338-378 Weatherby Magnum Firearms

The 338-378 Weatherby Magnum, introduced in 2005, is based on the big, belted 378 Weatherby Magnum case necked down to 338. It is thus similar in case capacity and velocity to the 338 Lapua Magnum, but the Weatherby case is belted and the Lapua case is not. Like the Lapua, velocity and long-range performance are spectacular...but there are prices in recoil and muzzle blast. A full-size magnum action is required, and results are best with barrels of 26 inches or greater. Weatherby is the primary supplier of both rifles and ammunition. Weatherby factory loads include a 225-grain bullet at 3180 feet per second and a 250-grain bullet at 3060. These figures obviously yield amazing downrange performance, making it an excellent choice for elk-sized game at longer ranges.  -- Craig Boddington