If you already have a 7RM and a .375 Ruger, is there any point filling in the gap between them with a .338WM?

The 7RM has plenty of thump for most anything south of the 49th parallel, and most stuff above it. It is faster and flatter to longer ranges than .338WM.

If you want a little more kablooey than the RM may give, the .375 Ruger is more than sufficient for anything on this continent, and most anything on other continents. With a 20" barrel and open sights, it makes a nice, handy little piece.

Is there anything a .338WM would do that either of these wouldn't do just as well? A little bit longer-legged than the 3/8, a little bit of a bigger hammer than the 7mm. But does that matter in any practical way? Is there any scenario where if you had the big one and the little one to choose from, you'd rather have the one in the middle enough to be worth buying a rifle, glass, loading supplies and equipment, and taking the time to work up a good load or two when you could be spending your time and money shooting other stuff you already have?

The looney answer is obviously to buy one in stainless/polymer and one in blue walnut. A less-looney compromise would be to buy one in stainless and get a nicer stock for it. What do non-loonies think?

I have a hard time imagining what non-loonies think, but have known enough to accept them as fellow human beings. This may seem a little too PC for some, but there it is.

Do have enough experience with various cartridges that I certainly wouldn't feel limited in my big game hunting with a 7mm RM and .375 Ruger. (Would prefer a .30-06 and .375 H&H myself, but that's just rifle loony gack.)

The .338 Winchester Magnum is a fine cartridge that I've used a lot, but don't really see where it does anything to fill the 7mm/.375 gap except in rifle loony ways.

My thought too. Was reading a thread here where a lucky guy had 5 Echols Legend's in 270, 7 Rem Mag, 300 WM, 338 WM and 416. Didn't get the overlap but what the heck do I know.

I don't think the gap is worth filling, especially with the modern 375 bullets weighing from 250 to 300 grains available today.

Its a nice rifle for hunting goats in Kodiak or Bison in the backcountry.

You feel better with a 338 Win mag and it will put the thump on a goat and protect the backstraps and meat that you pack back to camp.

Hunting Bison where they appear in openings at 250-300 yards and that is your window of opportunity. They are nice to have. You can use a 7 rem but a 338 carries some power to where it is needed.

Village hunters who have to kill polar bears come into Fairbanks and buy every single box of 338 Win Mag ammo. They really like that caliber.

Forget the picket fence of cartridges. What specific hunt do you envision where the 338 would be tangibly superior to the other two?

From reading various gun articles it seems the .338 is a better long range round than the .375 H&H and carries more freight than the 7mm. However, when I first saw the .375 Ruger my 1st thought was this would make the .338 obsolete. Combine being able to fit in a 30-06 action with more power than the .375 H&H.

Saying that I have a .338 WM and a .375 H&H and have never handled a .375 Ruger so my thoughts are meaningless.

I think you have it covered with the 7mm and 375 (can't believe I said that) You might be somewhat over gunned (if there is such a thing, dead is dead) with the 375 in some situations and very occasionally under gunned with the 7mm but they'll work.
......but you're asking guys HERE to talk you out of another rifle??? BAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA For the record 338s of various flavors are at the top of my list.

Make the gap larger so you have that need for the .338 -- trade the 7RM for a .270.

Just buy the .338,then you have a back-up for the 7mm RM or .375 Ruger when hunting away from home.

Then you need to buy an .243 or a 257 or a 264 or a 270 to have has a back-up for your 7mm RM when you go deer hunting cause a .375 Ruger is a little big for deer.

Then you need.......

You ask for the non loonies to respond and the looniest of the bunch is the first to reply...

Really you have to ask yourself: "Am I a rifle looney or at least headed that way?" If the answer is yes then you are pretty much doomed into buying the 338. The mere fact that you are asking means you will always be wondering, so good luck with that. Another problem you face is that though you may be able to rationalize performance away ( maybe), the physical gaps between the .284 and .375 will always be there to pollute your mind.

You'll also get opinions of calibers that you aren't even considering. Get a 35 Whelen.

Why?

