Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: seth macduff on January 30, 2009, 08:09:22 PM

Title: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: seth macduff on January 30, 2009, 08:09:22 PM: if any one has a .338 and are happy with it let me know if you are or are not thanks
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: bobcat on January 30, 2009, 08:11:16 PM: 338 Win. Mag. or 338 Federal?
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: demontang on January 31, 2009, 09:12:20 AM: I have a .338 win and love it, I have killed 3 deer with it , 2 coyotes, and a few ground squirrels :chuckle: I only wish it was a little cheaper to shot but reloadind has cut the cost by over half.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: 12Gauge on January 31, 2009, 01:31:43 PM: Quote from: bobcat on January 30, 2009, 08:11:16 PM
338 Win. Mag. or 338 Federal?

One more 338-06. I like my 338-06, had it for 15 years. They were costume made then, my loads are just 200 FTS slower than the win mag and I do not get beat by it either.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: Curly on January 31, 2009, 01:34:27 PM: How about the 338 Marlin Express?
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: couesbitten on January 31, 2009, 03:32:05 PM: I have a .338 Win. mag, and it impresses the hell out of the elk. The only bear I've shot was with a .375 H&H, but I'm sure the .338 would do a number on the bears as well.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: Sage Weasel on January 31, 2009, 05:23:32 PM: The .338 Winchester Magnum is a excellent cartridge, paired up with the new 180gr Nosler Accubond it would make a lethal combination for any game in the lower 48...
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: bobcat on January 31, 2009, 05:53:12 PM: Just wondering why someone would want to shoot a 180 grain out of a 338? You could shoot a 180 out of a 300 Win. Mag. or a 30/06. If I had a 338 I'd be shooting at least 225's. :twocents:
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: demontang on January 31, 2009, 08:15:16 PM: The 180gr .338 win mag is pushing 3200fps and you have the choice to shoot up to 300gr with a .338. I like to shoot the 180-200gr out of mine becuase it shoot flat and doesnt kick as hard as the 300win I had with the same wt bullet :twocents:
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: bobcat on January 31, 2009, 08:24:35 PM: I guess that's the one reason I can see for going so light in a 338 Magnum...a reduction in recoil. For deer that would be fine. For elk I'd want a minimum of 225 grains. But that's just me. I've always preferred medium to heavy for caliber bullets.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: Sage Weasel on January 31, 2009, 08:26:59 PM: Quote from: demontang on January 31, 2009, 08:15:16 PM
The 180gr .338 win mag is pushing 3200fps and you have the choice to shoot up to 300gr with a .338. I like to shoot the 180-200gr out of mine becuase it shoot flat and doesnt kick as hard as the 300win I had with the same wt bullet :twocents:

Bingo! Fast and flat, with a 180, 200 or a 225 out of a .338 Win Mag what ever you hit with it isn't going to care or notice the difference. Dead is dead, sure I shoot dear with a .375 Ultra Mag and a 260gr Accubond but I know I could have killed them just the same with a 25-06, 30-06, .270 Win, 7mm mag, 300 Win Etc and a whole lot lighter bullet. I just like big magnums, no replacement for displacement. :brew:
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: Huntbear on February 01, 2009, 08:59:08 AM: 3 of us in my group shoot .338 WMs. We all love them to death. Shooting 210 gr. Nosler Partitions. 5, 1 shot kills on elk out to 410 yd. None has gone more than 3 steps. Would use it for deer if I had to, but have lighter calibers for that work. Ammo is about $3.50 a round store bought, but by reloading we have our cost down to $1.50 a shell. Recoil is not bad at all, even with stock pads on them.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: Intruder on February 02, 2009, 07:42:30 AM: Quote from: Lunatic on January 31, 2009, 01:31:43 PM
One more 338-06. I like my 338-06, had it for 15 years. They were costume made then, my loads are just 200 FTS slower than the win mag and I do not get beat by it either.

