Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Is the 338 RCM completely dead?

I saw CDNN was closing out Ruger rifles chambered for 338 RCM at some good prices. A quick look at ballistics looks very good and Midway has factory ammo. Is this cartridge dead? Even if I can score a few boxes of ammo now I greatly fear that brass would be impossible to find in the very near future.

I've had a light short barreled 358 Win build in mind for a while but I was distracted by the prices on these 338 RCM guns at CDNN. Do you guys think I'm right about brass? Would you consider buying one of these if you could get a couple hundred rounds of factory ammo at the same time? At least I could always make 358 Win brass from 308 which is why had it in mind all along.

whole bunch of brass available on Gunbroker. Hornady must have done another run not too long ago. It was non existant for a while. Midway is expecting another lot in the next month as well.

I had a lefty Ruger. Great cartridge, I just wasn't overly impressed with the gun. For my uses, stainless is better, but unfortunately nothing was available in lefty stainless.

The price is good and ammo-brass available now. I'm just wondering if I'll be left without ammo in the future.

Grafs has brass in stock now as well

Put 3 or 4 boxes of brass up and its unlikely you will ever want for more.

If I didn't already have a .338WM with a 22" barrel I'd have purchased one of the CDNN rifles with a 20" barrel.

I keep looking at them, and I think one of the stainless ones would be a really neat rifle, I just can't think of what I'd use them for. My current hunting rifles in .308, .270 and .30-06 cover me for deer, antelope and elk. I also don't really care for calibers that recoil more than a stiff .30-06 load, and I bet the .338 RCM will get your attention with full power loads. If you have a need for one, and don't mind the thump, I'd say go for it while they are available and stock up on brass.

I don't have the cash in my play money fund right now.If I bought one I would have to go into the money my wife knows about.LOL I doubt there will be any left by the time I squirrel away the discretionary funds.

I'll probably be better off with my plan for a light weight 358 Win based on a short action 700 anyway.

Hornady still makes 376 Steyr ammo and brass. They seem to support their creations unlike Winchester and Remington. Hard to argue with anything based on the 308. I have a 338 Federal that is my current favorite hunting rifle.

What's a 338RCM?

Ruger Compact Magnum. Shortened and necked down 375 Ruger case if I'm not mistaken. It's designed to give 338 Win mag ballistics in a short action with a 20" barrel.

R_H_Clark - " Is the 338 RCM completely dead? ". Probably not yet but it's sure wheezin' hard. No promotion for it or its smaller brother the .300RCM. Just like the .338 Federal (another dam' good cartridge) just no love around for them. Tis the pity.
Homesteader

Actually it is revived somewhat as far as components, compared to a year or so ago. Hornady had even cancelled the brass at that time with no plans to run more. But, evidently there was enough demand to bring some more out.

It will last longer than that coughing hacking Hillary!

Folks, it's dead. Don't buy one.

I'll pass, have enough rounds that get it done.

I hope its not dead. I got jonesing for a new rifle 2 yr ago and I bought one for elk. I love this rifle. It's short barrel is surprisingly accurate, it carries easily in heavy cover, and it hits like a ton of bricks.

I plan on working up a light round for white tails and use it as a brush gun this fall in WI.

Are there other guns/ calibers that can do this? Sure. But I really enjoy the novelty of this particular round and reloading it.

As to recoil:yes, it kicks. Use the muzzle brake and stick with the 200 gr (or lighter) bullets if you think that will be an issue for you.

If you plan on hunting large game in close quarters I think you'd be well served by this round.

You can still buy brass for 25-20, 38-55 and any other number of "dead" cartridges, even here. Why does anyone think they won't be able to get brass for the RCM?

Even in 30 years from now?

Seems like a neat rifle. I was wanting something 338 and came close to buying one from CDNN, but rebarreled a mauser to 338-06 instead.

It is like the .338-06 in performance, recoil but in a short action. I bought one a few months ago for that reason, and simply stocked up on brass in case it gets hard to find someday. I feel the better sectional densities vs. weight, and ballistic coefficients make the .338s better than the .35 Whelen <gasp> flame suit on!