Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting All hail the wonderful and mighty .338 Winchester Magnum

I hate to admit it but I'm going that way too.
I love my 338WMs but weight is becoming more of a factor than recoil.
My other rifles don't give up much to the boomers and are considerably lighter.
After this year and one more (maybe) I will become a paper puncher and can dig the Mags out again.

I miss Jeff.

Funny

I have 2 338's love them both. Just built a load for my m77. 210 ttsx 74 gn hunter and federal 215m primers. At 100 yds I can put 3 under a nicke. Only getting around 2800fp though.
My guns are used for elk hunting only.

Thinking about a 325 and or a 338 rcm. Just because I do not have either...

My favorite part is how Jeff started the thread in �07 and last posted in �12, still not having killed anything with the 338.

Guess I'll get my introduction to the .338 WM this weekend as a fellow just offered to trade me a Ruger 77 .338 for one of my Ruger .270's. Should be fun to try something new. And I did always like talking with Jeff O myself.

He was working on it. These things take time.

Hey Main, clearing BEEG timber offa 5 acres takes decades dont ya know?

Gunner

I posted the above a few weeks before elk season back in 2007. At that time I didn't own a .338 anything and didn't really see one in the near future. That changed in 2010 when I had a semi-custom Ruger MKII built from parts. The barrel was a 22", fluted barrel, courtesy of Bear Paw Jack, who got it as a take off from the original owner. I had planned to build a .338-375 Ruger but the 22" barrel seemed better fitted to a standard .338 WM case capacity. I worked up 225g AccuBond loads @ 2742fps - certainly not RUM velocities but easier on the shoulder and well suited to my hunting needs.

In 2011 I took it hunting for the first time. I blew the first shot, hitting above the spine (my fault entirely), but then put two more into a single elongated hole in the rib cage when it didn't drop instantly. Range was about 262 yards.


Then in 2013 I took my longest shot ever at 487 yards. The cow made it 58 yards, the furthest I've ever had one go even though placement was good.


I have to say I still think a .338WM isn't really needed for elk, but mine will see use again. This year, though, it's back to a .30-06, this time with 180g AccuBond bullets at about 2700fps.

He needs to clear it to find his way home.

Shot my new Ruger .338 WM today. I really like it and it's really accurate. Can't wait to hunt it.

Jeff, try a 22 incher. I'd bet you would like it.
BTW welcome back

If I didn't already own a 300 WM and a 9.3x62, I would be all over a 338 WM. I've shot my hunting buddy's rifle several times and it is an excellent caliber and, is fun to shoot. He uses it for deer and elk, very successfully. My 300 WM actually recoils harder than his 338 WM. Someday, I may own one.

You wont be sorry for that Biggs.

Gunner

You do realize you are welcoming him back on a post he made nearly 7 years ago?

Another 338 Win Mag fan. It isn't the Holy Grail to some, but I really like the cartridge and don't find the recoil any worse than a 300 magnum. It hits hard, I run 210 PT's up around 3000 and get good ballistics and it flat out works for me. Most of it is probably the confidence level I have in the rifle more so than the cartridge, but together, they are my #1 pick for everything bigger than deer..

The 35 Newton is vieing for hunt time, but it'll take alot for me not to be carrying the 338 opening day of elk season though.

Damn, I could have sworn I saw a recent post.
Got to cut back on the drugs I guess.

This is Colorado, I think you need more!

Anyone shoot the old 225 TBBC's ??? I just found 4 boxes and the price is right. Would be used on elk, most shots have been under 300 yds.Thanks

I put a thread up in the reloading section. My old man used the rounds as loaded by Federal to take a bear, elk and some deer. If I had to shoot factory loads, those would be the ones I think. Pretty good bullet from all I've seen.