Free: Contests & Raffles.
For hunting the 338 lapua offers very little ballistics wise because most are not going to actually shoot game beyond 1000yds. There are plenty of cartridges that shoot flatter and every bit as accurate for the "long range hunter" taking shots out to 600-700yds. The Lapua might buy you a couple hundread yards due to superior wind bucking ability of the highest BC bullets. The Lapua does offer a great deal more energy. I've had a 338 lapua but I never hunted with it... My 7wsm was performing equally well on steel targets to 1200yds beyond that the 338 was superior and dramatically so past 1500yds (I was using 245gr lathe turned bullets). I keep my shots for hunting MUCH closer than I can consistently hit a 10" steel target under field conditions. Most long range shooters aren't nearly as conservative... so I'd rather not see these guys taking rifles into the field that have 1500yd capabilities anyway. JMHO. If you want to reach out a little farther than your average hunting a 7mm rem mag with 168 Berger VLD's is hard to beat!