Sell em' both and get a .340 then load it max w/250 PT's- Muddy

Ok, now we're into the real rifle loonies, who all know EXACTLY which cartridge will be far better than the .375 Ruger or .338 Winchester Magnum, even though whoever suggests them has probably never killed anything with a .375 Ruger or H&H, or a .338 Winchester.

Let's start a list. Right now we have the .35 Whelen and .340 Weatherby. Anybody want to go for an 8mm Remington Magnum, .338-06, 9.3x64 or .375 Steyr?

358 WSM or if you're one of the "normies" who don't want a wildcat, the 350 Mag. Would fit in a short action to lose a few critical ounces of rifle weight and a full .5" of rifle length, and you could shoot .358" pistol bullets subsonic with a suppressor for fun.

How's that for a looney answer?

That's exactly how I wound up in the 'loony bin'.

Jerry

325 WSM....?? Now it's gettin crazy!

Yeah, that rifle loony bit. One's a Tikka, one's a Howa. Neither is CRF or open trigger. Those closeout Rugers are calling my name. Blue is pretty, but it's retardedly humid around here, and I don't really like the way the whole checkering field is sunk into the stock on the walnut Rugers. Stainless isn't pretty, but would work, and they're cheap enough to justify planning an eventual stock upgrade if I really couldn't stand the polymer. A Ruger wouldn't interrupt the Tikka/Howa balance in the force. I do kinda like the backup argument.

I really want a modern BAR in .338 with the "satin" finish (no pseudo-engraving roll marks defacing the receiver), but those are so rare, I'm unlikely to want to pay for it when I see another one.

Yeah, a .338 could sure work as a back-up to either the 7mm or .375, depending on the hunt.

Blued and walnut can work pretty well for use in nasty weather with some spar varnish on the stock (whether checkering or inletting) and Dyna-Tek coatings on the metal, whether Bore Coat inside the bore or Gun Shield outside.

Gin shield sounds like just the thing for after a cold weather hunt.

...........A 7 RM and the 375 Ruger are all the two that one would need on this continent. Then the question becomes a want vs a need if thinking about adding a 338 WM to the inventory.

In most cases, the want wins vs the need.

Have fun contemplating.......

I have owned/own a 243, 257 Roberts, 6.5x55, 270, 7mm mag, 30-06, 338-06, 338 WM, 8mm Rem Mag, 35 Whelen, 9.3x64 and a 375 H&H. So where does that put me?

Have I missed any mentioned cartridges/calibers?

Of course you need to fill the gap!

A non-loony would ditch the 7mag and the 375 Ruger and get along just fine with just a 338....

Does it make me a loony if I'm actually worried about that outcome?

That's probably the best advice I've seen

My favorite! .358 WSM is calling me...

Amen. What can you not do with a good 338 win mag, besides get rid of all the rest of your rifles and happily hunt the rest of your life in NA.....

I really believe the 375 bore is more rifle than any 338.

Yup,BTDT.

Actually still do.

bsa,

Back when I was guiding pronghorn and deer hunters in central Montana, I guided two people who chose a .338 Winchester Magnum as their one all-around North American rifle. They couldn't hit anything, due to flinching.

One was a young guy whose life's ambition was to be an Alaskan guide, the reason he bought his .338, which he brought for his pronghorn hunt. The outfitter/rancher I worked for started out guiding him, and after the young guy missed two bucks by a LONG way, the outfitter loaned him a .25-06. By that time the young guy's shoulder was so sensitized he went through most of a box of ammo and still didn't hit a buck. (The were a LOT of antelope in central Montana in those years.)

The outfitter had to start guiding a couple of other people the next morning, so at the end of the day turned the young guy over to me. I took him to the range I'd set up behind the barn, and handed him my .220 Swift. From a benchrest, he missed the 100-yard target completely--but then looked at me, rather startled, and said, "This rifle doesn't kick!" Whereupon he shot a sub-inch group on the 100-yard target, and rang the 300-yard gong a couple of times. The next morning we got within 150 yards of a 15" buck and he center-punched the lungs with one 60-grain Nosler Solid Base. The buck trotted in a 30-foot semi-circle and fell over dead, and I had one happy hunter.

