300 Win Mag vs. 338 Win Mag

Originally Posted by Bobby B.

You stated 'a dedicated a elk rifle'. Why not go with a 338/06 in a thumbhole stock? This cartridge would provide the extra ooomph you're after plus the thumbhole will reduce felt recoil.

Bobby B.

I've got a couple thumbhole stock rifles and I gotta say that they definitely don't reduce felt recoil. They may distribute it a bit more between your shoulder and wrist but from my experience, I'd never reccommend one in a heavy magnum. Are you talking about the .338 Federal? It's actually a neck up .308. Personally, I'd go with the venerable .338WM if I was going that route. The .338-06 is one of those wildcats with a limited following. Defintely not in the league of the .338WM for performance.

[ABDUKNUT]

.338 Win Mag is the most popular hunting caliber in AK for a reason. It's proven to work very very good on everything that is commonly hunted.

While I'm not exactly petrified of bears, I do sleep better in a tent knowing I have a .300 or .338 with good bullets beside me. IMHO a .260 or .270 is fine if you have a partner with a REAL gun handy. Sheephunter obviously disagrees with this, and I'm sure all his buddies will back him up, but I encourage you to make up your OWN mind... If you want to carry a .338, you have every right to do so, so have at 'er.

I just started shooting a Bansner .338 and it's gradually becoming apparent to me just how usefull this cartridge is. With different weight bullets, it's everything from a deer gun to a bear blaster, and then some.

Sheephunter obviously disagrees with this, and I'm sure all his buddies will back him up

Actually I hunt alone a lot and if there are two of us, it's rare that we carry more than one rifle. Maybe I've just spent way too much time in close proximity to old Ephram and my number will come up one day but until then I'll shoot rifles that are suited to the game I'm after and not the ghosts and gobblins that might be out there. Certainly in other parts of North America I may think differently but not in Alberta.....

With that said, the .338 is a fine choice for elk in Alberta and Mark does build a fine rifle. I see nothing wrong with carrying a .338 or a .375 for that matter if you shoot it well but I fear too many people way overgun themselves for the eventuality of a bear attack with a rifle they are afraid to shoot. I'm not anti magnum at all and last time I looked I had several...all the way up to.416 but all were bought with hunting in mind...not protection. If I have to crawl in after a wounded bear or walk in on confined kill site, I'll take my 12 gauge thankyou very much...and of course a canister of bear spray on my hip. It all comes back to shooting what you shoot well and is suited for the game you are after.

[209x50]

Originally Posted by sheephunter

Maybe I've just spent way too much time in close proximity to old Ephram and my number will come up one day

I do believe the last time you and I ran into a G bear we used a couple of four pound rocks as the gun was still tied to the pack frame.
Jeez those are the days when you really know you are alive and what the tensile strength of your underwear is!

[nof60]

Believe it or not kick from a .338 is a lot nicer than the kick from a .300

Yes you can kill griz with a .270, 30.06 etc. ...you can also attack them with your hunting knife but I would not recomend that either

The first Griz I ever killed was with a 7mmRem Mag and fella I was very glad I was 150 yards away

.338 is a nice gun...what was the old saying "bring enough gun"

Believe it or not kick from a .338 is a lot nicer than the kick from a .300

That kind of sounds like one of the Ripley things and in this case I'll choose "not", at least not in the same gun shooting a heavier bullet out of the .338.

Originally Posted by 209x50

I do believe the last time you and I ran into a G bear we used a couple of four pound rocks as the gun was still tied to the pack frame.
Jeez those are the days when you really know you are alive and what the tensile strength of your underwear is!

Ya, all that shreeking you were doing like a girl was better than any air horn!

[209x50]

I have one 338 that is almost safer to be in front of, man that thing kicks. If it didn't shoot so good I'd have sold it to someone I didn't like by now. Heyy sheep did I ever offer you a 338...?

Hmmm...think I might already have one identical to it!

[209x50]

Originally Posted by sheephunter

Ya, all that shreeking you were doing like a girl was better than any air horn!

