Long range shooting - Any Lapua owners here?

[tac]

..and if you get a .338LM from Desert Tech, changing the calibre takes around 45 seconds.

A couple of years back I was asked by pal Ewan, importer of desert Tech guns into the UK, to do a cold shoot in order to impress a dithering client. Remember that over here they are VERY expensive - more pounds than dollars, in fact. Over here people need convincing when they are forking out upwards of $10K for the bare rifle.

Never having shot one before, I put five rounds of Hornady's best into a ragged hole at 100m, changed out the calibre in under a minute to .300WM [never having done it before], and made the hole fractionally larger with the next five rounds.

He made the deal.

tac

 

[No_Regerts]

If you arent recoil shy and can reload, the newer 300 Norma Magnum looks cool.

To the rest, The 308 with 175gr bullets and a 24 inch barrel is indeed a viable 1000 yard cartridge....

 

[Misteramax]

308 is cheap, common, and doesn't put the gun sol in a shtf scenario. As with all my other guns, it's common. I want the 338 but I can't argue about using 308.

 

[tac]

...aaaaaaaaaaaand Messrs Berger and JLK are your friends with 175gr .308" bullets.

tac, shooter of both brands.

 

[Mistman]

I've spent some time at the bench shooting 100's of rounds at a time. I have a 700 in 338 RUM, it's not a gun I want to sit behind at a bench. The 1st 4-5 shots are fine, even feel kinda good if your into thumping recoil but after that the fun starts to wane, quickly. At about 10 shots I'm talking myself into being settled and relaxing. It's my elk rifle, once it's shooting where it needs to be I'm done. I finally got a lead sled but haven't tried it out yet. I don't even think about that gun as a 'fun' gun, it's a work gun. I was talking to a friend last weekend about it, I've got more $$ into it than any other long gun I have and only shoot it maybe 5 times a year. Around $2k w/scope and it sits in the safe 11.5 months of the year.

Now I'm considering building a LR rifle. I built a mini Mauser 223 out of an Interarm's action back in the early '80's as a back-up to my 700 BDL in 22-250 which was my main varminter. Those guns saw a lot of bench time and a lot of dog time in Wyo. Back then I thought I had LR covered, at least out to 500 yds which for me was long range. Another factor back then was cost, I was relatively poor and .22 center fire was a good choice for a guy on a budget. I could shoot 1000's of rounds at reasonable cost, I used Hornady 55 gr SP pretty much exclusively, reloaded everything and bought in bulk from an FFL friend.

I also have a 308, a 300 Win Mag, and an '06. Personally, now this is just me, I'm not 20 or 30 something anymore but I just don't want to shoot a 30 cal from a bench anymore. Bench shooting s/b fun, I should be able to shoot a few hundred rounds in a session if I want w/out any negative affects. LR shooting is about getting that projectile up to the highest speed practical which means loading up to max and beyond. 308, '06, 300 mag, all can kick the poo out of you when loaded up to max. Sure, you can take it but do you need to? When bullets get over ~150 gn and are traveling @ ~ 3k fps they kick back. I'm not recoil shy, you can ask anyone I shoot with, I'll shoot anything with a smile on my face. Be that as it may my choice for LR is going to be 6mm. I may not win any 1200 yd shooting contests but honestly my plans aren't that grand. If I can consistently hit out to 800 yds and maybe touch 1000 once in a while I'll be happy, it will also double as a varmint gun and maybe even for deer given the right situation. It will be my 'new' LR learning gun, I've shot 243 all my life. The 1st center fire rifle I purchased was a 788 which I still have, I've picked up a couple more 243's over the years. I've taken most of my deer w/a 6mm projectile including my 1st. I have an affinity for it. Back in the 80's I used to reload for it, the only bullet choices were 80 or 100 gn, you could get a 105 gn that was made for the Rem 6mm but it wasn't anything special. Now there's a plethora of VLD and competition bullets available that have made the 6mm a contender. I'm thinking 243 AI for my 1st attempt at a purpose built LR rifle.

 

[Misteramax]

Good input mistman. I'm 35 now and can deal with it, but you bring up a great point. When I get older I will still wanna shoot my guns.

 

[Mistman]

I was thinking a little more about it after posting. I have a good friend w/a 308 bench gun. It used to be Leupold's bench gun. Looks like a 40x but built on a M70 action. That things gotta weigh over 15lbs, off a bench the recoil was negligible at best so I guess it all depends on the platform.....