The other guy was a rich middle-aged nitwit who apparently thought the .338 wasn't powerful enough, so handloaded his ammo so hot the primer pockets were useless after one firing. He wounded a buck mule deer that got away, but not long afterward was showing somebody his special custom rifle in the ranch yard. He hadn't opened the action and was waving the rifle around a little, so the other person politely asked if it was unloaded. The nitwit said, "Of course it's unloaded!" To prove it he pointed the muzzle at the ground next to them and pulled the trigger, whereupon the rifle went bang and the bullet blew all over both of them.

I'm not saying all hunters who choose the .338 Winchester Magnum as their one North American rifle are overgunned or nitwits, but those are the only two I've met.

I've used my own .338 on a wide array of game from springbok and whitetail does to eland and Alaskan moose. But I, and the people I've known who use a .338 successfully, normally have at least one lighter rifle as well. They may use the .338 as an all-around cartridge on some hunts, but they shoot the lighter rifle a lot more--and don't flinch.

I resemble that remark!

I have two .338s and two .375s (and a .470) and have killed 30-ish elk with them.

I'd guess though, that 80% of my shooting is with a .280, 7-08, or (God forgive me) a .270 ....

In NA you don't need anything but a 338, except maybe some kind of 22 for prairie dogs.

I've had them from 416 Rigby down to the 22's, most of which I still have, but except for antelope I've stayed with the 338 for everything else. I use in more recent times, a 7-08 for antelope. I also can't recall the last time I missed a shot on game, and for elk, every one of the last 10 or so I've taken with 338's have been a bang/flops. Each cartridge has its use. For me the 338's are the best all around cartridges for everything in North America for the one gun hunter.

There have been a few times I've had my .270 and wished i had my .338, but I don't recall having the .338 and wishing for the .270. It's a situational thing, mainly having to do with sheep, grizzlies and willows.

As I've mentioned before Jack Atcheson picked the .338 as his do everything rifle for N.A. big game including sheep and he did take a few critters over the years.

Hello,

Reading this Mule Deer post about recoil, I need to say I AGREE completely!
Speaking of myself, I am discovering to enjoy much more to shoot, and hunt!, with my 7x57/30-06 than my much loved .375 H&H Winchester pre-64..And for the animals I go after for, big Red Deer and BIG european Wild Boar, the former two are PLENTY of a gun, indeed!
Anyway I make, almost every weekend, 3 to 5 shoots with the .375...sometimes from the bench, most of the time from field positions. For me is the way to keep "in touch" with the H&H...
And, for my needs one 7x57 or 30-06 plus a .375 H&H is a COMPLEAT BATTERY. And there is no need to adjust to different trayectory curves between them...

Happy New Year for All!

PH

That pretty much sums it up! While I couldn't(wouldn't) sell any of my .375's,it's pretty hard to beat the .338 WM as a do it all,one gun hunting(big game) arsenal. memtb

I had a Ruger 77 .338. One of the worst kicking rifles I ever shot. It was no fun to shoot and I don't need it even for Moose so I said good riddance.

I can't think of many things I'd rather NOT do than lug around a 9 pound 338 to kill a deer.

Please pass the 7 Mag for most everything.... and the 375 Ruger for those special occasions.

Boy Howdy that sounds familiar......






I know,... I've said that a few Xs on different threads. I STILL have a Rem 700 8mm Rem Mag and it was/is much more pleasant to shoot.

I have shot a Rem 700 375 H H multiple times and it did not punish me like that 'tanger'.


Jerry

While I agree with you Bob, in general the .375 is often too much gun for anything in NA. However, I still use one...

You could sell the 7mm mag and the .375 ruger , buy a .338 win. and still be covered for anything short of a Big 5 hunt in Africa.......

That is the cheap man's anti Looney answer..
I see I was late in my answer , but it is TRUTH.

It works fine on three of the Big Five. I was more than prepared to use it on elephant but we didn't find the one we wanted. In full disclosure, however, I used a .270 on the leopard. Dead before he hit the ground. I used that rifle because of the scope on it, not the caliber.

