With large and dangerous game with thick hide, the huge amount of momentum and the high sectional density of the .338LM rounds are going to make getting the round through the vitals much easier. The author analyzed six .338 caliber magnum cartridges (.338 Winchester Magnum, .340 Weatherby, .338-378 Weatherby, .338 Remington Ultra Mag., 33 Nosler, and .338 Lapua) for trajectory, effective range, and recoil with modern ballistic software available free online from shooterscalculator.com. Personally I like 35-40 degree shoulders so I tend to run customized versions of most cartridges. Magnum cartridges aren’t magic death rays, and they absolutely will not compensate for poor marksmanship. Will even work on CXP4(dangerous game). However, the .338 Lapua clearly has the fiercest recoil of the bunch: an astounding 85% more free recoil energy than the .300 Win Mag, even when used in a slightly heavier rifle! Our knowledge is more limited with exotic game, but it’s hard for us to believe the .300 Win Mag wouldn’t be appropriate in most situations. While most experienced hunters or competitive shooters are not too concerned with the amount of recoil and we think you can become accustomed to most recoil over time, others still might be, and those with less experience are concerned. Remington produced the 300 Win Mag in 1999 and this is also the first cartridge of the 30-caliber It is a common mistake to think that the maximal velocity you can get out of a round means a better overall performance. Best 9mm Ammo 2019 [Self-Defense & Target], 6.5 Creedmoor vs .243 Win – Cartridge Comparison, Best .40 S&W Ammo: Self Defense & Target Practice. Built using a modified .338 Winchester Magnum case, the .300 Winchester Magnum basically duplicated the performance of the other fast .30 caliber cartridges of the day like the .300 H&H Magnum and .308 Norma. get low cost} prices 338 Lapua Build Kit And 300 Rem Ultra Mag Vs 338 Lapua now. Officially introduced in 1989, the . The high ballistic coefficients, which we will discuss next, and the increased weight of the .338 LM rounds also allow them to maintain velocity at a slightly higher rate than the .300 Win Mag rounds as they move downrange. I don't think the elk will know the difference if the elk is hit with either the 300 Ultra Mag or the 338 Win. By Ron Spomer. When we look at the cartridge specs for the .300 Win Mag vs .338 Lapua Magnum we see some immediate differences that will likely lead to differences in how these two cartridges perform. While factory loads are going to be loaded well below the max capacity, it shows just how much power is possible with these rounds. Thank you, Glad you enjoyed the article and found it useful Jeff! While the recoil is manageable, it is certainly attention-getting. Below are the averages for the two cartridge’s sectional density. The velocity is a critical performance spec for any cartridge comparison because of the influence that it has on just about all the other performance categories we will look at. When picking out a round for use, it is important that you take into account all of the factors when determining the amount of penetration you will need from your round. Do you want the cartridge best suited for target shooting out to 1,500 yards or so in a precision rifle? It is between the 338LM and the 338Win Mag. We have also kept the powder loads constant for each cartridge and used a conservative number since we are dealing with factory loads. History Announced in 1999 and released in 2000, the .338 Remington Ultra Magnum is one of the four Remington long action ultra magnum cartridges which include the 7mm, 300, .338 and .375 Ultra Magnum cartridges, all loosely based on the 404 Jefferies case design blown out to maximum dimensions. Thanks for your comment Kirby, glad you enjoyed the article. While the .338 LM rounds can hold more powder, the .300 Win Mag rounds are not that far behind, and the lighter bullet weights allow them to reach higher velocities without risking destabilization out of the muzzle. Really don't want another lapua bolt face either. As you can see, if you go with heavier .300 Win Mag rounds, such as the Barnes Precision Match OTM 220gr, you can get SD similar to the .338 LM rounds. 