What about it, any of you guys have one? Do you like it? I have heard the recoil is more of a heavy push than a sharp rap but still quite a bit to get used to. I will handload for it if I get one.
Considering a 338 win mag
- Thread starter sig220mw
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It's fun! I love mine. It throws heavy bullets fast and far. similar to 30-06 trajectories i if i remember right. Recoil is sometimes alot but i try to take it as my "heavy" gun when going to the range and usually take a .22 and another small gun .243/24-06 to even out the day.
I feel everyone needs either one of these or a .375 of sorts... or both.
I shot a whitetail last year with mine and it didn't "destroy" the animal as some would unknowingly assume.
I feel everyone needs either one of these or a .375 of sorts... or both.
I shot a whitetail last year with mine and it didn't "destroy" the animal as some would unknowingly assume.
I think the .338 Winchester is one of the most-sensible cartridges to emerge in the last half-century.
It's "fast enough" to have a very usable trajectory out to 300-plus yards on game animals.
It's "big enough" to use bullets sufficiently-heavy to be very certain killers on medium and large (North American "large") game....and most African species as well.
It's chambered in a decent variety of manufacturer's rifles.
In my experience (four different rifles) it shoots very accurately indeed, considering the energy it delivers. My Savage 116 routinely groups 225 TSX bullets under 1/2" for three rounds at 100 yards.
My wife selected the .338 and .270 Winchester as "her" hunting cartridges. The trajectories of the 225TSX and 130 Partition are so nearly identical that she only concerns herself with one set of numbers.
The .338 may be as close as we'll come to the mythical "one rifle for North America". It's definitely more than is "needed" for deer, but it kills them cleanly and will do the same for our largest animals too. The only drawback MIGHT be the increased recoil level, as compared to some lighter rounds. This hasn't been a problem for either my wife or myself.
Colonel Townsend Whelen is quoted as saying, "The .30-06 is never a mistake." I agree with that, and I'd also add a similar sentiment for the .338. It's like an '06 on steroids, and I have great respect for it.
It's "fast enough" to have a very usable trajectory out to 300-plus yards on game animals.
It's "big enough" to use bullets sufficiently-heavy to be very certain killers on medium and large (North American "large") game....and most African species as well.
It's chambered in a decent variety of manufacturer's rifles.
In my experience (four different rifles) it shoots very accurately indeed, considering the energy it delivers. My Savage 116 routinely groups 225 TSX bullets under 1/2" for three rounds at 100 yards.
My wife selected the .338 and .270 Winchester as "her" hunting cartridges. The trajectories of the 225TSX and 130 Partition are so nearly identical that she only concerns herself with one set of numbers.
The .338 may be as close as we'll come to the mythical "one rifle for North America". It's definitely more than is "needed" for deer, but it kills them cleanly and will do the same for our largest animals too. The only drawback MIGHT be the increased recoil level, as compared to some lighter rounds. This hasn't been a problem for either my wife or myself.
Colonel Townsend Whelen is quoted as saying, "The .30-06 is never a mistake." I agree with that, and I'd also add a similar sentiment for the .338. It's like an '06 on steroids, and I have great respect for it.
MtnCreek
Member
I would fire one before purchasing. I fired a friends .338 a couple of years ago and that was all it took for me. Too much recoil for me.
I had a Winchester model 70 in .338 Mag. I purchased it brand new.
It had a Leupold scope on it and I was handloading for it. I was pulling about 3/4" groups at 100 yards off a bench. I did a trigger job on it and glass-bedded the receiver with a free-floating barrel.
It was another one of those guns I never should have sold or traded.
After losing my shirt most times selling or trading, I came to the conclusion about 12 years ago (or longer) that I am going to keep every gun I currently have and never sell or trade them, as I always lost money - especially considering all the time I had into working up extremely accurate loads for them! How can you put a price tag on literally days spent between the reloading bench and the range to find that "perfect" load combination?
Anymore, the only way I would sell any of my (very few) guns would be if the person wanted it so badly, they would pay me more than the gun is worth plus all the time I have into accurizing it and working up loads!
It had a Leupold scope on it and I was handloading for it. I was pulling about 3/4" groups at 100 yards off a bench. I did a trigger job on it and glass-bedded the receiver with a free-floating barrel.
It was another one of those guns I never should have sold or traded.
After losing my shirt most times selling or trading, I came to the conclusion about 12 years ago (or longer) that I am going to keep every gun I currently have and never sell or trade them, as I always lost money - especially considering all the time I had into working up extremely accurate loads for them! How can you put a price tag on literally days spent between the reloading bench and the range to find that "perfect" load combination?
