338 Lapua 3000fps
338 WM 2600fps
338 Lapua 5-8$ a shot (basic ammo)
338 WM 3-7$ a shot (basic ammo)
338 Lapua Heavier rifle needed
338 WM lighter rifle
From that info you can guess which will kill a barrel faster, which is louder, which has more long range and so on. In my opinion Lapua is an amazing military round, a good long distance round, a bad hunting round (unless your shooting a heavy animal 1000+ yards away) and a horrible bench gun (most ranges are not long enough to use it and the cost of ammo will kill you before you can master it). The 338WM in general is an ok round at the above stuff, still in general I go with 338 Lapua or WM the best one out there.... Is a buddies that wants to show off his toy and let's you fire his on the weekend lol.
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The Lapua shines with 300gr bullets and was designed as an extreme range anti-personal round.
However, both can be used for varying applications, the Lapua is chambered in some hunting rifles but way more are chambered in the WM.
I have seen Lapua ammo as high as $180.00 for 20 and WM as low as $30 ish.
Due to case capacity they aren't really comparable chamberings.
As for barrel life, niether are really a barrel burner compared to some.Louder? That is totally dependent on the rifle not the chambering.
The Lapua is not a bad hunting round based on performance , actually one could say it is better based on what you want to do , however , not practical due to price and availability of factory options of ammo and rifles.
Both are going to have a fair amount of recoil dependent on rifle.
Either one works, here is where things change, once you are reaching out at targets the Lapua can simply push a heavier projectile farther.As for hunting distances, they will both kill an animal at normal hunting distances, again, choose projectile suitable for application.
Some do cringe at $3 a piece brass though.
Want to hunt? Choose either one, it is your choice and money.
Want to shoot targets at 1 mile plus and have you the ability , the Lapua is the suitable chambering.
P.S. - I was looking at a Weatherby chambered in 338 LM for a hunting rig just to have one.That would be a do all rifle.Would be one hell of a rifle with 300gr Accubond bullets.
However, both can be used for varying applications, the Lapua is chambered in some hunting rifles but way more are chambered in the WM.
I have seen Lapua ammo as high as $180.00 for 20 and WM as low as $30 ish.
Due to case capacity they aren't really comparable chamberings.
As for barrel life, niether are really a barrel burner compared to some.Louder? That is totally dependent on the rifle not the chambering.
The Lapua is not a bad hunting round based on performance , actually one could say it is better based on what you want to do , however , not practical due to price and availability of factory options of ammo and rifles.
Both are going to have a fair amount of recoil dependent on rifle.
Either one works, here is where things change, once you are reaching out at targets the Lapua can simply push a heavier projectile farther.As for hunting distances, they will both kill an animal at normal hunting distances, again, choose projectile suitable for application.
Some do cringe at $3 a piece brass though.
Want to hunt? Choose either one, it is your choice and money.
Want to shoot targets at 1 mile plus and have you the ability , the Lapua is the suitable chambering.
P.S. - I was looking at a Weatherby chambered in 338 LM for a hunting rig just to have one.That would be a do all rifle.Would be one hell of a rifle with 300gr Accubond bullets.
Last edited:
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Well the 338wm is one of my favorites. Not sure where the one poster is buying ammo, but he is paying way to much for 338 wm. Agree that the lapua would be north of $5/factory cartridge, but the typical price of factory 338wm is $50-60/box of 20 so $3/cartridge. While decent factory ammo is available for the win mag, i would think that anyone using them one, and everyone that uses a lapua will reload.
Completely different purposes. The lapua was a purpose built military sniper round that has been adapted for long range target and hunting. The win mag is probably the most common light medium hunting round, very few would use it for target. The common target rounds appear to be 223, 22 and 6mm bench rest and wildcats, 6.5x284, 308 win, 300 win mag, 338 lapua mag, and 50 bmg.
Common misconception of 338 win mag is that it is some sort of over bore cannon that is unnecessary for NA hunting. Not at all true. However, recoil pulse is both significant and fast, beyond many peoples tolerance. Many use recoil reduction in sporter weight 338 wm rifles. Recoil and blast from a 338 lapua is excessive, one would expect that from a cartridge burning close to twice the powder of the 30-06 and 30 % more than the 338 wm. Most 338 lapua target rifles will have recoil reduction and be too heavy for the field. Field weight rifles will definitely have reduction, significant recoil, and excessive muzzle blast.
Completely different purposes. The lapua was a purpose built military sniper round that has been adapted for long range target and hunting. The win mag is probably the most common light medium hunting round, very few would use it for target. The common target rounds appear to be 223, 22 and 6mm bench rest and wildcats, 6.5x284, 308 win, 300 win mag, 338 lapua mag, and 50 bmg.
Common misconception of 338 win mag is that it is some sort of over bore cannon that is unnecessary for NA hunting. Not at all true. However, recoil pulse is both significant and fast, beyond many peoples tolerance. Many use recoil reduction in sporter weight 338 wm rifles. Recoil and blast from a 338 lapua is excessive, one would expect that from a cartridge burning close to twice the powder of the 30-06 and 30 % more than the 338 wm. Most 338 lapua target rifles will have recoil reduction and be too heavy for the field. Field weight rifles will definitely have reduction, significant recoil, and excessive muzzle blast.
