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[Grizzlyman1980]

I Want a Very Powerfull Long Range Rifle for Grizzly's,Moose,Elk or Caribou,just sold my .300 wsm,Want something Bigger,need your Advice,Which Caliber would you Choose and Why?Im leaning towards a .338 But want to know if a 7mm ultra Mag is Close to the Same?Thanks GrizzlyMan1980

[eric2381]

A 7mm RUM is a very fast catridge and I've found it to be an accurate cartridge as well. But, if you want to go up in power and knock down from your 300 WSM, go with a bigger bullet. A 338 Win mag is a very good big game cartridge. It isn't the fastest or flattest shooter, but I feel the vast majority of people that want to shoot long range would be better off with a lighter recoiling rifle. If a person flinches at the recoil or the noise, and misses, the biggest flattest shooting rifle won't help, cuz you won't hit the animal. A 338 RUM is a fast and flat shooter, with plenty of knockdown power, but few people can truly master the recoil and muzzle blast it produces.

When you say "Long Range", how far are you talking? Few people should be shooting past 300 yds at game. If you are one of these people, I apologize. 300 yds is a long enough shot to try to put the bullet right where you want it, under field conditions especially. Save that stuff for "the best of the west". Again, I apologize if I hurt anybodys feelings.

That said, a 225 gr. 338 cal bullet will hit very hard at 300 yds, and have alot of power when it gets there. Good luck, Eric

[bobinthesky]

Given the choices you list, I'd opt for the .338, provided you mean the .338 win mag. I'm intreaged as to how you narrowed you're selections down to these two calibers. Why not the .340 weatherby, the .300 ultra mag, the .300/378, the 8mm remington magnum... Lets face it, the .300 wsm (although I'm not a big fan) is a great hunting cartridge out to the ranges that most ordinary people can shoot to. And out to ranges that most people cannot shoot to! There's so many choices, why these two? Not judging...just wondering.

[Grizzlyman1980]

Probably wont take a shot over 275 yrds,So your saying i should go with a .338?i dont have a whole lot of knowledge on Rifles that are more powerful than a .308,i wasnt happy with my .300 wsm Browning ,so i sold it and want something different,i want power and speed,Is there much of a difference between the 7mm ultra mag and the .338?Thanks

[sbtennex]

Not to insult anybody, but I'm not a fan of the RUM. A 7mm Rem Mag is about all the gun I'll ever need, but I do shoot and like my 300 Win Mag Tikka as well. Any more recoil than that takes the fun out of shooting off the bench after a few. No need to develop the dreaded flinch. The 300 WSM is plenty of gun and typically very good shooters in just about anything. That said, if you're going to something new, there actually is a pretty good difference between the WSM and the 300 Win Mag once you get into the heavier bullets - simply more powder capacity in the Win Mag. Mine's fond of a 200 gr Accubond and even though you can use quite a bit heavier stuff it seems to have more than enough smack out there for pretty well anything that walks on this continent. If you can handle a .338 I'd certainly go for the Win Mag, cause with a 250 gr Partition or any sturdy bullet like it, it will handle pretty well anything on this earth. Tried out a Weatherby .378 once at the range - no more. Painful, and I'm not recoil sensitive at all. It's not the ft/lbs of recoil, it's the sheer velocity, the speed it comes up and back at you - good way to detach a retina and chalk up a dentist bill getting your fillings put back in.

[bobinthesky]

At 275 yards, the .338 win mag will do anything you want to do on this continent!

[Grizzlyman1980]

Who makes the .340 Weatherby,this gun intrigues me,Do they Make Left Handed Bolt Action's?

[eric2381]

I agree with the 7mm rem mag comment. I own three rifles in this chambering, and I'm a big believer. 175 gr. Partitions do the deed every time. But, I also really like the 338 win mag. It's a well balanced round, and does the trick very well. But, recoil can be a bit of a hindrance. The 7mm RUM and the 338 Win Mag aren't in the same class, IMO.

[bobinthesky]

Originally Posted by Grizzlyman1980

Who makes the .340 Weatherby,this gun intrigues me,Do they Make Left Handed Bolt Action's?

Weatherby, and yes.

[Grizzlyman1980]

Im gonna go with a .340 Weatherby i think,Thanks Lads!!!Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving(Hunting!!)

[bobinthesky]

Wait a minute... Weatherby also builds a .338/378. Mucho horsepower...not for the faint of heart!