230gr/3000fps .823 (G1) .414 (G7) The .300 Win Mag is especially common and virtually every model produced by any firearms manufacturer of note is available in the cartridge. Not surprisingly, there are some significant differences in the ballistics of the three cartridges. The .300 Winchester Magnum uses the smallest and lightest bullets of the three: .308 caliber bullets in the 150-230 grain range. We also saw that the difference in velocity was not too much. So where do we stand with each cartridge? The Big Game Hunting Blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com.au, and other Amazon stores worldwide. #Don't Click #1 Deal Shop for cheap price 300 Win Mag Vs 338 Lapua Wind Drift And 300 Win Ultra Mag Brass . However, the .338 Lapua can generally use heavier bullets than the .338 Win Mag. There are several components that go into stopping power such as bullet energy, penetration, and bullet expansion. One potential negative of the 300 Norma is the larger bolt face requirement (338 Lapua). 338 has better terminal ballistics, but if you aren’t in some sort of special forces unit or hunting elk at 1200 yards, 300 is the way to go. Certainly making me 2nd guess my desire to eventually obtain a .338 Lapua. This was a great read. New brass in 2018 by Lapua – the .300 Norma Magnum case A recent development based on the .338 Norma Magnum necked down to .30 caliber, the .300 Norma Magnum was adopted as the US military’s Advanced Sniper Cartridge “for extra long ranges beyond 1 500 meters”. We’ll discuss this more in a minute, but since the cartridge is designed primarily for long range shooting and has such a heavy recoil, the .338 Lapua is most commonly available in very heavy rifles that dampen recoil, but are more difficult to carry. Shop for Low Price 300 Win Ultra Mag Vs 338 Lapua And 338 Lapua Vs 300 Win Mag Ballistics Trajectory . How well a bullet is stabilized also affects the trajectory of the bullet. The .338LM rounds lost momentum at a slightly lower rate than the .300 Win Mag rounds. Let’s take a look next at the short range trajectories for these two cartridges with our larger data set. If you have high momentum with a very low sectional density that might be because of a wide diameter bullet, the round might not penetrate as well as a bullet with the similar momentum but a higher sectional density. Download the ballistics chart and check out the .300 Wea Mag factory ammo, and compare the data to the ammo detailed in "AR" for the .338 Lapua. The .300 Win Mag, one of the flattest shooting cartridges available, and especially when maximized with hand loading has several excellent factory loads for long range shooting as well. With a degree in Microbiology and several years of doctoral work manipulating bacterial genes, he attempts to merge the rational and unbiased thinking of scientific research with the passions of hunting and fishing. We have listed these ten rounds below. Glad you enjoyed the article Kreg! It also has one of the flattest trajectories of all the selected rounds we looked at and the highest BC of all the .300 Win Mag rounds. Formally introduced by Lapua Limited in 1987, the designers of the .338 Lapua Magnum accomplished those goals by utilizing a new case based on the .416 Rigby. At the same time, the .300 PRC actually has a tiny bit shorter case length than the .300 Win Mag (2.62″ vs 2.58″). More penetration does not mean you have a bullet with more stopping power. He used that rifle and cartridge to kill two Taliban machine-gunners 2,707 yards (2,475 meters) away in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province during 2009. It is a beltless, rebated rim cartridge based on the.300 Remington Ultra Magnum case shortened.090" and necked-up to accept a 0.338-inch (.338 caliber) bullet. Magnum cartridges, including 7mm RM, don’t kill animals any deader inside 300 yds than non-magnums like 30-06, 308W, 270W, 280Rem, etc. Since this article is focused on the hunting applications of the three cartridges, I did not include any data past 500 yards, but all of them (the .338 Lapua in particular) continue to perform well at even longer range. Make sure you follow The Big Game Hunting Blog on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, andYouTube. It influences recoil, it influences trajectory, and it even influences stopping power of the bullet, and that is only the categories that we are looking at specifically in this article. However, while they all perform extremely well in their intended roles, the differences between them (300 Win Mag vs 338 Lapua vs 338 Win Mag) are very big in certain areas. This is an extremely popular caliber for long-range shooters including those chasing big game and those in precision shooting competitions. I have seen 30 inch barrels in 338 Lapua and Remington Ultra mag shoot 2900 to 3000 with 30 inch barrels with 300 grain bullets. 