That's a helluva a cartridge. No personal experience but everything I've read seems to indicate that it is real efficient. Be a heckuva brush gun.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: Stadle on February 02, 2009, 11:18:50 AM: Quote from: bobcat on January 31, 2009, 05:53:12 PM
Just wondering why someone would want to shoot a 180 grain out of a 338? You could shoot a 180 out of a 300 Win. Mag. or a 30/06. If I had a 338 I'd be shooting at least 225's. :twocents:

what was said above, I am in the process of ordering up a custom or semi custom rifle (I am a southpaw) and am deciding between the 300 win mag and 338 win mag like them both because they get their performance out of 24" barrell rather than 26" like some of the other .30 and .338 rounds. I also wanted to point out that if you shoot 180 grain through an 06 it would be hard to get proper bullet performance out at 250-400 yards with the new premium bonded bullets. some of them require 1800+fps to expand. I think the 06 is a great caliber but for longer shots you may have to stay with lighter premium bonded bullets to obtain the full benefit of the bullet. I looked at all this when deciding what caliber to get as the 06 is a great all around gun and I was also considering it but wanted to be able to use heavier bonded bullets.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: bobcat on February 02, 2009, 07:29:03 PM: Quote from: Stadle on February 02, 2009, 11:18:50 AM
Quote from: bobcat on January 31, 2009, 05:53:12 PM
Just wondering why someone would want to shoot a 180 grain out of a 338? You could shoot a 180 out of a 300 Win. Mag. or a 30/06. If I had a 338 I'd be shooting at least 225's. :twocents:
I also wanted to point out that if you shoot 180 grain through an 06 it would be hard to get proper bullet performance out at 250-400 yards with the new premium bonded bullets. some of them require 1800+fps to expand. I think the 06 is a great caliber but for longer shots you may have to stay with lighter premium bonded bullets to obtain the full benefit of the bullet.

I agree with that. That's why I'm wanting to try 150 grain Barnes TSX bullets in my '06, at over 3000 fps at the muzzle. And this would be for elk.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: 270Shooter on February 02, 2009, 07:31:58 PM: I always thought a switch barrel rifle witha .270 or 25-06 barrel for deer and lope and a 338-06 barrel for elk. That would be cool.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: Slenk on February 03, 2009, 04:43:51 PM: Quote from: 270Shooter on February 02, 2009, 07:31:58 PM
I always thought a switch barrel rifle witha .270 or 25-06 barrel for deer and lope and a 338-06 barrel for elk. That would be cool.

I have one. Savage Model 111 have .270 , .280, 30-06 & 338-06 barrels for it . The .338-06 is my favorite. With 180gr & .225 gr. bullets. The 180s in a 338-06 are faster than 180s in 30-06. And a little flatter shooting out to 300 yrds.
Slenk
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: dbllunger on February 03, 2009, 08:00:59 PM: Not trying to stir anything up at, but I have to agree with why shoot a 180/338. Who and what load is getting 3200fps from a 338WM with a 180gr? Penetration wise you would be better off with a 180/308 at equal velocity. You have to compare calibers that are similar to make a fair evaluation. Personally I would go with the 300WM for a one gun type rifle. Nothing wrong with the 338, but the 300WM is much more versitile in what can be shot out of it. I think the 338 caliber is a great caliber and the 210-225's are awesome.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: demontang on February 03, 2009, 08:28:33 PM: With the 180gr nosler and 75gr's of 4350 its 3260fps and with 73gr's of 4350 its 3168. My gun seems to like near max loads for grouping :dunno:
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: bobcat on February 03, 2009, 09:12:51 PM: A 180 in 338 caliber has got to have a really low B.C. So although it may start out at a relatively high velocity, it will also slow down much faster than a longer, heavier bullet that has a higher B.C. You should compare trajectory charts for the 180 grain and a heavier bullet like a 210 in the same style bullet. The heavier bullet will start out slower but at longer ranges it will probably overtake the lighter bullet. Wind drift will also be less with the heavier bullet.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: demontang on February 03, 2009, 10:12:02 PM: .372 for the 180gr, .414 for the 200gr, and .550 for the 225gr.

The 180gr is flatter to 800yd's then the 200 and 900yd's for the 225gr. The wind drift, energy, and speed are where the longer bullets have the edge and longer ranges.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: dbllunger on February 04, 2009, 10:12:22 AM: DT...I don't know about your figures because you are not listing velocity with each bullet. Please provide the data you are using. I ran numbers off from what I have known chronographed velocity for, and they don't come anywhere close to what you have. I'm not saying my numbers are correct, but we have to have numbers to compare to.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: Curly on February 04, 2009, 11:11:45 AM: Check the ballistics on these:
180 gr. - .338 cal - BC .372 - V=3,180 fps
vs.
180 gr. - .308 cal - BC .507 - V=3,100 fps

or

225 gr - .338 cal - BC 0.55 - V=2,800 fps

Which one do you like the ballistics better? Those are published BC's for Nosler Accubond and approx. velocities for .338 Win Mag or .300 Win mag.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: demontang on February 04, 2009, 11:28:07 AM: 3200 for the 180, 3090 for the 200 and 2800 for the 225.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: dbllunger on February 04, 2009, 09:35:48 PM: Ok here is what I came up when I ran it through the Oehler. I used velocity that I know is attainable, but that does not matter as long as the same variation is used. The WM either in 338 (smaller case capacity) or 300 are very similar in velocity potential. The efficiency possibility of the 338 case would only keep it even with the greater capacity of the 300 not surpass it by 200 fps. The zero range and any other adjustable variable is also irrelevant as long as all have the same variables. Everything is in inches and I did not add yards after the initial list. What say you now?! (that was a joke)

