Since he already has two nice "hunting rifles", ( I think) he should have the 338 set up for LR, 338 RUM or even Lapua, if his blank is twisted right. He can lug it in the mountains until he gets tired ( maybe 3 days later) and then drop back to one of his lighter rifles that he will wisely bring as a spare. During the year he can play with it on the target range, all good trigger time. He should also join a LR Rifle Club and "learn" how to shoot LR, etc. This all will cost a whole lot more money than "just a hunting rifle" in 338/06 OR 338 WM. Will add this....back in 1998 I had MatchGrade Arms build me a super lightweight Mod 700 in 340W. It had one of those "holes all around" muzzlebrakes. Loud is an understatement, even with the earplugs we all used. It was so light that when the brake 'arrested the recoil" it gave the same effect as an air piston in an air rifle. It kicked the guts out of two scopes, a Leupold 2.5x8 then a Zeiss 3x9. It was a real killer with the 210xbt...before it kicked the scopes out. Love the 340W ( and the 338 RUM) but not in a lwt rifle.