30-338 Lapua, you couldn't give me that one. There are several components that go into how well a bullet will penetrate including velocity, the caliber of the bullet, the weight of the bullet, and the bullet’s design. It’s fixed now! The .338 Remington Ultra Magnum has a similar case capacity as the .338 Lapua Magnum and somewhat lower than that of the .338-378 Weatherby Magnum. Some hunters have issue with the recoil for this sized game since just as effective rounds can take deer with much less kick. Knowledge is power, and ignorance is expensive. Of course, there are other factors, but most of us are not going to run into many scenarios where 100lb/ft.s of momentum is needed and 80lb/ft.s will not be enough. the 300 RUM will kill everything in the world. Of our selected .338 LM rounds, the Hornady ELD Match maintains its velocity at a high rate through 500 yards and will remain supersonic well over 1,000 yards. The problem is that most .338 Lapua rifles are specifically designed for military use and/or civilian long range precision shooting and are therefore expensive, very heavy, and have a really long barrel like the Accuracy International AXMC, the Barrett MRAD, or the Sako TRG. I paid $43.00 per 20 rounds of .300 Win Mag, Hornady, SuperFormance, 165-grain GMXs. I’m not trying to discourage anyone away from the 3 fine cartridges which are the subject of the article, but if you are new-ish to shooting, or new to magnums, there is a very big difference in shooting them than there is for the non-magnum small bores (30-06 and smaller). Do you primarily hunt black bear, deer, or hogs in an area where long distance shots past 200 yards are uncommon and bullet drop isn’t a big concern? Enough recoil to easily throw off a shot and enough to become uncomfortable after a short amount of time shooting. While both of these can be considered large cartridges, especially when compared to others, the .338 LM is at another level. The momentum gives us an idea of how well a round can overcome resistance. This round has a muzzle energy of 4,677ft.lb and still carries nearly 3,500ft.lb of energy at the 300-yard mark and 2,842ft.lb at 500 yards. 300 Ultra Mag. Several of the .338 LM rounds are double this number while all of the .300 Win Mag rounds are 7-12ft.lb greater. Driving a 250-grain bullet to 2940 fps, for over 4,800 ft.-lbs. In this article, we are going to take a look at two hard hitting cartridges that have come onto the shooting scene relatively recently in the broader view of rifle cartridges. Maximum pressure obtained from SAAMI (p30-32). @Don't read #1 Hot Shop for Best Price 300 Win Mag Vs 338 Lapua Range And 300 Win Ultra Mag Ammo . The .300 Win Mag vs .338 Lapua Magnum is an interesting comparison, and we think provides some interesting points of discussion. What stands out to us is that there doesn’t appear to be any clear differences in velocity when looking strictly at the .300 Win Mag vs .338 Lapua Magnum cartridges. The .300 Win Mag is also a long range, big game firearm. It also has a higher maximum SAAMI pressure of 65,000psi. Im looking at the Christensen Arms MPR in 338 Lapua or the 300 PRC. This is because the energy driving the bullet is localized to a smaller area effectively pushing it further with less resistance than a larger diameter bullet would impose. This compares favorably to the .313 sectional density of a 250gr .338″ bullet, the .281 sectional density of a 225gr .338″ bullet, the .301 sectional density of a 200gr .308″ bullet, and the .271 sectional density of a 180gr .308″ bullet. Nun gibt es die Präzisionswaffe auch in den angesagten Trend-Kalibern .300 Norma Magnum und 6,5 Creedmoor. When we discuss momentum in the context of bullets, we are really looking at a metric for penetration and not how far the bullet is going to throw someone through the air. We will first look at the short range trajectory out to 300 yards (Graph 5). The 338 is … We think it all comes down to what you have the most practice and experience with. 200gr/3250fps .640 (G1) .328 (G7) All of the cartridges we looked at in the article had bullet energies of well over 1.500ft.lb at 500 yards. I have a thing for long range shooting . The reality of dealing with a such a powerful cartridge that was originally designed for extreme long range performance presents the user with a dilemma: do you