50 BMG cost vs 338 lapua.

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castingdonkey

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I have been jogging my brain on which caliber to go with. I hear savage is coming out with a 338 lapua hunting rifle for next year that will run around a $1,000 and the tactical 110 model will be coming down in price a few hundred bucks. I see 50's in the paper for around 5k with all the bells and whistles. From talking to the guys at the gun store today they say ammo is the same price for both. They tell me too that the 338 lapua has more options for hunting slugs. I really have no intention of shooting anything bigger than a coyote and don't think I have to worry about bullet expansion. Can anyone on here relate what it cost them to reload for either round or some pro's and cons from people that own these calibers?
 
No clue on 50 BMG, but I would imagine the initial outlay to be a bit expensive as you require extra large everything (press, dies, tools, etc)....but this is what my cost is for 338 LM.

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Needless to say, I don't keep much brass on hand...just a couple hundred.

The chart on the left isn't a true representation because it doesn't include shipping. Even though I do my best to order in quantity for bullets, primers, and powder, I still lose money every time I make a purchase online with the hazmat and all. I included it because that's what I feel it costs me most of the time... Occasionally, when I place an order for components, I just imagine throwing another buck or two at every shot. On the positive side, I don't think I've ever shot more than 50 shots per range trip. I usually take one plastic ammo container and usually come home with 5-15 rounds.

The chart on the right shows the same powder price and bullet price. The primer price was adjusted to include the price of shipping from Powder Valley (estimated at $32), and purchasing 100 new to me once fired pieces of brass.

Keep in mind, I'm way conservative on my load too...and I only get 84 loads to a pound of propellant.

Personally, I don't see the point in shooting cheap ammo when I'm trying my best to hit stuff far, far away. I do everything possible to load match quality ammo.

Load is Lapua brass (neck sized), H1000, Hornady BTHP 285, and Fed Match primers.

If you want to compare apples to apples, Hornady sells almost the same load for $89.99/20 rounds or $4.49 per shot (not including shipping to your house). Well, not quite apples to apples as the Lapua brass I load is almost certainly a higher quality than theirs or whoever they're using.

And to really make you think twice, Midway is selling new Lapua brass for $279/100 pieces.

Lastly, you need quality dies and other equipment ($$$) to really wring out the cartridges potential.

So, sure I save money over buying factory, and I wouldn't be able to own that gun if I didn't handload for it, but I think it's worth it and that's all that matters to me. But you're going to have to decide how much time and money you want to throw at it.

Pros? It's awesome fun putting bullets on steel at 1500 yards 20 min after sunset.

Cons? Expensive...dude, I'm not joking. Guns are expensive, optics are crazy expensive, ammo is expensive, it's all expensive.
IMHO, there is no point in spending the kind of money required to get this large of a gun to put a crappy scope on it. Seriously, spend the 1.5-3k (Hensoldt, S&B, USO, Premier, NF, etc) and do it right.
Difficult to find places long enough to shoot it.
 
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What did I miss here... choosing between A 338 Lapua or 50 BMG for Coyotes?

Good grief man, how BIG are the flipping coyote's where you live?!?!?!!
 
esheato, thanks for that awesome reply. I too was thinking of getting a .338 Lapua. You are right, it is an expensive round to load. I love long range shooting though. Dilemas, dilemas, dilemas..!
 
You're welcome, best of luck.

Yah, I didn't get the coyote part either. ;) Dead is dead though right?

EDIT: It's possible to use a 223/243 to 1k easily if all you're wanting to do is shoot coyotes and smaller. Guns are cheaper, reloading costs are substantially cheaper too. Might be the way to go.
 
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I currently shoot a .308 Win out to a 1,000 yards. It is a custom built Remington 700 with a 26 inch bull barrel and a Night Force scope on it.

At a training school, I got to shoot a .338 Lapua at 1,800 yards and loved it. It is just the cost aspect that is preventing me from getting one at this point.
 
Ahh, you're not new to this. Yeah, the cost is usually the problem.

