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

I cut my .338s to 20" and 22"

Smart feller.

22" is about perfect IME.

Perfection...


L to R:
.338WM, 22" fluted factory barrel, semi-custom
.300WM, 24: barrel, factory configuration
.30-06, 22" barrel, came in brown laminate stock



Bear Paw Jack / Cariboujack provided the .338 barrel. The fluting was done by a previous owner. My gunsmith had to straighten the front sight when he recut the threads. I suspect they were misaligned when the fluting was done.

In any case, all are great rifles.

To Bear Paw Jack, thanks again!!!!

That's a very cool rifle for anyone to own. At the time I had 3 other 338 WM rifles. Glad it worked out. I've lost track of the number of 338's I've had over the years. Most were Winchester or Rugers. Strangely I'm down to one of them that I used in Africa for 8 animals. Doubt I will ever sell it. Should I run into the right Ruger I'd probably buy another, I just like them. Got a Zytel stock standing by when I find the right one which will be a stainless Mk II. The one over at CDNN is a fine one. https://www.cdnnsports.com/338rcm-hkm77rfp-22-m-sts-syn.html?___SID=U

I like 375's as well but the Winchester is heavier than it needs to be for that caliber. OP didn't say where he lives or what he's going to do with it but Ruger Stainless rifles hold up pretty well in Alaska, good or better than any other stainless rifle IMO. Hope the OP finds what he wants.

I've got two 338s, both tack drivers...a Model 70 Classic from the 90s that are mentioned above, and a Browning A Bolt I got new, for cheap as the hunting season was over...

However after having a Model 70 in 270 rebored to 338/06...
the two 338 Mags hardly leave the safe...its a 100 fps slower than the Mags, and does so burning 20 plus less grains of powder... and the recoil is proportional to that decrease in powder used...

but I encourage anyone to get a 338 Mag if the itch is there...appeals like they are magic... but after owning one, you'll realize they aren't... they sure work, but so do less recoiling calibers...

Again, that is the 338 RCM, not the WM. The RCM chamber cannot be rechambered to WM. They are all sold out of the stainless WM, but do have some left in blue/walnut.

I agree with Brad. I also cut my 338 barrel to 22".
I cant say for a fact my 338 kills faster than my 270, 30-06 etc...

But I know it gives me confidence if I am hunting elk and am presented with a less than ideal shot angle.

Also I often hunt alone in grizzly country and it helps me sleep better in my tent in the back country.

irfubar,
Can you tell me a bit about the rifle stock, barrel and such?

Smallfry,

The stock is a Basner hi tech, with a blind magazine
and a Sunny hill trigger guard.

The barrel is a Douglas #3 , 1/10 twist.

The action is a 1909 Argentine Mauser.

Total weight is 7 3/4 lbs.

Take your pick, $499, synthetic/stainless or walnut/blue, RCM or WM.

https://www.cdnnsports.com/firearms.html#category_2=FIREARMS%2FHUNTING%20RIFLES&manufacturer=RUGER%C2%AE&caliber=338%20RCM,338%20WM

I have 8 .338's. 3 Remington Ultra Magnums and 5 Winchester Magnums. I have taken several Elk, Bear, and Mule deer with them. You can't beat a .338 for Elk and Bear. None of mine are for sale!!

A lot of people claim it is hard to shoot magnums well and I'll agree tiny groups are easier to come by with my non-magnums in .223-.264 calibers. Light bullets and smaller powder charges lead to lower recoil which, IMHO, is never a bad thing.

That said, my second tightest group ever was made with my 7mm RM and my .300WM has turned in some very respectable groups as well. The .338Wm bumps up the recoil but still shoots pretty well and I used it to fill my freezer with my longest shot ever on game, a cow elk at 487 yards.


Here's a 3-shot scope-check target shot with the .338WM. The third shot was taken several minutes after taking and marking the first two:

PM coming..

The .338 RCM is essentially a short, fat .338-06 using proprietary brass that may be expensive and hard to find. Otherwise, it is a good choice.

Settled on an Encore barrel in .338. Going to cut 4" off the 28" length and do some playing around.

Just for your background information, I had a .338 win mag with 29" barrel, and COAL 3.48". 75 gr Rel 22 gave the 250 gr 2900 fps. That is better than Ken Waters reported for a stock 340 Wby 26" (2821 fps).

Pre '64 and Browning Safaris for investing, a $500 Ruger for shooting. You decide. Consider that if you care for the Ruger well, there may be money to be made when you tire of it.

I have had close to a dozen .338s. Most are too heavy to pack. Those that are not, kick like mules. Most shoot better than good enough.

Best wishes,

Jack

My 338 win mag with 29" weighed over 9 lb and gave 40 ft-lb recoil due to the high velocity 250 gr. At regular 338 velocities for the 250 gr, you will get mid-30s in recoil with rifles weighing 8.5-9 lb.

One way to improve the recoil situation, if you can stand to cut the velocity of the 250 to 2500 by going to a 338 RCM or .338-06, recoil will be about 33 ft lb at 7.5 lb rifle weight and around 30 at 8 lb. If you download a .338 win mag, it will use about 10 gr more powder and bring recoil up some unless the gun is about 1/2 pound heavier.

Another way to lessen recoil is to use a cartridge "sock" holding 9 rounds on the buttstock, adding about 3/4 pound, and keep the magazine full. Each .338-06 cartridge weighs about 1-1/6 oz.

Or you can do what I did - go with a 225g AB (B.C. .550) at reduced velocities. I run 2742fps out of my 22" Ruger and calculated recoil, assuming an 8.3 pound rifle/scope, calculates out to 33.8 foot pounds using 69.0g H100V. Add in a decent recoil pad and some fall/winter clothing and recoil in the field doesn't seem bad at all.

That load worked fine on my longest game shot ever, a cow elk at 487 yards. That said, I consider my .338 more of a 600 yard hammer than one for longer ranges.