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<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nFact checked by Steven Lines, lifelong Hunter, and Outdoorsman<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nBuy 338 Lapua Ammo from Palmetto State Armory<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Buy Ammo from Guns.com<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this post, we'll cover:<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s start by getting a better idea of how this ammunition will perform. This will give us a better idea of whether it is a good choice for elk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are going to hunt for elk, you should prize accuracy. You will need to hit a vital area to land a kill shot. This is one of the areas where the .338 Lapua will shine. It was originally developed by the United States Army, to be used for snipers. Because of this, it will be very accurate, even over long distances.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To give you some idea of its potential, the military used it to make one of the furthest kills in history. In 2017, a terrorist was shot from around 3,540 meters away<\/a>. Though this was made with specialized sniper rifles, it does give you a good indication of how accurate this ammunition can be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is one of the most important elements to consider when hunting for elk. Because of the size of the animals, and their thick bones, it\u2019s vital that you pick a bullet that offers enough force to deliver a kill shot. This is another area that you don\u2019t need to worry about when you are using this ammunition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it leaves the gun, a 270 grain will be traveling with around 4,700 foot-pounds<\/a> of force. When it reaches 500 yards, it will still have 2,973 foot-pounds of power. To put this into perspective, this is close to double the amount it takes to kill an elk, which is 1,500-foot pounds<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because of this, an animal like the elk shouldn\u2019t give you too many problems. This is especially true if you are using a hollow point. It will be able to expand when it hits the target. This ensures that you will do a lot of damage, allowing you to kill your target. If you miss, you will be left with a strong blood trail. However, when using such a powerful bullet, it\u2019s better to stick with heavy-grain solid bullets. These will put a large hole through the elk, passing cleanly out the other side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, this can sometimes come with a downside. Because of the amount of force, you will be unleashing, you will likely end up doing a lot of damage to the elk. This can cause a lot of problems when it comes time to harvest the meat. The bone fragments will make it nearly inedible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is why some hunters will prefer to stick to a lower caliber round. While it means that they will need to get closer to the animal before they take their shot, it also limits the amount of damage they can do. This ensures you don\u2019t need to deal with a mangled mess. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The .338 Lapua is one of the most powerful hunting guns on the market. But this comes at a cost. It means that you will experience a lot of recoil. It will be around 37 foot-pounds of energy<\/a>. For comparison, you will be getting almost 10 pounds more recoil force<\/a> than you can expect from the .300 Winchester. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The good news is that there are some ways you can manage this. Here are some of the tips you can use<\/a>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The type of bullet you are using will often influence how much you will need to pay. However, the .308 Lapua is a more specialized caliber. Because of this, you can expect to pay a little more for your bullets. As a general rule, you will need to pay around $5 per round<\/a>. While it\u2019s not one of the most common hunting calibers, it shouldn\u2019t be too hard to track down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we mentioned, this is a more specialized caliber, designed for military use. Because of this, you will need to use a larger gun to shoot it. Some of the most common options include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are some key differences between these guns. It\u2019s always a good idea to try multiple options before deciding which one will be the right option for you. But there is an important element that they all share, their size. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is one of the biggest drawbacks to using this caliber. You will need to carry the unwieldy weapon around. This causes some problems when you are in for a long hike to the hunting ground, or if you need to climb into a tree stand<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
