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Joined: Jul 2001
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
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Yeah, a .338 could sure work as a back-up to either the 7mm or .375, depending on the hunt.
Blued and walnut can work pretty well for use in nasty weather with some spar varnish on the stock (whether checkering or inletting) and Dyna-Tek coatings on the metal, whether Bore Coat inside the bore or Gun Shield outside.
Last edited by Mule Deer; 01/08/16.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2006
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Yeah, a .338 could sure work as a back-up to either the 7mm or .375, depending on the hunt.
Blued and walnut can work pretty well for use in nasty weather with some spar varnish on the stock (whether checkering or inletting) and Dyna-Tek coatings on the metal, whether Bore Coat inside the bore or Gin Shield outside. Gin shield sounds like just the thing for after a cold weather hunt.
Last edited by Oregon45; 01/07/16.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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If you already have a 7RM and a .375 Ruger, is there any point filling in the gap between them with a .338WM?
The 7RM has plenty of thump for most anything south of the 49th parallel, and most stuff above it. It is faster and flatter to longer ranges than .338WM.
If you want a little more kablooey than the RM may give, the .375 Ruger is more than sufficient for anything on this continent, and most anything on other continents. With a 20" barrel and open sights, it makes a nice, handy little piece.
Is there anything a .338WM would do that either of these wouldn't do just as well? A little bit longer-legged than the 3/8, a little bit of a bigger hammer than the 7mm. But does that matter in any practical way? Is there any scenario where if you had the big one and the little one to choose from, you'd rather have the one in the middle enough to be worth buying a rifle, glass, loading supplies and equipment, and taking the time to work up a good load or two when you could be spending your time and money shooting other stuff you already have?
The looney answer is obviously to buy one in stainless/polymer and one in blue walnut. A less-looney compromise would be to buy one in stainless and get a nicer stock for it. What do non-loonies think? ...........A 7 RM and the 375 Ruger are all the two that one would need on this continent. Then the question becomes a want vs a need if thinking about adding a 338 WM to the inventory. In most cases, the want wins vs the need. Have fun contemplating.......
28 Nosler,,,,300WSM,,,,338-378 Wby,,,,375 Ruger
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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I have owned/own a 243, 257 Roberts, 6.5x55, 270, 7mm mag, 30-06, 338-06, 338 WM, 8mm Rem Mag, 35 Whelen, 9.3x64 and a 375 H&H. So where does that put me? Have I missed any mentioned cartridges/calibers?  Of course you need to fill the gap!
Last edited by CRS; 01/07/16.
Arcus Venator
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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A non-loony would ditch the 7mag and the 375 Ruger and get along just fine with just a 338....
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Campfire Regular
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OP
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Does it make me a loony if I'm actually worried about that outcome?
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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A non-loony would ditch the 7mag and the 375 Ruger and get along just fine with just a 338.... That's probably the best advice I've seen
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
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358 WSM or if you're one of the "normies" who don't want a wildcat, the 350 Mag. Would fit in a short action to lose a few critical ounces of rifle weight and a full .5" of rifle length, and you could shoot .358" pistol bullets subsonic with a suppressor for fun. How's that for a looney answer?  My favorite! .358 WSM is calling me...
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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A non-loony would ditch the 7mag and the 375 Ruger and get along just fine with just a 338.... That's probably the best advice I've seen Amen. What can you not do with a good 338 win mag, besides get rid of all the rest of your rifles and happily hunt the rest of your life in NA..... 
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I really believe the 375 bore is more rifle than any 338.
The 280 Remington is overbore.
The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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Just buy the .338,then you have a back-up for the 7mm RM or .375 Ruger when hunting away from home.
Then you need to buy an .243 or a 257 or a 264 or a 270 to have has a back-up for your 7mm RM when you go deer hunting cause a .375 Ruger is a little big for deer.
Then you need....... That's exactly how I wound up in the 'loony bin'.  Jerry Yup,BTDT. Actually still do.
Life Member SCI
Life Member DSC
Member New Mexico Shooting Sports Association
Take your responsibilities seriously, never yourself-Ken Howell
Proper bullet placement + sufficient penetration = quick, clean kill. Finn Aagard
Ken
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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A non-loony would ditch the 7mag and the 375 Ruger and get along just fine with just a 338 you mean 30-06....
