Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .338 Magnum for Deer?

Is the .338 magnum too large for deer? I am going back and forth between the .338 and a .300 WSM. I am going to use the gun for deer and Elk but also an Alaska trip in the future....I am looking for a good all around gun that may not be perfect for one thing but I could use for everything.

either one would serve imo as a good all arounder.

The .338 would get my nod as an all around rifle, but part of that is cause I live in Alaska. If I lived in the lower 48 I might be tempted to go 30whizzum.

both will do a bang up job with proper bullet placement though, just like a bunch of other calibers. (grin)

Late friend of mine hunted deer with a 338. It will really work.

Deer/elk primary with an AK trip in the future - I would go 300wm and be very ok with it. TSX makes it easy.

I have used the .338 for deer. i bought the gun when i was planning an elk hunt. i have some 200 grain speer bullets i loaded for deer. it puts them down like the hammer of thor.

yes it is over kill on most deer, but so are the .300 magnums on the market.

No. I've seen several 338WMs in the PA and GA deer woods. Whether they used full power loads, I don't know. If you handload, it is VERY easy to light-load down to 338 Federal velocities for deer and practice sessions. The 200gr Hornady SP would be the bullet I highly recommend for this. When you go for the tougher animals, try a 225gr Partition. RL19 would be the first powder I'd try too.

RH

I know a few that use the .338 win mag on white tail. I can't hack on them for overkill because I've been known to break out the .300 WBY on white tail a few times.

beings you stated "overall" & mentioned elk and what ever it is you have in mind up in Alaska.. yeah, I'd go .338 no question. Then you've got your big boy gun covered. If you feel bad later on for punching 33 cal holes in deer you can always add to your collection, buy a deer specific rifle. until that day comes though, well the .338 will definately do the job.

Go for it. The 338 is a great rifle. 200 gr bullet for deer, 250 for elk or if you are going for both, a good 225 grain bullet is a great compromise.

I Use a 338WM for almost everything... It is not too big for deer... It is to big for Rabbit.... It will drop them... but not leave much.

I currently have my 338 set up with 225s and use it from antelope to elk to bear.

I have used both 185 XCs and 200 grain Ballistic Tips on deer--both worked great. I don't load either to maximum velocity (2,750-2,800 fps), but I still haven't recovered a bullet--all were pass throughs that wrecked the plumbing and put the animals down right there. I have no idea what kinds of loads you can get from the commercial ammunition companies, but if you are handloader you can tailor your loads to the game that you are pursuing.

I have killed whitetail, wild boar, squirrel, and others with 338 WM. Overkill? Only when you see the prices of premium factory ammo in this caliber...grin

I doubt I'll use my 338 for deer anymore, but wanted to get some trigger time in with it last year. Had to get the "newness" factor itch squelched. Figgured if I can kill deer and tree rats with it, then I will be effective on big game on which I inteded it for.

i bought a ruger mark ii in 338 win mag that i plan to use for deer this year. i think the 338 is no more overkill than the 300, just a bigger bullet.

If one can find an intact animal after impact, then it's not over kill. 1Minute

Uhhhh, it's overkill on ALL deer. *L*

I use my .338 a lot for deer as I'm often hunting bigger animals at the same time. Its not over kill. The 250 gr bullets I load don't ruin a lot of meat and shoot flat enough to kill at fairly long range. I would use a .338 even if I wasn't hunting bigger animals. I just wouldn't buy a .338 strictly for deer if other calibres were equally as available.

No, the 338 Win. Mag. is not at all too big for deer. It's only "too big" if you can't shoot it well. Of the whitetails and mule deer I've taken with a 338 Win. Mag., most bit the dust hard and right now, seemingly as soon as the rifle went off, and meat damage was minimal.

The best 'deer' bullet I've ever used in the 338 Win. Mag. is the 210 gr. Nosler Partition loaded to 2950 fps. Of course, that load's good for a whole lot more than deer, and it hammers elk just as hard.

The truth is, the 338 Winchester is one of the world's best and most versatile all-around hunting cartridges, good for everything from blacktails to coastal brown bear, plus all African plainsgame as well as the big cats.

"Versatile" is its middle name............

AD

After playing around with a Howa 1500 in .338 WM for a couple years, I finally discovered that MY rifle doesn't begin to shoot really well until my loads approach max levels. Guess every rifle lives by its own rules, but as I talk to others, it seems I'm not alone in my experience (viz. that full loads work better than "down loads"). The accuracy of my Howa was dramatically different (better) when I moved toward higher end levels (all within loading specs, of course).

After all this range time (and probably a couple hundred rounds) this .338 is finally landing 3/ 250 gr. Hornadys into about an inch @ 100 yards. Previously, I was looking at about 2.5" groups. I may still take this rifle deer hunting this Fall. The rifle has earned my trust AND I suspect that 250 gr. load will likely ruin less venison than the .270s and .30-06s a host of others will carry this Fall.

Is it silly to shoot a whitetail with a .338? Probably. But, like a lot of you other "rifle loonies", I just enjoy fiddling around with different rifles and it's sure fun to take them hunting after all the effort.

now that is funny. your right it over kill on all deer. but i am still waiting for the "thirty-point" buck that legend and folk lore has written songs about. the .338 wm may be able to bring it down if i am lucky.

A good friend of mine runs a 338 Win Mag exclusively for deer, and thinks it is ideal for blacktails. I'd not argue with him, as he generally kills two nice bucks each and every year hunting some tough country.

My experience as well.