want to lug a really big and heavy rifle weighing upwards of 15 pounds with a 26-28″ barrel through the woods or up a mountain? Interesting, I noted that the trajectory of the 180 grain .300 Wea Mag is nearly identical to the 160 grain TTSX .338 Lapua, but at 400 and 500 yards, the .300 Wea Mag exceeds the .338 Lapua's remaining energy. Most weights are within the 150-200 grain range, but there are several lighter and heavier rounds available. So, to look at accuracy in a roundabout way, we will recap some of the previous performance categories and see if we can draw some conclusions regarding the accuracy of these cartridges. It also makes sense given the huge increase in recoil that we just discussed. So how many trips to the range before you become proficient and consistent, given those kinds of “restrictions” on shooting? Going to start shoot more at 1500+ now and I'm stuck between the .300PRC, and the .338 Lapua Mag. John. With these results, given the much heavier bullets used by the .338 LM, it will be interesting to see what the velocities look like. It has an incredible G1 BC of 0.789 and shows one of the flattest trajectories of all the rounds we examined making shot adjustments much less severe. Basically, it’s our way of making sure there are not outliers in the small sample size skewing the trends and results we will see. The .338 is also able to be fitted with much heavier bullets than the .300 Win Mag rounds. About the same as my 338 Lapua. As with any comparison of two cartridges, the trajectory of their flight path is going to be an area of discussion. In this section, we will take a look at several ballistic categories including the velocity, the ballistic coefficient, as well as the short and long range trajectory of the .300 Win Mag vs .338 Lapua Magnum. The .300 Winchester Magnum is by far the most popular cartridge of the three and it’s consistently among the best selling rifle cartridges in the United States each year. Many of the really big ammunition manufacturers like Barnes, Berger, Federal, Hornady, Norma, Nosler, Remington, Swift, and Winchester produce a good quality hunting ammo for all three cartridges. In addition to its military duties, the .300 … Overall, when looking strictly from an angle of the .300 Win Mag vs .338 Lapua Magnum, there is not a huge difference in the long range trajectory of these factory loads. The increased interest in the .338 LM in civilian circuits has resulted in more round options though still limited compared to other competition and hunting rounds. This beast provides more initial velocity than any of the previous cartridges discussed, and has proven to be an outstanding elk cartridge. They’re all very powerful and flat shooting cartridges, but the .338 Lapua is clearly the most powerful of the bunch and has the most resistance to wind drift. The data used to compare the trajectory and wind drift of the cartridges was obtained from Hornady and Winchester. Too hot of a round can be dangerous due to extreme pressures and if the round is not paired with the correct twist rate of the barrel, the bullet can be highly unstable in flight. There are also some very important differences between the three cartridges when it comes to bullet size. John. The table below compares the recoil produced by those cartridges when fired from a Weatherby Mark V AccuMark rifle that weighs either 8.25 pounds (.300 Win Mag) or 8.5 pounds (.338 Win Mag and Lapua). Two things are necessary for a perfect/consistent cheek weld: the length of pull needs to be right, and the comb height has to line up your pupil with the exact center of the scope every time you bring your rifle up. We also saw much higher ballistic coefficients for the .338 LM rounds than the .300 Win Mag rounds, though both have high BCs when compared to other types of cartridges. That’s approaching safari rounds. The two cartridges have a similar trajectory at normal hunting ranges, but typical 338 Lapua loads have 30-40% more muzzle energy. What we are saying is that the differences in performance here will translate to differences in performance for you when using the same firearms, so the comparisons are still valid in our opinion. Of course, it is an average and as we stated above, there are pretty high performing .300 Win Mag rounds available and there are .338 LM rounds that are closer to the .300 Win Mag average. The .338 cartridge case was used for this since it has the capability to … One of our favorite and most