.300 Lapua Magnum

Infobox Firearm Cartridge
name= .300 Lapua Magnum


caption=
origin= Finland
type= Rifle
service=Never issued
used_by=
wars=
designer= Lapua
design_date=1989
manufacturer=
production_date=
number= small batch for C.I.P. registration
variants=
is_SI_specs=yes
parent=.338 Lapua Magnum
case_type=Rimless, bottleneck
bullet=7.82
neck=8.73
shoulder=13.82
base=14.91
rim_dia=14.93
rim_thick=1.52
case_length=69.73
length=94.50
case_capacity=7.34
rifling=240 mm (1-9.45")
primer=Large rifle magnum
max_pressure=470.00
max_cup=
is_SI_ballistics=yes
bw1=10.0
btype1=Laupa Scenar BTHP
vel1=1096
en1=6027
bw2=11.0
btype2=Laupa LockBase BTSP
vel2=1040
en2=5986
bw3=12.0
btype3=Laupa Scenar BTHP
vel3=1010
en3=6135
bw4=13.0
btype4=Sierra BTHP
vel4=980
en4=6216
bw5=14.0
btype5=Sierra BTHP
vel5=950
en5=6406
test_barrel_length= 690 mm (27.2 in)
balsrc= AccuLoad [ [http://www.aement.com AccuLoad III Software] from AEM Enterprises, Inc. Pressure limit of 60,900 PSI per Lapua, Accurate 8700 Powder stays well below MAP for these listed loads typically around 55,000 PSI, providing excellent performance in this cartridge. ] The .300 Lapua Magnum (7.62 x 70 mm) is a specialized rimless bottlenecked centerfire cartridge developed for long-range rifles. The commercially successful .338 Lapua Magnum cartridge has functioned as the parent case for the .300 Lapua Magnum, which is essentially a necked-down version of the .338 Lapua Magnum. The .338 cartridge case was used for this since it has the capability to operate with high chamber pressures which, combined with smaller and hence lighter bullets result in very high muzzle velocities.

History

The Finnish ammunition manufacturer Lapua got the .300 Lapua Magnum C.I.P. (Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives) certified, so it became an officially registered and sanctioned member of the Finnish 70 mm "family" of super magnum rifle cartridges. The .300 Lapua Magnum is not commercially available anymore today and currently (2007) exists only as a C.I.P. datasheet. It is however still used by a few shooters who produce the cases from .338 Lapua Magnum brass by reshaping the shoulder and neck, and handloading it with .30 calibre bullets.

Cartridge dimensions

The .300 Lapua Magnum has 7.34 ml (113 grains H₂O) cartridge case capacity. The exterior shape of the Lapua Magnum case was designed to promote reliable case feeding and extraction in bolt action rifles and machineguns alike, under extreme conditions.

.300 Lapua Magnum maximum C.I.P. cartridge dimensions. All sizes in millimeters (mm).

Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 ≈ 25 degrees. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 240 mm (1 in 9.45 in), 4 grooves, Ø lands = 7.62 mm, Ø grooves = 7.82 mm, land width = 4.47 mm and the primer type is large rifle magnum.

According to the official C.I.P. guidelines the .300 Lapua Magnum case can handle up to 470 MPa (68,167 psi) piezo pressure. In C.I.P. regulated countries every rifle cartridge combo has to be proofed at 125% of this maximum C.I.P. pressure to certify for sale to consumers.

This for rifles very high maximum allowed chamber pressure level indicates that the cases of the .300 and .338 Lapua Magnum are built extremely sturdy to cope with this for rifles very high operating pressure. The large boltface combined with the high 470 MPa maximum pressure makes that the .300 Lapua Magnum should only be chambered in rifles that are capable of handling such large and fierce cartridges and thus high bolt thrust safely. Chambering such powerful super magnum cartridges in rifles intended for normal magnum rifle cartridges and using 470 MPa loads can cause serious or fatal injury to the shooter and bystanders. A bolt-action rifle that theoretically could safely be chambered for the 94.5 mm long .300 Lapua Magnum is the Sako TRG-42. This rifle was specially designed for .338 Lapua Magnum cartridges and can handle cartridges up to 95 mm overall length.

Additional Information

The .300 Lapua Magnum’s main appeal is long-range shooting. Due to the large case capacity in relation to the 7.62 mm (.308 inch) calibre bore size the .300 Lapua Magnum is very harsh on barrels. The .300 Lapua Magnum typically wears out a rifle barrel in 500 to 1000 rounds. A lot of thorough barrel cleaning (after every 5 to 10 shots) and carefully avoiding long strings of shots help to minimize barrel wear. This makes this cartridge unpractical for most competition and professional long-range shooters, like military snipers, who tend to fire a lot of rounds in practice to acquire and maintain expert long-range marksmanship.

The Lapua/VihtaVuori international reloading guide 2008 [ [http://www.lapua.com/uploads/media/InternationalReloguide2008.pdf VihtaVuori international reloading guide 2008] ] reveals that at 690 mm (27.165 in) barrel length the .300 Lapua Magnum loaded with heavy .30 calibre bullets yields less muzzle energy compared to its .338 Lapua Magnum parent cartridge.

The American .30-378 Weatherby Magnum cartridge introduced in 1996 and the American .300 Remington Ultra Magnum (.300 RUM) cartridge introduced in 1999 are probably the closest currently (2007) commercially available ballistic twins of the .300 Lapua Magnum. The .30-378 Weatherby Magnum is however a belted cartridge and the .300 Remington Ultra Magnum is a rebated rim cartridge.

ee also

* List of rifle cartridges
* 7 mm caliber
* 7.62 UKM
* .338 Lapua Magnum

References

* Cartridge Dimensions - cite book | last =Howell | first =Ken | title =Designing and Forming Custom Cartridges | year =1995 | publisher =Precision Shooting | pages = 217 | isbn = 0-9643623-0-9
* [http://stevespages.com/jpg/cd300lapuamagnum.jpg.300 Lapua Magnum cartridge dimensions at Steves Pages]
* C.I.P. CD-ROM edition 2003
* C.I.P. decisions, texts and tables ( [http://www.cip-bp.org/index.php?id=tdcc-telechargement free current C.I.P. CD-ROM version download (ZIP and RAR format)] )

External links and sources

* [http://www.bordingl.com/z300lapmag.htm Reloading data for the .300 Lapua Magnum cartridge]
* QuickLOAD internal ballistics predictor computer program for fire arms
* [http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIREARMS/vihtavouri.pdf VihtaVuori Reloading Guide, 2002]
* [http://www.lima-wiederladetechnik.de/7,62-mm/300-LM.htm Lutz Möller's .300 Lapua Magnum Page with a computer made image of the cartridge - SOME LOAD SUGGESTIONS EXCEED THE C.I.P. LIMIT (4700 bar)]