Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Want a .338 win mag

Have a hankering for a .338 win mag. Should I sell off a few rifles and splurge on a pre-64 70 or keep a few of those rifles and buy a .338 in the $700-800 range? The pre-64 appeals to me because of the quality and also the value can almost only go up as I usually keep good care of my stuff.

Anyone have experience with a pre-64 70 338?

You could do worse than this deal.

https://www.cdnnsports.com/ruger-m77-hawkeye-338-wm-24-bbl-satin-wal-stock.html

That is a decent deal, but personally I'd hold out for an all weather Hawkeye if going the ruger route. A model 70 in a crf like a classic would be my first choice, although I do love my SS Hawkeye and it has filled my freezer every year, damn near.

My hunting partner bought the Ruger Hawkeye in .338 Win and put on a VX-II 2x7 and he is a Holy terror with the thing.

It has a stiff trigger but is smooth. Great wood stock that is simple but elegant. The thing shoots very tight groups even at the 250 range and just works.

It was simple to set up, shoots great with factory Federal and Remington ammo, and cost under $1000.00.

I guess it depends what you are looking for in a larger magnum but in my eyes it was a sweet setup that looks and works great.

I too also like the new Win Model 70. The action, fit, and quality is nice.

I like synthetic stocks on the lighter kicking rifles but the bigger boom gets me wanting wood on my cheek. So the standard or the Super Grade works just as well in my opinion.

I know guides that just carry in a .375 H&H Ruger or Winchester and "won't" use anything else. By preference.

Setting up a good wood stock can be just as tough as the plastic ones it just takes bedding, Oil finish, metal care, and fit.



So I guess it gets down to your preference.

Many years ago I bought a pre'64 M/ 70 .338 Magnum from Randy Shuman's gun shop. Thought I was being extravagent spending $675.00, turned out to be the most accurate M/70 I've ever owned. It had a Canjar trigger that made it a joy to shoot, cloverleaf three shot groups were pretty much the norm shooting Speer 275 grain RN bullets over a stout charge of IMR 4350. Don't remember ever needing a second shot, most kills were DRT. I would go for the pre'64, Randy Shuman always told me that use with care seldom hurt the value. Good luck with your .338 whatever your choice is, hope you enjoy it as much as I did mine.

I have a few rugers and have had good luck with them. Noticed you can get the Hawkeye SS for the same price. Thanks for the comments they have all been helpful. Still have a lot to think about. Really like the idea of the Alaskan though.

Pre-64 Winchesters are over-rated IMHO, but I'm not a collector.

A few years back I took my Ruger .338WM and a Ruger .30-06 to the range for one last time before elk season. After verifying the 100 yard POI I headed to the long range where, using 3 shots for one gun and two for the other, I hit a clay pigeon with each --- at 600 yards.

The .338 is built from separately acquired Ruger parts (action, barrel and Zytel "boat paddle" stock). The .30-06 is factory built but I swapped the factory laminate for another Ruger Zytel "boat paddle" stock.

If I wanted a .338WM today this is what I would get:

Ruger Hawkeye .338WM
$499 at cdnnsports.com

I have to say that if a Pre-64 Alaskan is what you want, that's what you should get. You already have adequate 338's so, it's not a need. Not a problem, sell of some that you're not into, and get the one you want.
Can't really go wrong with a Pre-64, if you decide to sell it, you'll get your money back unless you excessively over pay.

Pride of ownership, and content do count sometimes, IMO.

I agree with toa. Good post. I actually saw a nice 338 listed on one of the online auction sites a couple days ago and it wasn't excessively over priced. I've also seen some at cabela's for over $3,000.00. Look for one in good condition for half that price and you'll be doing great. I went though the phase of wanting for pre 64's or certain cartridges and opted for something cheaper and always sold off the "something cheaper" (Ruger 77 or CZ 550) when the right pre 64 came along. The other rifles worked in a pinch, but they were not a pre 64 by any stretch of the imagination. As "overrated" as they may be for guys like Coyotehunter, there's a reason they are called "The Rifleman's rifle"... .. They also hold their value much better than any Ruger I've ever seen/sold..

I have had 3 Win Model 70's in my 338, 2 New Haven built classics, and my current FN built Extreme Weather. I cannot see that the quality of a pre '64 would be much better than the current FN built rifles.
I like mine. Shoots very well, too.
I've been looking at a Super Grade in 300 Win Mag, might ve my next purchase?!

Cheers.

I would rather have this over pre-64 M70 .338.....

Better wood, bolt release, scope mount setup. Don't for see something like that loosing value.

Be careful to note the SS All Weather that they have is actually the 338 RCM, not the 338 WM, which they are all sold out of. The RCM has the same bolt face as the WM, but the body diameter is based on the belt diameter of the WM, so you can't ream the RCM to take the WM case.

The blue walnut one I linked is the WM.

I sure would not invest in that Kimber over a pre 64 338. Those Kimbers were an attractive turd. If you got one good for anything other than to look at, you were lucky.

Everyone wants a 338....for awhile.

Some find a real use for them but they seem to end up as dust collectors. The novelty wears off and I find many (not all) shooters go back to more mundane stuff that kills about as well and kicks a lot less.

I'd get one if I wanted (BTDT), but would not purge many good rifles to do it.

Truth.

Bob is quite correct. Have had several. Have a .340 now . Like it better than the .338, but still haven,t shot it 7 or 8 seasons. But scratching an itch is a whole lot of fun! Expensive maybe, but fun!

True story.

I would opt more recent than a pre-64 in the 338 if you plan to shoot much. (Later stocks will handle recoil better and not bite your cheek so much.)

My '338' has been scraped out 20 thousandths and bears a feminine-sounding name on the barrel now. It's a rifle that shoots 250s so reliably that I can keep it locked away for months, and take it hunting with high confidence. It shoots where I point it whenever it comes out of the safe. It's a MK II Ruger...stainless but stocked in walnut.

Find a nice New Haven Win. Model 70, SS, Classic, but it! And, never look back!!!! memtb

I have a Sako L61 338WM that shoots the 210NP's awesome. Out of all my hunting rifles if I was told I could only have one it would be the one I would pick. That factory Bofors barrel just plain shoots.

Got the exact same rifle. Mine is a 1968 (approximately) vintage, and sits in a McMillian stock and will stack factory 210 grain partitions in nice little tiny groups. I currently use 225 gr Northforks and they did a grand job this past fall. Love those Bofors barrels too.