I doubt that even 10% of the folks that frequent these boards shoot anywhere close to 2K rounds per year from bolt action rifles, though I'm sure there are a few, let alone that many from one particular rifle. Especially a big boomer like a RUM.
And I did say that the RUM has a "... small but real performance advantage over the Wby..." 150fps is a real advantage, but it is also less than 5%, making it a fairly small difference.
And yes, I have not owned a 300 RUM. I've shot one once, in an unbraked M700 XCR that probably weighed a fairly light 8.5-9lbs. It was a real kick in the nuts. I've not shot the 338 RUM, but, hey, go big or go home, right?!
Of course, were it my 338 RUM, it'd be sporting a muzzlebrake and a Limbsaver pad for sure, and I'd also be wearing my PAST pad at the range, too!
As for the freebore... I stand corrected.
As for barrel life... I guess a person just has to deal with fast throat erosion as a consequence of extreme performance.
Mike