Arcus Venator
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Joined: Jul 2001
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
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bsa,
Back when I was guiding pronghorn and deer hunters in central Montana, I guided two people who chose a .338 Winchester Magnum as their one all-around North American rifle. They couldn't hit anything, due to flinching.
One was a young guy whose life's ambition was to be an Alaskan guide, the reason he bought his .338, which he brought for his pronghorn hunt. The outfitter/rancher I worked for started out guiding him, and after the young guy missed two bucks by a LONG way, the outfitter loaned him a .25-06. By that time the young guy's shoulder was so sensitized he went through most of a box of ammo and still didn't hit a buck. (The were a LOT of antelope in central Montana in those years.)
The outfitter had to start guiding a couple of other people the next morning, so at the end of the day turned the young guy over to me. I took him to the range I'd set up behind the barn, and handed him my .220 Swift. From a benchrest, he missed the 100-yard target completely--but then looked at me, rather startled, and said, "This rifle doesn't kick!" Whereupon he shot a sub-inch group on the 100-yard target, and rang the 300-yard gong a couple of times. The next morning we got within 150 yards of a 15" buck and he center-punched the lungs with one 60-grain Nosler Solid Base. The buck trotted in a 30-foot semi-circle and fell over dead, and I had one happy hunter.
The other guy was a rich middle-aged nitwit who apparently thought the .338 wasn't powerful enough, so handloaded his ammo so hot the primer pockets were useless after one firing. He wounded a buck mule deer that got away, but not long afterward was showing somebody his special custom rifle in the ranch yard. He hadn't opened the action and was waving the rifle around a little, so the other person politely asked if it was unloaded. The nitwit said, "Of course it's unloaded!" To prove it he pointed the muzzle at the ground next to them and pulled the trigger, whereupon the rifle went bang and the bullet blew all over both of them.
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.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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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.
I resemble that remark! I have two .338s and two .375s (and a .470) and have killed 30-ish elk with them. I'd guess though, that 80% of my shooting is with a .280, 7-08, or (God forgive me) a .270 ....
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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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.
Used to be bobski, member since '01
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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There have been a few times I've had my .270 and wished i had my .338, but I don't recall having the .338 and wishing for the .270. It's a situational thing, mainly having to do with sheep, grizzlies and willows.
As I've mentioned before Jack Atcheson picked the .338 as his do everything rifle for N.A. big game including sheep and he did take a few critters over the years.
"Be sure you're right. Then go ahead." Fess Parker as Davy Crockett
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Campfire Regular
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Hello,
Reading this Mule Deer post about recoil, I need to say I AGREE completely!
Speaking of myself, I am discovering to enjoy much more to shoot, and hunt!, with my 7x57/30-06 than my much loved .375 H&H Winchester pre-64..And for the animals I go after for, big Red Deer and BIG european Wild Boar, the former two are PLENTY of a gun, indeed!
Anyway I make, almost every weekend, 3 to 5 shoots with the .375...sometimes from the bench, most of the time from field positions. For me is the way to keep "in touch" with the H&H...
And, for my needs one 7x57 or 30-06 plus a .375 H&H is a COMPLEAT BATTERY. And there is no need to adjust to different trayectory curves between them...
Happy New Year for All!
PH
Last edited by PatagoniaHunter; 01/08/16.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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A non-loony would ditch the 7mag and the 375 Ruger and get along just fine with just a 338.... That pretty much sums it up! While I couldn't(wouldn't) sell any of my .375's,it's pretty hard to beat the .338 WM as a do it all,one gun hunting(big game) arsenal. memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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I had a Ruger 77 .338. One of the worst kicking rifles I ever shot. It was no fun to shoot and I don't need it even for Moose so I said good riddance.
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Joined: Jan 2007
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2007
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A non-loony would ditch the 7mag and the 375 Ruger and get along just fine with just a 338.... That pretty much sums it up! While I couldn't(wouldn't) sell any of my .375's,it's pretty hard to beat the .338 WM as a do it all,one gun hunting(big game) arsenal. memtb I can't think of many things I'd rather NOT do than lug around a 9 pound 338 to kill a deer.  Please pass the 7 Mag for most everything.... and the 375 Ruger for those special occasions.
The 280 Remington is overbore.
The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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