358 Winchester vs. 338 Winchester Magnum

[lizziedog1]

Two gun stores in the same area have Ruger 77's. One is chambered for the 358 and the other the 338. Both guns are brand new and priced about the same.

I really don't need either caliber, but when has need ever entered the picture.

Actually, some day I plan on trying for elk. I also plan on getting an atnelope if I ever draw a bloody tag for this state.

I reload, so I can extract maximum flexibility from either cartridge.

Which of these two calibers should I buy? Which one would you buy?

 

[loadedround]

The 338 WM would be my first choice. If you reload it would be much more versatile plus being an excellent elk or big bear round. Haven't seen too many 358's around for the past several years even though it is a very capable deer round, but a little on the light side for the big critters in my opinion. One advantage of the 358 however is that you will always have a supply of cheap cases thanks to the popularity of the 308 Win. BTW, my big bear rifle for trips into the Canadian wilds is an old Winchester Model 70 in 338 WM. I consider this round more than capable for any size game in North America.

 

[Jason280]

Antelope to Elk is a fairly wide open proposition, and neither cartridge would be what I'd call ideal for that range of hunting. Of course, both are more than adequate, just not perfect.

Personally, I would go with the .358 for a couple of reasons. Its a short action cartridge, is much cheaper to reload, and still has enough range and oomph for elk. While not an ideal longer range round, it is still good enough for 200-300 yards with lighter weight bullets on antelope.

 

[db_tanker]

358 would be my choice but I reload...and I like to be different.

 

[dougwx12]

338 is the flatter of the two, and would be my pick for your stated purposes.

 

[mbogo]

I'd take the .338 Win. Mag.. It offers greater range (with 210gr. bullets, it would be a great antelope (or muley/bear/desert bighorn) rifle) and can propel heavy bullets with a flatter trajectory (with 250gr. bullets, it is an excellent elk rifle) than the .358.

There is also a greater choice of excellent bullets available in .338" compared to .358".

mbogo
P.S. if that .338 is the .338RCM, I'd still pick it over the .358 Win.

 

[W.E.G.]

Make sure you don't have any loose fillings before you fire either one in a sporter-weight rifle.

Even if your teeth check out OK, they might not by the time you finish that obligatory "box of shells."

 

[RickMD]

The .358 was designed to be a relatively short range brush cartridge pushing a heavy bullet at moderate velocities. The .338 Winchester Magnum will shoot nearly as flat as the various 300 Magnums with the lighter bullets out to 500 yards.

They are two entirely different cartridges with different purposes. It's an apples to oranges comparison.

 

[Silent Sam]

Useable range of the 358 is under-rated and felt recoil is over-rated. I would not pick it for an antelope hunt but have used it on moose and elk. 338 WinMag recoil is a whole different level. Same weight bullets 300-400 fps faster.

 

[DM~]

If longer ranges and bigger animals are in your sights, i'd pick the .338 without hesitation, as it's easily the better choise of those two.

DM

 

[natman]

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot the biggest elk that ever walked with a 358. I wouldn't consider using a 338 on anything smaller than elk if I had a choice. Neither is anywhere near ideal for antelope. Using a 338 on antelope would just be embarrassing.

The 358 is a much better all around choice if you handload.

 

[Abel]

I wouldn't hesitate to shoot the biggest elk that ever walked with a 358. I wouldn't consider using a 338 on anything smaller than elk if I had a choice.

This sums it up. I would go with the 358 as well...And then I'd go buy a 243 to hunt 'lope with.

 

[lizziedog1]

I see that some lighter bullets are available for reloaders for the 338. I believe that Barnes makes a 185 grainer for it. Dosen't that sort of put the 338 in the smae class as a 300 magnum?

But I also see that the 358 can be reloaded with light, inexpensive handgun bullets for vermin and plinking.

 

[DM~]

You can handload a .338 Win Mag. DOWN to anything the 358 will do, but you can't load a 358 UP to what a .338 Win Mag. will do!

