Should I buy a .338?

[rjthehunter]

I use my .338 WM almost exclusively for big game. Even deer. It's a hell of a shooter and I enjoy shooting it. They kick a little, but it's nothing you can't get over by not being a sally! A good recoil pad makes a big difference. If you're sensitive to recoil, don't load the rounds so hot.

There's nothing on this planet it can't kill. You are required a little bigger for some of the African animals, but otherwise it's capable.

I've been shooting 230gr ELD-X bullets and have really been liking them.

It's a classic round that knocks big critters down! You'd be foolish to not buy it

 

[nhenry]

Buy it.

 

[Cornbread]

I bought one just 6 months ago. Got a dec ent deal on it. It's a Browning BAAR in the .338 win mag. They don't make it anymore, ammo variety is hard to find. Haven't been able to find Federal Premium ammo in it; crazy times. I haven't had it out to shoot yet, been busy. Stop pussy-footing around. Man up, and buy it. Are you a man or a mouse???

 

[Irrelevant]

No.
Don't buy something just because and damn sure don't buy a gun that you won't enjoy shooting

 

[sneakem]

Like said, it's not a gun you just sit down on a bench and enjoy shooting over and over. Like anything, it has a purpose, fantastic caliber for killing just about anything of size. Recoil is manageable with good shooting form and a good recoil pad. The recoil has a tendency to rock up and lift, rather than coming straight back. I've had a number of people scope themselves good on mine and it's got a decent amount of eye relief on the scope.

Also plan on putting a good piece of glass on top, the recoil will eat reticles on cheaper scopes....

 

[Ben Lamb]

No.
Don't buy something just because and damn sure don't buy a gun that you won't enjoy shooting

 

[44hunter45]

I just discovered an old tang safety Ruger M77 in .338, in very good condition, with a nice smooth action, nice wood, and good iron sights. The original red recoil pad would be replaced with a red pachmayr if I bought it, and it’s nice and heavy, which I like in something that snorts as much as a .338. It’s a classy looking rifle, and I’ve been getting back into a wood and blued kick lately.

When I picked it up I imagined riding a horse (I don’t even own a horse) into my favorite elk spot in the Redacted Range, sleeping in my wall tent with a roaring stove, killing a nice 6 point bull on a clear morning, and then stopping a charging grizzly in its tracks on my way out.

I know the .338 is completely unnecessary and my .270 would kill the imaginary griz just as easily. I certainly don’t need another rifle at all. But it would be a fun project to tinker with and an absolute stomper for moose, large bears, bison, and other such beasts. I have always been interested in the .338 and I like the panache of a medium bore. @Ben Lamb and @BuzzH, I know I have seen you both discuss the .338 before. Am I crazy?

Did a trigger and bedding job on buddy's tang .338 a couple of years ago. Shoots lights out.

 

[Dan O]

Just buy it!!! I have had one since the 80's. It's a Ruger tang safety wearing a 2x7 Burris, no iron sights. I have shot a number of elk using the 250 grain partition and one young bull moose. The first mule deer I shot was a 4x4. It was a down hill shot in a clear cut. I heard the hit and when the rifle came down out of recoil the buck was gone WTF? Upon walking to where he was standing his tracks ended where he was at when I shot. Just behind him was a steep slope I didn't see from where I shot from. His skid mark down the hill was visible from where his tracks ended. I had hit him in the front shoulders with the 250 partition and it lifted him over the edge of the slope. Lost some meat with that shot. Later that night at camp some coyotes drug it out of the back of my truck and worked a hind quarter over pretty good. When I picked it up from the processer I got 1 small box of meat LOL.

My rifle will shoot Nosler 210 and 250's great but not 225 or 250 accubonds. It also shoots the Barnes 225 TTSX great. That is what I have loaded now but have not hunted with it since. The recoil is no problem if you use a past recoil shoulder pad when you shoot off the bench. Oh, one last thing, don't use it in a prairie dog town it gets expensive quick.

 

[Bill Zent]

If you don't own it by now..............nope, can't put it in print!

 

[Sheltowee]

No, you absolutely should not by that beautiful, classic rifle.

Hey, uh, by the way, got a contact for the guy selling it?

 

[Sask hunter]

I hunt with my ruger 77 338 win mag more than any gun. I use 225 Barnes ttsx. It’s my go to gun for bear, elk and moose. I think it’s taken 5 elk, 5 moose and at least ten bears

 

[Stone_Ice_1]

Take the gun, leave the cannolis.

Aside from load development, how much bench time are you really going have with it? A PAST recoil pad takes the beast on the bench anyways. Good technique can also help.

A 225 grain pill at 2900 fps is wicked good on game. 270's are great, but why drive a Corvair when you could be driving an Olds 442?

