Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting 300 RUM vs. 338 win mag

Using the same weight bullets to keep velocities comparable, is there enough difference to justify having both calibers? From what I see, they are pretty much neck & neck with the same weight bullets, but where the 338 shines is the availability of heavier bullets. I don't currently have a practical use for either, but from what I see, the 338 with lighter bullets is a perfectly capable 5-600 yard gun.

Input??

I'm no expert but from where I sit there isn't much a 338 win mag will do that a fast 30 won't.

And "Visa-Versa"! memtb

A 338 will certainly work at 500-600 yards.

Not certain why you would want to hamstring a 300 RUM with 338 velocities, though. They are different cartridges in design and concept.

Cody, If you run a heavier, high BC bullet in the .338, it's fully capable beyond 600. memtb

Stick a 250 Scenar in the .338 Win Mag and it quickly becomes a pretty wicked LR round.

Tanner

The RUM will always get to 600 fast and flatter and with more energy then the 338WM. Both are 1000yd + capable rounds with the right bullets and at 1000yds the gap closes due to the higher mass and better BC of the 338 projectile.

The RUM uses +/- 95 grs of slow powder as well as needs a longer barrel to truly get the best from it. The 338 WM does fine at 24" and +/- 70 grains of powder.

Since most LR shooters are using turrets what real differnce does it make if the 338 guy has to use a few more clicks.

I have a 338 RUM already so my newest rifle is a 300 WM. The end result is both will do what you want with aplomb.

Great write-up....

If you're only gonna spin for 5-600 yards the 338 with a 250 gr Accubond will take all US game if put where it belongs, if you want more reach the 230 gr Berger in the 300 RUM will do it all at double the distance.

Cartridge to cartridge, the most meaningful difference is bullet weight. There's also the difference in killing mechanism philosophy; that is lighter and faster vs bigger and moderate velocity. Then, the platform size. To take advantage of a 300 RUM, a few more inches of rifle will be humped around and it'll still be a level or two louder as well.

To me, they perform comparably, but the 338 will do it with less powder, and all things equal, somewhat less recoil and a lot less noise.

if you have the right action, bypass the 338 WM and jump upto the 338 Norma Magnum. Seems to be plenty of brass around

http://www.longrangehunting.com/articles/338-norma-review-1.php

Man you got that backwards......... 300 RUM vs 338 Win Mag..... not 338 RUM vs 300 Win Mag.....

back to reality... the 338 Win mag is a SLUG compared to the 300 RUM, no matter how you slice it, there is absolutely no comparison in the long range shooting dept..... even fantasizing won't change that,

I have all three , 300 RUM, 338 RUM, and the 338 WM. as much as I like the 338 WM it is outclassed by both the Rem UM's at the longer range, especially with the heavier 338 bullets.

.........Imo, one of the better ways to compare two cartridges, is to play around with a downrange ballistics calculator such as the one that use to be and still may be on the Hornady website.

Type in the BCs of your bullet choices for both, the bullet weights, est MVs and then review the downrange results for trajectory drops and foot pounds retention at the various ranges.....Then decide which one best suits your hunting needs.

I have both calibers.....However imo, there is enough performance separation that justify me owning both. Whereas between the 300 RUM and the 338 Win, not as much.

If flatter trajectory is your top priority, then the 300 RUM is the better choice. If heavier bullets is the top priority, then go with the 338.

IMO if you want a heavy 338 bullet to as flat as far as the 300rum then you need 338rum.

I guess reading comprehension isnt your strong suit. NOWHERE did i compare my 338 RUM to the 300RUM or 338WIN. I actually answered the OP's questions in my reaponse then stated i do not own a 300 RUM as i previously owned the 338 version.

The 338RUM with a 250 scenar already smashes any wet dream you could conceive from a 300RUM for any kind of range.


What i actually said was sure the RUM will always beat the WM due to its increased powder capacity and 26" barrel versus the common 24 of the 338 WM. Run the numbers for both with 26" tube and the WM hangs fine at long range. Again like i said what difference is adding an few extra clicks on the turret to hit steel at long range with the WM.

300 win mag pretty much evens the score. But heavy guns suck almost as much as recoil. Would prefer a light 338 with 250s and practice.

W

As per always...boolits matter more than headstamps.

While NOBODY has more disdain for superfluous belts than I,COAL,twist and throat geometry steal the show. ALWAYS. Hint.

Given a choice,do I want more capacity or more boolit? Pass the boolit and hold the CC's. Hint.

Doubly so,when one can rock greater COAL/throating options,skirt ALL the bullschit and drive lesser barrel length/recoil. Toss a 285 Hornie ELD in a 700 338Winny,bank the smooch and have your cake and eat it too. Pass the 24" spout,rejoice in the balance/handling and fret none in the coupla extry "clicks" on the erector,or different view on the windshield.

That boolit at 2600fps and a 200yd zero,burns only 8.3 Mils of elevation at the 1000yd line and a scant 1.6 Mils of full value 10mph wind. BFD...it's all there on the windshield.

It's 30.4 Mils to the 2000yd line and requires but 4.3 Mils of wind in the aforementioned 10mph full value. BFD...that's easy to yield on the erector alone.

Few have shot a 338 Ultra as much as I and I've never not loved the chambering. That being said,it's akin to all other full length H&H or nearly so cases,in that they run outta headroom FAST. I'll happily take the case capacity hit,to eek the COAL requisite,to throat a superlative BC magbox smooch.

Same reason I suffer a Tree Turdy Ate-Twat Six and dote on 250 Skinners at 2550fps from it's 24" spout...steered ala Reupold MK4 M3 6x. It's a friendly blend of displacement,to COAL,that's easily arranged and yet still fun to shoot without a Loudener or similar.

From a Theoretical standpoint,the 338 Ultra gets lotsa points. In Application however,Reality do set in and she loses luster due to COAL. Wyatt fhuqking sucks in ALL applications and some DBM's are viable,for Play Toys.

For a HARD Use Utility Boomer,I want ADL bottom METAL and a McMillan. DBM's will bite under Boomer recoil and OEM BDL "metal" sucks heavy ass.

The 300 Ultra is a fhuqking joke.

BT/DT too.

Hint.

The Hornady 285 gr ELD Match is a nice bullet for sure, except I prefer to sling it 3050 fps........

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/338-edge-285-gr-eld-match-rl33-169937/