Opinion Needed on a 338 Win Mag

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gun crazy newfie

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Hi all. I am thinking about buying a used Ruger M77 Mark ll Stainless in 338 Win Mag with a Limbsaver Recoil pad and it was sent to Rocky Mountain Rifles and had one of their custom muzzle breaks installed which reduces recoil by 40% and a stainless knurled thread protector. It is in MINT condition and has had 30 rounds fired through it. The rifle is two years old.

He is asking $900 Firm. Do you guys think that this is a fair price. The muzzle break cost $300 installed and the thread protector cost $50. Please give me your opinion. Thanks in advance.
 
It's still going to have a fair amount of recoil and a heck of a lot of blast. Muzzle brakes basically just trade one for the other.

Personally, I wouldn't be interested, but if you might be shooting any really big game like moose then it might be worthwhile. For deer sized game it's overkill. I'm not really sure on the price, but unless it includes good glass it sounds a little high to me.
 
If your screen name is true, and you are a new guy, the .338 is most likely not for you.

It is meant for hunting big things, like brown bear. Again, if you're really brand new to guns you're going to want to learn to shoot first before you start hunting things that can kill you.

John's post above mine is dead on the money. There have got to be hundred's of posts here from people asking for opinions on guns without stating their purpose.

If you want it for your 95 year old grandmother as a home defense rifle I'd say your choice sucks and the price is no good.

If you want it for plinking at cans from 25 yards I'd say your choice sucks and the price is no good.

If you want it because you're going to sit it in a corner and stare at it then the price is great. Since you're throwing your money away anyway, why not go big-time?

What do you want it for?
 
Go ahead buy it. Someone will take it off your hands after three shots at a discount. You could do subtantially worse on the stock market currently. ;)
 
First of all, I have been hunting for 25 years. I have shot everything from 22's all the way to a 460 Weatherby Magnum. I have shot Moose, Bear, Cariboo, Elk, White-Tail Deer, Mule Deer, and several species of small game. I own 29 different rifles besides my 7 shotguns.

Second, the word "Newfie" comes from the province of Newfoundland in Canada, that's where I live. We call ourselves "Newfies" for short.

Third, I will be using the rifle for Black Bear and Moose. Now no need to tell me that it is overkill for Black Bears. We have the largest Black Bears in North America.

Fourth, and I don't mean to be rude, but what difference do it make what I want it for? I am just asking if the price sounds right. Thanks to all for your post. Please keep them coming.
 
As a 264 user, I'm not a large fan of belted brass. Possible availability of factory ammunition is a good thing though.

From what I read, you know more about this than most of us.

salty
 
First of all, I have been hunting for 25 years. I have shot everything from 22's all the way to a 460 Weatherby Magnum. I have shot Moose, Bear, Cariboo, Elk, White-Tail Deer, Mule Deer, and several species of small game. I own 29 different rifles besides my 7 shotguns.

Second, the word "Newfie" comes from the province of Newfoundland in Canada, that's where I live. We call ourselves "Newfies" for short.

Third, I will be using the rifle for Black Bear and Moose. Now no need to tell me that it is overkill for Black Bears. We have the largest Black Bears in North America.

Fourth, and I don't mean to be rude, but what difference do it make what I want it for? I am just asking if the price sounds right. Thanks to all for your post. Please keep them coming.
Click to expand...

Well, newfie, I don't mean to be rude either. but if you have the means to be on the internet, then you have the know how to "Google" something in order to ascertain a fact or two.

If you have known or owned 29 rifles, then you must be intimate with a caliber or two. If that is true, then the .338 must be no stranger.

Well then, any other questions?
 
A brand new Ruger M77 Hawkeye in stainless runs just shy of $600 around here. Unless your gun prices are much higher or you just love the idea of a muzzle brake, the price seems a little steep.
 
i bought one last year for $500 it was scoped (nice bushnell) magna ported and had some type of adhesive grip on the forearm (felt good but looked awful)

i can tell you 2 things about them first it still kicked A LOT and second if ammo cost is a consideration dont buy it.

i traded mine off when i couldnt find any ammo around here for under $42 a box.
 
personally the muzzle break would be a BIG turn-off, the reduced reciol isnt worth the extra muzzle blast. i dont like the .338 winchester, the case has less case capacity than a .300 win mag, and, naturally, bigger bullet means more powder needed to drive the bullet. i think that $900 is an awefully steep price for that rifle, $700-$800 would be more in-line.
ken
 
I have a couple of Ruger .338 win mags, and haven't paid more than $500 for them. I bought them both used with no glass. I'm not a fan of muzzle brakes, so I used the money to buy good glass for the both of them. To me, the $900 sounds way to high for a used rifle, even with the work done. I have bought a lot of used guns, and with the exception on one, haven't paid over $550 out the door.
 
If you can shoot the .338 without problems then you don't need the brake. To dang loud anyway. I live in the US and in Ontartio/Quebec and have guided for big game up there. That being said, that gun is atleast $200 over priced IMHO. Additionally, I love Ruger rifles, but the stock on the M77 All-Weather is garbage, and I have owned 3. Two were restocked and the third was sold. IMHO you would be better off with a new Ruger Hawkeye Alaskan or a Browning A-bolt SS. And yes, I know about the Newfie bears. I have seen a 5 y.o. boar killed up there that weighed 675!!!

T2E
 
That price seems too high, to me. Although you're not in the U.S., if you were and lived around here, Boise, Idaho, you'd get it for less than that, equivalent C.D. to U.S. dollars.

FWIW, I do like the .338 Win. Mag., and bought my Ruger 77 in 1974. It has been a fine, accurate rifle for my use, primarily elk and a couple of Mule deer.

Within six months of buying it, I sent it to Magna Port for their porting process. Works great. With my handloads, it'll shoot 3/4" groups when I am doing my part.

Great caliber, but still, that price is steep, in my opinion.

L.W.
 
Considering the custom work that was done, it sounds like he wants to 'get his money back'.


However, most people buying a gun that has been modified don't pay full equivalence for work the previous owner had done.

Example: If I send my Sig to Exeter for an action job, I can't expect to recoup all of that money when I sell the gun.


So the price sounds a tad high. Unless you hunt with earplugs or muffs on, I would stay away. The muzzle break might tame recoil, but it will deafen you and especially anyone around you when you shoot it.
 
Considering the custom work that was done, it sounds like he wants to 'get his money back'.


However, most people buying a gun that has been modified don't pay full equivalence for work the previous owner had done.
Click to expand...

A big +1 on that. Anytime you spend money modifying a gun you should only expect to get back maybe 25% of what you put in with maybe a few exceptions like Saiga conversions.
 
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