338 WM's are loud, powerful & mean. They have wonderful terminal performance & in some instances, they provide comfort in knowing you're the apex predator in the woods, despite what your Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hoody says.


View attachment 299676

This pretty much says it. I shoot a .338 win mag and have for years. It's a great gun. I don't notice anymore recoil than with my 270. Actually the 270 hurts more because it needs a new butt pad. I shoot slightly smaller bullet in the form of a Barnes TTSX. Works great for me. 338's are elk killing machines and if I ever actually draw a moose tag it will be going with me for that too. Mine is actually a Weatherby and doesn't have the pretty wood stock, but is synthetic which is ok by me since I trek it all over the place and would probably do something ot the wood stock I regret later. My dad has one with a gorgeous wood stock and it is heavy as all hell like you describe and he loves it.

 

[reallyoldman]

I have a Ruger 77 and a Remington Safari Grade 700 which was built by Tim McCormick of Remington custom shop. The 700 is beautiful but heavy. The recoil is moderate and I love to shoot it. The 77 was a gift from my brother in law after I took him on an Alaska moose/caribo hunt. I shot a 65" moose on that hunt with it. I think I was so jacked up I didn't feel the recoil and never did notice it that bad. Many one shot kills. I have even shot jack rabbits with them.

 

[ismith]

What’s not to like about 200 grain accubonds @ 3000 fps?

 

[2rocky]

I'm a fellow Ruger Tang safety lover. My one large bore rifle is one. It gets the job done.

If you live above the 45th parallel, and only need one rifle, that would be the gun.

If you collect Ruger M77s then you need one in every caliber. Plain and simple.

If you are trying to have a brace of guns for all situations, then I think the divisions are :

• .22 rimfire
• sub 30 cal centerfire - low recoil kid or predator gun
• .30-.375 caliber Medium - Large game rifle
• .375 plus African rifle

This way you have only 4 different size cartridges to inventory and less likely to grab the wrong ammo on your way out the door for a quick hunt. My biggest fear was confusing a 7mm Rem mag and a 300 Win Mag cartridge in my pocket.

 

[BuzzH]

I've posted these pictures before.

Tried to thread the needle on an elk one day while packing my .338. Turns out I didn't need to worry about it.

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Went right through the frozen lodgepole the elk was standing behind, through one shoulder on the elk and exited the front of the off side shoulder. 250 grain partition at 125 yards or so.

Another bull I killed one day as I was sitting in an opening glassing another ridge. Snuck in behind me and I slowly turned and slapped him at 50 yards or so. Went to where I shot and this rock was maybe 10 yards from where he was standing when he ran by.

Never had to worry about blood trails when I shot the .338.

Another thing I found, is that the .338 killed deer fine, but not nearly as well as .243's, .25's, .284's etc. I think the heavy bullets I shot just whistled through without much expansion. Certainly never lost a deer or had trouble finding blood they just typically ran further with lung shots than when I used smaller rifles.

I've come full circle on killing game. Started with a 6mm, went to a 30/06 for years, then a .338, now I'm more into rifles that are fun to shoot. Sort of settled on the .243-.284 range, just way more fun to shoot. I wouldn't even hesitate to shoot anything with a 7-08, including brown bears.

Correct bullets, precision shooting, and holding your chit together at crunch time matter wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy more than the caliber you're shooting.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Correct bullets, precision shooting, and holding your chit together at crunch time matter wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy more than the caliber you're shooting.

I think that can be said for any tool, really. But that's boring as #*^@#*.

 

[BuzzH]

I think that can be said for any tool, really. But that's boring as #*^@#*.

I like boring when it comes to killing game...work too hard to play around.

 

[MtsPSU]

I just discovered an old tang safety Ruger M77 in .338, in very good condition, with a nice smooth action, nice wood, and good iron sights. The original red recoil pad would be replaced with a red pachmayr if I bought it, and it’s nice and heavy, which I like in something that snorts as much as a .338. It’s a classy looking rifle, and I’ve been getting back into a wood and blued kick lately.

When I picked it up I imagined riding a horse (I don’t even own a horse) into my favorite elk spot in the Redacted Range, sleeping in my wall tent with a roaring stove, killing a nice 6 point bull on a clear morning, and then stopping a charging grizzly in its tracks on my way out.

I know the .338 is completely unnecessary and my .270 would kill the imaginary griz just as easily. I certainly don’t need another rifle at all. But it would be a fun project to tinker with and an absolute stomper for moose, large bears, bison, and other such beasts. I have always been interested in the .338 and I like the panache of a medium bore. @Ben Lamb and @BuzzH, I know I have seen you both discuss the .338 before. Am I crazy?

Yes, you are crazy. Now go buy the rifle and give it a good home.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I like boring when it comes to killing game...work too hard to play around.

“Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” —Henry David Thoreau​