I say buy it.

I owned an older tang safety .338 for a while. Killed a few antelope doe with it. My first year of serious elk hunting I clanked the scope, so the next day I carried a 7x57 ruger, killed an elk and made plans for the .338 to have a new owner......

Just curious where you were hunting. I know some African nations allow calibers under .375 (or 9.3mm) but I've never seen a comprehensive list. I personally don't really enjoy shooting anything bigger than a 338 Win Mag., 35 Whelen or 9.3x62, so that's why I ask. I have a nice .338 that I shoot well, and thinking about getting another 35 Whelen.... anyway...

Tossing bullet performance out of the equation, technically its supposed to be....but if we're talking anti-loony here.

I can't fathom lugging a 7 Mag around if one dislikes lugging a 338 either, for deer.

Exact same rifle in many cases, with a bit more weight in the barrel.

Zambia

I'm a 338WM fan. Mine is the stainless Rem 700 KS Custom Mountain Rifle . It's taken moose, caribou, and a ram. Kicks way less than my father in-laws old Rem 700 Mt Rifle in 30-06.

I do shoot 308 and 223 as well.

BobinNH,I surely hope that my wife doesn't read this post. I also hope that she doesn't realize that her 8# 12 oz.(scoped,loaded,and with sling) .338 WM,which she uses for deer,antelope,elk,bear,moose, and God willing a possible Alaskan and/or African hunt isn't really a practical all around,all purpose hunting rifle! Maybe with a rifle that heavy, it explains why she refuses to use a muzzle brake. Anyway,all things being equal it seems that a rifle with a "bigger" hole in the barrel,should weigh less than one with a smaller hole !!!!! memtb

Nothing like having a good strong Dutch woman by your side. Do you make here pack the whole animal out for you too??? . No seriously though, good for her. I hear all the time, here, that people don't shoot big guns well. You hear these guys that think they are guides say "the guys that showed up with magnums couldn't hit for chit"....."blah blah blah". The problem is these guys are probably business types that go out and buy a new rifle, scope and some factory ammo, go to elk camp without even firing said rifle and have no business shooting at critters.

I bought a Kimber 8400 in .325 wsm so that I had a little more frontal diameter for elk. That said, my 7mag kicks its trash at long range as far as energy levels and accuracy, but it weighs in just under 12 pounds. That Kimber is great for normal elk hunting in steep country. Debated on a .338, but realized that what I really wanted was a lightweight rifle, more than a more powerful cartridge.

That Kimber is light and let's you know it when you shoot it at the bench or heaven forbid, don't hold it right in field positions. Got a nice bump and reminder of that this past summer while practicing. Have found that some powders have a little sharper punch or jump to them, and have settled on the "Holy Grail" of powders in Ramshot Big Game as a good all a rounder. Hope they start shipping that stuff soon.

OlongJohnson, the problem with your original rational is that it's pretty sound to begin with. That is, a 7 mag and 375 Ruger has covered a lot of ground. On the otherhand, same could be questioned for any cartridge in between the two, not just the 338. So, you shouldn't be trying to rationalizing your way out of another rifle . If you put the rifle together right in the first place, you won't have to worry about carrying a 9lbs 338. For example,a kimber Montana or a Winchester 70 can start you out light. I got an Ultimate Shadow and bare with its 26" barrel weighs 7 1/4 lbs. Chop 2-4" off that barrel and drop it in any number of lightweight stocks and you'll be cook'n with town gas . Thoughtfully put together you might find you are taking out your 338 more than your 375. I find the 338s recoil stiff but not prohibitive in ordinary shooting positions.

Get a 338 wm.

bsa,

Actually, most of the hunters I've known who can't shoot a "magnum" (let's day from .300 up, because that's where the problems usually occur) very well have shot theirs enough to start flinching.

Have often seen that when watching guys sighting-in their magnums at various hunting camps, but have also seen it with guys who can shoot one OK on one animal, but then go on an African safari. After a few days of shooting an animal or two a day, their shooting grows worse.

