Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Help From Those of You With .338 WM Experience

I have a 24” Rem 700 in 340 Wby. Scoped and loaded it weighs 7 3/4 lbs. Because virtually no factory stock fits me a proper length of pull, drop and recoil pad goes a looong way for me. Fantastic cartridge.

MacMillan and others build stocks to any LOP you want. I bought one with a Decelerator recoil pad installed, for a total LOP of 12-1/2".

Nilla 38 is a bad bitch.... great elk medicine

memtb, I think you are asking about the Blaser Ultimate. Over thirty years ago so I don't recall the exact weight. Barrel length and contour were the same as my .270 barrel, same saddle mount, but with a 4X Leupold it would have been a few ounces lighter than the not heavy .270. The receivers have always been alloy since the lugs lock directly into the barrel. With close to max loaded 200-210 loads, it was not bad. Max loaded 250 off the bench were unpleasant, offhand, OK.

As to heavies, the champion had to be my Sako Safari. With the pot belly magazine and some close grain wood, all up it was pushing ten pounds. Shot nicely, carried terrible.

To give you an idea of where I draw the line, without using scales, I find the lovely pre 64 Winchesters standard weights, too heavy to enjoy packing around, even in standard calibers. I have done it when younger, but my pre-war has been relegated to stand duty. I have toted Featherweights lots of miles.

I have never been a person who weighed very many rifles. I go by feel. Balance is important in the way they feel to me. 8.5# likely is a middle of the road weight for magnums.

Jack

I use a 338 quite a lot on the Elk Mountain. Can’t really say it’s needed but my rifle is very comfortable to shoot and with its current scope sits at about 8-13 ounces. Sitting in the Legend it carries really nicely for me and comes to bear quickly. I’ve used a few different Bullets for Elk, 200 AB, 210 PT, 210 Swift, 225 and 250 PT. For me, I kinda like the 200-210’s. They don’t do anything a 300 of the same wouldn’t but they for sure do exactly what they should and dig wide, deep holes in Elk.

If you want one, get one. 8-9 lbs isn’t that danged heavy for hunting in my opinion if the rifle is set up correct. Mine even has a 25” barrel on it that I wouldn’t dream of shortening. It works well for me. We get pretty wrapped up in weight, myself included but if it is proportionate and feels good, run with it.







Good luck with your pick, I’ll never be without a great 338. Not needed but it also doesn’t hurt to have extra either.

Great looking recovered bullet. Wish I had one to show but I've never been able to keep one in an animal. Usually pass right through...

Only time I've gotten a couple recovered bullets, is a couple animals we killed in Africa with my .338. They were Aframes and they looked just like that. My favorite hunting cartridge by far for large game.

Bob

Thanks Bob. Agreed about the 338...

I bought my first .338WM, unfired Winny Alaskan, in January, 1968 and started handloading. I have since owned a dozen and loaded for and shot several others. I have now owned about 150 big game rifles in most chamberings and models.

I worked alone in the BC-AB bush for extended periods, using a rifle every day and after all of this, my favourite is still the fabulous .338WM, 225-250 CE bullets at 2650+ to 2800 depending on bbl. and load. I carried 250Npts in synthetic stocked P-64s, mostly and would again if I were young and fit enough to work in the mountains.

I love 7mms, .270s included, but, for general BC uses, much prefer a .338WM and am also a big 9.3 fan. JMHO, YMMV.

There is some sound device here, 338WM should be around 8-9 pounds with a good limbsaver pad, mine has a recoil reducer in the stock as well, build the rifle around the cartridge and it won’t end up collecting dust cause of recoil, mine was a 375 Ruger mod77 before a semi custom job to 338. The m77 is a perfect platform for this cartridge, 22” barrel is minimum and laminate a good choice... I have 2 friends with 338 synthetics that have been pushed to the rear of the safe.

Recoil is tolerable up to about 20 shots of the bench for me and I’m really happy about that. It really shines out to 400 meters which is my max distance at present, do it right and you’ll reach for it when ever you want that extra insurance.. do it wrong and you will shun an amazing cartridge, keep us posted