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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.
I think Dr. Prepper is absolutely right about 308 becoming mediocre quickly. It's been mediocre for awhile. The only reason I use it is because it's easy to get components/rifles for cheap and it's easy on the barrel. I'm also of the opinion that it might be the right platform to learn how to read wind and learn how to deal with transonic zone due to the lackluster ballistic qualities it has in comparison to newer rounds but admittedly I'm still pretty new to the game. It's now a handicap in comparison to rounds like the 6.5 Creedmor at ranges within 1000 yards. Take two identical shooters and the one with the 6.5 is going to win every time in any condition except dead calm unless the cruel mistress of statistical probability has her way.
With that said, I wouldn't go with something that burns a lot of powder right away for all of the same reasons people recommend the 308. There simply isn't any reason to do that unless you just like cool rifles and/or you regularly shoot in excess of 1k. Better still is probably to wring out that Howa and see what the folks around you are doing. If the shooter, rifle, ammo combination shoots about 1MOA that will get you in the game for now. Learning to improve your handholds so that you don't have large extreme spreads and you have low SD is plenty to focus on if you haven't already got that down. I have been loading for 20 years and long range is still teaching me plenty about my reloading practices. You might win a PRS match with that accuracy and winning F-class will be out of reach but you will learn a lot in the process.
I do think you are on to something in having a battery of them though! I'll never argue with someone who wants to buy more guns.