Some are smart enough to have brought along a smaller rifle, and are also smart enough to switch, whereupon their shooting gets better than they start killing animals--even the larger plains-game animals they brought the magnum for. But if they didn't bring along another rifle, they're shooting almost always continues to get worse.

Have seen a number of hunters who can shooting .300-.375 magnums well, even over a two-week safari. But have seen far more who can't, especially after they keep getting kicked for a while. This usually isn't due to inexperience as much as somehow being convinced a .300+ magnum is necessary for killing any big game animal larger than a mule deer, which simply isn't true.

This is the old O'Connor vs. Keith argument. Raw power vs. precise placement. There will never be a concensus but I'm firmly in the O'Connor camp.

I have found they were both right, within the parameters of their arguments, which may sound strange but there it is. However, Elmer apparently was recoil-proof and therefore assumed anybody else should be too, except maybe women.

I have had two 338 WM and could never get my head around them. Hunted with a 35 Whelen for a lot of years with good success, the caliber has had more one shot knock downs than the 338's, 7 mag, 30-06, and 280. The 35 rivals the 375H&H. To that end, forsaking all others, the 9.3mm fills the bill quite nicely in the recoil/accuracy/on game performance department, also with a 250gr Accubond the trajectory is surprisingly good as is the power of the 286's at ranges large big game should be shot.

Not fancy but served many a SA farmer well.

If we read JOC completely, we find that he believed in medium and large bores when he felt they were needed.

He used them quite a bit,including the 338 in Africa.

On the other hand I've had more one shot knock downs with the 338 win mag than with the 374 H&H. Just how it works sometimes, doesn't mean much other than that's what happened.

Fill the gap! Every gap needs filling.

I bought a .338WM many years ago in the dreaded M77, and it is a very good shooting gun. It is the worst kicking gun I shoot, but it is also the most well worn. It serves well as deer and elk season overlap and the .338WM has been quite good for me on elk. At this point I don't see myself ever getting rid of it.

If elk aren't on the ticket my .257R is usually my choice.

True enough, I guess what it means is the medium calibers are quite capable.
Some folks try to make the 338WM a trajectory magnum with lighter bullets while I always considered it a 'power' magnum.

Thanks! I didn't know that Zambia allowed smaller than .375 for dangerous game. Good to know!

That was a while back and we didn't have game rangers around all the time. I wouldn't count on it being approved now. But it will do the job if it gets the chance. The bullets were Bitterroots and Hornady solids.

I like ElkHunters way of thinking...ScottyO.

Thanks for the follow-up. I'm thinking that Mozambique still allows the use of other smaller medium bores (.338/.358) for at least buffalo. It seems as if I read something about that not too long ago. Not planning anything real soon anyway, but some time down the road I will be.

Only one of those Hawkeyes left. There were seven on the weekend, four this morning. Hurry up if you want one. It may be the last of its kind. Everybody else who has one to sell wants a lot more money, and that will be your only option by this time tomorrow.

Remember, if you buy a 338 you will never be able to hunt in Africa and it will be the worst decision of your life

I was wrong. Still one left.

I agree with MD, that the 30-06 is a "better" in terms of filling the gap than a 7MM RM. But we do have to include those of us who really are loonies, the 338WM must fit in between the 30-06 and the 375 other wise it just makes sense for me to have one there.

My 338 win mag is 7 3/4 pounds all up and it is a damn fine elk rifle... I don't know how heavy bob's 7 mag is, but I've seen his custom with the echols legend stock and I'd wager it is heavier than my 338.....

bsa,

My .338 is a little heavier than yours, eight pounds on the nose with a sling and three rounds in the magazine, but that feels about right to me, since most .338's are carried far more than they're shot.

When I first built it in the 1980's, most "authorities" said a .338 should be relatively heavy because of the recoil. It originally went a little over 9-1/2 pounds field-ready, and even in my 30's I got pretty tired of packing it up mountains, especially when holding it in my hands while sneaking through lodgepole thickets. So switched to a lighter-contour barrel and lighter synthetic stock, and found even 250-grain loads didn't kick all that hard.