Anymore, the only way I would sell any of my (very few) guns would be if the person wanted it so badly, they would pay me more than the gun is worth plus all the time I have into accurizing it and working up loads!
I own a 338 mag - Winchester Model 70 - circa 1994 with controlled round feeding.
It is fairly heavy but still kicks VERY hard. If I had to do it over, I would go with a lighter round - say 30 Win mag.... ...lugging a heavy rifle around all day is no fun either.
I would shoot this before you buy it as many folks I know say it kicks too much...
It is fairly heavy but still kicks VERY hard. If I had to do it over, I would go with a lighter round - say 30 Win mag.... ...lugging a heavy rifle around all day is no fun either.
I would shoot this before you buy it as many folks I know say it kicks too much...
Mine is a Rem. 700, and I love it. I got it as an elk killer, and haven't had a chance to use it for that pupose yet. After accurizing the rifle, it's an accurate round with factory ammo, and recoil is fine. My gun came with limbsaver recoil pad, which reduces my perceived recoil to that of a .223.
I have a Ruger #1 in the .338, I used it in Africa on a safari. Great gun , but I did end up Magna-porting it. It would rise up 12-14" on a bench before the Magna-port job, after about 1" with the same loads. Did a good job of taming the gun. I probably had over 500 rounds off the bench working up loads, couldn't find a single factory load that would shoot under 2" groups, most of the worst groups were the real expensive premium safari rounds. The gun settled into my handloads well with the average about 3/4"-1".
Bad thing is I haven't had the gun out to shoot in 10 years, where I live is restricted deer hunting to weak calibers and shotguns.
Bad thing is I haven't had the gun out to shoot in 10 years, where I live is restricted deer hunting to weak calibers and shotguns.
considering a 338 win or 375 h&h for my next gun as well. Its either going to be a ruger number 1 tropical 375 or a browning xbolt stainless stalker in 338. Cant decide
Clark
Member
In I got a 1990 BAR 338 for $650 in 2008 that weighs 9.5 pounds with scope.
69 gr H4350 pushes the 250 gr Nosler Gold partition 2600 fps average.
I do not feel any recoil pain, even at the range.
The secret is the recoil pad.
The Limbsaver large grind to fit pad, but I do not grind to fit. I leave the butt area as big as it came.
http://www.brownells.com/1/1/27501-...-grind-large-sims-vibration-laboratories.html
69 gr H4350 pushes the 250 gr Nosler Gold partition 2600 fps average.
I do not feel any recoil pain, even at the range.
The secret is the recoil pad.
The Limbsaver large grind to fit pad, but I do not grind to fit. I leave the butt area as big as it came.
http://www.brownells.com/1/1/27501-...-grind-large-sims-vibration-laboratories.html
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I also Mag-na-ported my .338. Of course I always used ear protection when shooting it. I used the earplugs that have the plastic lanyard shaped like a, "U". It hung comfortably around my neck. And, no, I never missed taking a shot at an elk because I was putting my earplugs in. Anyway, the .338 is an excellent elk rifle if one can handle it wit confidence.
I've had a Rem. 700SS 338 for years and the synthetic stock must be soaking up a lot of recoil because mine is fun to shoot. More accurate than I am. Just sold my 700 Safari 375 H&H. I used it in Africa in '90 and it pretty much sat in the safe there after. Too dang heavy to lug around as you get older, that aside there's a reason the 375 has been around for so long. WONDERFUL round can be reloaded from 235 gr. speers to 350 gr. Barnes.
Pretty much a ditto relative to Clarks's call. My BAR is the lightweight model, superbly accurate and an absolute one shot deer killer with 225 accubonds over 70 gr. of IMR 4350.............I'd note that the recoil issue in that autoloader is a looong push, not difficult at all to adjust to.........fast followups are not as easily managed as in the '06 liteweight that I also own.
I had one of the first left-hand Remington M700 in 338Win-Mag. I thought the recoil to be manageable. As a prelude to acquiring the rifle I loaded my LH Remington M700 30-06 with 220Gr bullets and the maximum listed powder charge. If you can tolerate that combination in opinion then the 338Mag isn’t that much of a step up.
I am going to paraphrase something I read about the 338 Winchester Magnum a long time ago.
One could argue whether a 338 magnum, or a 300 magnum, or a 7mm magnum is best for elk type game. But when the topic of large carnivores comes up, debate is over. The 338 wins.
