The Barrett MRAD .338 lapua (Multi-Role Adaptive Design) rifle brings big .338 punch to the party.
We’ve all heard the saying “it’s time to bring in the big guns”. Well the Barrett MRAD in .338 Lapua Magnum is one of those big guns, and the .338 Lapua Magnum cartridge seems to be an ideal round for those times in American civilian law enforcement when the .308 Winchester may not be enough (heavy barriers or reinforced homes or vehicles) and a .50 BMG weapon is way too much.
With 4352 ft/lbs of energy at 100 yards using a 285-grain Hornady BTHP Match Bullet, the .338 Lapua Magnum sits nicely at the lower end of the scale between the .308 Winchester — which has 2355 ft/lbs of energy using a 168-grain Hornady TAP bullet — and the .50 BMG which has an almost unbelievable 12,388 ft/lbs of energy using the Hornady 750-grain A-MAX bullet.
If you, my fellow law enforcement snipers, really stop and think about it, for urban or suburban police snipers whose shots average a distance of about 64 yards, the 50 BMG has way too much power for even the toughest law enforcement situations.
In fact, I bet that most agencies that have purchased the big .50 have found that it is rarely, if ever, actually deployed.
You can bet that the 5.56 SDMR, 6.8 SPC, .308 Winchester and even the .300 Win Mag do the yeoman’s share of work in stateside situations.
Speaking of the .300 Winchester Magnum it too is eclipsed by the .338 Lapua by more than 1000 ft/lbs at 100 yards even when loaded with a .30 caliber heavyweight bullet like the 180-grain. And yet, it is still about 1/3 as powerful as the .50 BMG, giving it a much higher level of general utility than that blockbuster round.
Next Step: Get your FREE Printable Target Pack
Enhance your shooting precision with our 62 MOA Targets, perfect for rifles and handguns. Crafted in collaboration with Storm Tactical for accuracy and versatility.
Subscribe to the Gun Digest email newsletter and get your downloadable target pack sent straight to your inbox. Stay updated with the latest firearms info in the industry.
