338s Are A Great Caliber

[RayAtkinson]

Ive shot about everything in the world short of an elephant with the .338 Win mostly with the 225 gr. Nosler with a big dose of RL-19, or the 250 gr. Nosler, and to a lesser degree the 275 gr Speer and the 300 gr. Woodleigh, It kills as well as the 9.3x62 (another favorite of mine) and my 375 H&H or Ruger...NOt much difference in any of the calibers..and such wild jibberish claims against the .338 are unfounded by someone who lacks experience with the caliber....The .338 btw will out penetrate most any caliber out there today..Ive seen it used on elephant and completely penetrate an elephants skull wherein my .375 did not..

Recoil of the .338 claims, is unfounded it recoils less than the 340, 375 etc by a good deal, if not then the poor stock design is the problem not the caliber. That is a ballistic fact..Its lack of recoil is the reason the .338 Win. has taken over the pacific NW where we used to see the .270 and 30-06, and also the favorite backup caliber for Alaskan Guides and its becoming very popular in Africa...

 

[Fastrig]

Ive shot about everything in the world short of an elephant with the .338 Win mostly with the 225 gr. Nosler with a big dose of RL-19, or the 250 gr. Nosler, and to a lesser degree the 275 gr Speer and the 300 gr. Woodleigh, It kills as well as the 9.3x62 (another favorite of mine) and my 375 H&H or Ruger...NOt much difference in any of the calibers..and such wild jibberish claims against the .338 are unfounded by someone who lacks experience with the caliber....The .338 btw will out penetrate most any caliber out there today..Ive seen it used on elephant and completely penetrate an elephants skull wherein my .375 did not..

Recoil of the .338 claims, is unfounded it recoils less than the 340, 375 etc by a good deal, if not then the poor stock design is the problem not the caliber. That is a ballistic fact..Its lack of recoil is the reason the .338 Win. has taken over the pacific NW where we used to see the .270 and 30-06, and also the favorite backup caliber for Alaskan Guides and its becoming very popular in Africa...

Good caliber, no doubt, but prefer the 9.3x62 myself. I did find that the 338 wm kicked like a mule, a sharp kick (10 lbs rifle), where the 9.3x62 is more of a good push type of kick with less muzzle rise, and that’s in a lighter rifle (8.5 lbs). Both great calibers, IMHO, but I’d take the 9.3 over the 338 wm at the end of the day.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Good caliber, no doubt, but prefer the 9.3x62 myself. I did find that the 338 wm kicked like a mule, a sharp kick (10 lbs rifle), where the 9.3x62 is more of a good push type of kick with less muzzle rise, and that’s in a lighter rifle (8.5 lbs). Both great calibers, IMHO, but I’d take the 9.3 over the 338 wm at the end of the day.

@ Fastrig
Both the 338 and 9.3 are good rounds but give me a properly loaded Whelen. Will do anything either will do out to 400 yards and shoots faster and flatter than the 9.3 with 250 grainers, and hits just as hard as the 338 but with a bigger hole.
Bob

 

[MS 9x56]

Ive shot about everything in the world short of an elephant with the .338 Win mostly with the 225 gr. Nosler with a big dose of RL-19, or the 250 gr. Nosler, and to a lesser degree the 275 gr Speer and the 300 gr. Woodleigh, It kills as well as the 9.3x62 (another favorite of mine) and my 375 H&H or Ruger...NOt much difference in any of the calibers..and such wild jibberish claims against the .338 are unfounded by someone who lacks experience with the caliber....The .338 btw will out penetrate most any caliber out there today..Ive seen it used on elephant and completely penetrate an elephants skull wherein my .375 did not..

Recoil of the .338 claims, is unfounded it recoils less than the 340, 375 etc by a good deal, if not then the poor stock design is the problem not the caliber. That is a ballistic fact..Its lack of recoil is the reason the .338 Win. has taken over the pacific NW where we used to see the .270 and 30-06, and also the favorite backup caliber for Alaskan Guides and its becoming very popular in Africa...

I think you may be onto something with the stock design. Since the 338 is an American designed and made by all American gun companies using stocks declared perfect by none other than Jack O’Conner , he of the straight stock that delivers all the recoil energy straight back into the shooters shoulder. With the muzzle jump of the magnum 338 it also delivers a goodly smack right in the cheek to go along with it. Possibly if guns were stocked in the European fashion it would not have that reputation. Just one mans musings. I must admit I favor the 9.3.