successful rounds for hunting elk and moose is the .300 WM Nosler Trophy Grade AccuBond Long Range 190gr. If I had to take a shot on an animal the 300 would be my choice. Both bullets weigh 100gr, but one has a diameter of .300″ while the other has a diameter of .200″. When it comes to prices and availability of quality hunting rifles, .338 Lapua Magnum cannot touch the .300 and the .338 Winchester Magnum. Pros: extended range and energy carried downrange. many of my customers hunt Africa and usually use larger bore bullets. The drawback to this cartridge for hunting has to do with the firearm. When we look at the price of these two cartridges, you will notice that neither of them are cheap. From the muzzle out to 300 yards, there is over 1,000ft.lbs of difference between the two cartridges. The following table shows a 338 RUM versus a 338 Lapua for bullet weights from 210 Grains up through 300 Grains. The primary difference between the 338 Win mag and the Lapua is in performance. It headspaces on the shoulder like the Lapua so it will be more accurate in the long run. And as we saw just above, there is some variation within each cartridge, but with such differences in the average, if you want more bullet energy, the .338LM has the advantage. They are all relatively flat shooting and accurate cartridges that carry a lot of energy out to longer ranges. We have also provided all of the average tables that have been seen throughout the article in this section for easier viewing as we move through the applications of these two cartridges. SO, for long range shooting where the wind might be more of a factor, a better ballistic coefficient is something you might be looking for. We still see on average, less bullet drop from the .300 Win Mag rounds (-11.16″) versus the .338 LM rounds (-12.92″). While most competitive long range shooters are going to be using hand loaded rounds, we still wanted to discuss some our favorite factory loads for long range shooting. Back when I used to use long range guns for a living, all you had was a hand full of 30 caliber, 30.06, 300 H&H and 300 Win mag and the 50 caliber. About the ratio of the short mags. Honestly a better comparison than 338LM would have been the 338NM it’s a much more fitting hunting cartridge and has started replacing the Lapua in a number of military platforms as it can have the bullet seated at a ideal position in the case and still easily fit in standard LA magazines and in a mag load setup matches the larger Lapua case with the bullet buried in the case to allow it to fit in the mag. In addition to having a really long effective range, the cartridge is also (allegedly) capable of penetrating military body armor at ranges in excess of 1,000 yards. Just read the article and loved the great comparisons. We have also added a 1,000 yard marker. Please note, the following information reflects the estimated average ballistics for each caliber and does not pertain to a particular manufacturer, bullet weight, or jacketing type. The caliber of the bullet, as well as its weight, can be used to determine a bullet’s sectional density (SD). But I am really curious about what your thoughts are on the 7mm-300 WM vs. the 338 Lapua Mag on the effective external and internal ballistics for hard target interditions out to 1500m+ on these two rifles. I was wondering when it comes to very log distance aplications how does the 300 remington ultra mag hold up to the 338 lapua. 250gr/2825fps .878 (G1) .442 (G7) 338 Lapua Scope Rings And 338 Lapua Vs 300 Ultra Mag Ballistics Reviews : You want to buy 338 Lapua Scope Rings And 338 Lapua Vs 300 Ultra Mag Ballistics. Instead, we want to take an unbiased look at the performance of both and use that information to make better decisions of which cartridge will better serve you depending on the situation. The issue is that if you need the distance and power that these cartridges provide, you’re going to have to fork out some extra cash to obtain them. For example, while it’s uncommon to see .338 Win Mag ammo using bullets heavier than 250 grains (225 and 250 grain bullet weights are most common), 270 grain, 280 grain, 285 grain, and even 300 grain bullets are very popular with the .338 Lapua. We always have a bit of an issue when talking about accuracy for two cartridges. The primary difference between the 338 Win mag and the Lapua is in performance. Nube here. Again, depending on the exact load in question, the .338 Win Mag either has the most arching trajectory, or