I have both in Winchester M70s. Both have synthetic stocks and 26" barrels. Weigh for all practical purposes is the same. Recoil on the other hand is not. I can easily shoot 10 to 15 rounds from the .300 off the bench but more than about 6 rounds from the .338 mag. and I've had it for the day. I had a brake put on the .338 and it still hurts, yet the stocks on both rifles are identical. Still haven't figured out why there is that much difference. Paul B.
Because they are not the same and the reason you bought them.
Never take life to seriously, after all ,no one gets out of it alive.
I have both in Winchester M70s. Both have synthetic stocks and 26" barrels. Weigh for all practical purposes is the same. Recoil on the other hand is not. I can easily shoot 10 to 15 rounds from the .300 off the bench but more than about 6 rounds from the .338 mag. and I've had it for the day. I had a brake put on the .338 and it still hurts, yet the stocks on both rifles are identical. Still haven't figured out why there is that much difference. Paul B.
Are the recoil pads the same?
Some of the pads on the M70's were not very good, or just a hard piece of rubber....
You didn't use logic or reason to get into this opinion, I cannot use logic or reason to get you out of it.
You cannot over estimate the unimportance of nearly everything. John Maxwell
My wife has very little experience with the .300, but, loves her .338 WM. She’s running 250 TTSX’s @ 2950 from a 24” barrel. Unless ranges are exceeding 600 or 700 yards, the .338 would get my recommendation! I simply prefer the larger bullet diameter, and heavier weights! memtb
2950 FPS with 250s is Smokin!!!
A “head up @$$ moment. Should have been 225 TTSX’s @ 2950! Sorry for the “very” incorrect info!
I shoot 250’s in my rifle, not the.338! memtb
Last edited by memtb; 11/30/19.
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
Both are excellent cartridges that will do a great job for you. Both also kick pretty hard, so you’ll need a well-designed stock with a good recoil pad. A Ruger boat-paddle stock is not where I’d start.
Okie John
Originally Posted by Brad
If Montana had a standing army, a 270 Win with Federal Blue Box 130's would be the standard issue.
No need for magnum for elk but if I was shopping specifically for elk and moose. The 338 for normal ranges. 300 if I planned on longer than 500 or 600 yard shots and load some 190-210 grainers
Last edited by Dre; 11/30/19.
All of them do something better than the 30-06, but none of them do everything as well.
In truth many cape buff have been shot dead with a 338 WM w\250 gr - 270 gr loads (yes the 338 WM has been used on buff in Africa), can’t say the same for a 300 WM using any load. If raw numbers mean anything, the 338 WM is a closer comparison in performance to a 375 H&H when used on very large game. That’s not to say the 300 WM isn’t potent and a great performer. Again higher impact velocity w/ lighter weight bullet doesn’t necessarily translate into deeper penetration. More moderate velocity with heavy projectiles usually translates into maximizing both penetration and expansion. There’s a time and a place for using either. Depending on what you hunt, you’ll probably get more NA field use from a 300 WM by far.
My wife has very little experience with the .300, but, loves her .338 WM. She’s running 250 TTSX’s @ 2950 from a 24” barrel. Unless ranges are exceeding 600 or 700 yards, the .338 would get my recommendation! I simply prefer the larger bullet diameter, and heavier weights! memtb
2950 FPS with 250s is Smokin!!!
A “head up @$$ moment. Should have been 225 TTSX’s @ 2950! Sorry for the “very” incorrect info!
I shoot 250’s in my rifle, not the.338! memtb
Ok,
I'll believe that. That's about what I get with the 225gr NAB out of my 26" barrel.
You didn't use logic or reason to get into this opinion, I cannot use logic or reason to get you out of it.
You cannot over estimate the unimportance of nearly everything. John Maxwell
That’s debatable. I shot a 338 in an A Bolt, I thought it belted me pretty good. The Weatherby Vanguards not quite as bad. I guess the difference in weight, stock material, design had something do with my experience.
I have to agree with GoDogs on the previous page. I have shot three cows and two bulls with a .338WM, all with 225gr Partitions. All five showed immediate signs of being hit hard. Two collapsed and never moved. Two tried to go uphill but after two or three steps turned downhill into a free-fall. The fifth at over 250 yards raised up on its back legs and fell over backward down the hill. I'm glad my buddy witnessed it through his binocular - quite the sight.
