Tactical Rifles.net talks .338 Lapua, Bridging the Gap

Tactical Rifles.net talks  .338 Lapua, Bridging the Gap

Tactical Rifle.net (Tactical Rifles) discusses the uniqueness of the .338 Lapua.

The .50BMG is undoubtedly king of the large caliber, long range rounds. It excels at it's role as a
long range anti-material round. When John Browning designed the venerable M2, the .50 caliber
(12.7x99mm) round found a role that would span nearly a century. Adopted for service in 1921, this
was designed as an anti-material, not anti-personal round. The round was never intended to be
utilized as an anti-personal sniper round. Despite some excellent efforts by different manufacturers,
the limitations of mediocre levels of ammunition accuracy, recoil and foul concussion upon the
shooter from the muzzle blast, make it less than ideal for high levels of precision shooting. With
great foresight Lapua of Finland sought a solution in 1989, to bridge the gap between .300 Mag and
.50 cal. The efforts resulted in the .338 Lapua (8.6x70mm). Firing either a 250 or 300 gr match
bullet, this round maintained supersonic performance out to a mile. The case originated from the
.416 Rigby large dangerous game cartridge. Certain highly specialized turned copper projectiles
extends the range significantly beyond that. Although the .50 cal is the most appropriate round for
penetrating a VBIED (vehicle borne improvised explosive device), the greater man portability of the
.338 makes it far more appropriate for carrying up the Afghan mountains.  In fact a British sniper
recently set the long range record for an individual sniper, taking a Taliban machine gunner
at 2707yds in 2009. Proving the consistent reliability of the round's stability he fired a second
shot at the same distance killing a second Taliban. Less recoil, more accurate ammunition,
greater distance, and less weight - the .338 has much to offer for serious long range precision
shooters...