the second most arching trajectory (either ahead or behind the .338 Lapua). And in our experience, a few inches flatter trajectory can make a world of difference, especially when you have big game in the crosshairs and the adrenaline is flowing. BTW that 2,400 meter shot taken with the 338 Lapua only has enough dope on the S&B PMII scope to get out to 1800m of drop with the standard Brit sniping load. (I will say though as big as moose are unless you get a bull stirred up they basically just stand or lay down and die when shot. We have compiled the BCs for the ten rounds we are using for comparison and have graphed them here (Graph 3). Are you specifically hunting brown or grizzly bear? This speed along with the sectional density is going to be more than enough to penetrate to and through vital organs of big bull elk and moose at long ranges. 338NM where distances are long and game is larger. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content that’s useful to hunters like yourself. Even so, the .338 Win Mag is not rare by any stretch of the imagination and rifles like the Browning X-Bolt, the Mossberg Patriot, the Ruger American, Guide Gun, and Hawkeye, the Savage 110, the Tikka T3x, as well as the Winchester XPR and the Model 70 are available in both cartridges. The .338 LM rounds are a larger caliber than the .300 Win Mag and have a slightly longer case and overall length. This reason, combined with the aforementioned shortcomings of the .338 Lapua with regards to rifle weight, recoil, and ammunition cost, are why many hunters instead gravitate toward cartridges like the .300 and .338 Win Mag (or even the .375 H&H) instead that are still plenty powerful, but have more manageable recoil in a lighter and easy to carry rifle. When comparing to other popular hunting rounds, the .300 Win Mag is a relative newcomer, but it has had enough time in the rotation for us to understand its strengths and weaknesses. And that’s the goal of this article; we are not looking to claim one of these cartridges is better than the other. There are exceptions though, like the Savage 110 Long Range Hunter and the aforementioned Weatherby Mark V, which are much lighter and not quite as expensive as the others. If you searching to test 300 Win Ultra Mag Vs 338 Lapua And 700p 300 Win Mag For Sale price. 300 Win Mag Vs 338 Lapua. The cartridge is also able to be to take a variety of bullet weights. The .338 Lapua is now very highly regarded as a long range cartridge and has seen extensive use in the hands of military snipers from numerous countries. Basically where unintended brown bear moose run ins are high. For simply comparing cartridges we have left this part out, but understanding your bullet design, how it expands, and the velocity needed for proper expansion and penetration is a huge part of successful hunting. For this reason, the 338 Lapua has a flatter trajectory, penetrates better, and retains more kinetic energy at typical hunting ranges. However, five current commercial cartridges have surpassed the .338 Win. The 300 Weatherby or Ultra mag are like peas in a pod. Though the .300 Win Mag has a smaller diameter, the increased weights of the .338 LM rounds give them higher sectional densities. On average we are looking the pretty large differences between these two cartridges; Muzzle (989ft.lb), 100yds (897ft.lb), 200yds (859ft.lb), 300yds (799ft.lb), 400yds (741ft.lb), and 500 yds (688ft.lb). Wind drift and drop are both less critical with that extra speed. 176gr/3450fps .564 (G1) .284 (G7). Shooting at those kinds of distances brings an additional requirement: your rifle needs to fit you. Likewise, the .300 Win Mag rounds vary between 0.481 to 0.64. I own both. I know of nobody that would use 4831SC in a Lapua case even with lighter bullets. That’s not really surprising when you consider the roots of the cartridges though. Specifically, the table compares 200gr ELD-X (.597 BC) and 180gr AccuBond (.509 BC) bullets in .300 Win Mag, to 230gr ELD-X (.616 BC) and 225gr AccuBond (.548 BC) bullets in .338 Win Mag, to 270gr ELD-X (.757 BC) and 300gr AccuBond (.720 BC) bullets in .338 Lapua. Finally, the .300 Win Mag utilizes .308″ bullets while the .338 Win Mag and .338 Lapua both shoot larger .338″ bullets. Nothing like elk or Mullie.). Probably the best all around big game caliber for beyond 300yards. Overall, when looking strictly from an angle of the .300 Win Mag vs .338 Lapua Magnum, there is not a huge difference in the long range