338 Edge (.338/300 Ultra Mag, .338 Ultra Cat) is a
Wildcat
The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while th ...
rifle
A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves ( rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with ...
cartridge based on the
.300 Remington Ultra Magnum round necked up to accept 0.338" diameter
bullets
A bullet is a kinetic projectile, a component of firearm ammunition that is shot from a gun barrel. Bullets are made of a variety of materials, such as copper, lead, steel, polymer, rubber and even wax. Bullets are made in various shapes and ...
. It is gaining popularity as a long-range cartridge due to the wide availability of 0.338" projectiles that have a high
ballistic coefficient
In ballistics, the ballistic coefficient (BC, ''C'') of a body is a measure of its ability to overcome air resistance in flight. It is inversely proportional to the negative acceleration: a high number indicates a low negative acceleration—the ...
. For instance, the
Sierra Match King has a ballistic coefficient of 0.765 and is a popular choice for 338 Edge shooters.
Design
The 338 Edge is similar in ballistics to the
.338 Lapua Magnum, but can be chambered in a regular magnum
action
Action may refer to:
* Action (narrative), a literary mode
* Action fiction, a type of genre fiction
* Action game, a genre of video game
Film
* Action film, a genre of film
* ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford
* ''Action'' (1980 ...
without modification, making it an attractive cartridge for shooters looking for the high performance of .338 Lapua Magnum without requiring a special or custom action.
The name "338 Edge" was coined by Shawn Carlock during his work with the wildcat in 2001 in order to distinguish the cartridge from the (then new) slightly shorter
338 Remington Ultra Magnum.
in the 338 Edge are high, and the
recoil
Recoil (often called knockback, kickback or simply kick) is the rearward thrust generated when a gun is being discharged. In technical terms, the recoil is a result of conservation of momentum, as according to Newton's third law the force ...
can be substantial enough to make a
rifle
A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves ( rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with ...
painful to shoot without a recoil reducing device such as a
muzzle brake
A muzzle brake or recoil compensator is a device connected to, or a feature integral to the construction of, the muzzle or barrel of a firearm or cannon that is intended to redirect a portion of propellant gases to counter recoil and unwanted ...
or suppressor. Recoil is approximately twice that of the popular
.30-06 cartridge, for a given weight rifle.
See also
*
Firearm
A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions).
The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes ...
s
*
List of rifle cartridges
List of rifle cartridges, by primer type, calibre and name.
File:Cartridge Sample 2.jpg, 350px, From left to right: 1 .17 HM2,2 .17 HMR, 2.5 .17 wsm, 3 .22LR, 4 .22 WMR, 5 .17/23 SMc, 6 5mm/35 SMc, 7 .22 Hornet, 8 .223 Remington, 9 .2 ...
*
8 mm caliber
This is a list of firearm cartridges which have bullets in the caliber
In guns, particularly firearm
A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in di ...
References
*October 2000 issue of "The Accurate Rifle"
External links
Encyclopedia of firearms and ammo of the XX and XXI centuries.
{{DEFAULTSORT:338 Edge
Pistol and rifle cartridges
Wildcat cartridges