338 Winchester Magnum

[Teri Anne]

I like shooting tiny groups with out of the box rifles. Some friends got me interested in the 338 Winchester Magnum so I decided to compare it to the more popular 300 Win Mag, which personally I found to be a big disappointment looking at it from the accuracy standpoint. I recently bought a Remington 700 in 338 Win Mag, and after a rough start finding thing like ammunition, cases and reloading dies I finally managed to pick up some Amscor 225 gr Trophy Tipped at a reasonable price. I had the rifle with me when I bought the scope and they graciously offered to mount and boresight the 5 - 25X56 Vortex Strike Eagle on it with Vortex Pro 34mm rings. At the range initially at 50 yards I fired the first 4 rounds with the results shown on the target below. The only reason I didn't fire 5 shots was because I would screw up the group. The first 3 shots were all touching, first shot high, second shot just slightly below it elongating the hole, third shot slightly ro the right of the first but touching and the last shot slightly down and to the right. The orange lines on the target are 3/8 inch thick so that gives you a good idea of the group size. For the first comparison, the best group that any of the 3, 300 WM rifles I've owned were about 7/8 of an inch larger, with most more like 1 1/4 inch larger. Been too rainy and windy to go back out to the range lately and trying it at 100 + yards. So my question for all of you is, what is the comparison of your 300 WM to 338WM been and with what rifles? What factory ammo do you prefer and what kind of bullets when reloading?

 

[MagnumManiac]

I have 5 300WM in use, 1 has never been fired, a REM 5R, and 3 338WM. Had 2 more, but sold them.
My Sendero 300WM shot 3/8" groups straight out of the box with my handloads running the barrel in. My Win Model 70 EW shot 1/2" groups straight out of the box and this was the same with 2 Kimber's and a REM KS Mountain Rifle.
My Kimber 8400 Select is the lightest 300WM I own, it has always shot 180's and 200's into 5/8" groups with 3 shots, but opens if you shoot more in a group.
My comp rifles in 300WM shoot into the .2's regularly, into .1's early in barrel life regularly too.
I have always found my 300's to be more precise than my 338's, however the difference isn't huge.

Cheers.

 

[ShtrRdy]

Sounds like a nice start to your 338 WM experiences. I have two 300 Win Mags. One is a hunting rifle that will put the Nosler 200 gr Accubond within 3/4 moa of each other. The other rifle is a heavy barrel long range rig that will put the Berger 215 gr Hybrid within 1/2 moa of each other.

 

[Big_Country]

I enjoy my ole Sako 338 WM it's drives tacks and has taking every critter I have ever squeezed the trigger on and never had one go 25 yards most were DRT.... Enjoy your new rifle

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I like shooting tiny groups with out of the box rifles. Some friends got me interested in the 338 Winchester Magnum so I decided to compare it to the more popular 300 Win Mag, which personally I found to be a big disappointment looking at it from the accuracy standpoint. I recently bought a Remington 700 in 338 Win Mag, and after a rough start finding thing like ammunition, cases and reloading dies I finally managed to pick up some Amscor 225 gr Trophy Tipped at a reasonable price. I had the rifle with me when I bought the scope and they graciously offered to mount and boresight the 5 - 25X56 Vortex Strike Eagle on it with Vortex Pro 34mm rings. At the range initially at 50 yards I fired the first 4 rounds with the results shown on the target below. The only reason I didn't fire 5 shots was because I would screw up the group. The first 3 shots were all touching, first shot high, second shot just slightly below it elongating the hole, third shot slightly ro the right of the first but touching and the last shot slightly down and to the right. The orange lines on the target are 3/8 inch thick so that gives you a good idea of the group size. For the first comparison, the best group that any of the 3, 300 WM rifles I've owned were about 7/8 of an inch larger, with most more like 1 1/4 inch larger. Been too rainy and windy to go back out to the range lately and trying it at 100 + yards. So my question for all of you is, what is the comparison of your 300 WM to 338WM been and with what rifles? What factory ammo do you prefer and what kind of bullets when reloading? View attachment 567822

Hey Teri Anne wait till you start reloading and working out a load. One of two things. Groups get smaller or groups get larger .

 

[memtb]

Welcome to the .338 WM family. It's "only" one of the finest cartridges available, unless you're shooting at very long range. memtb

 

[SouthLoganCountyShooter]

Hammer hunters 213 accubond 180 speer 225 all shoot very good in my rifle
230eldx shoot good but the amount of copper fouling is massive.
I wouldn't have got a 700 unless it's old.

 

[Calvin45]

I must have gotten lucky with my .300 win mags haha. Both cheaper guns, a weatherby vanguard and a savage 111 long range hunter model. Both easy to get under an inch, with the right loads vanguard would shoot cloverleafs and the savage has actually done "one ragged hole" on a few occasions, not every time obviously but it's the most accurate rifle I presently own. I've found the .300 win to be among the easiest cartridges to get shooting well among magnum chamberings. I'll never not have one, Lord willing. If, God forbid, I had to pare down my centerfires to one gun for everything I do I can say without a second of hesitation it would be a .300 win mag. Love that cartridge!

No experience with the .338 win, some experience now with the .358 Norma which is a very similar case to bore ratio..,what little I can relay to you is that h4350 is your friend

 

[Calvin45]

Regarding your question of comparing the two, again I don't shoot a .338 but I will say both of the .300 win mags I've had have been 1:10 twists and neither of them were particularly fond of bullets lighter than 180 grains and really shone/shine with 195+ grain bullets. The 225 grain eld m in my savage is the one ragged hole load I mentioned, the old 220 grain round nose bullets actually shot cloverleafs out of the vanguard. I'm a fan of a full or even compressed load of slow burning powder with heavy for caliber bullets in that cartridge. The 225 eld m is in Winchester brass crushing 78 grains of the regrettably discontinued imr 8133. The 220 round nose bullets were either imr7828 or rl25, can't remember. They're a similar burn rate tho.

 

[Bghunter338]

Browning a-bolt 338wm with the boss. I'm shooting the 225gr accubond with IMR 4350.

 

[sep]

I've owned two 300 WMs. One consistently shot moa or better and the other shot 1-2 moa. I moved back to Alaska and since then have owned five 338 WMs. All five 338s shot 67.5-68.0 grains IMR 4350, Winchester/Norma cases, Fed 215M primers and Barnes 225 grain X/TTSX bullets moa or better. My last remaining 338 shoots just under moa for an average of ten 3 shot groups. If I discard the biggest of those ten groups, it would shoot .85. I would say both calibers are more than accurate enough for typical hunting ranges.

 

[Calvin45]

Browning a-bolt 338wm with the boss. I'm shooting the 225gr accubond with IMR 4350.

View attachment 568075

You missed the bullseye!!!!

 

[Bghunter338]

You missed the bullseye!!!!

3 times in a row **** it!!!

 

[Teri Anne]

Hey Teri Anne wait till you start reloading and working out a load. One of two things. Groups get smaller or groups get larger .

Yup, that is what happens. Usually the groups get larger before you figure out the rifle, then one of two things will happen. Either you will duplicate really good factory ammo, or you will develop something just a bit better. In either case as long as it shoots sub moa with preferably all rounds touching, I am a happy camper.