338s Are A Great Caliber

[Mike Van Horn]

It's intended purpose is to successfully complete the 1 mile milk jug challenge.

Good luck
1760 yards is a long shot. I have hit a 12"x12" steel plate at 1200. But adding another 560 yards would be a challenge

 

[ldmay375]

I consider the 338 Winchester my most versatile rifle. I use and enjoy larger medium bores. But, the 338 Winchester with the 225 grain TSX or TTSX would cover all my hunting from larger than coyotes through brown bear in an admirable fashion. It works on coyotes also, though a bit tough on the hide in my experience.

I have a Ruger 77 and Winchester in .338. Both very accurate and versatile.

Not a choice for African Dangerous Game, but, great knock down power with
a 210 grain Noslter Parition or 225 Barnes. I reload and can do one MOA
out to 300 yards (of course on a bench).

 

[bruce moulds]

i note that 338 guy refers to great knockdown power with 210 partitions and 225 gn barnes.
the 2 bullets cannot be compared meaningfully in the same sentence.
the barnes will clearly take big boned game and big bodied game.
the nosler, if used on bears and such will get someone killed one day.
it is probably a good bullet for medium sized deer and no more.
i have had this bullet fail on a pig where a 130 gn sierra 270 or an equivalent 150 gn 308 would have been dynamite.
sometimes the nose blows off sideways, causing the billet to alter direction, when a cup and core would keep going.
the same has happened with a 286 gn 9.3 partition on a donkey.
in both cases the shoulder blade was struck at an angle.
the pig shot with the 338 was actually thot again in a similar place with a 200 gn speer to great effect.
bruce.

 

[JLF]

I started hunting big game with a Remington 700 cal. .338 Winchester Magnum, and I'm still with it, and it's my only rifle. At .338 I consider it an excellent caliber. I use tips of 250 grains.

 

[RayAtkinson]

Legal is as legal does in Africa and depends on the country...I know a lot of wives and youngsters who shoot buffalo and whatever with the 300s and 338 Win. Some even the 30-06 and 270.. Its the game scouts and PHs call and most times its who cares..Not a bad system, like most of the third world...Mordida in Mexico and yama for mama in Africa..Don't try It on your own there are rules to be followed

 

[rigbymauser]

I have a .333Jeffery. Love to shoot a buffalo with that one. 300grain longnail will drive deep.

 

[Gemsbok45]

With a 225gr Swift A-Frame,there might not be better elk medicine!

 

[MS 9x56]

I am a 35 caliber fan and more recently the 9.3x62. I had been mulling over getting a 338 so I called up a buddy who has one and made a date to get together so he could shoot my CZ while I tried his 338. Both rifles weight within a 1/2 lb of each other. The 338 recoil is much sharper to my feeling. Even my friend comment the CZ was a softer shooting caliber even with the 286 grain bullets. I am not recoil sensitive so the recoil itself didn’t bother me as much as the muzzle blast. I may still get a 338 but I think I may go for the 338-06 with at least a 24” barrel. My buddy loved the looks of the full length stock on my 9.3 and is now on the prowl to see if he can find one used, as CZ discontinued the 550 FS. Welcome to the forum there are a lot of savvy gentleman here that are willing to share their wisdom.

 

[MS 9x56]

Well, it is not suitable because it is not legal for DG (except for leopard) in most countries.

And that's what happens when non-hunters make up the regulations. They should make reading WDM Bell mandatory to them before being allowed to make regulations.

 

[MS 9x56]

I prefer the 338 RUM and the 338 Lapua to the WM! The RUM is perfect compromise using 250 A-frame at 2800fps.
For long range elk the 338 Lapua with 300gr Bergers have been deadly here in Wyoming and several other states in the last 6 years!
I built a 338 Lapua Ack IMP for a Utah Elk hunt last yr. It was a "close" 524 yd shot with 300 gr Berger @ 3025fps. Followed it with a 330bull
here in Wy at 895yd! The 338RUM with A-frames is ideal for PG and dark timber elk or moose IMHO.

That is great shooting but I wouldn't call it hunting. Just my personal feeling that the excitement and thrill I get is seeing how close I can get by using the wind, stealth and terrain.

