Just as a foreword: this is a totally bunk comparison. 300 Winchester magnum and 338 Lapua magnum are both more than capable of taking down any game animal in North America at most any distance you'll see them at. I just thought it'd be fun to compare and contrast the two of them. And while both these cartridges are being tested by the US Military as a sniping round, I'm just comparing the two for hunting purposes below.
Killing Power
Nov 07, 2018 Range of engagement and type of target to be destroyed determine weapon choice. 800 yards or less on a human, 7.62x51mm is the go-to round. 800 to 1500 yards on the same,.338 Lapua fills the range gap. Lapua focuses primarily on premium quality small caliber ammunition for target shooters as well as for hunters and law enforcement authorities. Lapua has always strived to produce the best possible cartridges and ammunition components for those who have the same passion for precision as we do. Search for 338 Lapua Savage Grips And 338 Lapua Vs 7 62 338 Lapua Savage Grips And 338 Lapua Vs 7 62 Ads Immediately. Cartridge (Wb@MV) Rifle Weight: Recoil energy: Recoil velocity.17 HMR (17 at 2550) 7.5: 0.2: n/a.17 Hornet (20 at 3650) 8.5: 0.6: 2.0.17 Rem. (25 at 4000) 8.5.
When you look at the two cartridges together, you think to yourself, 'well that's not that far off. Sure the 338 is just a tiny bit wider and the bullet is just a tiny bit bigger, but does that really make a lot of difference?' If you were to ask a deer shot at typical distances of 100-200 meters, the answer would be a definitive NO. But where that extra powder and weight come in handy is at extreme distances. Muzzle energy is usually measured in ft-lbs (even here in Canada), and a typical rule of thumb is that you should be hitting a deer with at least 1000 ft-lbs on impact. They'll die with way less than that, and a heavier bullet will still over-penetrate, but a slow non-expanding bullets through the lungs is not going to mess them up like I'd want to and that might mean tracking a wounded deer into the bush. If you read bullet manufacturers manuals, most of them recommend more than 1000 fpe to reliably expand and do what they're supposed to on game. So where does that leave our 338 Lapua and 300 Win Mag? If we use that 1000 ft-lbs of energy as our benchmark, a lowly 30-30 will still kill that deer dead out to 200 yards with most bullets. It's 2200 ft-lbs at the muzzle isn't much, but neither is 200 yards when you're talking about long rang shooting. The 300 Winchester Magnum is in a class way above the 30-30, and with a 180 grn pill, will provide over 1000 ft-lbs of energy just up to 900 yards. The 338 Lapua kicks things up a notch. With 250 grain bullets, it'll hit 1300 yards before crossing the 1000 ft-lb mark and with heavy 300 grain bullets, it's good to 1600 yards. That's totally ridiculous. Even with a super rifle capable of .5MOA, you're talking about a grouping of 8″ at 1600 yards. That's outside the 6″ vitals that you should be able to hit every time to make a clean kill. Heck, that rule of thumb gets passed at 1200 yards. With a more accurate rifle and a knowledgeable experienced shooter, even 1600 yards is doable.
Speed
They'll both launch a bullet at 2950 fps. The difference is that the 300 win mag will do it with a 180 grn bullet, whereas the 338 lapua will do that with a 250 grain bullet. That weight makes a big difference in ME with the 300 win mag doing 3500 ft-lbs at the muzzle compared to the 338 lapua's mighty 4832 ft-lbs. That's approaching safari rounds.
Practicality
No question, the 300 win mag is the more practical round. You can get it in almost any long action rifle, you can buy a box of ammo at the local store, and you might even have a buddy that fires the same thing. 338 Lapua Magnum is only offered in select (expensive) rifles, $90 for a box of 20 rounds is normal, and NO ONE in your hunting party is going to have it. In fact, your loud muzzle brake is going to keep most of your hunting buddies miles away. It'll also keep your ears ringing long after the hunt is done (if you forgot hearing protection). If you want to shoot 338 Lapua, you HAVE to reload to avoid the ridiculous $5/shot that you'll be paying with factory ammo. With reloading, you can keep costs to much reasonable levels. On the brass front, oh boy, you're going to pay. Better Lapua brass costs $3 per case for 338, BUT you can make it last well into 20 reloads if you're careful. With 300 Winchester Magnum, you're playing with much cheaper brass, but the belt can be a bit annoying when reloading.