308 - 180 BT @ 3000fps
300yd zero
100 = +3.6
200 + +4.4
300 = 0.0
400 = -10.3
500 = -27.0
600 = -51.4
700 = -84.6
800 = -128.3
900 = 183.9
1000 = 253.8

338 180 BT @ 3000fps
+4.0
+4.9
0.0
-11.5
-31.2
-60.8
-103.0
-160.3
-235.8
-332.7

338 225 Part @2700fps
+5.0
+5.7
0.0
-13.3
-35.7
-68.7
-114.4
-175.1
-253.0
-351.6
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: demontang on February 05, 2009, 09:06:01 AM: I was never comparing the 300 to the 338 in the ballistics I put up just the different .338 bullets. And with my experiance shooting the 300 with a 180 and a 338 with the 180 the 338 kicks less and is more the flat enough for me at the ranges I shot.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: dbllunger on February 05, 2009, 09:32:57 AM: DT....hey not being a jerk/prick at all. I never once said anything negative about anybody or what their experience has been. I thought this was just a discussion about a guy wanting to know about a 338 and a 300 to help him make a choice. Maybe I was wronng in just putting the information I have out for others to consider. Then later on Curly asked for some specific information and I posted it. I qualified the joke portion I thought because I intended nothing by it.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: demontang on February 05, 2009, 11:36:20 AM: I though the last part said something else my bad I was reading quickly, Sorry.

A 300win has great ballistics but I still like my .338 better then the .300win I had. :dunno:
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: Huntbear on February 05, 2009, 12:09:52 PM: In my experience, the .338 with a 210 gr. bullet will flat out perform. It seems the perfect bullet for that caliber. Shoots flat, lots of energy, and accurate as heck.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: S.O.B on February 05, 2009, 07:05:45 PM: Thank you everyone I now know not to ask for rifle advise on this site because I am now dumber for reading this entire thread.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: mossback91 on February 05, 2009, 07:07:56 PM: Quote from: S.O.B on February 05, 2009, 07:05:45 PM
Thank you everyone I now know not to ask for rifle advise on this site because I am now dumber for reading this entire thread.

:chuckle:
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: TeacherMan on February 05, 2009, 07:17:04 PM: We haven't looked into the 338 RUM, I like it with a 250gr. Barns Triple X flat base. :chuckle:

I've only killed one deer with it so I could have a kill under it and it looked like a hamster that someone had squeezed to death :chuckle: Its eyes where bulging out of its head. I cooked it, cleaned it, and gutted it all in one shot. :chuckle:
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: elk311 on October 02, 2009, 10:31:32 AM: Have a Ruger 338 WinMag: 2 elk, 1 cougar and love it. I have not had the opportunity for a long range animal shot but it consistantly groups well out to 200yds. All the animals were well within that range, in fact the cougar was about 20 feet away :bdid: :yike: :o

Great gun, but at the range I stop liking it after about 5 rounds... :'( Between the recoil and the cost that's were I stop. I'm considering magna-porting... :dunno: When hunting though, I don't feel a thing !!!
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on October 02, 2009, 10:54:04 AM: Now that this thread has wandered, comparing the .338wm to the 300wm and even the .308win, I'll throw in that a wildcat useing the .338wm case is sweet. AKA... 30-338. (very similar to a .308Norma) 190gn Hornady BTSP out the tube at 3100fps with a BC of .491, or the 208gn Hornady Amax with a BC of .648 at 2980+fps.

The .338wm is an excellent cartridge capable of taking anything in North America. I'll support anyone buying a belted magnum! The introduction of the WSM and .338 Fed was just a play to the under ballistic edumucated.