Well jeez you were pulling all the hair off my back trying to climb up on my shoulders!

[BrownBear416]

Nothin wrong with the 300 or the 338 for a good mountain elk gun.I shoot a 270 Carl Gustaf with a 140gr Accubonds and it seems to kill anything i shoot at.I shoot it very well and it fits me like no other gun i have ever held so that is why i use it.I feel confidence in the gun you are using is more important then having a big canon.I do own a old style sako 338 and it has hardly any kick at at all due to being a heavy gun.I can shoot 1/2 inch group with this rifle shooting 225gr tbbc.I used to own a sako75 300 win and found it to have good knock down power and very flat shooting.It shot 165gr Fail safes very well.If i had to choose between the two then i would pick the 338 just because if they ever open the grizz season back up then that is the gun i would use or if i ever went to the yukon or alaska on a big hunt.All dependes on what your plans are.


Good Luck with your choice.

[Yukon Hunter]

Go for a .375 H&H. Probably the best all-around calibre on the planet.
I had a .338, but sold it to a spectacularly ugly woman...

[209x50]

I have a 375 H&H and while it is a great caliber it isn't in the same league as the 300 or 338 when the ranges start to stretch out past 250 yards.

[DTaylor9]

I have many guns and the one the suits me best is the 300WSM Browning mountain Ti with Durotouch camo.This gun is simply super light very accurate with 180 Grain SST Hornady out to 300 Yards and I just can't put it in the safe and take out another gun....

This is an amazing gun!!!
So it is costly but this will meet your needs 100% and I have'nt met anyone yet that owns this gun that does'nt love it with my secret load......

[nof60]

From a particularly ugly women


That little beastie in the pick up top was killed with the .338 that YH sold. I in turn sold it to another gent I hunt with and he got a nice bear with it. I gotta agree with your recomendation on the .375 but fella you oughta see my new custom built .338, it makes me moist and makes animals fall down. Only problem is I need a rifle barer cause the dang thing is a tad heavy.

PS Is it just me or does sheephunter know absolutely everything in the world and has at least three guns in every calibre and configeration known to man.

Gee Whiz he must be lucky to have a gun room the same size as most peoples houses. Either that or he is full o`crapp. Seriously you loudmouth, when your boyfriend is giving you a good rogering do you tell him he is doing it wrong and disagree with him to? A hunting trip in the mountains with you must be a treat. Not only could I learn what I do wrong but you can teach me about guns, hunting,dogs and the ways of taking it brokeback style.

PS Is it just me or does sheephunter know absolutely everything in the world and has at least three guns in every calibre and configeration known to man.

Gee Whiz he must be lucky to have a gun room the same size as most peoples houses. Either that or he is full o`crapp. Seriously you loudmouth, when your boyfriend is giving you a good rogering do you tell him he is doing it wrong and disagree with him to? A hunting trip in the mountains with you must be a treat. Not only could I learn what I do wrong but you can teach me about guns, hunting,dogs and the ways of taking it brokeback style.

Now that was just childish!

Does this mean we aren't going sheep hunting together now or are you really looking forward to it...I'm so confused!

[Kelly & Beth]

dick said

You could also get yourself a 280 Remington too.

and i'll second that can't go wrong with that.

[Reeves1]

Moose, although some here have forgotten more than I'll ever know about fire arms...

When I was living in B.C. I was going to start putting in for Bison. So looking over the draw info I saw your gun had to meet minimums. The 7mm just squeaked in. So I started to look at the balistics on the two you are looking at. Although I do not have the info in front of me, I remember the 300 was just a tad less than the 338. Then looked at down range info, and the 300 came out a lot better.
Have a few friends with the 338 so I tried a few rounds, and didn't like them. Tried a 300 and liked it.
Ended up getting the Browning A-bolt synthetic stalker, with B.O.S.S. I know many/most hate the boss, but I "dialed" mine in to the point that all rounds (bench/sand bags) touch at 200m. I always meant to get the solid balancer to cut the noise down, haven't got aroundtoit yet.
Looked ( and if I remember right, asked on a couple forums) what the best ammo would be to use, plus looked up the info my self. I ended up using the Hornady Custom 190gr BT SP Interlock Bullet.
I have some 180gr SP that I'll be trying out as well, as it shows flatter down range.
Long and short of it for me ? It's hands down my favorite !

