38-YEAR-OLD CARTRIDGE IS STILL DOMINATING LONG-RANGE

The 338 Lapua Magnum (pronounced Lop-oo-ah) is renowned worldwide for its long-range accuracy. It gained fame among snipers during the Global War on Terror for their exceptional marksmanship at extended distances. It’s hard to deny the cartridge’s pedigree. But in 2025, is it, dare I say, becoming outdated?

Developed in the 1980s, the 338 Lapua Magnum is a high-powered rifle cartridge designed for precision shooting at long ranges. Originally created by Research Armament Industries in the U.S. and based on the celebrated 416 Rigby, it was refined by Lapua (Finland) and Accuracy International (UK), and officially introduced in 1989. With its excellent accuracy and power, it’s effective beyond 1,500 meters and was widely used by military snipers, especially in Afghanistan. The cartridge gained fame when a British sniper scored a confirmed kill at 2,475 meters. With this background, it’s hard to say that the round is outdated. Are there more modern and improved case designs available? Sure. But none have the storied history of the 338 Lapua.

In a recent video, Eric from the Guided YouTube channel aimed to test the effectiveness of the 338 Lapua, especially as a long-range hunting cartridge. For this build, he used a Savage Model 110 action, a 30-inch K&P spiral-fluted barrel, a Sightron optic, an EC Tuner Brake, and an MDT XRS Chassis. Initial accuracy testing and sight-in procedures were completed at 100 and 200 yards. For the load, Eric developed a recipe using a Hornady 270 gr. ELD-X bullet with Retumbo powder. After testing, he waited until later in the day for the weather to cool down before shooting at longer distances.

At 7:30 pm, Eric made his way to his long-range to really test the capabilities of the 338 Lapua Magnum. He started at 500 yards and worked his way to 1025 yards. And honestly, these distances are nearly too close for the formidable sniper round.

To learn more about the cartridge and Eric’s build, check out the Guided YouTube Channel!