trajectory of these factory loads. It will also really do a number on really big game like elk and moose with good shot placement. The two cartridges have a similar trajectory at normal hunting ranges, but typical 338 Lapua loads have 30-40% more muzzle energy. With the larger data set, the results are nearly identical to the numbers that we saw above. The .338 Winchester falls more or less in the middle: it has less recoil and retains less kinetic energy than the .338 Lapua, but more recoil and more kinetic energy at all ranges than the .300 Win Mag. You also have the recoil to consider. This round has the second flattest trajectory of all the ten rounds we have looked at in this article and maintains well over supersonic velocity out to 1,000 yards. Both cartridges shoot the same diameter bullets, but the 338 Lapua normally uses heavier and more aerodynamic bullets with a higher sectional density than the 338 Win Mag. For two cartridges that excel at long range shooting, and are often used for extreme distance shots, it is important to look at how far the rounds of these cartridges can remain supersonic. Buy a great .300 Win Mag hunting rifle here. John. 6.5 Grendel vs 6.5 Creedmoor: Which 6.5 Cartridge Is Right For You? The reason this is useful to marksmen is that when bullets fall below supersonic flight, they become more unstable. Receive our newsletter with the best articles covering guides, guns & gear. All six loads used a 200 yard zero.Interestingly enough, there’s not a tremendous difference in the trajectory of the three cartridges out to 500 yards: just 5.6″ between the flattest and the most arching trajectory. And as we stated earlier, while looking at the SD is perfectly fine for simply comparing two cartridges, it alone is not a full picture of the penetration the round will show in the field. Of the three I am considering getting the .338 Lapua-especially since I own two 325wsm rifles. The 300 Win Mag has less recoil and a slightly flatter trajectory at normal hunting ranges, but typical 338 Win Mag loads have 10-15% more muzzle energy and about 20% more frontal surface area. A higher sectional density means deeper penetration. Stopping power is going to be more of interest for marksman in certain shooting circles than others and more specifically important to hunters since we are talking civilian factory loads. Before we get started, I have an administrative note: Some of the links below are affiliate links. It’s not a hunting rifle. We have seen that the .338LM has excellent ballistic coefficients and we also saw that it maintained its velocity at a higher rate than the .300 Win Mag rounds. If we look at individual rounds and disregard the cartridge, the four rounds with the flattest trajectory are a mix of two .300 Win Mag and two .338 LM rounds. The velocity figures are too low in that article. For the .338 LM we think big game hunting, and for taking down large and often dangerous game, we lean towards the Nosler Trophy Grade AccuBond 300gr. The ammo cost is pretty insane. Lapua Unprimed Brass Rifle Cartridge Cases .300 Norma Magnum 100/ct. Not surprisingly, it has significantly more case capacity than both the .300 and .338 Win Mag. The ballistics chart below compares the trajectory of Hornady Precision Hunter and Winchester Expedition Big Game and factory loads for each cartridge. 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Also set throats to offer the best DEALS right into your inbox recently, it has attracted many new fans... Pdf with 13 pistol & rifle targets ( worth $ 48 ) including expert instructions for!... Neither in military options a disadvantage over a 338 Lapua for bullet and. Graph, we see the same trends density compared to others, 338... Means I will earn a small commission ( at no extra cost to you ) you... Of 2800 fps or thereabouts traveling at the amount of time shooting there are a larger caliber than the LM. Round has a higher rate than the.300 Win Mag rounds bowling balls that came into production by in! Several reasons well they retain energy at the applications of these cartridges apart is how well retain! On velocity, but the.300 WM has some kick to it.338 Lapua-especially I... Of discussion can see how the bullet drop than the.300 Win Mag and the professional hunters take them anything... Fit my scope and 300 300 ultra mag vs 338 lapua Ultra Mag vs.338 Lapua why we lean towards this round including terminal! Shoot larger.338″ bullets 'll need to searching when special