I just realized you're in CA...50 cal might be out of your reach anyway unless you do a 50 DTC or one of the other alternatives.
 
.338 LM is excellent, but .50 bmg trumps it in the ballsiness and macho category.
 
esheato, x2 on the thanks for the great post. Seems way overkill and a waste of meat to shoot an elk with a rifle that size. Especially with an expanding bullet. I have seen what a 50 does to a taliban sniper and would rather grind my meat at home than scrape it off a rock. We have huge amounts of open country out here and an over abundance of coyotes. To take one at 1000 yards would be a fantastic serice to the deer population and my ego. All the hunting aside shooting a monster caliber rifle is a rush, as is hitting a 1500 yard target. I am limited to about 400 yards effective range with what rifles I have now, and want to be able to reach way out and hit some targets. Thanks again for the data. I hope the coyote lovers don't take this thread over with the inhumanity remarks ..lol
 
As for cost, it would have to be a long term project either way I do it. So I might as well spend the time and money building it right. I am glad to hear that the 338 can be reloaded for under $3 a round the cost I was seeing at the gunstore was about what you mentioned above $90 per 20. There is no way I would ever shoot enough rounds at that price to become effective with the rifle.
 
New components for each I think the cost advantage goes to .338 Lap. Plus the rifle is portable where most 50's are too heavy. I load for a 50bmg but would not have even bought the rifle if I could not have purchased surplus military bullets and gunpowder. Have no experience with the .338 Lapua but a friend has one. That's what I'd choose over the .50 bmg rifle. My friend has had good success with Retumbo powder and 250 grain bullets. Buy a 338 Lapua and put a quality scope on it and you will have a long range rifle that is easier to shoot accurately and much easier to load for and transport to the field or range. The 50 BMG is definitely fun but not for everyone.
 
Seems like both of you got it figured out. My 338 took a year or two to get everything lined up and purchased. No harm in taking your time.

Whatever you buy, it has to be affordable enough to practice with. Otherwise, it's just some bling to impress your buddies.
 
Primers for the 50 bmg are around $117/500 or $234/1000. The .338 Lapua uses standard large rifle magnum primers. $40 versus $234 per 1000 for primers. You are limited for primers for the 50bmg to mostly only CCI's 35arsenal primer which I don't like. For the Lapua you can experiment with primers or choose Federal's 215 LRM Match primers. The old "blue box" primers were better for the 50. 338 Lapua uses 80-95 grains of powder versus 215-230 grains for the 50 bmg. About 30-32 loaded 50 bmg rounds per POUND of powder. You need a bigger heavier reloading press and tools for the .50bmg. Don't get me wrong, I love shooting my 50 but it isn't very practical. Prices above are estimates.
 
I dunno, the smallest I like to go for coyote is the 20mm Vulcan, but I guess you can wimp out and use a .50BMG is you were so inclined.
 
I'm right in line with what RG1 posted...

With the Lapua brass that I bought last year (box of 100 for $250), the cost of components (LRM primer, between 88 and 91 grains of powder, and some 250gr Sierras)... AND assuming Lapua's guarantee of at least 10 firings per case (neck-sizing only, of course)... I'm right at $0.96 per round.

Loading for the .50BMG, even after you buy all the necessary equipment, and even with surplus bullets and powder, you're still going to be close to twice the cost per round... though admittedly with about 10x the fun :D
 
Shooting cannons at coyotes sounds like too much fun. I ahve to find out what the biggest one is that I can legally own and go try that out. Awesome data so far on both cartridges. I don't want to miss out on the 50 fun but the 338 is looking more affordable.
 
Hey CD I have a big 338 Weatherby that you can try out some time, it is a gun that you can really carry and hunt with and I have shot quite a few deer and elk with it so far.
There are pros and cons when comparing it to the Lapua but the costs are pretty much the same to load but I haven't seen a gun chambered in the Lapua that was as light as the Weatherby for the money.
I'm still looking for a 50 so don't think that anything less will satisfy your need:evil:
 
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