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Joined: Sep 2014
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OP
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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?
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Joined: Jul 2001
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
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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.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 18,453
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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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.
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Joined: Jan 2007
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2007
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I don't think the gap is worth filling, especially with the modern 375 bullets weighing from 250 to 300 grains available today.
The 280 Remington is overbore.
The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2006
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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.
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Joined: Mar 2001
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2001
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Forget the picket fence of cartridges. What specific hunt do you envision where the 338 would be tangibly superior to the other two?
Anybody who seriously concerns themselves with the adequacy of a Big 7mm for anything we hunt here short of brown bear, is a dufus. They are mostly making shidt up. Crunch! Nite-nite!
Stolen from an erudite CF member.
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Joined: Apr 2006
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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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.
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Joined: Jun 2012
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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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.
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Joined: Dec 2007
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Make the gap larger so you have that need for the .338 -- trade the 7RM for a .270.
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Aug 2009
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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.......
Life Member SCI
Life Member DSC
Member New Mexico Shooting Sports Association
Take your responsibilities seriously, never yourself-Ken Howell
Proper bullet placement + sufficient penetration = quick, clean kill. Finn Aagard
Ken
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,302 Likes: 37
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,302 Likes: 37 |
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? You ask for the non loonies to respond and the looniest of the bunch is the first to reply... 
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: Mar 2015
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Campfire Regular
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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.
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Joined: Feb 2008
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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You'll also get opinions of calibers that you aren't even considering. Get a 35 Whelen.
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Joined: Jul 2001
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
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“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 983
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Campfire Regular
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Sell em' both and get a .340 then load it max w/250 PT's- Muddy
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Joined: Jul 2001
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
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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?
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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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?
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Joined: Sep 2010
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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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.......  That's exactly how I wound up in the 'loony bin'.  Jerry
jwall- *** 3100 guy***
A Flat Trajectory is Never a Handicap
Speed is Trajectory's Friend !!
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Campfire Regular
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325 WSM....?? Now it's gettin crazy!
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Joined: Sep 2014
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Campfire Regular
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OP
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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. 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.
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