Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Can you tell me about the 338-06 for elk and mule deer?

Got it fellas..it certainly appears that the .338-06 maximizes the case potential, the .30-06 is simply less efficient.

I had on built for a Grandson. It impressed me so much that I now own 2 others.
Can't give a detailed scientific explanation why it works, but it does, and well.
53 grs Reloader 15 and a 210 Nosler is bad medicine for Elk.

Why are we wasting E-typing with silly questions like this ?

Is anyone on this site so uninformed that he/she has no access to information on appropriate cartridge choices for any big game species ?

It is the hunter and his/her skill that decide the outcome, not the cartridge.

Mule Deer and Elk can be killed with almost any cartridge that is legal to hunt them.

Of course either cartridge will kill either. So will anything from the 250-3000 to 700 Nitro.

OP might do better to study his abilities, the animals and the place(s) he/she plans to hunt, than worry about two nearly identical cartridges.

The best Mulie and Elk cartridge is the one you can shoot the best from your chosen rifle.

JOC killed them with a 270, Keith with a 45-70. They disagreed but the Elk remained dead.

Larry, crawl back in your hole..

Well since the 'fire is a place where such things are discussed, whether the issue is moot or not, you should probably just not click on the threads.

That's just Larry Root, under his 100th plus new login name. Eventually, he'll get the boot and like herpes-simplex, erupt again..

Ah, makes more sense now.

I think that Rick should just allow him to post under the screen name of Larry Root so that we don't have to try and keep track of who is what at any given time. Same for Strip Buck Hunter and TAK

Hmm now you got me thinking. I do have an extra 6x36 leupold and quite a few 338 cal bullets laying around. #2 lilja cut at 23" In a mcmillan or TI takeoff would be a slick hunting rig I think. Last couple I've been around have had #3s and they were nice. I think the #2 would be more of a good thing when humpin the mountains

I have a #3 Shilen on mine. (338-06) I like it.
I have a #2 on my 30-06, not sure I would want a .338 bore #2.

Just my thoughts.

Yeah, it might shoot groups way too large to hit an elk in the right place.

I was thinking about recoil.

A bit more weight up front.

Try to find a copy of Handloader #109 and read Dogzapper's article on the .338-06. As for effective range, there are some 185-200 grain bullets with very good BC's now.

I have a hard copy of that article in my files and it was the catalyst for the acquisition of my first .338-06, a custom Ruger No. 1. It's a good read!

It'll bounce off!! Jesus Christ...

Bob Hagel loved it, but he liked the .340 & 338 better!

Sako, I have the AI version and shoot elk and Moose with it using the 210GR Scirocco. Works great. The cartridge can definitely be used beyond 300 yards. The recipe using the 210GR Scirocco shoots within 1.5in of my 270 using 140gr SST's out to 500yds. I too don't plan on shooting elk out that far but just saying. Hope this helps in your decision.

I looked at one for a while when planning a new rifle build. Had the itch bad. Finally, I just came to terms with the fact that there's nothing a 338-06 can do that a 300 WSM can't and the WSM will do it all for an extra couple hundred yards over the 338. Now, style.... The 338-06 has it. I grant you that.

Thanks fellers. I found a copy on FleaBay. It is now in my collection.

The 338-06 had a kind of cult following among experienced elk hunters around here years ago. I think a lot of these guys have retired now. I always thought it was a great round.

In the eighties, I had a BAR re bored to .338-06. I used that rifle for most everything for some five years. Even with an imperfect bore job in the vicinity of the gas block, it shot most everything around an inch (+/-).

The three bullets that I mostly used were Speer 200s, NP 210s, and Woodleigh 250s for a short time.

I loaded a bunch of the Woodleighs for our annual south Texas pig and coyote eradication hunt. Some of the pigs were big! The big strong bullets were more than needed for pigs and just punched holes with little expansion. One coyote that I popped from a fixed stand, in a sendero, lay there without moving for about an hour. I looked back in his direction, and he was slowly crawling off. I chased him down and finished the job with a .22 pistol. I

I had the rifle bored for a Nilgi hunt that fell through due to the failing health of my host. For deer and pigs, the Speer was enough bullet. The 210 NP has always been a good bullet.

I have killed game DRT with lots of smaller bored rifles. Dead is dead. I will say that most kills while using 200/210 were more spectacular. Game was often knocked down as opposed to falling down. One big fat WT doe was actually turned for a complete flip. More spectacular, but no deader than if shot with a .243. Your call......., it very well may be better on larger animals, such as elk or moose. Worked fine on WT and MD.

My medium is now a 9.3x62. Very well covered.

Best,

Jack