Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Custom rifle and cartridges based on 338Lapua (.257,6.5,7mm,.30,.375!)

There have been many wildcat discussions here in the past...how's this for new cartridges based on the Lapua case for a custom hunting rifle series? Comments and info more than welcome!

Assume that all will have 30" custom match barrels and weigh about 13.5 pounds, without scope, rings, bases or sling...

1. .257-338 Lapua mag, improved 40* (using 115gr TripleX or 115gr VLDs, even new swift scirocco!) Or 6.5mm-338 Lapua Improved 40* (using 130gr TripleX or 140gr. VLDs, even new swift scirocco!)
For deer, antelope etc... Should achieve higher velocities than even the .257STW or similar...<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Are current powders able to provide the correct burn rate to fill that case up and give you the velocity you'd want at a pressure you can live with?

2. 7mm-338 Lapua mag, improved 40* for mulies, sheep, etc... This should achieve higher velocities than the 7mm Rem. Ultra Mag, but with longer case life and greater accuracy potential (better brass).

3. 30-338 Lapua mag, improved 40* for elk, moose etc... Higher velocity, longer case life and greater accuracy potential than the 300RUM or Warbird...

4. 375-338 Lapua mag, improved 35* for grizzly, African game etc... The 375-338 Lapua should have longer case life and achieve better accuracy than the 375RUM due in part to better brass cases.

Any thoughts on this?


Yes, they are wayyy more than needed for your typical hunting rifle...but the 30" barrel and sub-1\2MOA accuracy of a custom rifle, along with heavier weight (to tame recoil slightly) should make for an interesting discussion <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

BTW, can you tell it that I have cabin fever?! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

You left out the .22-338 Lapua for prairie dogs and the .17-338 Lapua for ground squirrels. I myself have been working on a new wildcat based on the 40 mm Bofors case necked down to a phonograph (oh-oh, I'm dating myself here) needle. You wanna talk about cabin fever.

Seriously while there may be merit in a 30-338 or a 375-338 Lapua, do you have any estimations on velocity improvement or other ballistic information? My Sako 75 300 RUM shoots 3/4" all day long out of the box with Swift Scirocco 180's. What more could I want.

Well........first thought is, who is gonna lug this 15 or so lb, 50" long rifle around to hunt..............sheep, goat, deer, etc.


Second thought is..........338 Lapua IMPROVED????.........(like...it needs improved?????)

Ya havin' some long nights up there????......

JimF

Yah me too, who in their right mind would pack a 16 lb rifle for hunting?? (especially sheep/goats)



Big ass barrel burners these sound like...the 338 Lapua would be the last thing I'd neck down for a hunting round, it seems pretty much perfect for the long range snipers as is though...

As good a place as any, I guess. would someone please tell me the correct pronunciation of "Lapua"? Or, as close as you can get to phonetics on the 'puter? I hope I'm showin' ignorance, and not stupidity <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I have 2 338 Lapua's. I think that this is a round better necked up than down. 9.3, 375 or 450 would be neat (416 with better brass?). A 7 or 30 screamer would so limit you on bullet selection (ones that won't explode on impact) that to me it would take some of the fun out of it.......DJ

I think basing a wildcat on brass that could cost $1.50 to $1.75 per case doesn't make a lot of sense.



As for performance. I seriously, seriously doubt that there would be real live significant differences between your wildcats and the RUM series of cartridges.



Keep on plugging away though.



Regards,

Scott

Bug,

Lapua = "LOP WAH"

Hope this helps...the9.3Guy