DM

 

[Smokey in PHX]

I have always felt the 338WM to be the best elk cartridge. If you are not hunting elk or big, big bears there isn't much sense in owning one. Of the two mentioned I would immediately take the 338WM. If you are recoil sensitive I would I would then recommend the .358 to you.

Also, as Abel mentioned, after buying one of the above, then buy a .243 for antelope and have some fun.

 

[CraigC]

Hands down the .358. Unless you need to shoot big critters at long range, it'll do anything that needs doing without beating you up and fits in a shorter, lighter rifle. Slap a Leupold 1-4x or 1.5-5x on it and you're set.

 

[lizziedog1]

I like this description of the 338 Winchester Magnum. I found it in one of my older reloading manuals.

If a 7mm Remignton magnum and a 45-70 Government had a baby it would grow up to be a 338 Winchester Magnum.

I am not exactly recoil crazy. But I have shot a 338 before. It wasn't that bad. Not exactly plinking comforatble, but very survivable.

I have never shot a 358 though. But looking at reloading data, even though it should kick less then a 338, it should not be that much less.

 

[SwampWolf]

But looking at reloading data, even though it should kick less then a 338, it should not be that much less.

I shoot both cartridges, the .358 in a Savage Model 99 lever-action and the .338 in a Savage Model 116 bolt-action and, although the rifles are different enough in terms of their stock configuration, weight, barrel length, etc. to make for a not so valid comparison, the .338 kicks a lot harder than the .358 does, at least with my rifles.

 

[CraigC]

I would expect the .338 to recoil appreciably more than the .358. Which should recoil not much harder than the .308 it's based on.

 

[Jason280]

Which should recoil not much harder than the .308 it's based on.

Actually, recoil can be quite stout with 200-250gr bullets out of .358 rifles. I have one in a Browning BLR, and you definitely no when you've pulled the trigger! Of course, I doubt its nearly as bad as the .338, but its still noticeably more than my BLR .308!

 

[gralewaj]

.358 all the way. Magnum knockdown power in a short action rifle? What more could one ask for? Yes, one may load the .338 WinMag to much higher velocity and energy specs, but put a .358 Win into meat of nearly any kind and it falls down. I like mine.

Side note: After shooting a friends .338 Ultra Mag, i will keep my .358 until my grandchildren pry it from my cold dead hands...

 

[SHOOT1SAM]

Although I am a huge fan of the 35 caliber, I look at the original post a different way.

One is never going to have a problem finding a .338 WM rifle to buy somewhere.

If you pass on the .358 Win., you may come to regret it later, simply for the fact that you may not be able to find one.

Sam

 

[lizziedog1]

Some of you mention recoil. Honestly, how many of you have actually fired a 338 Winchester Magnum.

I am by no means a fan of heavy recoil. But I have heard enough exagerations about it to be skeptical.

Years ago I bought my first 44 magnum revolver. Honestly, I was a bit scared the first time I pulled its trigger. I had the gun and my arms braced in a death grip to make darn sure the revolver wasn't going to smack me in the head causing a fracture or go flying out of my hands and hitting an innocent bystander.

It kicked, no doubt. But it wasn't that bad. In fact, I reloaded some loads that could be classified as warm 44 Special loads. My son, twelve at the time, had a ball firing off several cylinder fulls.

So, will this round knock my teeth out?

 

[PreMod70]

The 338 will do anything the 358 will do and give you another 120 yards or so to play with, great cartridge.

 

[natman]

Some of you mention recoil. Honestly, how many of you have actually fired a 338 Winchester Magnum.

I am by no means a fan of heavy recoil. But I have heard enough exagerations about it to be skeptical.

.....
So, will this round knock my teeth out?

No, but it does kick enough that you won't want to shoot it unless it offers a real benefit over other rounds that kick less. It's not a general purpose round. If I needed a dedicated, come-what-may elk/moose rifle I'd use a 338. If I hunted elk where there was a realistic chance of running across a grizzly, I'd use a 338. Otherwise I wouldn't.

I have a 338, a Browning BAR. I have a 358, a Browning BLR. Believe me, for general use including a possible elk, a 358 is a lot more pleasant to live with.

You asked for advice, you got it. It's up to you whether or not you follow it.