Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Which 338 chamber and why?

[u]My next build will be around the .338 diameter. Although I have access to a couple of 338 Win Mags I was thinking getting my own. Spoke to a few gunsmiths about the chamber's but wanted to ask the fire:

338 Win Mag
338 Lapua
338 Norma
338 Edge

Edit
I should add, it will be a long range shooter with a 20 MOA scope base and a few other creature comforts.

For what purpose? Long range dinging or hunting?

340 Wby mag-Muddy

Extended hunting distances

Yardage?

I have two 338 chamberings
338 WinMag
338 RUM
I have no desire for any other 338. Granted, they each have their place but my next something is a 300 WinMag. My opinion is it's more versatile and useful for a single rifle hunter.

338 Win Mag. Because I'm a hunter and never needed, nor will ever need more in NA. If I get another 338 it will be 338-06. Because it would do most anything I've done with the 338 Mag.

The 338 Win Mag is all you should ever need. I suspect you may handlaod, but there is lots of 338 Win Mag ammo out there.

donsm70

.340 wby for hunting and a light rifle.

.338 Norma for long range hunting

338 win mag is one of my favorites. A good 250gr. sierra gameking with a .565 BC would also be good for "extended" ranges in the ol win mag...

I like .338 Win Mag for an all around hunting rifle. RL 19 and 225 grain Noslers ... either kind.

Long range ... personal preference, of course, but IMHO if you're buying, Lapua, if you're building, RUM up to 250 grain bullets, Edge for bullets over 250. However, I think brass availability has to considered and may favor the Lapua right now. I'd rather hold the weight in the 10 pound range with any of them and use a brake to moderate recoil.

That's the beauty of the 338 win mag. You can go a little lighter in overall weight and it's still deadly further than most of us can shoot anyway...

This ^^^

Even loaded with a 225 Accubond, the ole Winnie has some pretty impressive down range numbers.

Which does less damage to meat a 300 win mag or 338 win mag?
Can the 300 win mag be loaded up to 338 energy with 200gr, 220gr or 240gr bullets?

Bullet construction, velocity and range is what does "meat damage". Something like a 200 gr. partition is just as powerful as a 338 win mag when you take pure energy into account. You guys have to remember the 300 win mag can be stoked with more powder than the 338 because the case volume is greater. This is one of the reasons I have commented that the 300 often times kicks harder than the 338 win mag. A 200gr. partition or accubond (from a 300 win mag) moving along at 2950 fps is devastating on critters.

All of these critters, plus a blue wildebeast and two wart hogs, fell to a .338 Win Mag in the RSA four years ago. I used hand loaded 210 gr Barnes TSX bullets and all were one shot kills.

Ranges were from 70 to 225 yards.





donsm70

Extremely cool Don.... Proof the 338 win mag can get er done with a little guidance from someone with mad skills...

I like my .338 Win Mag just fine. When I decided i wanted more ass, more speed, flatter trajectory and less turret input for LR I went to the .338 RUM.

My rationale was reasonable action and DBM cost (Rem 700 with HS DBM), decent brass with reasonable cost and availability, no belted case and its not "uber tactical"

Mine is a slightly worked 700 with the barrel set back and rethroated for the 250 scenar. It and the 210TTSX shoot MOA all day long as far as I care to shoot it from a 9# rifle.

I haven't been with out a 338 WM for almost over 35 years. They just work. Even now I'm down to only two. I've had as many as 4. Just a good cartridge.

You may want to consider a wildcat I dreamed up a couple of decades ago, before anyone on this side of the pond knew much about 338 Lapua's. It is an 8mm remMag case aka full length H&H case with minimal body taper and a nice abrupt shoulder, necked up to .338

Mine gets higher velocities with the 225gr TTSX bullets than the loading manuals give for the Lapua. I.E. I chroographed my loads at 3100fps. A bit faster than the Lapua or the WBY numbers.

If one is packing a rifle in this caliber and is separated from his ammunition, 338 WinMag or 340 WBY ammo can be used with perfect safety and to good effect.

338 Lapua performance, plus a little, with easy to find and inexpensive brass. Plus some cartridge interchangeability to make the rifle a great fit for a travelling hunter.

Mine has been to Zimbabwe three times and used much there, as well as Alaska a few times. Lots of hunts here in the west for Elk, black bear and the like. To me, a shootable and very deadly round.

My second choice would be the similar 340 WBY. Again, 338 WinMag ammo could be pulled into service in a pinch with a rifle so chambered.

ALL of them are capable of excellent accuracy, and all are very deadly killers of game large or not so large.