I'm still going 243 though

 

[Xaevian]

The effects of recoil on your body are cumulatve and that is a fact, flinch or no flinch. Let me give an extreme example, my son's 1st rifle.
He went into a sporting goods store and wanted a Ruger Anerican rifle. He wanted something that would be adequate for the widest variety of game animals, and didn't ask me 1st. The clerk suggested .30-06, and my son purchased that with a cheap Barska scope. When he brought it over to sight in, I told him that rifle weighs less than 7 pounds, maybe even with the scope, and .30-06 is at the upper limit of comfortable recoil for an average person in an 8 pound rifle, especially with the heavier bullets. He had 3 boxes of shells (I think 180 grain) to sight it in, and away to the range we went.
Well, I fired 50 rounds of that ammo trying to get that scope to zero (it ended up not being able to do that). After the 1st 10 rounds, no problem. After the 1st 30 rounds, I could feel the fatigue in my shoulder. After 50 rounds, I could not hold the rifle offhand without my shooting arm shaking a lot (we were sighting in from a bench, but I wanted to see if there was a negative effect from the recoil) from fatigue and punishment. I ended up with a bruise about 6 inches in diameter on my shoulder. I didn't develop a flinch, though (my son did-read on).
After determining the scope was the issue, I replaced it. Next time out to the range, I asked my son to take the 1st shot so he could judge if he could handle the recoil. He crept up on the scope, and took the scope to the safety glasses on firing, cut his forehead, and said he was done. I ended up getting it done with the next 9 rounds, ending with a 3 round, less than MOA group at 100 yards.
Loooong story short, long benchrest sessions with lighter rifles in larger calibers can be fairly unpleasant, even with nerves of steel. Smaller recoil may never reach this, as I will likely be done doing what I went to the range for before my body rebels against the punishment. I cannot imagine doing this without a very heavy rifle in a magnum cartridge for long strings.

 

[tac]

Here in not-so-Merrie Olde UK, where we said to be a bunch of fuddy-duddies and know-nothings, we start people off with .22s and then progress up to whatever it is they feel comfortable about shooting. This is part of the UK's compulsory three-month long firearms' familiarisation period that every noob has to undergo before applying for a gun license/certificate/permit.

In that rather quaint, old-fashioned and outdated way, we don't get folks with their shoulders pounded into mincemeat from shooting guns that they are just not up to shooting without a lot of primer-popping under their belt.

I guess that's one of the few good things about NOT being able to walk dreckly into a gunstore and walk out again with a gun that's going to beat the ever-loving bejabbers out of you, mounted with a scope that is probably better going on something airsoft.

I have to say, Sir, that I'm very disappointed to read your post, but I bet you go with him next time he goes to buy a gun, that is if he ever gets over the terble flinch he no doubt developed.

tac

 

[Xaevian]

I was none too happy, tac. I traded him a sporterized Yugo Mauser in 8mm with a Boyds laminate thumbhole stock and scout scope setup for it. He really liked mine, and due to the weight, recoil is mild even with my Euro spec reloads in 175 grain. He took his first deer with it one shot, and has his confidence back.

 

[Xaevian]

He was also in his 20's and thought he might know more than his old man or more likely wanted to do something on his own. As for me, I already knew what I was in for and was hoping to not take so many rounds to get it done. After a while (like 25 rounds or so), it became an obsession, if you know what I mean.

 

[tac]

I was none too happy, tac. I traded him a sporterized Yugo Mauser in 8mm with a Boyds laminate thumbhole stock and scout scope setup for it. He really liked mine, and due to the weight, recoil is mild even with my Euro spec reloads in 175 grain. He took his first deer with it one shot, and has his confidence back.

That's good. My lack of faith has been restorated.

tac

 

[recreshooter]

imo, buy what you want and come up to Douglas Ridge and shoot 1k with me on a Thursday.

Lots of folks have already offered their input as to how a lessor caliber will likely accelerate your learning curve so I won't harp on that and it's true but the most important thing is that you get something that gets you to the range. If 338 sounds rad (hey, because it is rad!) then get that and come out shooting.

Basically anything in the 308 ballistics category (with solid hand loads) and better will punch paper out to 1k reasonably fine. Some calibers drift less, some will recoil less, some are cheaper, etc but at the end of the day it's experience that makes the difference.

I only mention this because I wish someone had pushed me to get to the range with what I had earlier. I got caught in the trap of needing the "right equipment" for years before I finally did and that was totally unnecessary. Now I'm having a blast just shooting my off the shelf Remington in 308 with a cheap SWFA scope. I've got a lot to learn but I'm out there having fun and hitting the X ring far more often than I ever expected with inexpensive gear I wasn't initially sure was up to the task.

