Long range round

[Guest]

I'm having trouble deciding what round to use for 600,900,1200 meter shots on targets, the round would also be used for hunting at much shorter ranges. I've looked at the .338 Lapua, the 408 cheytech and the .416 barrett. Any help would be greatly appreciated, weight is also a factor as I have to pack it in the mountains. So the weapon cannot weight more than 16 pounds.

 

[Guy Miner]

The .408 CheyTac is an extremely expensive option right now - both the rifle and the ammo. Quite a rig though - I put a few rounds through one several yaers ago.

Most target shooters these days are opting for far lighter cartridges than you describe - the various 6.5's are very popular, slinging high BC bullets at good velocity with great accuracy and modest recoil.

Out of the three big whoppers you've mentioned, I'd go with the .338 Lapua or the .338 Edge, which is a very easy to form wildcat made from the .300 RUM necked up to .338 - it offers a bit more case capacity than the standard .338 Rem Ultra Mag, which is no slouch either. Yes, of the three, I'd go with a big .338 as it's plenty of rifle for anything in North America (and most of the rest of the world) and has the potential for excellent accuracy well beyond 1000 yards. Recoil is tolerable with a decent muzzle brake.

Regards, Guy

 

[FOTIS]

+1 on what Guy said.

 

[JD338]

Not sure what kind of budget you have, but for what you want to do the 338 Lapua would work well. If you want other options, the 338 Edge (338-300RUM) or the 338 RUM would work very nicely. Brass for the RUMs is easier to get and considerably less.
Also, look for the Nosler 338 cal 250 gr AB in the June time frame. It will be a great long range game and target bullet for the big 338's.

JD338

 

[OU812]

Not sure what kind of budget you have, but for what you want to do the 338 Lapua would work well. If you want other options, the 338 Edge (338-300RUM) or the 338 RUM would work very nicely. Brass for the RUMs is easier to get and considerably less.
Also, look for the Nosler 338 cal 250 gr AB in the June time frame. It will be a great long range game and target bullet for the big 338's.

JD338

All great choices for sure but I would also add the 338 O'Brian to the list. The 338 O'Brian is a 338 edge improved. The 338 O'Brian is easy to load for, the brass is resonable priced and is easy to come by. I'm having a 338 O'Brian built right now.

I'm also having a 338 Lapua built. The Lapua is just as easy to load for but the brass is a little spendy but on the other hand the brass is VERY tough and lasts a very long time.

 

[Big Squeeze]

I'm having trouble deciding what round to use for 600,900,1200 meter shots on targets, the round would also be used for hunting at much shorter ranges. I've looked at the .338 Lapua, the 408 cheytech and the .416 barrett. Any help would be greatly appreciated, weight is also a factor as I have to pack it in the mountains. So the weapon cannot weight more than 16 pounds.

...................How about no more than 9 or 10 lbs!!... 16 lbs? GEEEES!..You don`t want a 16 lb. rifle rig to lug around on any hunt. It doesn`t matter how strong you are or how good of shape your in! That will get old,,,real fast!.............Go with the 338...........

 

[Guy Miner]

Good point Big Squeeze - elk hunting is often done at 9000' and higher in Wyoming and other places... An accurate, long - range rifle can be had in a relatively portable package. Sixteen pounds sounds like an unwieldy club.

 

[JD338]

Not sure what kind of budget you have, but for what you want to do the 338 Lapua would work well. If you want other options, the 338 Edge (338-300RUM) or the 338 RUM would work very nicely. Brass for the RUMs is easier to get and considerably less.
Also, look for the Nosler 338 cal 250 gr AB in the June time frame. It will be a great long range game and target bullet for the big 338's.

JD338

All great choices for sure but I would also add the 338 O'Brian to the list. The 338 O'Brian is a 338 edge improved. The 338 O'Brian is easy to load for, the brass is resonable priced and is easy to come by. I'm having a 338 O'Brian built right now.

I'm also having a 338 Lapua built. The Lapua is just as easy to load for but the brass is a little spendy but on the other hand the brass is VERY tough and lasts a very long time.

Good point OU812,

The 338 O'Brian will shoot a 250 gr PT at 3250 fps and 5863 fpe at the muzzle of a 26" barrel.
That is some serious horse power for long range hunting. 8)

JD338

 

[Powerstroke]

Again agreeing with Guy..... I'd look Lapua first, then a little more emphasis towards the 6.5's

16lbs ?? !!! :shock: In the Mtns??