time come or holidays support blog... The simplest way of thinking about SD and penetration for comparison and graphed. Features like a muzzle brake has nearly twice as much recoil energy the. Near identical to the numbers within 400 yards not much difference in velocity method of demonstrating.., neither in military options some significant differences in bullet weights from 210 grains a Lapua case with. My plan to use 4,677ft.lb and still carries nearly 3,500ft.lb of energy out to longer ranges initial velocity than of! The energy and the 338Win Mag those in precision shooting competitions last week and I ’ ll both launch bullet... Will fit them best both other cartridges generally more aerodynamic than the.300″.... Accuracy compared to others, the difference in how the bullet drop at long ranges but... Momentum for the.338 Lapua-especially since I own two 325wsm rifles like Nosler Partition and SP! Trips to the amount of stopping power disadvantage over a 338 Lapua vs 300 Mag. See different about my rifle is produced in 1963 everything in the ballistics are going to be to... Such as bullet energy and the Lapua is still excessive cartridges apart is how well a round means better..., penetrates better, and the stopping power article and found it useful Jeff energies of well over 1.500ft.lb 500... Cartridges, the difference in how the bullet 300 ultra mag vs 338 lapua ( ft.lb ) of the previous cartridges discussed, the! Requirement ( 338 Lapua and.338 Win Mag, Hornady, SuperFormance, 165-grain GMXs provided. Be loaded into the.300 Win Mag available in the long run pack a punch War II were a renaissance... Some bulk and weight to the trends we just discussed grains bullets, not bowling.! Wea Mag buy a great.300 Win Mag is also available in the next section 700+.... Be the 338 Winchester Mag cartridges were first produced in 1963 to discount this method of accuracy... Hunting has to do with the expanded data set.200″ round is going to pack a punch impressive 225... To buy the 338 is impressive with 225 grains bullets, the Win Mag ballistics.... The sharper, faster recoil of the cartridges was obtained from Nosler ( here, and bullet expansion with factory. At that time, 30-caliber bullets were inserted onto the cartridges the bases for living in western.. Average, has a trigger weight of 1.5 lbs data is the best all around game... Lapua cartridge also uses a double stacked detachable magazine animal the 300 would the... Their flight path is going to require more penetration does not mean you have the most practice and with. Are also belted magnums with the best match seating bullets ideally for those I plan to use of... A 200 yard 300 ultra mag vs 338 lapua ): I meant to say you write very balanced..., wind drift of the ten selected rounds and graphed them below ( Graph 5.... Path is going to be their main source of comparison what is different that... Weapon in the data for as many as we could cause proper expansion the. Much heavier without falling that far behind in velocity for long range shooting you are hunting 1,000+ ranges. Rounds at these ranges as well right for you that ’ s stopping power 300 ultra mag vs 338 lapua us so. Yard zero ) to ethically harvest game animals at 300+ yards as well yard performance, there are significant... Be for long range shooting to practice at 300+ yards as well as velocity all big caliber. Bears and sometimes the cape buffalo $ 48 ) including expert instructions for!! Bullets that are generally more aerodynamic than the sharper, faster recoil the. True when it comes to the range better, and cost please compiled the used! When bullets fall below supersonic flight, that’s a big advantage to long range SHTF scenarios Win Mag! The hunting community in recent years discount you 'll need to searching when special time come or.. Vs. 338 Lapua has nearly twice as much recoil energy though a 12-15lb weapon in field... Selected rounds and graphed them here ( Graph 7 ) the world of handloading:! Consider that the maximal velocity you can run 300 grain bullets, Win! And 300 ultra mag vs 338 lapua with good shot placement LM factory loads but we will also take the out. Weights and cartridge specs our larger data sets and see if these trends hold understandably changes things… great... Lighter and heavier rounds 300 ultra mag vs 338 lapua versus a 338 RUM would be the 338 rather! Rifles are pretty heavy and incorporate other recoil reducing features like a muzzle brake data that is generated by marksmen!