200 yard gong 338 WM

[ExAgoradzo]

No one within screaming distance really cares, so, even though it is a very minor brag, I just have to say I shot well today.

My first shot rang the 18" gong at 200 yards. 2 of the next 3 gonged the 9". That is deadly accurate in my book!

Got too big for my britches and went out to 300. By then I broke my concentration and flinched each time. Back to school for me.

But very happy!!!

8 shots with that rifle were enough.

Greg

 

[Robert]

If you ever get out here I will let you shoot my 375H&H. You will never want to go back to that 338

Any day shooting is a good day! Glad you had fun.

 

[Frostbite]

Shot the caliber once, from a bolt action rifle, and genuinely enjoyed the experience. It does recoil!

I sometimes find myself thinking it would be the next interesting step after my .270 Winchester as a more authoritative caliber if I ever find a need for one, although going directly to a .375 H&H might prove a better calculation.

If money was not a so boringly limiting factor, I would most likely get both just for the fun of it!

I wish you to get to shoot it the way you like it.

 

[ExAgoradzo]

Robert, the dream is still alive. I didn't get that 7mm. Hoping 2016 will be my year. The guys I was shooting with today thought I was nuts: but one of them hit the 18" gong...

I know people in CO: I'll let you know if I'm able to get there with wheels.

Thanks,
Greg

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

Good shooting. But that 338WM is capable of much more...my 300WM hits a 10" plate at 1000 for the first 5 shots. Keep practicing

 

[ExAgoradzo]

My rifle may, but I'll never be that good. If I could shoot 300 yards from every position inside a 9" circle I would consider myself an excellent marksman. You obviously far surpass 'excellent' by my def....
Greg

 

[BP Hunter]

What rifle were you shooting and was it scoped?

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

OP just keep practicing and you'll get there. That's the name of the game. I hope you don't think I was being a jerk, I wasn't trying to be. As long as we are shooting and having fun that's what it's all about.

 

[ExAgoradzo]

No bro, I didn't think you were being a jerk at all: I hope you didn't read that into my comments either. I admire guys when I'm at a public range and I try to engage them to learn... This time I was on a buddy's land so it was just the three of us dads and two boys...I felt out of place as the 'best shot on the range that day'!

It is a 1974 M70, yes scoped...I don't recall the name off the top of my head. A guy who is long retired decided he didn't want to dislocate his shoulder took pity on me and helped me out. This is the 2nd time I've shot it and the first time at any distance. I was using his old reloads, so I need to either reload some myself now or buy something decent. At any rate, there is no 'need' for such a rifle here; but which of my rifles do I 'need' (don't tell my wife that and I won't tell yours' .

Greg

 

[Sunray]

"...and flinched each time..." Four or 5 rounds of any .338 will do that. A recoil pad will help.
"...was using his old reloads..." Not really a good idea. Regardless of who the guy is.

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

OP looks like we are on the same page have fun my friend. Must admit that my rifle isn't a "hunting" rifle it's what I consider a custom purpose built long range rifle. I do however have a sub 9lb 7mm-08 I've shot to 800, with hunting bullets, and done well I plan to stretch it to 1000 this spring.

 

[CB900F]

ExAgoradzo;

I too have a .338 Winchester magnum, but it doesn't get used so much anymore. I've found that "lesser" calibers will do the job as well. But, perhaps a large part of that reason in that my handloads have a 225 grain bullet exiting the muzzle at 2900 fps. Off the bench, it does tend to get your attention. On our range, the one foot diameter gongs start at 600 yards and continue to 1000. As the scope on my .338 max's at 10X, and I'm an old phart, I don't get to play the real long range game with it. But the Swede's a different story.

900F

 

[TwoEyedJack]

The secret to enjoyable target practice with the .338 win mag is a lead sled. There is literally no difference I can tell between a .338, a .270, and a .308 in terms of felt recoil using this rest. Of course, you won't be dragging your lead sled on a hunting trip, but when I am shooting game, somehow I don't really even notice the recoil. This is probably why I can go duck and goose hunting with a shotgun that actually kicks harder than a .338, shoot a box of shells, and not even think twice about it.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

The trouble with a lead sled is recoil. Yup, you don't feel it so much, if at all, using one. But, that recoil does not go away. It winds up in the stock for the most part. And that's pretty hard on that part of the rifle.

900F

 

[TwoEyedJack]

Fella's;

The trouble with a lead sled is recoil. Yup, you don't feel it so much, if at all, using one. But, that recoil does not go away. It winds up in the stock for the most part. And that's pretty hard on that part of the rifle.

900F

You know, I have often wondered about this. In fact, I searched to see if anybody has broken stocks using the sled before I bought it. I couldn't find any such reports. My Ruger .338 has a pretty stout synthetic stock which I don't think could ever break because of recoil, but I could definitely see that with a wood stock.

 

[H&Hhunter]

You know, I have often wondered about this. In fact, I searched to see if anybody has broken stocks using the sled before I bought it. I couldn't find any such reports. My Ruger .338 has a pretty stout synthetic stock which I don't think could ever break because of recoil, but I could definitely see that with a wood stock.

Absolutely a problem in higher recoiling rifles. I have known of several double rifles and one .416 Rigby cracked in the pistol grip due to lead sled usage.

 

[ExAgoradzo]

I used a lead sled once to sight in a .270. It worked, but it seemed cumbersome and since I've never tried to shoot really far, my 9" circle at whatever distance just hasn't needed that much precision: my sandbags work fine.

All that with remembering I was flinching on those last 4 shots...

Greg

 

[wahsben]

You didn't say whether there is a muzzle brake on it or not but it seems from your description that there isn't one. You could have your barrel threaded to accept one.
A good muzzle brake would help with the recoil but if anyone thinks it's loud now they'll get to hear what loud really is if you put a brake on.
Enjoy your shooting.

 

[ExAgoradzo]

No, no muzzle break. If I ever make it to a free state a can on the end of several rifles would be a fantastic idea. Seems to me that a 10/22 with a can would be a great rifle for a good many things .

Greg

 

[berettashotgun]

375 ultramag with plastic stock would drop the mag on a remington 700bdl from recoil. Swelled up the stock terribly at the recoil pad. Worried about going wood before the brake was installed, now need needle-nose pliers to get the foam earplugs out......