Sold my 2 decade problematic .338 Win Mag, was considering having a .338-06 put together and stumbled upon the .338 RCM. Gotta say it was love at first look (at the ballistics anyways). Exactly what I was looking for in a light, short rifle. I must say, I also have greatly enjoyed reading about it on this forum.

The rifle actually arrived today and I like it more than I thought I would. Looking forward to getting out and getting her sighted in for deer and elk season here in SE Idaho. I am putting one of the Redfield Revolution 2-7x on it.

Congrats on the new rifle. There are a few here that are running the RCM, I am sure they will post soon.

By the way, welcome to the fire!

welcome pastor. and best of luck with your new rifle.

Welcome and good luck from here as well. Glad to have another Brother around the 'fire.

Nice rifle there, and I have heard nothing but good about the new Redfield scopes. Please do report back as to how your new combo works out.

MARK

Welcome to the Fire and congrats on the Ruger!

Welcome! Let us know she shoots.

Welcome to the fire, Pastor Dan. (I always heard that the "hand of God" was on one's shoulder, not against it though. )

Welcome to the fire! I always thought the hand of God was spanking my bottom while I was growing up!!!

Welcome. I sure miss this time of year in good old Idaho.... Have fun with your new rifle.

Ha! Hoping the hand of God holds animals still and guides bullets true! Yes, this time of year is the best of the best in Idaho...

Way to go on your new rifle. I am a fan of the rifle and the cartridge too. Hope yours works out to be all you want. Welcome to the fire.
CT

Welcome PastorDan. Good luck with your RCM.

I would like to have the same rifle in caliber 7-08 or 260 Rem. I don't understand why they would chamber such a light, handy rifle to such powerful rounds as the RCMs, and not in the lighter rounds as well. Oh well, they didn't ask me.

As stated, Welcome and good hunting. Do keep us posted on the real world performance as that is what matters and not just numbers.

.............Because some folk really prefer the handier and shorter OAL rifles w/shorter barrels to use on hunts. Us shorty rifle fans need magnum chamberings in order to "kinda" keep up with the rest of you who have longer tubes. If possible, we don`t want to get any,,,"inferior velocity complexes",,,,LOL!

I don`t know, but maybe Ruger kinda thinks the same way.

BigRedhead - agree with you ref: short barrels for the bigger calibers but not others. I find it interesting the .416 Ruger can be had in the 20 inch "Alaskan" but not the 23 inch barreled "African". Guess that's why Marketing folks make the BIG $$$ i.e. reading tea leaves, gazing into the mists etc. Regards, Homesteader.

I DO love my son's Ruger Compact 7-08 with the 16.5" barrel but would rather have a little bit longer barrel. The "new" thoughts on barrels for Ruger...magnums get 20" and standard rounds get 16.5" I guess!

Amen.... brother!

Have heard a lot of good about those rifles and the caliber too. Welcome to the fire.

I prefer short cartridges to short barrels.

....................Well Pastor Dan. In loving your son`s shorty barreled Ruger compact, I see that you have some real good taste in fast, handier, great carrying and handling rifles.

Love my `lil handy "pea shooter" too; a 16.5" barreled 300 WSM Ruger Frontier. More ooomph than a 24" tubed 30-06 from a rifle 9" or 10" shorter. Lots a boomin fun.

Thanks to great hearing protection for range and field use, my hearing is still very good.

Welcome to the fire. When you get to reloading the 338 RCM give RL-17 a try.

The 225 gr Accubond works very well in my rig. I thought I was all set until I saw that the shooter's pro shop has 180 ballistic tips on sale. http://www.shootersproshop.com/index.php?p=11&b=8&s=393&t=Ballistic%20Tip%20Hunting

Worked up a load with the 180 that was very accurate with same POI as 225s at 100 yds, but not maxed out. With a serious and fun load what more could a guy ask for?

Hope your new rifle gives you many special hunting days.

I can't wait to get mine! LH version however. They say that left hand shooters are in the "right mind", but with your choice of firearm and cartridge, I'd say your mind isn't so bad either!

Welcome to the Campfire, my research on the RCM is what brought me here as well.

Pastor Dan.............If you`re ever coming in to So Cal, PM me.

I`ll get my hog hunting buddies (the boys) and we`ll all go to the range.

One has a 16.5" barreled 300 RCM Ruger compact.
One has a shorty 338 Fed Ruger Frontier.
Another has a 375 Ruger African
Your 338 RCM
And finally, my 300 WSM shorty Frontier and 375 Ruger Alaskan.

We`ll space ourselves out evenly on the benches, and soon we`ll have the whole range to ourselves.....LOL!!!

Welcome to da Fire.

I moved from SoCal (Santa Clarita) 3 years ago...and now that I'm in Idaho I don't plan on comin' back!

Have there been any rumors circulating about Ruger taking the RCM case below .30 caliber? Maybe a .25 or .264?

What kind of Church do you Pastor? Wifey and I want to help get a Calvary Chapel started here.

My 338 is a wildcat that pushed 225gr TTSX's out at 3100fps. I am thinking the 338 RCM should be able to do similar. I came up with and built my wildcat about 15 years ago before there were any compact magnums of any kind. It works plenty well though, pretty deadly on elk, bears and plains game. If you reload I reccomend you give the 225 TTSX's a try. I might even send you a few....

Safariman,

If I read your post correctly you are way off. The 338 RCM will NOT perform similarly to your 338 wildcat. 3100 is a long way from what it can do.

Best I have seen using 225 Accubonds in my 22" barreled semi custom using a longer OAL (2.970") is 2750 fps with RL-17. The 338 RCM is not listed on alliant's site. RL-17 is beating all the listed load data that Hodgon shows. Highest vel shown uses 58 grs of BL-C(2) for velocity of 2689. Of course that is with a shorter OAL and barrel.

Just didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea.

............Can`t say as I blame ya. Idaho is wonderful up there.

I pastor Christ Community Church in Idaho Falls. May God bless your efforts!

Finally got the RCM to shoot. Had to put a box of ammo through it before I got it shooting with huntable accuracy. Just couldn't get her to group...most were running 3-3.5 inches with the 200 gr. factory loads. On a whim I wedged part of a flap from an ammo box in at the forend and seems to have done the trick. Also learned that I have to hold the forearm nice and tight off the bench to keep it from throwing fliers everywhere. Now its time to take her elk hunting on Friday.