 

[MS 9x56]

i note that 338 guy refers to great knockdown power with 210 partitions and 225 gn barnes.
the 2 bullets cannot be compared meaningfully in the same sentence.
the barnes will clearly take big boned game and big bodied game.
the nosler, if used on bears and such will get someone killed one day.
it is probably a good bullet for medium sized deer and no more.
i have had this bullet fail on a pig where a 130 gn sierra 270 or an equivalent 150 gn 308 would have been dynamite.
sometimes the nose blows off sideways, causing the billet to alter direction, when a cup and core would keep going.
the same has happened with a 286 gn 9.3 partition on a donkey.
in both cases the shoulder blade was struck at an angle.
the pig shot with the 338 was actually thot again in a similar place with a 200 gn speer to great effect.
bruce.

There are situations where higher speed works against bullet performance. That appears to be one of those situations.

 

[MS 9x56]

I have a .333Jeffery. Love to shoot a buffalo with that one. 300grain longnail will drive deep.

That is a lovely rifle, what does she weigh?

 

[JLF]

I got started on big game with a Remington 700 BDL Custom DeLuxe cal. .338 win. mag., it cost me to tame the recoil, the more he hit me, the more he threw, until I got to shoot 23 almost consecutive shots where the recoil cut the tendon of my shoulder. .
I use Hornady Interlock SP tips of 250 grains, A19 national powder ... a real pierce all ...

 

[Tanks]

And that's what happens when non-hunters make up the regulations. They should make reading WDM Bell mandatory to them before being allowed to make regulations.

Bell was sniping at elephants from a platform in high grass with side brain shots. If he had tried a frontal brain shot from the ground at 20 yards or so with a 7x57 he never would have lived to write a book.

Also, Bell did use a proper big bore for a lot of his kills.

Your average sport hunter will not be hunting à la Bell.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I took my Ruger 338 WM to the range yesterday and shot some factory Hornady "Outfitter" 225 gr GMX. Shot at both 100 and 200 yards and my rifle seemed to really like them. Next trip to the range, I will chrony some and compare to my hand loads with Swift A Frames. Nice to have a factory ammo choice that groups extremely well. From what I gather, the GMX is similar to the Barnes TSX or TTSX.

Less than 3 months until the opening week, Montana elk hunt!

 

[Arthur Morta]

I've always wanted to build a .338 calibre from scratch. Been leaning towards the .338-378 Weatherby magnum after a lot of web research recently...
Boyds laminate stock.
MkV action.
Would sure like to get one of Bartlein's new barrels in their 400MODBB material.

 

[JLF]

My faithful friend of all my hunts ... I don't need more

 

[Fastrig]

I am a 35 caliber fan and more recently the 9.3x62. I had been mulling over getting a 338 so I called up a buddy who has one and made a date to get together so he could shoot my CZ while I tried his 338. Both rifles weight within a 1/2 lb of each other. The 338 recoil is much sharper to my feeling. Even my friend comment the CZ was a softer shooting caliber even with the 286 grain bullets. I am not recoil sensitive so the recoil itself didn’t bother me as much as the muzzle blast. I may still get a 338 but I think I may go for the 338-06 with at least a 24” barrel. My buddy loved the looks of the full length stock on my 9.3 and is now on the prowl to see if he can find one used, as CZ discontinued the 550 FS. Welcome to the forum there are a lot of savvy gentleman here that are willing to share their wisdom.

Got rid of my 338 years ago because of its sharp recoil. Accurate rifle but you didn’t want to shoot a box worth at the range with it. Have quickly become a fan of the 9.3x62. Both my 9.3x62’s shoot softer and weigh 2-3 lbs less than that 338. Don’t shoot long distance much but if I need to I’ve got a 300 wm barrel in the case with the 9.3x62. Recoil of the 9.3 and 300 wm is pretty close to each other, very manageable....338 wm not so much.

 

[John Telford]

This gun needs to come to A

I have a .333Jeffery. Love to shoot a buffalo with that one. 300grain longnail will drive deep.

This gun needs to come to Africa I know of a willing and loving family that will gladly adopt this long lost child...

 

[Saul]

Got rid of my 338 years ago because of its sharp recoil. Accurate rifle but you didn’t want to shoot a box worth at the range with it. Have quickly become a fan of the 9.3x62. Both my 9.3x62’s shoot softer and weigh 2-3 lbs less than that 338. Don’t shoot long distance much but if I need to I’ve got a 300 wm barrel in the case with the 9.3x62. Recoil of the 9.3 and 300 wm is pretty close to each other, very manageable....338 wm not so much.

I similarly find the 338 win mag to be almost unbearable due to its sharp recoil impulse. Oddly enough, I find the 340 Weatherby and 338 Lapua to be quite manageable.