Congrats! I'm all for jumping on a good gun deal 
... That being said, I'd like to hear stories about how your '06 wasn't enough knock down power 
I've never seen an elk run too far after a well placed .30-06 round--maybe 5 yards. If it were me, I'd resell it and buy a better riflescope for my '06 with the profit.
You know Bigger hammer and all! No one needs a safe full of guns, but I get 2 weekends a year, failure is not an option. So why not. Balistically the .338 has the same energy at 200 yards as 06 at muzzle from what I've read.
I got a Zeiss Conquest 3x9 on my '06 so I don't need any better. Now glass for the .338 might just go Zeiss again?
LOL, I DO have a safe full of guns.
Not sure I follow your logic--you've got the right glass on your rifle though
It sounds like you aren't limited to a budget which is just fine but I would probably be spending my money on trail cams and/or a good GPS. Again, why choose one or the other when you can have all I guess.
FWIW, most of my hunting buddies and I all use the cheaper ammo out there. My main hunting partner hunts the same caliber as I do. Here are a couple of .30-06 Springfield rounds recovered from the hide of elk. These are Federal Power Shok's... Similar to Remington Core-Lokt. Both brands mentioned sell for about $1/round. Both of these were one shot, one kill. Both shots were around 150 yards, with a rib being smashed on the way in, the heart shredding to goo, then passing through the shoulder blade, and finally stopping in the hide just before exiting. Both elk walked a few paces, then piled up.
Here's to hoping your shoulder can tolerate the recoil for practice sessions and your wallet can cough up $$$ for those magnum rounds.