[209x50]

Originally Posted by nof60

PS Is it just me or does sheephunter know absolutely everything in the world and has at least three guns in every calibre and configeration known to man.

Gee Whiz he must be lucky to have a gun room the same size as most peoples houses. Either that or he is full o`crapp. Seriously you loudmouth, when your boyfriend is giving you a good rogering do you tell him he is doing it wrong and disagree with him to? A hunting trip in the mountains with you must be a treat. Not only could I learn what I do wrong but you can teach me about guns, hunting,dogs and the ways of taking it brokeback style.

I have seen Sheep's gun room, and he has one of most and several of many calibers. The man has forgot more about guns than you will ever learn. I think it totally chicken**** that you would attack him in such a childish way just because he called you a fool over the short shotgun BS. Sometimes it is best to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than opening it and removing all doubt.
You do how ever know a lot more a bout the broke back stuff than anyone I've ran into. Now what do you suppose that makes me think?

[cmfic1]

For a long time, my favorite "most versatile" cartridge was the .300 Win Mag. I've had several. My current one is a Mark Bansner "Ultimate Sheep hunter". I have since changed my thinking more towards the .338 Win. Mag.

Both are excellent though, and you wouldnt do wrong with either, no matter what you were hunting.

As far as recoil, if your stepping up to a .300 Win, there isnt alot of difference in recoil between 2 like rifles to be worth mentioning.

I recently returned from a Coastal Brown Bear hunt, I used my Mark Bansner in .338 Win. with 225gr. NP, and had 2 shots total penetration from stern to stem. There isnt alot more one needs than that & the Bear dropped immediately with the 1st shot. Would the 300 have done the same? Likely, would an '06 maybe, but I wouldnt bet the farm on it! There is no question the 30/06 would have killed it, but at 40 yards the .338 felt mighty good in my hands...but admittedly my .416 would have felt a little better.

go with either...you wont be dissapointed with whatever you choose of the two.

[Kutenay]

I tend to agree and have owned three .300 Mags. and shot and handloaded for several others. I have owned 12 .338 WM rifles and it is by far my favourite cartridge, I do not find the recoil that bad, but, you do need to shoot fairly often during the year to stay comfortable with it.

I have carried primarily CRF .30-06s, .338s and .375H&Hs when working solo in remote wilderness and feel comfortable with any of these, loaded with heavy, premium bullets. I have seen Grizzlies killed with .270s, 7Mags., .06s and the above rounds as well as .300 Weatherbys. They ALL worked well enough, but, the bigger ones just make me feel more comfortable,especially when backpacking meat or working alone where Grizz are numerous.

A .338 can be built to be a hair over 8lbs., all up, using Leupy QRW bases/Burris Zee rings, EAW irons and a 22: tube in a light synthetic stock. If you use a Limbsaver, it is NOT that bad, even with 250s and I have my eye on a custom rig like this that my buddy has built up, for backpacking hunts here in BC.

I don't see ANY point in using lighter bullets in the .338WM and have had poor accuracy results from them in most of my rifles. I have found that the newer 250 NPs, the 225 TBBCs and the 250 SGKs ALL shoot sub. moa at high velocities, so, that is what I load/use.

If, I wanted a lighter, flatter load for more open country such as Alberta or the BC Peace district, I would choose a .300 WM or a .300 Roy with a good 180 or maybe that new Barnes 168 gr. TSX. Either way, you have what it takes to do the job, if you can shoot, the hardest part of all!

cfmi1---That Satterlee Mag. Mauser in your "sig. line"is enough to make me NUTS, I mean every old geezer like me in BC, NEEDS a .404J, right?!

Are you going to get one???????

