338

[Switchback]

Need a little help from the forum. My pops recently won a 338 WM, and he is wanting me to try it out. What are your thoughts on the bad boy and can you use 338 ultra mag bullets? What is the drop on the bullet?

 

Thanks

[elpepe25]

great great elk round, i like a 250 grn nosler partition

[Red Rabbit]

You can use the same .338 diameter bullets in each cartridge, but the case of the 338 Remington Ultra mag is larger than the Winchester mag. Factory rounds won't interchange. Some may not like the recoil of either for this potent elk round.

 

It is a good round that can be used to kill, skin and quarter your coues in one shot at 800 yards. If you use paper patched bullets, the deer is even freezer wrapped by the time you find it with the electronic gadgetry. Got it on secret word that it is really Lark's go-to choice for the diminutive coues; twice as good as a 243 since it has twice the bore area. Casey is going to try it so he won't have to shoot his 270 so many times at it; just skeers em into a French white flag of surrender at the sound of the blast. I like it cuz there's not much deer left for this ol' man to pack out.

[GameHauler]

Not often Doug,

But when you do, you do it RIGHT

Mike

[wklman]

thats hilarious Doug!!!

[25-06]

[shooterpar]

that 338 win the is most popular caliber in alaska! i think that is saying something right there, not that you are going to be shooting moose are grizz down here in AZ. when i was up there a few years ago working i bought a 338 RUM and absoulutly love it. makes a great coyote gun when loaded with a the 180 nosler! also did the deed on the muley last year

[elkhunter]

There's a few guys who use it for coues, show pictures of the results please!

[ronaldo]

In my opinion, The 338 WM is worthless. If you like paying big bucks for ammo, way too much recoil and like to wear earplugs, keep it. If you want to shoot game out past 300 yards( The 338 is like slinging pumpkins past 200 yds. drops like a rock) get a 300 WM. A 300 WM shoots faster, flatter, has less recoil,bullets are cheaper, also it retains more energy at further distances..

Im not even goin to comment about ultra mags or short magnums.....Much more benefits in the 300 than the 338.

Sell it and buy a more useful gun.

A 338 has its place, and its not for elk. its for dangerous game in africa...

Ron

[firstcoueswas80]

Just to think doug, I had a 110 tied up in 34a, guess i gotta let him run free now.

[hunt4horns]

I think it would do fine on that 215lb. 200inch Muley you have been seen the past two weeks. Now if only you could get closer than 400 yards and away from the Freeway you just might get to find out fer yourself !

[Switchback]

Thanks for the info fellers and good luck to you all

 

I can't even think straight 2 more days

[.270]

hey, i dont' even have a .338. i've seen a couple elk shot with em. lungshots dropped in their tracks. one was over 400 yards too. they hit pretty hard and make a big hole. i imagine if you hit an animal and it don't go right down, that big ol' hole will whistle when it runs. i've seen a couple elk run off after lungshots with a .338/.378. but he was usin' them stinkin' barnes "condor lover" bullets. Lark.

[Schmitty]

Ron,

 

There isn't too much truth to your aforementionedcomments. Both cartridges are very similar in nature as their cases are based off of a shortened H and H. There is only ..030" difference between the two win mags with he .338 pushing the same bullet weights as the .300 125 fps or so faster. In realistic hunting yardages (400 yards and in) the .338 will get the nod in both energy and trajectory. You get out past 500 and the .300 starts to shine. With the .338 you have the option of shooting heavier bullets which will indeed have more energy (inside 400 yards)

 

Neither of them are pussycats and bark loudly and kick like mules. Both require earplugs and recoil with the same bullet weight will be identical in matching rifles. The BC will be higher in the .30's over the .338 in identical weight, but as I mentioned above the .338 will be faster.

 

As a Coues rifle, neither would be my first choice. I have owned both the 300 and 338 and really don't see much of a difference unless you want to shoot the real light bullets in the .300 which doesn't appeal much to me. As for price of factory fodder I don't know as I reload.

 

The two elk that I did shoot with the .338 fell pretty hard with shots to the boiler room with only rib meat lost. That being said, I'd feel comfortable shooting elk with my 6.5-06 with a 140 gr partition or triple shock.

 

The .338 is a good one to have in the safe if big (elk or larger) game is part of your plans. Most .338 WM's weren't finicky and shot most anything I fed it quite accurately.

Here's a link to an article about the .339 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQ..._46/ai_65574867

 

Good luck,

Schmitty

[DesertBull]

I think meat loss is determined more by bullet design than bullet diameter.

 

I think a .243 shooting a ballistic tip will tear up as much or more meat than a .338 shooting a Nosler Partition.