One could argue whether a 338 magnum, or a 300 magnum, or a 7mm magnum is best for elk type game. But when the topic of large carnivores comes up, debate is over. The 338 wins.
GooseGestapo
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Having shot several different .338mags, I can lend a little insight.
Recoil is dependant on the bullet weight, velocity of that bullet, and the rifle to include stock design, composition, and recoil pad.
The first .338mag I shot was a Remington M700. Recoil wasn't that bad. Significant, but manageable/tolerable. Likewise the Winchester M70.
Then I shot a Browning Stainless Stalker w/26"bbl and synthetic stock. The owner wanted to chronograph some handloads with 250gr Nosler Partitions over a book max load of IMR4350. I shot them through the chrono from the bench as I fear someone blasting my chronograph due to flinching. Recoil was very mild considering the cartridge. I wasn't too impressed with the velocity as it was 2,650fps. He was pleased as that was what the book said it should get. Not a bad load however.
My personal .338's are a custom barreled Interarms MkX Mauser in .338/06. I get 2,600fps with 58.0gr of IMR4350 and near one-MOA groups at 100yds. The other is a Marlin .338MX. It with certain loads will shoot sub-moa for 3-shots. It gets 2,500fps with a 200gr bullet, but is a deer killer supreme.
The Mauser was the worst kicking .338 I'd ever shot. When it was a .30/06, it was the worst kicking .30/06 I ever shot. I used to have a bunch of Norma 220gr factory loads that I shot up for the brass in the late '70's. My aquaintainces would talk about their hard kicking rifles, usually a 7mmRemMag. I'd challenge them to shoot my rifle. None would shoot the '06 more than once! They'd say "you win!" The .338/06 barrel kicked even worse, even after a recoil pad was added. The design of the original walnut stock somehow made the recoil come right at you. No absorbtion and a hard butt plate, I suppose.
However after putting the action in a Hogue stock, the rifles character was totally changed. It's now more pleasant than most of my 7mm or larger caliber rifles. Recoil is there, but is the "push" rather than "whack" it used to be.
I really like the .338 caliber. The bullets tend to have excellent ballistic coefficients and the 250 and heavier bullets have high sectional densities. However, with a bullet such as the 210gr Nosler Partition they can be very destructive on smaller big-game such as our ~100lb deer. The worst I ever shot up a deer was with my .338/06 and a Noser 210 Partition over 60.0gr of H414 at a chrono'd 2,750fps (duplicates Weatherby factory load). The shoulder/spine shot almost blew the deer in half. I lost both shoulders, nearly half the back-straps. It was definitely more destructive than any load I've shot a deer with from my .300RemUltMag.
The .338's are a lot of gun. I believe you'll enjoy one, especially if you reload. If you don't reload, you won't shoot much, not because of recoil from the rifle, but the RECOIL from the PRICE OF THE FACTORY AMMO!.....
OUCH! AT THE CHECKOUT COUNTER !!!!!
Recoil is dependant on the bullet weight, velocity of that bullet, and the rifle to include stock design, composition, and recoil pad.
The first .338mag I shot was a Remington M700. Recoil wasn't that bad. Significant, but manageable/tolerable. Likewise the Winchester M70.
Then I shot a Browning Stainless Stalker w/26"bbl and synthetic stock. The owner wanted to chronograph some handloads with 250gr Nosler Partitions over a book max load of IMR4350. I shot them through the chrono from the bench as I fear someone blasting my chronograph due to flinching. Recoil was very mild considering the cartridge. I wasn't too impressed with the velocity as it was 2,650fps. He was pleased as that was what the book said it should get. Not a bad load however.
My personal .338's are a custom barreled Interarms MkX Mauser in .338/06. I get 2,600fps with 58.0gr of IMR4350 and near one-MOA groups at 100yds. The other is a Marlin .338MX. It with certain loads will shoot sub-moa for 3-shots. It gets 2,500fps with a 200gr bullet, but is a deer killer supreme.
The Mauser was the worst kicking .338 I'd ever shot. When it was a .30/06, it was the worst kicking .30/06 I ever shot. I used to have a bunch of Norma 220gr factory loads that I shot up for the brass in the late '70's. My aquaintainces would talk about their hard kicking rifles, usually a 7mmRemMag. I'd challenge them to shoot my rifle. None would shoot the '06 more than once! They'd say "you win!" The .338/06 barrel kicked even worse, even after a recoil pad was added. The design of the original walnut stock somehow made the recoil come right at you. No absorbtion and a hard butt plate, I suppose.