[Solothurn]

Originally Posted by Grizzlyman1980

Probably wont take a shot over 275 yrds,So your saying i should go with a .338?i dont have a whole lot of knowledge on Rifles that are more powerful than a .308,i wasnt happy with my .300 wsm Browning ,so i sold it and want something different,i want power and speed,Is there much of a difference between the 7mm ultra mag and the .338?Thanks

Please do not take offense, but 275 yards in todays gun world is considered very close range. I am glad you clarified your intention and proposed distance for use.
The 7Rum is fast but is limited by bullet weight to about 180 grains, the 338 Win Mag that has been suggested is not as fast but having a 250 or 300 gr bullet to use has far more "stopping power" which is what you need for heavy hard to kill creatures like Grizzlies, and to a lesser degree elk.
Smaller diameter bullets like the 7s tend to have thinner jackets than the medium to big bores soon bear and large or dangerous game can suffer from lack of penetration or bullet disintegration, depending on the bullet you favor.
Many jackets used on bullets 30 cal and under are only .015 to ,020 thick, where as most 338 and bigger caliber bullets, start at .020 and many will get up to .035, which keeps the bullets together for more penetration.
There are bigger 338s available than the 338 Win Mag, I shoot a 338 Lapua Ackley Improved, with 300 gr bullets travelling at 3075 fps still have plenty of retained energy to kill large game at 1000 yards and beyond.
Heavier bullets retain velocity and energy further down range than lighter bullets do.
For the use you are describing I know the 338 Win Mag would be more than capable, the key to any medium or big bore is how the rifle fits you and what sort of recoil suppression you use.
If you are a walking type hunter a 19 lb rifle like I use would not be the answer, so either mechanical suppression or a brake would be the route to go to keep recoil easily manageable.
A well fitted 338 Win Mag in the 8 to 9 lb area fitted with a recoil suppressor will hit the shoulder about the same as a 308 and not be any noisier than the rifle would be without the suppressor, a brake is more efficient but produces a nasty muzzle blast that many do not like.
One advantage of long range hunting is you use your eyes more than your ears, so hearing protection is not a detriment, hence the use of brakes is not a problem.

[bobinthesky]

.338 Aklet Improved...never heard of it!

[Grizzlyman1980]

What about a .375 h&h,Is it more Powerful,i was looking and Ruger Makes them and they are a Lot Cheaper?

[bobinthesky]

Yup...horse power costs money!

.375 H&H is a great caliber, I love mine, but I think you'd be better off with a .338 win or a .338/378.

[Grizzlyman1980]

Thanks,What Brand would you go with for a .338?Im leaning towards a Browning,but im not into the new synthetic ****,i want walnut stock Rifles,I Love the Look a lot better,and for me Weight isnt a Problem,Thanks

[Solothurn]

Originally Posted by Grizzlyman1980

Thanks,What Brand would you go with for a .338?Im leaning towards a Browning,but im not into the new synthetic ****,i want walnut stock Rifles,I Love the Look a lot better,and for me Weight isnt a Problem,Thanks

Plastic (tupperware) stocks will give you all the recoil a caliber can generate, they make rifles cheaper to buy, but nasty to shoot.
Brownings stock design, like Rugers tend to transmit as much recoil as possible.
A wood or laminated wood stock would be my suggestion, given you like the look of wood.
Remington, Sako, even the new Savage American series ( I never thought I would be saying that) are all decent rifles. Best suggestion is to see what brand fits YOU, then decidewhat if anything needs to be done to make it fit you perfectly.

[buckmaster]

Originally Posted by Grizzlyman1980

Thanks,What Brand would you go with for a .338?Im leaning towards a Browning,but im not into the new synthetic ****,i want walnut stock Rifles,I Love the Look a lot better,and for me Weight isnt a Problem,Thanks

i have a 338 and is a very good powered rifle! i use 210gr noslers with nickel casing.The one thing i would recommend is to have something put on the rifle for kickback "very hard kick"; and i wouldnt shoot this gun past 300yrds either.The bullets have a 20'' drop at 300yds!!

[huntinstuff]

pm sent

Originally Posted by Grizzlyman1980

I Want a Very Powerfull Long Range Rifle for Grizzly's,Moose,Elk or Caribou,just sold my .300 wsm,Want something Bigger,need your Advice,Which Caliber would you Choose and Why?Im leaning towards a .338 But want to know if a 7mm ultra Mag is Close to the Same?Thanks GrizzlyMan1980

[schimmel]

I have a 338 RUM & I love it. It's remington 700 LSS. It's deadly accurate with hand loads. I've taken 2 moose & a few deer with it & have never had to take a follow up shot. If I were you I would go with the 338 RUM but that's just my opinion & everyone has one of those.

[Solothurn]

Originally Posted by buckmaster

i have a 338 and is a very good powered rifle! i use 210gr noslers with nickel casing.The one thing i would recommend is to have something put on the rifle for kickback "very hard kick"; and i wouldnt shoot this gun past 300yrds either.The bullets have a 20'' drop at 300yds!!

You lost me here. The bullet has 20" of drop at 300 yards. So?
My 338LAI has 258" of drop at 1000 yards yet I still kill game regularly with it.
Knowing your trajectory and using it to your advantage is not a bad thing.
Practice and a repeatable scope makes a huge difference in how far you can consistently hit targets, then using that info to take game.
I know for a fact that 338 Win Mag with 250 Partitions will cleanly kill elk at 900 yards having done so on a few occasions.