[cmfic1]

Kute, I have been hashing it over in the head for a few months whether or not to put an order in with Stuart, but I should hurry and decide. It could be up to a 3 yr. wait to be delivered, so I would be needing to put off my Cape buff hunt. I just about had a deposit sent to WFF Hein. Carl & I had a .404J worked out, all that was left to do was send the deposit....I dont know if its good or bad that I didnt send it, due to the recent turmoil they seem to be in.
I have been in contact with Stuart a fair bit, I would like a .404J exactly as shown (but in LH config.), they are VERY spendy, in fact just over 2x more than the Hein, but it may could be worth it too me!

Sorry for robbing the thread.....

[Kutenay]

Well, I WOULD do it, I passed up a few guns long ago that I wanted and now regret it; you only pass this way once......

Also, Satterlee's rifles WILL hold their value and highend US custom rifles ARE rapidly increasing in price, so, I think it's a fair investment. Of course, I am just a "bit"whacked about fine guns!

[Grizzly Adams]

Any other alternate calibers, we haven't suggested? I own a .338, but all it does is gather dust, while my 7mm Rem. gets a good workout every year. I bought my .338 because I just wanted a really BIG gun. Grizz? A couple of 169 grn. Hornadys in the 7mm worked fine. 338 versu .300? Unless you are planning on shooting really heavy bullets, I really don't see the point of the .338. You can't beat the selection of weights in .30
Grizz

[cmfic1]

Unless you are planning on shooting really heavy bullets, I really don't see the point of the .338

2 words.....Frontal area.

You can't beat the selection of weights in .30

With the array of .338 cal. boolitz going from 185gr- 300 gr. It aint that far behind.

As far as going to a 7 mag, that would be regressing in Dia. Now I am not saying there's anything wrong with a 7mag or any other .284 (my 2nd most favorite calibre), I think he wants a cal. intended for a mnt Rifle, with enough oomph if a Griz were to come along, and while the 7 would have enough, it wasnt in his choice selection, nor would it be in mine if I were looking for the type of rifle he is. While I agree with sheep & others, that the possibility of that happening wouldnt be a determining factor in my cartridge selection....well thats our thoughts, he has stated his.

[Kutenay]

That's pretty much how I have always felt and why I started using a .338WM in January, 1968. However, I DO strongly agree with Grizzly here as the REAL benfit to the .338s IS the heavier bullets and this is what I prefer here in BC where our Grizzly population is expanding and attacks are increasing. So, he does have a sound point, IMO.

I think that the combination of a good standard case 7mm and this includes .270s to me plus a good .338 is about the best BC hunting combo possible. From what I have seen of Alberta and have been told about Sask., I would likely go with a .300 Mag-.25-06 combo due to longer shots and more Coyote hunting with less Grizzly problems on average.

The BEST option is to have/shoot them ALL!!!!

[cmfic1]

the REAL benfit to the .338s IS the heavier bullets

Agreed.....If I need smaller than a 225, I will step down to another Rifle. But I did have some hot-loaded 185 X's a few yrs ago, and they were smmmokin'

I think that the combination of a good standard case 7mm and this includes .270s to me plus a good .338 is about the best BC hunting combo possible

Not a bad combo in AB either. I have stated several times, that if I could only have TWO Rifles for all of NA they would be a .280 Rem & a .338 Win. Mag. If I could only have one, it would be the .338 WM.

The BEST option is to have/shoot them ALL!!!!

Workin' on it Kute......workin' on it.

[wildcat]

I have a chance to buy a Remington 700 bdl in a 7-300 caliber the guy told me it is a 300 weatherby necked down to a 7mm so it would have the 300 case with the 7mm bullet the gun is in great shape has a Sightron SII 4.5-14x42mm scope he is trying to sell me it for $500.00 would this be a good buy or not any info will help

Well i have bought this gun and man does i kick but it reaches out the 600-700 yards no problem

[Tundra Monkey]

PM me his info and see if it's available in 5 minutes

tm

[wendland]

300WM has my vote. Lots of load variations like the 30-06 and still lots of punch. Would not recommend a muzzle brake, way to loud. The right model and you will be very happy.