 

[welderman1949]

So I was tossing around the idea of getting a surbu rn50. Now I'm leaning towards a Savage 111 long range model in 338 Lapua.

Any Lapua owners here? Any feedback?

I also have a howa1500 in 6.5 swede and I'm wondering are there shooting comps around?

Long distance shooting thread. Help me learn.

I have personally never owned one but there was one for sale at the last gun show in Hillsboro with a sign on it that said "When I bought this I didn't know it shot $5 bills." After I got home I checked several ammo sources and found out that he was right. Factory ammo was averaging right around $5 per round. I know that reloading can lower that a great deal, but even the brass is very costly and then figure in the powder cost. You might decide that you really don't NEED one that bad.

 

[Misteramax]

I have personally never owned one but there was one for sale at the last gun show in Hillsboro with a sign on it that said "When I bought this I didn't know it shot $5 bills." After I got home I checked several ammo sources and found out that he was right. Factory ammo was averaging right around $5 per round. I know that reloading can lower that a great deal, but even the brass is very costly and then figure in the powder cost. You might decide that you really don't NEED one that bad.

this is something I love about people like you mentioned the guy with his sign. His sign should have read: "I was too lazy to do my own research on the prices of ammo, so I now made this sign to complain about it".

I am having second thoughts on the price of ammo, but I knew how much it was. Whenever I think about buying a gun I look at what it's chambered in, accessories, oem part availability (this is the biggest one I judge), and feedback on customer service.

I feel currently I may drop the 338 Lapua idea. I think a lot of opinions here made me realize how bored I was becoming and just buying a gun just because. Would I shoot it? Yes. Would I buy it knowing it's a money black hole? Yuuup. Then my senses came around and I may just settle on an ar10 or 308 bolt gun.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Personally I love my .338 L.M. and I shoot it A LOT!!! I also reload A LOT, so that helps with the cost! That said, one of the biggest mistakes I see often enough that It no longer amuses me, is the newer shooters to long range picking something too much for the first tool to learn with. Lots of folks here have recommended the .308 and I also recommend that to start with. Heck, any of the "Sub .30 cal" rifles will get a person started and the costs will be easier to absorb. Think about how much money you will save on EXPENSIVE ammo during the learning process! If you are just starting out, the .338 L.M. is going to eat up a lot of funds in a short amount of time, and this stretches the learning curve even more.

 

[Dr Prepper]

I'm no expert, but I generally agree and somewhat disagree. I think .308 is the most proven, researched and maybe becoming mediocre quickly. 7mm-08 is great and roughly same cost. Its not super long range but 6.5 Grendel CAN get out to 1300+ for paper (practice purposes) and 1k case/$230 ain't too bad..
I caught the 338LM bug as well, I was looking at the Savage 110 stealth fairly cheap and pretty dang good for what you pay. If recoil is too bad just throw some added weight temporarily on your rig no big deal.. can easily shoot a couple hundred a sitting.

Really I think wind drift will be the biggest determining factor on caliber. I just found out about it listening/watching Rex about a wylde cat that may fit the bill. The 7mm-300 or 300 practical. Which is supposedly even better long range shooter than 338. And by FAR cheaper and pretty simple to reload. Its just a 300 win mag ran through a sized die..
So now I'm seriously considering the Savage 110 stealth in 300 win mag and it's cheaper than the 338 as well so it helps pay for the custom barrel Lord willing I'll get both and have a 7mm-300, 300WM, AND 338LM.

 

[Ura-Ki]

The thing to always remember about the Laupua is that it was designed specifically as an anti material round to subpliment the 50 b.m.g. when such a Canon was nether practical or desirable. The .338 was me t as a long range, hard hitting round for those reasons, that we have it available to us is a bonus. That and it's fun to shoot!

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

375 or 408 cheytac.





kidding



im fine with my savage 308win and 300wm hunting rifle for longer range. i havent shot anything over 550-600 with it yet tho.

 

[Who The F R U]

So I was tossing around the idea of getting a surbu rn50. Now I'm leaning towards a Savage 111 long range model in 338 Lapua.

Any Lapua owners here? Any feedback?

I also have a howa1500 in 6.5 swede and I'm wondering are there shooting comps around?

Long distance shooting thread. Help me learn.

Got one.
AWSM -- L115A1
( English Military contract over run gun from 2004 )
Love it!!!
kick's like a .308 with the Sig can.

1680 is the farthest i've slung with it .( Still haven't taken it out to a mile )
1000 yard shot's are super easy first round hit's if you read the wind correctly.
Get a Kestrel and a Laser you wont be sorry.