I've taken 8 with 300WM/300WSM's with no drama, but not the immediate "hurt" visual. But I've had a raghorn collapse in its tracks with a pre '64 .308 Winchester with a 165gr Partition at 110 yards. Two years later (almost in the same spot) a big 5x5 dropped immediately from a 150gr. Partition from a .270 Win. at about 100 yards. Oddly, some bones from the raghorn were still where I left them.
As I commented earlier, we started elk hunting with 300's and .338's. Why? Cause elk were big and so were the mountains. Twenty years later, we bring our deer guns and know how to use trajectory if needed. The big guns are either in the safes or sold off.
I don't know if there is any moral to the story other than to put a good bullet in the right place - but everyone knows that!
My home is the "sanctuary residence" for my firearms.
I don't know if there is any moral to the story other than to put a good bullet in the right place - but everyone knows that!
Bingo! People still don’t know that or they want a heavy hitter. If you want the big gun and know you can handle it. So be it. Just like you, my heavy hitter or big gun (9.3x62) is at home and I’m either carrying 06 or 270 as I’m a better shot at longer range with the 270. (Ringing 8” gong at 600 yards) I’m working on LRX load for 6.5 for next year.
All of them do something better than the 30-06, but none of them do everything as well.
I’ve been browsing the net looking for a Ruger all weather Skeketon stock in .300 Win Mag for Elk and possibly Moose. Haven’t seen one in .300 Win Mag but there are a few .338 Win Mag for sale. This has me thinking......
How do you compare these two? Would you choose one over the other? Ammo availability / price? Recoil comparison?’any and all info is we scones. I have no experience with either caliber. Thanks!
Haven't priced factory ammo but there are lots of good factory loads for both.
I shoot both a .300WM and .338WM in skeleton Ruger stocks. The .300 has a 24" barrel, the .338 a fluted 22" barrel. Weight is about the same to my hands, don't have a scale to weigh them on but assume about 8.3lbs with scope..
Recoil for a .338"/225g/2766fps AB with 70.0g H100V calculates to be 34.6 ft-lbs @ 16.4fps. A .308" /3033fps/180g TTSX with 70.0g H4350 calculates to be 29.2 ft-lbs @ 15.1fps. The extra recoil of the .338 is very noticeable, even with a LImbsaver pad on the .338.
The .300 will do for elk, easily, based on personal experience. Have never been on a moose kill, let alone shot one, but a .300WM should do them easily too.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
The .300 will do for elk, easily, based on personal experience. Have never been on a moose kill, let alone shot one, but a .300WM should do them easily too.
Both are going to be pretty stout kickers with the boat paddle stock and I doubt 180-200gr .300 loads are going to feel much different from 200-225gr .338 loads.
Very respectfully, but strongly, disagree.
I agree with your disagreement. I have both (I have all 4 magnums) and the .300 isn't bad at all. The .338 on the other hand, kicks like a Missouri Mule! It also, leaves the little lines that's on the recoil pad, on your shoulder, making it look like a grilled steak. I've taken Whitetail with both using appropriate weight Interlocks (180 and 225), the .338 damages less meat. Both are fantastic! But if you aren't going after Elk, Moose, and Grizzly, the .300 is more than you will ever need. Keep looking around, they are everywhere!
Recoil for 338 WM is not to bad in my opinion. I loaded 250 gr Hawks and NP bullets to 2,625 fps in lieu of 2,725 fps and it was fairly easy on the shoulder. I had a Wby VG (1980) when they used really nice wood on the VG in 300 WM and it gave quite a jolt. Sold it to a farmer in Nebraska, bought a 7mm RM and never missed the 300 WM.
Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
I’ve been browsing the net looking for a Ruger all weather Skeketon stock in .300 Win Mag for Elk and possibly Moose. Haven’t seen one in .300 Win Mag but there are a few .338 Win Mag for sale. This has me thinking......
How do you compare these two? Would you choose one over the other? Ammo availability / price? Recoil comparison?’any and all info is we scones. I have no experience with either caliber. Thanks!
I bought a zytel stocked Ruger 77 in .338 Win Mag when I was 18....absolutely had to have it. Killed a smallish bear with it, then sold it.
With factory loads (Winchester failsafes, I believe) that rifle kicked harder than any other rifle I have fired before or since. It's a good round no doubt, but not in that rifle.