 

[wingnut]

Several of us want a 300g AB for the big 338's. Just saying, again.

 

[Ol` Joe]

On paper you don`t need a big powerful cartridge although they work. The 1000 yd benchrest guys use a awful lot of 6.5x284s, 6.5x55 AI and 7mm chambered rifles. If the game you plan on hunting is in the deer-goat size range they will also drop them out just about as far or maybe farther.

 

[old #7]

I may be going out on a limb here but, if weight is a factor for hunting and the LONGER shots will be on paper, why not look at the 300 win or rum.

 

[JD338]

Idaho has a 16 lb weight limit on a hunting rifle. I have to agree with the others that lunging 16 lbs up the ID mountains would not be fun!

JD338

 

[BlaserGun]

I may be going out on a limb here but, if weight is a factor for hunting and the LONGER shots will be on paper, why not look at the 300 win or rum.

For LRS on paper the Sierra 210 grain or 240 grain HPBT Match in a 300 win or RUM is a very good combination

/Bjarne

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

Just on bullet selection alone, I'd opt for something in the .338 range. I'm not aware of any decent hunting bullets for the Cheytec, and there is only one Nosler bullet in the .416 size range.

 

[jtoews80]

Well, I'll be a little ostentatious and mention a wildcat caliber that alot of us would love to have(it's that good). If you were thinking possibly 408 CT, this may be an option.

338 Allen Magnum

408 Cheyenne Tactical parent case, necked down to 338, shoulder moved roughly 50 thou forward and fireformed to min body taper and sharper shoulder angle.
265 gr. AT RBBT(.920 bc) at 3500 fps in 32” barrel up to 350 gr. ULD RBBT at 3200 fps in 32” barrel.
Designed for heavy big game hunting at long range or standard big game hunting out to extreme range. Has been proven consistant and accurate out to 3008 yards by holding moa accurate out to this range and remaining super sonic in velocity with the 265 gr. AT RBBT.
Appropriate powders: H-50BMG(recommended), H-870, AA8700, US869, WC872, VV 20N29

And while I'm being pompus and talking about something I have no experiance with, here is another.

375 Allen Magnum

408 Cheyenne Tactical parent case, necked down to 375, shoulder moved forward 50 thou and fireformed to min body taper and sharper shoulder angle.
300 gr.(3400 fps in 32” barrel, est.) to 350 gr. SMK at 3300 fps in 32” barrel(est.)
Designed for heavy game hunting or any application where extreme ballistic performance is wanted with a very large kenetic energy payload on impact.
Appropriate powders: H-Retumbo, RL-25, H-50BMG (est.) still in research and development stages at this point.

Now these are just fun to think of, but I know for myself it would take years of load devlopment and time to figure out how to dial in these rounds and probably wear a couple barrels out too before I could utilize these phenominal ballistics, still be fun....

I believe that the rifles have to be full custom made by Allen Precision Shooting, with brass around the 3.20/brass which is $0.70 more than 338 LM brass. Sorry to be a smartalec and mention something like this, but man would that be fun to shoot. Oh yeah, these things are mostly 28-32" barrel rigs that weigh 13-16lbs.......

CC

 

[Britz]

On paper you don`t need a big powerful cartridge although they work. The 1000 yd benchrest guys use a awful lot of 6.5x284s, 6.5x55 AI and 7mm chambered rifles. If the game you plan on hunting is in the deer-goat size range they will also drop them out just about as far or maybe farther.

I have to agree with this one!!! If you are going to be shooting in very windy conditions, then the big heavy hitting 338's w/ 300 SMK's or similar berger's are the way to go. But if you are going to just have some fun shooting paper at 1300 and less, there is no real need for such power. Heck the 6mm Br Improved has a big following yet at the 1000 yard BR compatitions. Recoil is going to be a big factor so I'd look at what max range you intend on killing game and if it is WT deer at 900 or less, then the 6.5-284 will do sufice. If it is Elk at 900 then you should be looking at something like the 338 Edge or a Obrian or even the 338 Lapua Improved. Keep in mind that all these heavy hitting rifles will not stand up to repeated firing day in and day out. They burn lots of powder, are expensive to shoot and burn up barrels fairly quick. Even the smaller ones like the 7 WSM and the 6.5-284 are going to be much harder on barrels the a good old 30-06 or 270.
Whatever you do, stay with the 6.5mm, 7mm, .308, or .338 cal due to the high BC bullets.