bsa,
I'm not saying all hunters who choose the .338 Winchester Magnum as their one North American rifle are overgunned or nitwits, but those are the only two I've met.
I've used my own .338 on a wide array of game from springbok and whitetail does to eland and Alaskan moose. But I, and the people I've known who use a .338 successfully, normally have at least one lighter rifle as well. They may use the .338 as an all-around cartridge on some hunts, but they shoot the lighter rifle a lot more--and don't flinch.
In NA you don't need anything but a 338, except maybe some kind of 22 for prairie dogs.
I've had them from 416 Rigby down to the 22's, most of which I still have, but except for antelope I've stayed with the 338 for everything else. I use in more recent times, a 7-08 for antelope. I also can't recall the last time I missed a shot on game, and for elk, every one of the last 10 or so I've taken with 338's have been a bang/flops. Each cartridge has its use. For me the 338's are the best all around cartridges for everything in North America for the one gun hunter.
