PEEWEE69
Well-Known Member
Yes for all intended purposes the 300 win mag will work . I'm just wanting something bigger and better. And well different
Witch 338
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Outlaw6.0
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bigngreen
Well-Known Member
I've not found a down side to a 338, I do like them all but it breaks down like this for me, I've built a number of RUMs and they've all performed excellent, easy going and really fit in budget friendly builds. The 338 Edge is just a little bit more of a good thing but I've not really see the need to build one.
The 338 Lapua has awesome brass, and is all good but if I'm going to do one I'm going all the way and Improving it and grab and easy 150-200 fps for hunting with and shooting to retarded ranges which tends to be a lower round count kind of situation.
The 338 Norma is interesting because it's got good brass, mucho barrel life and while it's slower than the other three if your not wanting to push the range you can set on a sweet load and shoot the heck out for several thousand round which I find attractive gun)
The 338 Lapua has awesome brass, and is all good but if I'm going to do one I'm going all the way and Improving it and grab and easy 150-200 fps for hunting with and shooting to retarded ranges which tends to be a lower round count kind of situation.
The 338 Norma is interesting because it's got good brass, mucho barrel life and while it's slower than the other three if your not wanting to push the range you can set on a sweet load and shoot the heck out for several thousand round which I find attractive gun)
Outlaw6.0
Well-Known Member
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
That is not a term we use around here since everything is relative... Just because a bullet is bigger does not mean it is in any way "better".
Please don't take this the wrong way, because I am all for the mindset of "Because I can..." or "Because I wanted one..."
But, If your mindset is bigger is better, just go ahead and build a .375 Cheytac or a .50 BMG to hunt whitetails with.
Yes, that was actually mentioned by several members here on the site... I didn't know people needed a rifle with 14,000 ft lbs of muzzle energy to kill a 250 lbs animal... Deer hunters must have had it wrong the last 169 years (since the metatllic cartridge came along).
Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
That is not a term we use around here since everything is relative... Just because a bullet is bigger does not mean it is in any way "better".
Please don't take this the wrong way, because I am all for the mindset of "Because I can..." or "Because I wanted one..."
But, If your mindset is bigger is better, just go ahead and build a .375 Cheytac or a .50 BMG to hunt whitetails with.
Yes, that was actually mentioned by several members here on the site... I didn't know people needed a rifle with 14,000 ft lbs of muzzle energy to kill a 250 lbs animal... Deer hunters must have had it wrong the last 169 years (since the metatllic cartridge came along).
well he did say "elk hunting" so actually bigger is better with all other things being equal.. (ie same bullet etc.)
Broz
Well-Known Member
PeeWee69, if you want a .338 I say go for it. Until we have a ready supply of bullets for other calibers that will go over .8 BC. The 338's are definitely bigger and definitely better in terms of sustaining velocity and less wind drift at long range. The .375's are bigger and better but come at the price of weight. You can build a 12 lb 338 with a good brake and shoot it with good comfort. try that with a .375 Cheytac or a 50 BMG and you better superglue your eyes in. Anyone that has shot one of these will contest to this.
Yes there are choices that will fill your wants just fine in smaller calibers, but if you do get a 338 that 1000 yard target punching will soon be 1500.
Having owned many of the popular 338's and taking more game than a semi will haul with them I can tell you they are a sweet rifle to hunt with especially on windy days, and where elk are on the menu. We have taken 11 big game animals from antelope to bull elk this year with my 338 Terminator and those in the know will tell you meat loss is all about shot placement and velocity. Not bullet weight. Our meat loss with any of those 11 animals this season was no more than would have been experienced with fast 7mm. Tennis ball sized exits in the ribs looses little meat. Place it the *** or back straps and that will change no matter what caliber.
Reading your description it would be hard pressed for you to beat either a .338 RUM, 338 EDGE or .338 Lapua. I favor the Edge and Lapua for a tad bit more velocity with 300 gr pills. But if you want to see more gains and less errors, and are not going to use this as a bench rifle then step up to a 338 Lapua AI and prepare to be impressed.
That's my take on the .338's one hell of a round and the best long range elk rifle I have ever used.
Jeff
Yes there are choices that will fill your wants just fine in smaller calibers, but if you do get a 338 that 1000 yard target punching will soon be 1500.
Having owned many of the popular 338's and taking more game than a semi will haul with them I can tell you they are a sweet rifle to hunt with especially on windy days, and where elk are on the menu. We have taken 11 big game animals from antelope to bull elk this year with my 338 Terminator and those in the know will tell you meat loss is all about shot placement and velocity. Not bullet weight. Our meat loss with any of those 11 animals this season was no more than would have been experienced with fast 7mm. Tennis ball sized exits in the ribs looses little meat. Place it the *** or back straps and that will change no matter what caliber.
Reading your description it would be hard pressed for you to beat either a .338 RUM, 338 EDGE or .338 Lapua. I favor the Edge and Lapua for a tad bit more velocity with 300 gr pills. But if you want to see more gains and less errors, and are not going to use this as a bench rifle then step up to a 338 Lapua AI and prepare to be impressed.
That's my take on the .338's one hell of a round and the best long range elk rifle I have ever used.
Jeff
The way I build a hunting rifle is very different than how I would build a target rifle. I backpack hunt for elk, so the weight of my rifle is a big factor. My long range 338 elk rifle weighs about 10 pounds including optics, and I cannot shoot it as accurately, shot after shot, as I can a heavier rifle. My personal maximum effective range I'll shoot an elk is not as far as the maximum effective range of any of the big 338 cartridges. So the point is that any of the big 338's will work for how I hunt, so I went with the RUM. Maybe weight is not a factor for you, but just adding in a slightly different perspective to think about since you are planning on using your rifle to hunt elk.
I might be wrong here, but I believe most guys here build the big 338's closer to the 15 pound range once you include optics. ??
Tikkamike
Well-Known Member
my lapua is 12 lbs scoped and my 375rum is 10.5 scoped. I obviously prefer the 375. its a comfortable weight to carry
The old 340 weatherby that has been around since 1962 I think has taken alot of elk. It is still a very good 338.The big 338 berger surpasses the 30 in a win mag.The BC among the highest and energy is awesome. I have a packer 338 NM and my practice rig type NM is starting to catch the packer just because I love shooting my more tact type rifle more it is so comfortable to shoot.I have pretty much hunted mostly with 338 for last 25 yrs,so you can say a fan.
