458 Lott makes a good point...
And Dennis....Lol.
Kind of reminds me of an old saying of my dads...
"A man with experience is never subject to a man with an argument."
One of the biggest reasons I even now give the 338 RCM a second look, is because of what I have seen out of my 35 Whelen, (or as 458 Lott likes to call it, "The 350 Rem Mag").
I never "push" my 35 Whelen, 225's at 2625fps.
...and 250's at about 2500fps
That gun gets it done, everytime.
Taken a lot of game with it, including Moose, and have yet to recover a bullet.
Yes, my 358 WSM will best those velocities by 300fps.
But, does that make it "Better," than the 35 Whelen...?
In all honesty, I first "poo pooed" the 338 RCM...
I saw it as just another reincarnation of the 35 Whelen(with .338 bullets) performance in a short action.
"New spokes on the same old wheel.."
Tell ya what...
Remington had it right 45 years ago with the 350 Rem Mag.
...and Winchester "Blew it" by not bringing out the 338 WSM.
They said, the 338 WSM fell 100fps behind the 338 Win Mag...
Woop Tee Freakin' Doo....! 100fps is NOTHING.
They would have been wise to introduce the 358 WSM...it will push the "same weight" bullets as the 338 cals as fast as the 338 Win Mag.
Ruger and Hornady stepped up.
Nope, the 338 RCM will not equal the 338 Winchester Mag.
Does it really have too...?
Oh.., I am sure that a 338 WSM will best the velocity of the 338 RCM...a little.
...But until the RSAM, or the WSM people come out with a 338 caliber cartridge...the 338 RCM is the best we have in a commercially available cartridge for delivering "magnum like" velocities in a short action, compact, hunting rifle.
I think we unreasonably get our shorts all up in a knot over 200fps velocity.
With bullet weights "big game appropriate" for these two calibers, 200fps is not a whole lot.
It's the differance of about 400ft/lbs of energy at 200 yards.
And when zeroed at 200 yards, an impact differance at 300 yards of 1.5"
Another thing that is unreasonable is how we give the "Short Mags" the "Grrrrrrr" treatment....
Anybody remember the original 338 short mag, the old 33 Winchester..?
Or the "Other 35," the 348 Winchester, that replaced the 33 ?
...some good discussion been goin' on here fellas... been enjoying it.
Sincerely,
Scott
