Here I am sitting in Alaska thinking about my first custom rifle. My dilemma is what do I want. I am debating between a 28 and 33 Nosler. It will be my grab and go rifle for moose and elk. My brothers live in Wyoming and are always inviting me to hunt with them. I have a handful of rifles already 308, 30-06, 300wsm, 7mm rm, 338win mag 35 whelen and a few more. So the question is which one should I pick and why?
28 vs 33 Nosler
- Thread starter J_V_Berry
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dxlbaile
Well-Known Member
So, you have two guns that are pretty comparable to what you are looking at... 28 Nos - 7 Rem mag, 33 Nos and 338 win mag..
I own both a 28 Nosler and a 33... The 28 Nosler has the best ballistics for shooting farther distance but the 33 Nos will shoot bigger bullets with good knockdown energy for big animals... If you are mainly focusing on Elk and Moose, I would go with the 33 Nos and shoot a 250 or bigger bullet. The 33 has never let me down with a 250 Berger running 2900 fps .. I can run it faster but that is my good accuracy node. Peterson makes brass for the 33 now and it is solid stuff.. Either way you can't go wrong with the 28 or 33. Bullets for the 338 are more expensive but it's just money.. ha ha.. I really like the 33 Nos because I run it with a brake and it doesn't kick much.. I have owned bigger 338 guns and sold them.. Too much kick which in turn caused some flinching.. There are things you can do to mitigate the flinching but the 33 just worked for me.. Good luck in your decision..
I own both a 28 Nosler and a 33... The 28 Nosler has the best ballistics for shooting farther distance but the 33 Nos will shoot bigger bullets with good knockdown energy for big animals... If you are mainly focusing on Elk and Moose, I would go with the 33 Nos and shoot a 250 or bigger bullet. The 33 has never let me down with a 250 Berger running 2900 fps .. I can run it faster but that is my good accuracy node. Peterson makes brass for the 33 now and it is solid stuff.. Either way you can't go wrong with the 28 or 33. Bullets for the 338 are more expensive but it's just money.. ha ha.. I really like the 33 Nos because I run it with a brake and it doesn't kick much.. I have owned bigger 338 guns and sold them.. Too much kick which in turn caused some flinching.. There are things you can do to mitigate the flinching but the 33 just worked for me.. Good luck in your decision..
340Wby-4-everything
Well-Known Member
If it has to be one of those, the 33 cause it will do everything the 28 can do and then some. However, since you already have a 7mmRM and 338 winch, why bother? .378 Wby maybe? 26 nosler? Cause you have 30 and up well covered, but nothing in mid range? 26 will kill anything in WY and most anything in AK, but you have better selections for those big cuddly Brown Bears than it by far.
Or if you wanna drop a size, the 27 Nosler. I like the longer neck on the 27 and the ballistics are impressive. Building one myself for the kicks on a Terminus Kratos lite action, Clymr stock, and the new harder 400 Mod Bartlein Carbon barrel. Going to be a deer, Mulie, Elk rig, but no slouch for moose either. Running the 170 EOL's and the 156 HH, and maybe try the 140 BD2. Love the 33 Nosler too. Some guys like the 33/28 Nosler for a little more case room for more gas.
Frank in the Laurels
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There's nothing wrong with any of the cartridges you named, all with proper bullets will serve your needs well, HOWEVER, some come with lots of anxiety, and some with a ton of anxiety.... With all that's going on in our reloading world I would choose something that will work, has a reasonable chance of actually finding anything that can be used..hands down. 338WM.. least amount of pain and a big banger...
Having used 22cal to .375 Cheytac on hunting big game, I can safely say that I have settled on 7mm as being my absolute favorite big game caliber. Big heavy 7mm bullets, pushed as fast as I can comfortably do so, has provided me with the most consistent performance of anything I have ever used.
The lack of recoil allows me to make shots in positions I couldn't dream of with a 338, or possibly even a 30cal, and certainly not a 375.
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The lack of recoil allows me to make shots in positions I couldn't dream of with a 338, or possibly even a 30cal, and certainly not a 375.
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LongBomber
Well-Known Member
If you do a 33n, do it on an action that is at least a 3.6" mag (rem 700 long) and preferably 3.85". And have it throated to run the bullet you want out that long.
Nosler handicapped the 33 putting it in a 3.4" action, it really does run better in a longer action.
Nosler handicapped the 33 putting it in a 3.4" action, it really does run better in a longer action.
Another vote for the 33. It's the underrated stepchild and I wouldn't give my mine up. Like Longbomber said build it on at least a 700 length action.
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Nosler handicapped them all with there 3.4. They need to get out of the stone age.
Wolf76
Well-Known Member
Both work well for your desired purpose. The 33 will have the benefit of longer barrel life and better energy transfer.
Key thought: Very difficult to convey how much "smack" big, fast, wide bullets have. It really doesn't correlate with what the ballistic tables suggest.
Far easier to "download" the 33.
The 28 has its place. Unfortunately its like a twin turbo race engine....great while it lasts.
Key thought: Very difficult to convey how much "smack" big, fast, wide bullets have. It really doesn't correlate with what the ballistic tables suggest.
Far easier to "download" the 33.
The 28 has its place. Unfortunately its like a twin turbo race engine....great while it lasts.
muleystalker
Well-Known Member
Being this is your first custom rifle odds are you are going to gravitate towards it the most when you go hunting. Since you have 7mm covered and .338 covered I would build a 30-28 Nosler, it has more powder capacity than a 30 Nosler and will rock bullets like Berger 215 hybrids, 230 hybrids and even the 245 Berger EOL. It will cover everything you need. I love my 28 Nosler's and have kill a tone of game with them and they do a great job at LRH with the 195 bergers. But I also love my 30-28 Nosler. It seems like it would be a great fit for your situation. I mean you aren't going to get quite the range with the 33 so you aren't going to gain much over your 338 WM with it. The 28 Nosler is quite a step up from the 7mag, being it can handle the 195 bergers it it's in a different class as far as LRH. And the 30-28 Nosler is a big step up from your 300WSM , it has a wider range of bullet weights it can handle. So one of the latter 2 is what I would do.
6.5x300 WBY
Well-Known Member
While i will always recommend a 7mm because i am a fan boy of all 7mm. But since you have a 7rm and 338 wm they are done. 358 stw Cool factor seems perfect especially up where you are.
Shane Lindsey
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Assuming you are reloading for it. If not that is a consideration as to what is available and when. If you go SAAMI your 338WM isn't too far behind the 33 Nosler. If handloading and it is built right I think it would come alive. That said, maybe even look to other 338s. RUM/Edge as they have components (or not right now). Other more effecient cases in the mid range out there as well if you are into wildcats.
Definitely 338 something...Big holes for big animals...
Definitely 338 something...Big holes for big animals...