Of course, by that time I also owned a .416 Remington Magnum that weighed 9 pounds all up. Recoil, like everything else, is relative.

Buy it. As a consummate Rifle Looney, I love the 33s and to me the 338 just screams "Alaska" just as the 318WR or 333 Jeffreys scream "Africa". With a 250grain bullet, it shoots remarkably flat and there isn't much out there you can't kill with one. I have a 338 loaded with 210 TTSXs that will be my Leopard/PG rifle if/when I ever get back to Africa...

What are you guys talking about!!??


BSA my 7 Mashburn just went 7.5 pounds on the scale. i weighed it just for you.

I had "your" 338 back in the late 1980's.

-pre 64 M70,Krieger tube and Brown stock.Weighed like yours.

-Ditto, another in a Sako McMillan with pre 64 action and Krieger tube.

-G&H M70 338 Win Mag.

-M70 SG Classic in a McMillan.

I roll my eyes and walk away when people tell me how fabulous the 338 is as a deer rifle and that a 7 mag sucks.Please.... a 338 as a dedicated deer rifle is silly.

My 375 H&H weighed 8 pounds on the nose. The 338 does absolutely nothing in North America that cannot be done easily with a 250 gr BBC at over 2900 fps.This load shoots with the same trajectory as a 338 with 210's.

I have often used one of my .338WM rifles as my "deer" rifle and several of my relatives, friends and former bushworking colleagues have done and do this as well.

IME, with 12 highend .338s and 7 similar .375s used in western/northern Canada since 1968, the .338 is THE one to have and mine are the last rifles I would part with.

We had several Grizzly attacks here last season, most on highly experienced, local hunters and this has become more frequent since I retired. I find a good. CRF .338WM-250NP to be optimal for the situation/game we have here and usually carry one.

Whatever, 51 hunting seasons, 58 shooting years and decades of longterm, solo work/life in this country has taught me what works for me and I am happy with my choice.

SNAP: I never said it wasn't any good.

I basically said, I only have room in my life for one medium bore,no need for more, and decided it would be a light 375H&H. There is really so little use for a medium bore in NA that one or two do it up nicely. I could never see the sense in having a 375 AND a 338 since they do pretty much exactly the same things.

But in usual fashion on here, you make a choice,or voice an opinion, and people think you don't like anything else and don't see the merits of their favorites, which is NOT the case.The 338 is a great cartridge. i simply hate having bunches of unused rifles hanging around so only keep the things i use.

I know it kills deer,but is still a long ways off what i would pick in a dedicated deer cartridge. Anywhere. That goes equally for a 375 H&H.

Interesting thread, but what it tells me is that if the "base piece" in the battery is the 30-06; then everything else can take its proper place. If I ever want to hunt Africa, the step up is a 375 something. If I don't want to hunt Africa, but perhaps Alaska, then a 338 or 35 something will do. And, if I want to step below the 30-06, then whatever my fancy for whatever type hunting I want to do that doesn't need the power of the 30-06. It might mean a 243 to some folks, or a 25-06 to others, or perhaps a fast 22 for someone else... etc... the splitting of the hairs is where the looneyism takes firm hold.

7mm, inc. .270Win, then .338. then .40+ if you guide in coastal bear country.

My latest flames are a custom 7-08 at 6lbs. scoped and a Kimber MA-.280AI and most of my other 30+ rifles are going as these and a custom sts .308UL plus four of my seven .338s are enough.

Lotsa choices, use what feels best to YOU within these parameters.

BobinNH, I certainly mean no disrespect but, my wife's .338 is pushing 225 Barnes 225TTSX's at 2950, while my .375 AI is pushing a Barnes 250 TTSX at 3130. At extended ranges her .338, shots flatter,hits harder, and has less wind drift. I'm not giving up my .375, but those are the numbers! memtb

memtb: No problem.

I know that stuff can vary depending on what you feed theses cartridges. What I saw was based on our shooting to 400-500 yards with the 375-250's at 2940,and the 210 Partition in the 338 at the same distances.IIRC the 338-210 was started at 2950 or so.