 

[Fastrig]

@ Fastrig
Both the 338 and 9.3 are good rounds but give me a properly loaded Whelen. Will do anything either will do out to 400 yards and shoots faster and flatter than the 9.3 with 250 grainers, and hits just as hard as the 338 but with a bigger hole.
Bob

I’ve never shot a 35 Whelen. How’s the recoil and muzzle rise compared to a 338 wm and 9.3x62?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I’ve never shot a 35 Whelen. How’s the recoil and muzzle rise compared to a 338 wm and 9.3x62?

@Fastrig
The 35 has a lot less recoil than the 338 and about the same as a 9.3.
In my Whelen the 250 grainers are at 2,700fps and the 225s are at close to 2,90fps.
Bob.

 

[Fastrig]

@Fastrig
The 35 has a lot less recoil than the 338 and about the same as a 9.3.
In my Whelen the 250 grainers are at 2,700fps and the 225s are at close to 2,90fps.
Bob.

Thanks mucho! I might have to check the 35 out....though Ive become kind of a 9.3x62 fan boy

 

[MS 9x56]

Thanks mucho! I might have to check the 35 out....though Ive become kind of a 9.3x62 fan boy

I don’t really notice much rise from my Whelen unless shooting from bench and not holding onto forearm. I have both and really like both.

 

[krish]

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.

I have one. One time before elk hunting in colorodo , on the way past Denver's stoped by a rifle range to make sure of zero of my scope. Shot 20 rounds with out muzle break. Wow I realised that I had brains. YES IT WAS WOBLING INSIDE MY SCULL AND I COULD FEEL THE PAIN. !!!!!!!!!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Thanks mucho! I might have to check the 35 out....though Ive become kind of a 9.3x62 fan boy

@Fastrig
That's fine there's no flies on the 9.3 good round.
Bob

 

[broncolcj]

huge fan of the .340 Weatherby. 230 gr. oryx and 250 gr. partitions are absolutely devastating on big, tough plains game

 

[Saul]

Why does Weatherby refuse to load the Barnes 250 gr LRX in the 340, instead only offering the 225 gr TTSX?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

huge fan of the .340 Weatherby. 230 gr. oryx and 250 gr. partitions are absolutely devastating on big, tough plains game

@broncolcj

The Whelen with a 225grain Woodleigh @2,950fps is devastating on plains game while being gentle on the shoulder compared to the big 338s
Bob

 

[JimP]

Why does Weatherby refuse to load the Barnes 250 gr LRX in the 340, instead only offering the 225 gr TTSX?

You need to ask Weatherby that.

I personally don't see a need for it but if you reload then there is no reason for you not to load some up and see what they do.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Why does Weatherby refuse to load the Barnes 250 gr LRX in the 340, instead only offering the 225 gr TTSX?

My guess is Weatherby is all about high velocity, so heavy bullets are slower and of no interest.

However, for those that want a 250 or 265 gr bullet, Hendershots can supply your needs.

340 Weatherby Magnum Extreme Custom Ammo

Don’t handload and want more performance from your 340 Weatherby Mag? Hendershot’s “Extreme” Custom Ammo offers you a multitude of choices with today’s high-performance bullets.

hendershots.net

 

[Fastrig]

@broncolcj
View attachment 362450
The Whelen with a 225grain Woodleigh @2,950fps is devastating on plains game while being gentle on the shoulder compared to the big 338s
Bob

Sweet looking rifle you got there!!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Sweet looking rifle you got there!!

@Fastrig
A better picture of it.

Bob

 

[Saul]

My guess is Weatherby is all about high velocity, so heavy bullets are slower and of no interest.

However, for those that want a 250 or 265 gr bullet, Hendershots can supply your needs.

340 Weatherby Magnum Extreme Custom Ammo

Don’t handload and want more performance from your 340 Weatherby Mag? Hendershot’s “Extreme” Custom Ammo offers you a multitude of choices with today’s high-performance bullets.

hendershots.net

View attachment 362457

View attachment 362458

I am surprised that they could not get more than 2850 out of the 250 gr loads.

 

[broncolcj]

@broncolcj
View attachment 362450
The Whelen with a 225grain Woodleigh @2,950fps is devastating on plains game while being gentle on the shoulder compared to the big 338s
Bob

I do agree, Whelen is much milder on the shoulder. Weatherby is more practical for me personally because of where I hunt most often requiring longer shots

 

[broncolcj]

Why does Weatherby refuse to load the Barnes 250 gr LRX in the 340, instead only offering the 225 gr TTSX?

I think it has something to do with accuracy of the long 250 gr. homogenous as opposed to lead-core loaded at the max pressures Weatherby usually loads to