Summary
So there you have it, the mighty 300 win mag and the mightier, but more ridiculous 338 lapua. If you just want to hunt anything, look no further than 300 win mag. If you want the biggest, baddest round in your hunt camp, the 338 lapua is your only option beyond the insane 50 BMG.
Read More:
.338 Lapua Videos
Rifle Recoil Table
By Chuck Hawks
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; that is one of the physical laws of our universe. This means that the momentum of a rifle's reaction will exactly equal the momentum of the bullet and powder gasses ejected from the barrel. In the shooting sports we call that reaction recoil or 'kick.' It can be measured or computed empirically and has been for this recoil table.
Do not forget that rifle weight is a crucial factor in the recoil equation, inversely proportional to recoil. Increase the gun weight by, say, 25% and the recoil goes down by 25%. In the real world, firearms chambered for less powerful cartridges are typically built lighter than firearms chambered for more powerful cartridges. Violate this principle by, for example, chambering a lightweight, short action rifle for a powerful Magnum cartridge like the .300 WSM and the result will be a dramatic increase in kick. Just because it can be done does not mean it makes sense, despite what you might read in advertising copy. Choose a rifle weight appropriate for the loads you intend to shoot.
However, perceived recoil, what the shooter feels, is a highly subjective matter. In addition to gun weight, it is influenced by many factors. One of the most important of these is the fit and shape of the rifle stock. A good recoil pad can help soften the blow to the shooter's shoulder. Gas-operated semi-automatic actions reduce apparent recoil by spreading it over a longer period of time. These sorts of things cannot be accounted for in a recoil table. Also, please understand that there are dozens of loads for any given bullet weight in any cartridge that will produce the same velocity, but a different amount of recoil. So the figures in any recoil table should be taken as approximate. Never-the-less, the table below should give a reasonably accurate comparison of the recoil of most popular rifle cartridges.
It is worth remembering that the majority of authorities agree that recoil of over twenty foot pounds will cause most shooters to develop a serous flinch, which is ruinous to bullet placement (the prime component of killing power). Fifteen foot pounds is probably about the maximum recoil energy most shooters feel reasonably comfortable with, particularly at the shooting range, where most serious marksmanship practice occurs.
While recoil energy determines how hard the blow to the shoulder feels, recoil velocity determines how abrupt the blow to the shoulder feels. My subjective impression is that, with a well designed stock, recoil velocity above about 10 fps begins to feel like a sharp rap on the shoulder rather than an abrupt push.
In 1909, the British Textbook of Small Arms stated that 15 ft. lbs. of free recoil energy was the maximum allowable for a military service rifle. (The standard British .303 Lee-Enfield infantry rifle was below that figure, as are most service rifles to this day. This should tell you something.) The 1929 edition of the same textbook stated, in addition, that recoil velocity should not exceed 15 fps; above that velocity a gun-headache was very likely to occur. These figures remain practical maximums for the modern hunter.
7.62 Nato Vs .338 Lapua
Above this level recoil becomes increasingly intrusive. In addition, the effects of recoil are cumulative. The longer you shoot, and the harder the rifle kicks, the more likely you are to flinch. These are good things to remember when comparing rifle cartridges.
In the table below rifle weight is given in pounds, free recoil energy is given in foot pounds, and free recoil velocity is given in feet-per-second. All recoil values have been rounded off to one decimal place.
The recoil energy and recoil velocity figures are taken from various sources including the recoil nomograph in the Handloader's Digest 8th Edition, various online recoil calculators, the Remington Shoot! Stop and shop employee handbook. program or calculated from the formula given in the Lyman Reloading Handbook, 43rd Edition.
