Comments on: 30-338 Varmint Version hits 4300 FPS with Barnes 130

By: jesse

jesse — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 02:14:57 +0000

30-338 lapua with 115 grains of us869 powder, 27 inch barrel, 210 berger. produces over 3500 feet per second.

By: Dan Conzo

Dan Conzo — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:14:56 +0000

I’ve shot the 220 gr SMK in 300 Wby rifles w/ quality brass @ 2935 fps and the 210 Bergers @ 3020 fps with 30 inch barrels (both loads were not hot loads). The 300 Ultra would beat both all to hell (w/ bad brass). I don’t see any advantage to the 30-338 Lapua except if you have the larger boltface and a bunch of brass. The 300 Wby has also a proven accuracy record.
Dan

By: Gerard

Gerard — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:12:53 +0000

I note that you mention the TSX bullet as a drive band bullet. Barnes describes it as a grooved bullet. My understanding is that it is a grooved bullet as it is made to conform to the larger barrel groove diameter and is then grooved. The grooves comprise a smaller area than the rest of the shaft length of the bullet and the shaft diameter is such that it fills the grooves (rifling) of the barrel, thereby making it a grooved bullet.

A drive band bullet has drive bands on the shaft that are less in total width than the rest of the shaft length. The shaft is made at a diameter that allows it to ride on the faces of the lands of the barrel.

Clarity on whether a bullet is grooved or made with drive bands is important, as they have differing performance characteristics that are defined by the correct description.

By: Editor

Editor — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:58:32 +0000

Phil — Yes capacities are similar, but the 30-338LM offers Lapua brass (extremely high quality/consistency) rated to 68,128 psi.

By contrast the RAUM has Remington brass (low quality/consistency) rated to 64,977 psi.

The Lapua brass requires less prep, can shoot hotter loads, will last longer.

By: Phil H

Phil H — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:58:03 +0000

What would be the value of the 30-338LM over the 300 RUM, since the case capacities appear to be virtually identical, based on external measurements?