However after putting the action in a Hogue stock, the rifles character was totally changed. It's now more pleasant than most of my 7mm or larger caliber rifles. Recoil is there, but is the "push" rather than "whack" it used to be.
I really like the .338 caliber. The bullets tend to have excellent ballistic coefficients and the 250 and heavier bullets have high sectional densities. However, with a bullet such as the 210gr Nosler Partition they can be very destructive on smaller big-game such as our ~100lb deer. The worst I ever shot up a deer was with my .338/06 and a Noser 210 Partition over 60.0gr of H414 at a chrono'd 2,750fps (duplicates Weatherby factory load). The shoulder/spine shot almost blew the deer in half. I lost both shoulders, nearly half the back-straps. It was definitely more destructive than any load I've shot a deer with from my .300RemUltMag.
The .338's are a lot of gun. I believe you'll enjoy one, especially if you reload. If you don't reload, you won't shoot much, not because of recoil from the rifle, but the RECOIL from the PRICE OF THE FACTORY AMMO!.....
OUCH! AT THE CHECKOUT COUNTER !!!!!
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Ever considered a 338-06? The 338 win mag is a fine cartridge, but doesn't make sense when you use 15% more powder to gain 100 fps. Just a suggestion.
Thanks to all of you for your replies. GooseGestapo you mentioned that you put a Hogue stock on yours and it made quite a difference. Was it the overmold or another type?
GooseGestapo
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Overmould. Don't know they offer any other kind. Mine is the orginal, doesn't have the rail, just the pillar bedding.
Didn't notice any real improvement in accuracy. The original stock from Interarms was free-floated, and I'd had it glass bedded even back in the '70's.
I had to do some minor inletting with a dremel in the barrel channel as the contour of my medium weight barrel was slightly larger than the provided barrel channel.
Rifle feels a tad barrel heavy due to the hollow butt-stock. I may put some kind of filler in it some day to slightly alter the ballance.
Didn't notice any real improvement in accuracy. The original stock from Interarms was free-floated, and I'd had it glass bedded even back in the '70's.
I had to do some minor inletting with a dremel in the barrel channel as the contour of my medium weight barrel was slightly larger than the provided barrel channel.
Rifle feels a tad barrel heavy due to the hollow butt-stock. I may put some kind of filler in it some day to slightly alter the ballance.
I have a Savage model 116 SE chambered in .338 Magnum. One feature I've come to like on this Savage is that the brake can be turned on or off. I leave it on when sighting-in or testing reloads and the range is sparsely populated and off when I'm in the field hunting. I double-up on ear protection when shooting the rifle at the range with the brake on; something that's not always practical in the field, which is why I turn it off when hunting.
The point of impact and accuracy of various loads are unaffected by the position of the brake, at least on my rifle.
In addition to the brake, the weight of the rifle and the configuration of the stock, along with a well-designed pad, help tame the recoil of the .338 cartridge in this rifle.
The point of impact and accuracy of various loads are unaffected by the position of the brake, at least on my rifle.
In addition to the brake, the weight of the rifle and the configuration of the stock, along with a well-designed pad, help tame the recoil of the .338 cartridge in this rifle.
DM~
Member
I've been shooting .338-06's since the 70's, and "if" you load BOTH to the same pressure, you will gain a lot more than 100fps!
DM
Got a Winchester model 70 XTR in .338. Inherited it and shot it only a few times not knowing what to expect. Its big, its loud, and its powerful. Could get a little expensive and your shoulder might beg for mercy after a select number of shots.
I have given mine the nickname "the elephant gun" because its the biggest, most powerful gun in my collection.
I have given mine the nickname "the elephant gun" because its the biggest, most powerful gun in my collection.
35 Whelen
Member
I think it's a sensible cartridge. I shot one loaded with (heavy) 265 gr. loads. I kicked like Sister Sarah's mule, but like someone told you, it's more of a heavy push than a sharp rap. (Recoil velocity vs. recoil energy)
I wasn't going to say this, but since hogcaller already has...
Since you are a handloader, I'd take a serious looks at the 338-06. I only lags behind the 338 WM about 100 fps. My Dad has owned a couple and they'll do 2800 with 210 gr. bullets, 2700 with 225's, and 2600 with 250's. The mathematical difference in the two cartridges is only about 50 yds. when comparing bullet energies and the real difference in the field not even that as I doubt any animal would know which cartrige yo used as he lay there dead!
Add to that the fact that the magazine will hold five 338-06's instead of three 338 WM's, it just makes more sense to me.
Good luck on your decision!
35W
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