Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .338-.378 WBY

Gentlemen,
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<br>Does anyone other than Weatherby make brass for this beast? Just curious.
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<br>George
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I don't know of anyone else. Unless you're going with a barrel longer than 26", I don't see where it offers any advantage over the 338 Ultra.

.338RUM with factory ammo:
<br>250-grain bullet = 2,860 fps muzzle
<br>At 500 yards = 1,887 fps
<br>Sighted +1.7" at 100 yards = -22" at 400 yards
<br>Energy at 100 yards = 3,888 foot-pound
<br>Energy at 400 yards = 2,363 foot-pound
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<br>.338-378 with factory ammo:
<br>250-grain bullet = 3,060 fps muzzle
<br>At 500 yards = 2,125 fps
<br>Sighted +1.4" at 100 yards = -18.3 at 400 yards
<br>Energy at 100 yards = 4,528 foot-pound
<br>Energy at 400 yards = 2,927 foot-pound
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<br>Both can be hand loaded much hotter than those figures, but the .338-378 is more powerful. But again, the .338RUM is a powerhouse by itself.

<br>Recoil figures in 9.5 lb rifles.
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<br>Recoil in a 338-378 = 58 ft lbs. (250/101/3060)
<br>Recoil in a 375 H&H = 40 ft lb. (270/78/2700)
<br>Recoil in a 458 win = 58 ft lb. (500/73/2100)
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<br>"Does anyone other than Weatherby make brass for this beast?"
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<br>Geeeezzz------I hope not!!!!
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<br>JimF

I have owned a 338 RUM sendero for over a year now. I handload 250 grain SGK's to 3050 FPS. I get the 300 grain SMK to 2700 behind 90 grains of RL25. It shoots under half inch at 100 with these velocities. I see no need for the weatherby. Also I loaded a 180 grain ballistic tip to 3550 FPS, I see no need for the 30-378 or Lazzeroni warbird. The RUM is the only way to go.

I wanted to get the 338 RUM, but already have a 338.

Nothing wrong with your .338, Bear Stalker. A 250-grain bullet out the muzzle at nearly 2,700 fps is not bad at all. Then you can use Federal HE (250-grain), and it will get near 2,800 fps. Mine shot them at 2,770 fps at the range last year. With RL-22 or RL-19, a 275-grain Swift A-Frame shoots fast enough over 2,600 fps. The .338WM is one of the most popular cartridges in Alaska, as well as the .30-06, and the .300WM.
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<br>Those figures are nothing when compared to the super .33's these guys shoot, but the .338 does a great job on moose-size game, so I am happy.
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Sorry Avagadro, I'm not answering your question. Just chiming in on the cartridge. I don't think I could handle it and I HATE muzzle brakes. The Ultra works great for me. I have the ability to load it "down" to WM velocities, but also can go for the gusto too! Actually, I'm just simply becoming a big fan of the .338 caliber all together! Thinking about switching barrels on my wife's 06 to make it a .338-06!

M.S.
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<br>Hey, if that rifle will still be hers, think about a 338-08. With 180-200 gr bullets, it would deliver slightly LESS recoil than a 30-06 in equal weight rifles. Course if you're gonna be a bully and take it away from her, the 338-06 is very cool.
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<br>JimF

Ummmmm, I guess you'd have to call me a bully (grin). I've used it quite a bit in the last couple years. She handles the recoil just fine with the 06, even with fairly heavy bullets, so I don't think she'd have any problem with a 338-06.

MS,
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<br>Could I not load down the .338-378 down to WM levels if I wanted to ... load it upto RUM levels .... or if I'm feeling especially brave give her a full whirl of shoulder luvin' fun?
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<br>George
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avagadro,
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<br>You could load the 338-378 down to the Winchester Mag levels and you could load the 338-378 DOWN to the RUM levels. The 338-378 in any form is faster than the 338 RUM.

Longbob,
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<br>True the .338-.378 would be loaded down to RUM levels. When I said up, I meant up from WM levels. Sorry for the misrepresentation.
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<br>George
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avagardo,
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<br>No misrepresentation at all. After I typed my post I wondered if that is what you meant. I was coming more from the response Cheaha posted than anything. The RUM fans don't realize that there is a significant difference in the case capacity of a 404 Jeffery and the big Weatherby case.

Just for the record, I'm a RUM fan who realizes that you can get more powder in the Wby case.
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<br>I also know that I don't want to shoot it without a brake and I HATE brakes! Besides, using Barnes #3 as a reference: it takes an extra 16-18% more powder to get an extra 150 fps (less than 5% more fps) with a 210 XLC.
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<br>Also FWIW, I've had no problems achieving .338-378 speeds (per the manual) with the Ultra using a heck of a lot less powder. I'm sure you can beat these speeds with the Wby, but at what cost for recoil?
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<br>I'd strongly suggest you find someone with a .338-378 and borrow it before you spend your $$$$. Come to think of it, there are probably quite a few floating around for sale and you'd likely be able to swing a box of 19 shells to go with it (grin).
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<br>If you can shoot and enjoy the Wby, more power to you! I don't mean to be dissin' it.
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<br>Besides, aren't there pressure/safety issues around loading BELOW minimum levels? Assuming there are, you'd have to be pretty careful trying to get it down to Win Mag speeds.

I'm with you on the brake issue, Muley Stalker. I like them about as much as I like second hand smoke. Muzzle brakes allow you to share the recoil with your friends.
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<br>I have had a 338-378 for about 4 years. It is more of a novelty than anything. I'd sell the thing if it wasn't so accurate. Factory accurate rifles are hard enough to come by and I just can't part with one.
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<br>Recoil reduction devices are generally only necessary for the range. I never notice recoil when I am shooting at game. This was driven home to me when I hunted my first Cape Buffalo. I hit him once from the shooting sticks, then shot another eight times before he could get to the thick stuff. This was from my 11 lb 458 Lott moving a 500gr TBBC or GS solid at 2300 fps. My arm was bruised over the next week, but I could have shot anything and not noticed the recoil.

MS,
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<br>I probably will not ever buy the .338-.378. For the reasons of recoil vs. performance. Most likely I will decide to build either the WM or the .340 WBY. Either should do quite nicely. But if a few years down the road and the right deal came along ... I could see buying one!!
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<br>George
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Longbob,
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<br>I have nothing against the 338/378 Wby. I was just trying to make the point of performance vs cost/recoil,etc...
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<br>Most of the factory 338/378 loads I've seen chrono'd avg 3000fps for the 250gr load. My 338 Ultra gives 2950fps with 250gr A-Frame factory loads.
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<br>Check out the "Real Guns" website. This dude is a 338/378 fanatic and loves that chambering. His top load for 250gr Speer Grand Slams is 124grs of H-870 for 3100fps. I can get right at 3100fps with 92grs of H-4831 or 94grs of Vit.N-560 powder in my 338 Ultra.
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<br>Now the nasty part (Recoil). That load for the Wby churns up 65 ft.lbs of Recoil. The Ultra load (with the same velocity) recoils 51 ft. lbs. The only difference is the powder weight (same velocity).
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<br>If you went with a longer than 26" barrel then I think the Wby would pull away but there's only so much you can do before the laws of diminishing returns set's in.
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<br>BTW, the 338/378 with a long barrel would be hell on wheels for long range if one could handle the recoil. Most can't. My .02.....

Cheaha,
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<br>I couldn't agree with you more about the law of diminishing returns. That is probably why most of my guns are based on the 30-06 case. Two 270's, three 30-06's, a 35 Whelen, and a 9.3x62. I just love anything off of an '06 case. Especially if it is in a Pre-64 action. Oh shiver!!!