Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 338 WSM

Who's built and shooting one. What weight of bullets do you prefer. Also what is your velocity.Is it close to a 338 Win Mag.Always been curious.

Thanks

Have one in kimber Montana rebored from 270wsm. Am out of town now and going from memory but it is right between my 338-06 and 338 win mag. If recall correctly it is best with 225 grain bullets. So close to 338 win mag velocities it makes the winmag no fun to carry or shoot. Really like it. Will try and remember get info for you on best loads and bullet weights have tried.

Also forgot to add recoil is much nicer in Montana stock of 338 wsm of same bullet weights as heavier Sako AV in 338 win mag. No surprises in working loads up as I recall. Used 325 wsm Winchester brass. Did a lot of load development at first but that was several years ago. Will have to get my load data out and post when get back home. Always like 338-06 and have had two of them but rifle weight and recoil of the win mag isn’t enjoyable compared to 338 wsm or 338-06. It is to the point the 338 win mag sits in safe and doesn’t get shot and or hunted as the 338 wsm has took its spot giving up very little FPS and a lot more recoil.

How does a gun company that is in business to make money building and selling guns come up with a final decision to build a 325wsm over a 338wsm ?

Riddle me that one 7 STW

Mark Dobrenski had one. You might try to get ahold of him.

Good question.

Just thunk : maybe they consulted remington ..?!

I had a .358 WSM. If it'd been a 338 I'd probably still have it.

Valid question. One I have often wondered about also.

Thanks for all your replies everyone

Built one in 2002. Sparse records show best load was 225g Barnes XLC at 2770 fps (24” barrel). Was loaded to 2.98” COAL with 65g of VVN550 fired by WLRM primer in reformed Winchester 300WSM brass. Achieved 1.1” 3 shot group at 100 yards. Tried powder at 66g and got 2815, but experienced hard bolt lift. Ended up killing a rag horn bull at 375 yds with one frontal chest shot that year. Penetrated well into intestines. Over time, other projects cannibalized the stock...Good Lord willing, will get it restocked soon. I think it would shoot the 225g TSX very accurately!

Dave Scoville wrote a good article that was in Rifle or Handloader magazine a few years back that addressed this very question. Worth looking up.

Winchester felt that .338 bullets would have to be seated too deep to be practical. The .325 WSM case is actually shorter to the shoulder than the .300 WSM in order to have proper neck length and still meet COAL constraints.

I have one a model 70 anyhow I was getting 2800 plus with RL 17 with a 225gr bullet. Then switched gears and now shoot 200gr ab out of it with RL17. I like it, I have a 325 wsm as well.. But usually carry my 338wsm over it.

2800 is pretty good velocity with a 225 grain bullet, More than I thought. Good to hear.

I did a 358 WSM. H-4895. 300/325 WSM Brass. Fed Match Mag Primers. 24" Pac Nor Barrel.

225gr SAF/NPT/TSX = 2930fps avg.
250gr HRN/NPT = 2800fps avg.

Run those numbers against the 338WM inside of 300yds!

Not much unlike the 358 Norma....


I like smaller, yet still effective cartridges these days...but think Winchester fell asleep after they stole Mr. Jamisons' design by not doing the 338/358 version.

That 358 WSM is really cruising. I don't think I gave the WSM case the credit it deserves.

At the time, I had no interest in the WSM's at all, but I was interested in having a 35 caliber that would approximate the velocities of the 338WM. An older Wby Vanguard (one with the McmFiberguard stocks) came my way having nearly,almost, 3.00" of magazine. I modified the magazine well with a Browning scissor spring, and had Pac Nor chamber so I could kiss with most 225'/250's without havig to seat deeply. It having originally been a 243, I had the bolt face olened up and a roller pin lifting the extractor just enough for the fat rim of the WSM.


It was fast. I've found a number of PN barrels seem fast. But the accuracy was just amazing.

I am in the minority but I like the 325 WSM, had one for a while. I'm a big 35 cal fan and would be very interested in a 358 WSM. Not really enamoured with 338's even though they are great rounds.

I’ve forgotten all the technical explanations for the 325 over the 338 WSM... always thought it was a dumb move whatever they were. Oddly, 338 WSM dies (RCBS) sat on the shelves here for years.

I still think the 300 WSM is the best of the bunch, including its wildcat variants. But I’m a 30 cal kind of guy.

I've been thinking about you and your 338wsm. I have a 7WSM I was thinking about having re-bored to 338WSM, but wonder if it is worth it when one already has a good light 338wm rifle???