Originally Posted by mainer_in_ak
Originally Posted by OGB
Originally Posted by Snowwolfe
300 RCM and 338 RCM. If you own both you are equipped to shoot any animal in North America and not be concerned about being under gunned. The beauty of both of these calibers is the rifles Ruger build to shoot them. Ruger started with a stock with a slightly shorter LOP, went with a 20 inch barrel, and added factory iron sights.
I've said it elsewhere. 2 cartridges that come mighty close to their win mag predecessors and in rugged carbines with 20" pipes. A lot to like.

Bingo. I am just as enamored by the 338 rcm today, as I was back when it was introduced. Possibly THE BEST Alaskan carbine ever made. Even left handed shooters got one. A mountain rifle in bear country, and so much more.

From 300-500 yds shots on winter caribou, to ANCHORING tough goats in proximity of sheer vertical cliffs to rut-raged 60+ inch antlered bull moose, the 338 rcm is an everything gun. Im.surprised how many of RCM's I've encountered, in the hands of other Alaskan hunters.

A simple mag follower flip, and they hold 4 cartridges down, something the wsms never could do. The rcm cartridges feed so nicely, slow or fast

The factory 225 grain interbond ammo out penetrated 30 cal 220 nosler partitions(at 2480 fps) in spruce boards. Where the 338 RCM is just getting warmed up, the 30-06 ends. Then my 275 grain swift a-frame handloads are mighty close in performance to my 300 grain 9.3x62 handloads, all in a rifle that is lighter than the 30-30 rifle I carried as a kid.

225 grain stuff from a 338 rcm carbine is right at the threshold of lightweight and manageable recoil for meaningful shooting sessions, to hone your skills for those treeless alaska, winter caribou hunts.

I named mine, 338 Elmer. The squat little thing most closely resembles him. All purpose frontiersman, in a compact package.

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It's almost inconceivable that the wonderful .338 RCM isn't more popular. Interesting comparison with the .338 RCM and .30-06. I did a similar comparison with the .308. With the 20" .338 RCM I am running 225's (SD of .281) at 2730 fps with Reloder 17. With a 3" box and long throat I'm running the 180's (SD of .271) in the .308 at 2700 fps in a 22" barrel using Varget. The .338 RCM is 8lb including scope which is perfect for me for that level of recoil, the .308 is 7 1/4 lbs including scope which is also perfect for me for that reduced level of recoil with the 180's. The only thing with the .338 RCM is I'm a bit reluctant to take it where the temperature may get around 90 (such as Africa) because of the use of Reloder 17.