If your rifle has "very hard kick" then it does not fit you properly, this can be cured quite easily. There is no reason to get beaten up by your rifle.

[Huntnut]

I have both the 338 win mag and a 7mm rum. One thing you have to think about is bullet selection if you don't reload. There is to my knowledge only 1 selection for the 7mm rum-140gr rem. corelocks where there are numerous more for the 338. If you reload then this won't be a problem. One thing to remember is the rum burns alot of powder and can be finicky on bullets/powder combination. Having shot both I can't say which I prefer but rifle wise I prefer my 338 as it just fits me better. From what you've said that you will be using it for I would go with the 338 win mag and never look back. It can be used on any north american animal-the 7mm rum-not so sure I would.

[Copidosoma]

I owned two .338 win mags when I was younger. I sold them both. I regret the decision very much. If I could have one of them back I'd be a very happy person. If you dig around you will see that it is a very hard hitting yet flat flying round. The b.c. on the heavier bullets is pretty impressive. I'd seriously consider it (although I have no experience with the 7mm so I'm not trying to put it down). It is almost the perfect N.A. big game round (overkill for deer but what the heck)

[martinbns]

Originally Posted by Grizzlyman1980

Probably wont take a shot over 275 yrds,So your saying i should go with a .338?i dont have a whole lot of knowledge on Rifles that are more powerful than a .308,i wasnt happy with my .300 wsm Browning ,so i sold it and want something different,i want power and speed,Is there much of a difference between the 7mm ultra mag and the .338?Thanks

275 isn't really long range. You gain nothing with the 7 RUM, in fact you are probably giving up killing power from your 300 WSM. The only thing that really increases killing power at that distance is bullet weight.

[Scott N]

Originally Posted by martinbns

275 isn't really long range. You gain nothing with the 7 RUM, in fact you are probably giving up killing power from your 300 WSM. The only thing that really increases killing power at that distance is bullet weight.

I agree with martinbns on this, 275 really isn't long range, and the Ultra Mags are speciallty long range rounds. Your 300 WSM had plenty of punch for the animals that you listed that you hunt for under 300 yard hunting. But if you really want to by a new rifle, a 338 Winchester Mag. probably makes more sense than the 338 Ultra Mag because it has less recoil and muzzle blast, but more than enough punch for shooting 300 yards or less. Also the ammo is cheaper and easier for find.

[buckmaster]

Originally Posted by Alberta Tactical Rifle

You lost me here. The bullet has 20" of drop at 300 yards. So?
just letting a potential buyer know a bit of info!
If your rifle has "very hard kick" then it does not fit you properly, this can be cured quite easily. There is no reason to get beaten up by your rifle.

Sooo what is the best option for kickback? The rifle was passed down from my dad before he passed away, so i may not be properly fitted for it.

[CaberTosser]

Originally Posted by buckmaster

Sooo what is the best option for kickback? The rifle was passed down from my dad before he passed away, so i may not be properly fitted for it.

I found my .338 Win Mag Ruger 77 MkII Stainless/Laminate to be pretty hard kicking for my liking. I probably should have given it another chance as I think I may have had some technique issues working against me that first day shooting it. As it was, I immediately took it to a gunsmith to have a muzzle brake installed, and that significantly reduced the recoil to noticeably below that of my .308 Win. I put on a thicker recoil pad, as the factory one was as hard as a mining truck tire. I could still stand to trim a bit off the stock to compensate the additional length added by the pad, but have been a bit lazy about that so far. I`ve not shot it with friends nearby while hunting, so I`ve not yet gotten feedback on how loud it is with the brake. From both what I`ve read and from shooting my own, straight behind the rifle is OK; but to the sides get a pretty loud boom and thus generate significant complaints from bystanders (again, just from what I`ve read). The shooter being straight behind gets little if any extra volume.

[Roebag]

I own both a 338 win mag and a 340 weatherby mag. Love them both. I had the 340 first and love it. I bought the 338 because I wanted the same "wrecking ball" power in a lighter gun so Dave Henry took the action and bbl from a T3 Light 338 and put a T3 camo stock on it. 6 5/8 lb 338 win mag. It's now my primary weapon.
I also have 2 300 win mags and have killed many elk and moose with them and I will say that the 338's definately bring quicker results after you "trip the switch"

340(old painless) Moose




338 moose



You will be happy with your 340. I shoot a 250 gr Speer Grand Slam at 2950 ft/sec from mine

[spurly]

The 325 wsm should also be given some consideration, flat shooting, hard hitting, won't beat the hell out of you. usually very accurate and available for lefties

I believe that within the stated range, the .338WM will offer more than ample power and flat trajectory. Brass and even factory ammunition availability is probably better than that of RUM calibers. ATR mentioned recoil suppression, here's a picture of mine, because I don't care for loud muzzle breaks. This .338WM's felt recoil is comparable to a .308. The suppressor is a $300.00 touch, the rifle is a Tikka M695 Whitetail Hunter (one of the good ones).