Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Ruger 77 Hawkeye RSI to .338 Federal or .358 Winchester?

I have a Ruger .260 Remington 77 RSI. Talked to JES ...can rebore to .338 Fed or.358 Win. Will use it to hunt whitetails in the Mtns of WV/NC. I have plenty of rifles. This is a "want". Can't decide between the two.

They will all kill whitetail no better than the 260 and perhaps less better. Enjoy

Thinking that 77 RSI in 338 Federal would be sweet!

+1

Different fer sure!

ya!

GWB

Either will work, I just prefer a 358. Have fun!!

I've been thinking about looking for an RSI to rebore to 358 Win. but the 338 Fed is good too. Lets us know what you decide and pics when done.

I debated the same for my Kimber. Ultimately went with 358.


Biggest reason was bullet options. From the reading I did, it sounds like many 338 bullets are made for the mags. Even some not performing well at 338/06 speeds.


I also think the extra width of the 358 bullets is beneficial.


Will it kill a deer or bear any deader? Probably not. But, I like it!

Make sure you have it well bedded and the tang relieved

Same here but there is no loser between the two.

Is that a Lipsey’s Special offering?
Walnut and stainless..... what twist?

I have a really sweet Sako L579 carbine rebored to .358 and it’s a dandy elk killer.
But if I owned your RSI .260, I wouldn’t touch that bore.
You have a real gem right there....... my $.02

No bad choice. Hunting where you are (and similar to where I’d use it) I don’t think the 338 gives you anything over the 358. Maybe splitting hairs, anyway. There are so many ways to play with a 358 and loads, that I just think it’d be more fun in that short mannlicher.

It is the Lipseys Special 1 in 8" twist. I have a Kimber Adirondack 6.5 Creedmoor.

I agree - if I really wanted a .338 Federal or .358 Winchester in an RSI I’d find a .243 or .308 and have at it. That .260 should appreciate in value over the years. That said I’ve done such things just because and you really couldn’t go wrong with either - I’m partial to the .358😁.

PennDog

After hunting and killing game with my 9.3x62 I think I'm suddenly a .358 fan. Animals are not any deader than killed with smaller diameter bullets but it's just so immediate! I still hunt with my .270 and .30-06s and even my .243 and my .25s, but if you're asking me to compare .338 and .358, I'll go .358 every time.

In 308 case I’d go for 338.

I’ve had both the 358 win, and the 338 Federal...
I would recommend the 358 because the 338 bullets are often too tough and they didn’t expand as well.
I used 225 gr sierras in my 358’s and they did very very well.


NOW... I also have a 260, if the shooting is typically past 150 yards I go with my 260 in the drop of a hat - even if it ruins more meat then I want.

But if the shooting is 150 or closer the 358 is a hammer.

Can anyone tell me why Ruger makes RSI's in stainless. A traditional gun and stock style with stainless doesn't look good, IMHO.

While I generally agree with your statement, those little RSI’s in stainless look very nice to me.

If my Sako was a .308 rather than a .243, I would not have bothered with the rebore to .358.
That said, it’s done and what a fun rifle to hunt with.
I run both Nosler 225 pt and the Sierra 225 bt.
Both have killed elk just fine and the only spent bullet I’ve ever recovered was a Sierra from a spine hit on a bull.
The Sierra also hammered a big Roosevelt’s cow elk at just over 250 yards and made two holes.

There’s no way I’d have the RSI pencil barrel bored out to anything above .308.”

I think they look great.

I too wouldn't have it rebored to 358 or 338, I'd want more meat on the barrel.