Lapua Magnum Ammo

[Dog Days]

I'm new to long range shooting and am looking for some sage advice.
I have purchased an 338 LM caliber rifle and will be attending a school that has targets beyond 2000 yards. I have seen one person write that he recommends using 300 grain ammo over 250 grain for shots beyond 1500 yards. Do any of you have an opinion / experience regarding this and if so why.
I will need 200 to 250 rounds for this course and wish to take the correct ammo. Cost and availability is of course a concern. I will purchase the ammo in advance and practice with it prior to going to the course.

 

[THEIS]

Hi,

What are the details of your rifle, particularly the barrel twist rate and does it have standard chamber/throat?
Are you planning to reload or stick with factory ammunition?
Do you require the ammunition to feed from magazine or is single feeding ok for you?

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[W54/XM-388]

Do you reload, and if so, do you have time to experiment and work up a load?
Depending on your barrel twist rate, you can custom load the Warner flatline projectiles to be excellent.

Also the 285gr projectiles are fairly popular.

 

[Dog Days]

DRD Tactical Kivaari 338 LM gas gun.
24 inch barrel 1 in 10 twist. Will be using Lapua factory ammunition. Keeps my warranty intact.

 

[Dog Days]

I have not reloaded in years but might take it up again

 

[W54/XM-388]

Let's hope you don't come back several months from now with a story about your trip to the hospital when something went horribly wrong with that rifle......

 

[THEIS]

Hi,

Well this is not going to be what you want to hear, sorry.

I would not waste my time in going to a course with 2000 yard targets with that rifle.
You are way way behind the accuracy and consistency curve from the beginning.
Not to mention the DANGERS of the rifle....they are prone (no pun intended) to blowing up and sending people to the hospital.
Have you checked to see if the course you are planning to attend will even allow that rifle?

Edited to Add:
Semi Auto magnums are notorious for dinging projectile tips during the cycling stage.
Semi Auto magnums are notorious for erratic MVs due to gas systems.
Etc, Etc

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[Dog Days]

Interesting. DRD guarantees 1MOA.
I checked with the course and they say as long as it can meet the accuracy requirements the rifle will be allowed.

 

[THEIS]

Hi,

Those "guarantees" mean nothing in reality.

Plus...whether you go with 250gr or 300gr factory lapua ammunition......the factory acceptable muzzle velocity deviation is going to put you over/under your targets once you get past about 1500 yards. Combine the crazy muzzle velocity deviations the semi auto magnums are known for and you get "No Impact".
And the slightest ding in the projectile while being stripped out of the magazine and ramped up into chamber and now you get ghost bullets.

I understand this is not something you want to hear and probably something you do not believe...we understand; you are invested into it so it has to be as good as the manufacturer says.

But take this into account-----If there ever was a single day that a manufacturer needs to ensure their products works at least as good as advertised it would be media day at Shot Show, right?

Sincerely,
Theis

 

[Jeffvn]

When is the class? How much time do you have to practice? You may find that the ammo you are intending to shoot isn't going to give you a 1 MOA accuracy. Not all ammo shoots in all rifles, regardless who made the ammo.

I am more than a bit skeptical that your short 10 twist will fully stabilize a 300 Gr., since you are sacrificing a bunch of velocity with the barrel length. then again if your class is at 7,000 ft elevation and the temps are above 90 degress, you never know.

Jeffvn

 

[W54/XM-388]

Might be a good idea to try out the 250gr factory loads first to see how they perform in that rifle & distance.

 

[Dog Days]

I'll check the ammo. I'll check the zero and I'll try the distance. Either way I'm happy with the purchase. If it does not meet the accuracy requirements I'll stick to shorter shots w I th this rifle and possibly add an AI in 338 to my safe

 

[W54/XM-388]

The 250s might work well for you. Have you talked to the rifle maker about which ammunition they have done their accuracy testing with at different ranges?

In the future, if needed, it would be hard to go wrong with an AI and a long barrel if you wanted a really solid accurate .338LM platform.

There are also several others.

 

[1clicktrick]

Being a gas gun and only a 24" barrel what velocities do you expect from the 300grainers? The 300smk is a .768bc.

 

[brianf]

if you have a 24", i would go with 250gr lapua ammo
when they standardized the round it was from a 26.5" barrel for full powder burn (if i remember correct).
with a lighter bullet (not a 300), you might get closer to claimed velocity.

that being said buying ammo with sierra bullets might be the way to go.

their football shape usually makes the ammo shoot on average more consistent in many different chambers. the ultimate accuracy is a little less but new weapon and such its probably the safe bet

also shooting a semi auto has a different recoil pulse you have to get used to.
first is not seated exactly the same because its just the spring closing the bolt not the usual violent back-forward.
And the last shot always acts different because your not grabbing a new round or the bolt is held back.

get some range time behind the rifle.
a 338 on a range day can beat you up if your not ready.
also wear plugs and muffs if possible.


any pics of the rifle?

 

[brianf]

did a little clicking and found this article:

https://www.swatmag.com/article/long-guns-drd-tactical-kivaari-takedown-rifle/

its a gun rag but...

 

[brianf]

another gun rag but this one had info:
both articles seem to says its a 1 -1.5 MOA rifle which is expected. people will spend a ton of money to get a M1A to shoot 3/4.