-Steve
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: Buckmark on October 02, 2009, 11:11:50 AM: My experience with the .338 win mag was with a Browning BAR, it worked ok for me, not overly or underly impressed, it did what i thought it would do, unfortunatly i got to a spot were i needed some cash and it was just being a gun safe queen and i sold it, wish i kept it longer to play with.
I do have a line on a ruger #1 in .338 and will have some fun with it.
So yes, i was happy with it..
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: Skinnyman on October 02, 2009, 09:31:20 PM: I have a 338 Win Mag and love it. I have only had it a little over 6 months, so I havent been hunting with it yet. But from a shotability side and accuracy side it is a great gun. Mine is a Savage model 116. For the money you cant beat the accuracy (about $850-900, gun, scope rings, and bushnell elite 3200 scope)!! It took about 50 rounds to get used to the recoil, but I barely notice it anymore, its there, but not bad at all. I do not have a muzzle break on and I dont think one is needed, unless you are really recoil adverse.

I bought the 338 win mag because it is a VERY widly used cartridge, has plenty of power, and has been around for over 30 years (very proven cartridge). Finding ammo is incredibly easy because it is so widly used. I like it because when loaded with a 225gr bullet, it is large enough to hunt anything in North America with the exception of maybe Bison (I would load 250 grains if I was going for grizzly's).
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: mazama on October 06, 2009, 09:02:22 PM: 338win mag love it,338 ultramag love even more.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: SilkWWU on October 06, 2009, 09:05:56 PM: .338 weatherby vanguard win mag...love it. Like shooting a BB gun :)
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: Chopaka81 on October 06, 2009, 10:16:41 PM: When I had my Long Range Rifle built I was waffling between a 300 RUM and the 338 edge (an improved version of the 338RUM). The Edge shot a Sierra 300gr MK @ 2800 fps.

In the end I went with the 300 RUM, it is shooting the Hornady 208 gr AMAX @ 3164 fps out of its' 30" barrel. Come ups are 17.75 moa @ 1000 yds for a 300 yd zero. The twist I chose will not stablize the 240 gr Sierra MK. :'(

I am currently limited in range by the Nikon Range Finder. It is only good to 800 yds. Hoping I can pick up a Swaro this winter (and a Kestrel 3500 too).
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: bow-n-head on October 07, 2009, 08:41:31 PM: My father inlaw had...had one. kicked something fierce. I repeat had :chuckle: :chuckle: It was in a mod 70 win.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: Huntbear on October 07, 2009, 08:50:37 PM: If a .338 WM kicks that hard, there is something wrong with the fit of the gun to the shooter. Having a gunsmith lengthen or shorten the LOP would have probably fixed a lot of it. Also, a good recoil pad is usually a must for any belted mag.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: ducksoup on October 07, 2009, 09:30:20 PM: 338 Win Mag. Ruger 77, with the less than worthless stock red recoil pad it would beat the living snot out of me. Changed to a Sims LimbSaver recoil pad and felt recoil is less than my 300 WSM. I like the 225's, both the Partitions for the big stuff and Hornady's Interlock for deer and even elk. At Just under 2800 fps and I wouldn't hesitate to shoot anything in North America with it.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: 257 Wby Mag on October 07, 2009, 09:38:59 PM: Awesome caliber! For the first time in my life, I'm without one. Not for long though. I've had several 338 win's, a couple A-bolts, Tikka T3 stainless. Killed Oryx, caribou, elk, bear, bucks, and coyotes with em. I always liked 210's and 225's. Bought a Rem LSS 338 Rum the first year they came, killed a few critters with it, had a Vias break installed, hated it every since. Dumped it less than a year later. I can see a Rem XCR fitted with a McMillan in my future....
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: CastleRocker on October 07, 2009, 09:42:49 PM: Don't have a 338 Win Mag, but have a couple 340 Wby's. They shoot great, and they both love Barnes bullets for game and SMK's when it's time to really impress someone. I have two because the only thing I could find better than my 340 was...two of them! Next rifle will be a 338 Edge. Love the caliber. Especially with the huge selection of bullets these days.
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: 257 Wby Mag on October 07, 2009, 09:45:50 PM: Ya, it'd be cool to have a edge, laid in a A-5, with a 30'' snout. Berger has a 300 grainer in the works, with a stupid B.C. ....
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: coachcw on October 13, 2009, 09:03:07 PM: my dad shoots a 8mm mag with 200's he only shoots 200 yards with a 4x scope it really runs into game. not my choice for longer shots . but if a guy knows his weapon they will all put them in there tracks . I will allso say I'm not a fan of big magums shooting nosler bullets at close range blow right through with out expansion . If you don't like the damage they do on game hold on the lung shot not the shoulder .
Title: Re: .338 who is happy with it
Post by: surfj9009 on October 19, 2009, 02:57:50 PM: I'm a big fan of wildcats. I am ordering a 338-06 barrel in November to put on my Savage. I love the switchbarrel gun. After that I may do a 6.5-06.

But that's just me.......I love the .338 and .264