30-338 Lapua

[Jon B]

Does a 30-338 Lapua exceed the limits to shoot at Bisley?

[baldie]

No.

 

Dennis Groom used one successfully to win an F class season a couple of years ago.

[Swarovski1]

Depends on what weight bullet and how fast it's going.probaly a hme chart on the bisley website.most bullet weights in 300 win mag are hme.

[Jon B]

Thank you.

[gbal]

Jon.if you are contemplating using this powerful cartridge-or indeed any of the several others in this category-best check for yourself what the regulations are,and also the CIP (European ) and SAAMI (US) loading specifications.

It looks as if any reasonably full load of 30-338 L would infringe the Bisley HME limits...

 

Bisley cartridge limits:

 

Rifle ranges Max MV 3280 fps (1000mps) or 4500 J (3319 ftlb) energy

 

Gallery Max 2150 (655) or 2030 (1496)

 

HME Max 3280 fps (1000 mps) or 7000J (5160 ft)

(note:338 cal rifles are additionally excluded by the Range Danger Area rules).

 

 

The "30-338 Lapua' is essentially (a) wildcat,made by necking down the Lapua 338 Mag case to 30 calibre;but it was legitimised (ie given CIP recognition,and enough brass factory manufactured) in the 300 Lapua Magnum (L338 Lapua Mag necked down) as a 'factory' cartridge. The wildcats will be very similar in performance to this CIP standard cartridge.The 338 Lapua Magnum factory CIP load gets well above 4600ftlb,so indicates the considerable corresponding performance likely from the necked down 30 Lapua Magnum/aka 30-338... well into HME territory....).There are other less powerful 338mags necked down (eg 30-338Win mag,very close to semi wildcat (brass only) 308 Norma Mag,and a whole slew of 300 Weatherby/ WinShort/ Rem Ultra /Magnums and proprietary cartridges-Dakota,Patriot; and more potent still,the 30-378 Weatherby.So check the "labels" ,and dentures,carefully, as always.

,

The 300 Lapua Magnum (the 338 necked down to 30 by Lapua at factory) was loaded to around 3500fps with 155g bullets,but would be capable of considerably more fps with lighter bullets (you can get some information of the options from Accurate Shooter,see below).Of course it could be (hand) underloaded considerably too,but it would have to be tested before use.I don't know if Lapua currently load their 30-338Lapua Magnum in CIP specification.They might list it in their reloading guide (see online).

This velocity (3500 fps) clearly seems to put the cartridge in to the HME category,and so does the corresponding energy.

 

refs:

 

Bisley Range Safety Regulations: 2d) and are the specifications for HME.While 'cartridge list' give some clear guidlines,this assumes they are loaded to CIP/SAAMI specs,and not (handloaded) at variance with these specifications-which could be done sometimes.

 

Accurate Shooter 300 Lapua Magnum (aka 30-338 LM wildcat)

 

Cartridges of the World (ed by Barnes) may give some load data.

 

Lapua Reloading Data Guide onweb

 

gbal

[ds1]

Drop "Tiff" on here pm. He had one, so would know the data.

 

A straight 338lm gets around 6k joules, or a least mine does with 250g scenars.

 

If you have a bullet, powder barrel and length in mind I can plug it into quick load and see what figures it gives.

[Swarovski1]

I think 3200fps is a limit on its own regardless of bullet weight, I think a 180gr projectile doing 2,884 fps is just under hme, most of the 7mm calibers easily go past that fps with 30 inch plus barrels.

[gbal]

300 Remington SAUM 180 @ 3250 fps has 4221 ft lb muzzle energy

300WSM 180@ 2960 fps has 3503 ft lb muzzle energy

300WM 180@2960 fps has 3501 ft lb muzzle energy

300RemUM 180@3250 fps has 4221 ft lb muzzle energy

300 Weatherby 180@3300 fps has 4352 ft lb muzzle energy

30-378 Weatherby 180@3283 fps has 4310 ft lb muzzle energy

30-378 Weatherby 250@2954 fps has 4840 ft lb muzzle energy

338Win Mag 180@3157fps has 3980 ft lb muzzle energy

338Lap Mag 250@2950fps has 4830 ft lb muzzle energy

7STW 160@3250 fps has 3750 ft lb muzzle energy

7WSM 160@2915 has 3020 ftlb muzzle energy

7RSAUM 160@2960fpshas 3112 ftlb muzzle energy

 

All are SAAMI/CIP 'factory' loads,mostly 24-26" barrels.

Some will load hotter,and longer barrels will add some fps too.

Accurate Shooter has some actual load data for the hot 7s/wildcats (loads,barrels etc).

 

The Bisley limits are as my post above viz: 3319 ft lbs means HME (to a max of 5160ftlb)

 

This should be a fair guide -by all means ask,but check the 'official' data too,especially the Bisley Regulations-that's what you'll have to meet at Bisley.

 

gbal

[Jon B]

Thanks for the replies, lots to think about.