.338 Lapua Comparison
So there you have it, the mighty 300 win mag and the mightier, but more ridiculous 338 lapua. If you just want to hunt anything, look no further than 300 win mag. If you want the biggest, baddest round in your hunt camp, the 338 lapua is your only option beyond the insane 50 BMG.
Read More:
.338 Lapua Videos
Rifle Recoil Table
By Chuck Hawks
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; that is one of the physical laws of our universe. This means that the momentum of a rifle's reaction will exactly equal the momentum of the bullet and powder gasses ejected from the barrel. In the shooting sports we call that reaction recoil or 'kick.' It can be measured or computed empirically and has been for this recoil table.
Do not forget that rifle weight is a crucial factor in the recoil equation, inversely proportional to recoil. Increase the gun weight by, say, 25% and the recoil goes down by 25%. In the real world, firearms chambered for less powerful cartridges are typically built lighter than firearms chambered for more powerful cartridges. Violate this principle by, for example, chambering a lightweight, short action rifle for a powerful Magnum cartridge like the .300 WSM and the result will be a dramatic increase in kick. Just because it can be done does not mean it makes sense, despite what you might read in advertising copy. Choose a rifle weight appropriate for the loads you intend to shoot.
However, perceived recoil, what the shooter feels, is a highly subjective matter. In addition to gun weight, it is influenced by many factors. One of the most important of these is the fit and shape of the rifle stock. A good recoil pad can help soften the blow to the shooter's shoulder. Gas-operated semi-automatic actions reduce apparent recoil by spreading it over a longer period of time. These sorts of things cannot be accounted for in a recoil table. Also, please understand that there are dozens of loads for any given bullet weight in any cartridge that will produce the same velocity, but a different amount of recoil. So the figures in any recoil table should be taken as approximate. Never-the-less, the table below should give a reasonably accurate comparison of the recoil of most popular rifle cartridges.
It is worth remembering that the majority of authorities agree that recoil of over twenty foot pounds will cause most shooters to develop a serous flinch, which is ruinous to bullet placement (the prime component of killing power). Fifteen foot pounds is probably about the maximum recoil energy most shooters feel reasonably comfortable with, particularly at the shooting range, where most serious marksmanship practice occurs.
While recoil energy determines how hard the blow to the shoulder feels, recoil velocity determines how abrupt the blow to the shoulder feels. My subjective impression is that, with a well designed stock, recoil velocity above about 10 fps begins to feel like a sharp rap on the shoulder rather than an abrupt push.
In 1909, the British Textbook of Small Arms stated that 15 ft. lbs. of free recoil energy was the maximum allowable for a military service rifle. (The standard British .303 Lee-Enfield infantry rifle was below that figure, as are most service rifles to this day. This should tell you something.) The 1929 edition of the same textbook stated, in addition, that recoil velocity should not exceed 15 fps; above that velocity a gun-headache was very likely to occur. These figures remain practical maximums for the modern hunter.
7.62 Nato Vs .338 Lapua
Above this level recoil becomes increasingly intrusive. In addition, the effects of recoil are cumulative. The longer you shoot, and the harder the rifle kicks, the more likely you are to flinch. These are good things to remember when comparing rifle cartridges.
In the table below rifle weight is given in pounds, free recoil energy is given in foot pounds, and free recoil velocity is given in feet-per-second. All recoil values have been rounded off to one decimal place.
The recoil energy and recoil velocity figures are taken from various sources including the recoil nomograph in the Handloader's Digest 8th Edition, various online recoil calculators, the Remington Shoot! Stop and shop employee handbook. program or calculated from the formula given in the Lyman Reloading Handbook, 43rd Edition.
.338 Lapua Comparison
Note:For an expanded version of this table showing more calibers and many more loads, including British, European, wildcat, obsolescent American and proprietary calibers, see the Expanded Rifle Recoil Table.