A Plastic tipped bullet (higher BC?) could change that, and I have no idea what happens beyond 500 because that's as far as we went. I only report what I saw.I believe I did mention the Partition specifically.

My buddy who did the shooting with me is an engineer by profession....he was incredulous and we had to run this several times to satisfy him but we kept seeing the same things.

As to the "hit harder" part, I'm sure you're referring to energy numbers and I never even looked at them. In choosing between the two calibers I will still go 375 due to larger expanded frontal area and cross section of the 375.Those are things in terminal ballistics that are less frequently discussed and not so easily quantified, but i do believe they matter at some level.

Well, I'm a bit late to the party, so where do we stand on the "list" so far?

I've perused the thread, tired eyes and all after watching the Sharks beat the Stars on the laptop screen, and haven't seen enough loonyism to sooth my soul.

I believe, the gap mentioned by the OP is quite large and needs a bit of filling. John has done a fine job of getting the ball rolling with his choices. I say the OP has a NEED of a number of rifles (or a good switch barrel gun with a large asst of tubes) to successfully fill the gap. Any that he later finds to be unnecessary can be used for trade fodder.

Some possible fillers:
.303 Epps - Bigger frontal area than the 7mag for more "shocking" power, and it's "improved" which is important to loonies.
8mm Mauser - Just because
8mm/'06 -
some of the .325 and .338's have been mentioned already but I haven't seen these, they are a bit more power to close the gap between the .338 WM and the .375
.338/378 Weatherby
.338 Lapua

I hope I have successfully made the list a bit more thorough and that the OP will take us up on our recommendations for bridging the expansive discrepancy in power, usefulness, and versatility between his two cartridges. He has friends here, I hope he realizes it!

Respectfully,

Geno, rifle loony still in the "budding" stage (from what I've seen around here I have a LONG way to go to catch up )

memtb: This is gack of the highest order but you piqued my curiosity about what I was seeing back then between the 338-210 Partition and the 375-250 gr Sierra SPBT.I wasn't crazy after all, but had never run numbers to confirm what the actual shooting was telling me.Matter of fact,when i said the trajectory of the 250-375 was the same as a 338-210 NPT, I was pretty much spot on.

So I ran the numbers through the Hornady Ballistic calculator this morning,and looks like my memory was pretty good.

I gave the 210 NPT a velocity of 2950,and the 250 Sierra 2940,with the BC's listed by the manufacturers. From a 250 yard zero for each,drop at 400 yards for the 338-210 was 17.5 inches;for the 250-375 it was 17.7".

At 500 yards, the 338-210 drops 40" from a 250 yard zero,and the 375-250 drops 40.3".

As to wind drift the two were so close it isn't worth mentioning in a 10 mph wind.

I also recall shooting the 338-210 at 600 and noticed it dropped 18-20 inches more than a 300 magnum with a 180 gr bullet at 3100-3200 fps. The calculator showed that to be correct also. I decided the 338, as we loaded them back then,was not exactly the answer to a long range shooters dream.

While I was at it, I ran the numbers for your 225 gr TTSX at 2950 fps with a BC of .514 (Barnes numbers),and you are also right. Your load beats the 375-250 by about 6.6" at 500 yards and of course increases that edge as distance increases as well.

All that said, i did not run your 375AI load. Personally, i would still take it over the 338-225. I think it's a bigger hammer,numbers notwithstanding. YMMV.

For the record i will never run these tests again with more modern bullets.I have no desire to run a 338 Win Mag anymore. The cartridge is on my "blasts from the past" list.You guys can do it and i will watch and listen.

Numbers Schmumbers. A .375 beats all the others simply because the others are illegal for hunting dangerous game in Africa, except the 9.3X62 in some countries.

Indy that was the other reason I picked it over the 338 eventually. In case i ever went "over there".Just seemed the right choice.

That it did what the 338 did, with the bullets of the day was a bonus. I could also put it to use here.

Win/win.

