Desert Tactical Arms Stealth Recon Scout .338LM
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This is kind of getting off topic from where it was going but back to the original thread about the 338LM. Personally I think the barrel is too short and the gun is too light overall. Naturally we don't want to be carrying a boat anchor but this gun is probably better suited for the 250gr bullets instead of the 300gr bullets. Something interesting I found which might be worth mentioning. A buddy of mine and I were out shooting our 338LM late in fall at 1230yds (measured) and his 338LM being a DSR-1 burning 101grs of powder and mine being an Ackley Impoved version of the 338LM burning 111grs would still punch through 3/8" steel while his would only dent the plate. We were using the same Lapua brass, primers, 300gr SMK bullets and powder but at that distance, penetration was an interesting observation. I personally think the 338LM should have been Ackley Improved when the 300gr bullets became popular. The brass life is infinent and it's not really any harder on the gun because of the slower burning powder used. He was using a miliradian scope and I was using a nightforce so we couldn't easily compare the bullet drop difference which would have been interesting also.
The 338 Lapua was originally designed around the 300 gr bullet. I would put down the differences in plate penetration to simply more velocity. - dan
I always thought it was designed around a 250gr going 3000 ft/s....but....I've been known to be wrong before.
The original spec (written up in numerous articles back in the 80's, as I recall) were reported as a 300 gr bullet at 3000 fps, which is just barely possible with a 32" bbl and lots of pressure. I have a 26" bbl on mine and the fastest it will push a 250 gr bullet is 2960 fps. FWIW - dan
Ok so my 338LM AI throws a 300gr bullet out the pipe at 3065fps and with a quick comparison here are the results.
250gr SMK vel:2960 1225yds in 1.74sec with 33.25MOA over 100yd zero.
velocity at target: 1515 w/ 1275lb/lbs of energy
300gr SMK vel 3065 1225yds in 1.53sec with 26.50MOA over 100yd zero
velocity at target STILL 1867 w/ 2322ft/lbs of energy
The bottom line, all the 300gr SMK needs is a higher ballistic coeficient and those numbers keep going up. If I had a 50BMG I'd probably Ackley improve it because 750gr bullets just don't get out there quick enough at 2630ish fps. LOL
We need to hold our breath and wait for the all hyped and all might Berger 300gr bullet to storm onto the market.....haha. It will cure all that ails the standard Lapua guys with it's magical 0.914 G1BC. If Berger ever releases it 
rolleyes and if you can get it to shoot properly....and if....and if..... .
Once this barrel of mine is toast I'm AI'ing.
rolleyes and if you can get it to shoot properly....and if....and if..... . Once this barrel of mine is toast I'm AI'ing.
ATRS had some bullets from some company i hadn't heard of with an insane BC. I held one in my hands and I'm trying to remember now if it was machined or swaged. Berger is kind of a funny company in that they talk talk talk followed by promise promise promise and then more time goes by. I think we're going to see a Hornady 300gr before we see anything from Berger.
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- calgary alberta
At SHOT last week I actually held the Berger 300 gr 338 bullets in my hands.
They have 2 prototypes that they are in the testing stages of currently. We may actually see these from Berger before the world ends
Hornady has opted to go with a 285 gr 338 bullet, still no commitment on when though.
They too are in the testing stages.
They have 2 prototypes that they are in the testing stages of currently. We may actually see these from Berger before the world ends
Hornady has opted to go with a 285 gr 338 bullet, still no commitment on when though.
They too are in the testing stages.
I think the 285gr Hornady is going to be a great bullet for the standard Lapua casing guys.
It was 3yrs ago now we held the 300gr Lapua bullet with a BC of .810 but still haven't seen that come to life. I fail to understand why, if they have a prototype, they can't just send them into production. Chances are they have more then just one or two and once they've shot them out of a 338LM, and they don't fly apart or go wonky at distance can they not just press the little green button and puke out boxes of them. Strange!!!
It was 3yrs ago now we held the 300gr Lapua bullet with a BC of .810 but still haven't seen that come to life. I fail to understand why, if they have a prototype, they can't just send them into production. Chances are they have more then just one or two and once they've shot them out of a 338LM, and they don't fly apart or go wonky at distance can they not just press the little green button and puke out boxes of them. Strange!!!
- Location
- calgary alberta
They have been available for the last 18 plus months, assuming you are meaning the Lapua brand 338 cal 300 gr Scenar.
We have some in stock in fact.
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