I always find this arguement funny. I think most people are aware of the regulations and in this case the OP has a 375. But buy a 338 Win Mag and you will never be able to hunt in Africa. The 338 is nothing but another rifle. Buy a 30-06 and you'll never be able to hunt in Africa... Honestly the 338 is just another medium magnum and a somewhat middle of the road one by today's standards, but boy mention it and people scare themselves $chittless over it. The 9.3X62 is legal in some areas for dangerous game in Africa but why bother buying one in the United States because one day you might hunt somewhere it's not allowed for DG. Another poor sod on these forums had a wonderful oppertunity to buy a 338 WM, same story... "you'll never go to Africa," "it won't do anything a 300 WM will do (nevermind the guy had a 30-06 already)" "you can download it to a 338 federal" and so forth, basically saying it will be the biggest mistake of his life and trying convincing him not to buy a rifle he has a great oppertunity getting. Congratulations?

This makes a lot of sense!

I've not been to Africa but if I did and the P.H. was OK with it, I would be OK with Partitions in a 7RM or 30-06 for most of the game and leave the .375 in a hard case in the hunting car. Regarding the gap, a non looney would not be worried about it, but you are already bitten so you should just buy whatever you want. There is nothing to force you to keep it if you are disappointed, looney's sell guns all the time.

If I wanted a .338 bore I would rather a .338 Lapua in a heavier long range rig to screw around with.

The 338 WM is the best cartridge Winchester ever put their stamp on. I thought everyone knew that.

I like the 375 H&H and the 06 and the 7mm RM and the 300 WM and the 350 RM and have several of a couple of those. But the safe had a gap so big that I had to fill it with two 338 WM's (700 and 70).

Oh, wait a minute. I had the 06's before the 338 but the others came later.

Now I want to try to buy MD's 35 Whelen AI at half price. Because...

Bugger,

That horse has already left the barn!

Well, at my age, I'd probably never get around to shooting at game anyhow. It already seems to be a problem with other guns I had to have. I really liked My brother's old 35 Whelen, but for some reason I have not owned one yet. Sigh

Never expected this thread to turn into what it did, but shouldn't be surprised. Thanks to all for the input and chatter. I've been entertained and learned a bit. CDNN is out of stock on the All Weather. Hope everyone here who wanted one got one. The sales rate definitely ticked up noticeably after this thread took on some life.

Here's something for you 338 fans to knaw on...



http://www.hallowellco.com/mark_penrod%20Custom%20Model%2070%20%20338%20Win%20Mag.htm

Bit heavy but looks nice! I like all this 338 bantering I find the 338 always brings out passionate sides.

small fry: I'd slum it.

I only have an ought6 and the 338wm. I thought I was set, now I feel so woefully underprepared.

WDO

BobinNH, it's nice! I just bought another 338. A stainless ultimate shadow. The barrel seems decent on it so it's getting a haircut 26 down to 24", stocks going bye bye, and slathering on some Cerakote. Haven't decided on the stock. The darn thing from the factory weights 7lbs 3oz. I really debated doing a 22" with NECG sights.

Whitedogone, well if you haven't purchased or wasn't able to purchase tickets to Africa, now you know why! Duh

9.3x62 is what the OP should get. Just sayin'.

Well that's been the elephant in the room hasn't it? I mean this entire thread has been "Yea you say you want a 338 WM but we know you really want a 9.3X62!"

I sold my 9.3x62mm and kept my 338...Hint...

What do non-loonies think? Buy a 30-06 and go hunting...or a 7 mag or 270 or 308. I bought the 30-06 and have hunted with it exclusively for 20 years. I think that makes me a non-looney, doesn't it?

On the other hand, I have a couple of 243s, a 25-06 (still in the works), a 338 WM and a 375 H&H. I take the 243 as a backup on deer and antelope and have had handloads loaded up and ready to test in both the 338 and 375 since early summer but have yet to shoot them. So I have the disease but don't show the symptoms.

I think I'm the Typhoid Mary of the rifle loony world.

Yes, get a 9.3x64 or a good .338 Win mag. But I guess in reality you already have your bases covered.