Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska .338 RUM Sendero for Brown Bears & Moose?

It is too much rifle for 98% of ALL shooters and 99.9% of all shooters claiming recoil immunity.

Bring your 06 and get it done comfortably...
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I'm not an Alaskan hunter, but I did once own a 338 RUM. It was the most accurate 338 bore I have ever shot. But, you'll find out in a hurry if you really have recoil immunity. All three 416 Rems and the 375 Ack I had kicked less than the 338 RUM.

I absolutely would not shoot one in a Sendero stock. These stocks don't have much flex and don't help with recoil mitigation. If you must shoot the RUM (and PLEASE don't brake it), then get the Sendero and put it in a beefy McMillan stock. A 10 lb w/scope RUM in a McMillan stock is tolerable.

From purely a shooting perspective, a 375 H&H is a lot easier to shoot than a 338 RUM. The H&H pushes you, the RUM snaps at you. A 338 Winny is also easy to shoot.

However, please note the HIGHLY experienced Alaskan hunter/shooter/guide who posted above recommends a 30-06.

.338 win Mag should be just about ideal. Or as sitka says the 30-06 would kill 99.9...% as many moose and bears as the bigger guns.
The only .338 RUM I would own would be a long range, heavy, expensive scope with turrets gun for shooting elk... at 800+ yards. Since that not the type of hunt your talking about it wouldnt be my 1st choice[not even my 10th] Please dont take offense its just opinion. Good Luck

I had a 338RUM in a Sendero.
It was a brutal rifle to shoot, and this from a guy that has a fair number(around 700)rounds downrange through a 340 Wby of similar weight,FWIW.

Three six bits would be more fun in a 10 lb. rig.

I have a 338 Rum. I bought it for Moose/Grizz, but haven't used it for one yet. Sure it kicks, but you know you'll be imparting much greater pain at whatever you are shooting at. Lots of power.

Calvin,
Is yours a Sendero, or a custom of some sort??

It's a factory 700, SS. I had it in a McM Lazzaroni Stock, and shot it a bunch. Recoil wasn't a big deal. I just put it in a McM BDL stock, to make it easier to pack around...

That sounds nice.
If I was to try a 338 RUM again, and I may sometime, being a fan of the .338's-I would go the route you have, I think.

What bullet weight do you favor?
210 TSX??

I've been shooting factory ammo, but will be reloading 210XLC's when I get around to it.

Just Me!............If you are in need of a 338, which is a very good if not an excellent choice for Alaskan moose and bears, I would certainly consider the 338 Win before the 338 RUM.

Do you want a rifle that you can enjoy shooting from the bench? Or, do you want a rifle that you simply sight in by firing a few rounds, shoot once or twice on a hunting trip, then clean and put into storage until the next hunting trip?

The 338 RUM is a brutal cartridge on the shoulder. I have fired a few 338 RUM rounds here and there. And to be honest, my 375 Ruger Alaskan isn`t as bad. Nor is the 375 H&H for that matter.

Granted the RUM can be loaded down. That`s like buying a Corvette and then driving conservatively. Anyone who owns a 338 RUM and says they always fire reduced loadings is lying, or anyone who owns a Vette and says they don`t ever get on it, is also lying as well. Who`s kiddin who!!!

You don`t need the power of a 338 RUM in order to successfully kill moose and big bears "within" all the average hunting shooting distances for these animals. Velocity and energy #s on paper for the RUM are certainly impressive, but impractical. The vitals are located in the center of the animals. The bullet need not penetrate the animal and then knock over a tree on the other side somewhere.

depending on its use, your shoulder will certainly pay a heavier price.

In the 338 category only, I`d opt for the 338 Win or the 338 RCM before the RUM!

And if you`re open to other calibers for moose and dangerous bears, I`d certainly pick either a 375 Ruger or the H&H before the 338 RUM. Even a milder recoiling 300 mag/30-06 using the right bullet would be a better all around choice and make for more shooting enjoyment.

The Sendero is alot of rifle to lug around. It's a good rifle, but it is just heavy.

Most guides would rather see you drop a bundle for practise with your '06, and have some premium 180 grainers in that for the hunt.

Calvin, happy Birthday to you.

What he said...

Typically, neither moose nor bears are shot at long distances. Both are animals that deserve, if not also require, attention to detail. Small bears can look big at a distance. Their hide, the trophy part of the animal and the required salvage also deserves some observation. In many parts of the state, moose also need to be observed closely enough to determine legality status. While something along the lines of a decent-carrying 340 Weatherby or 338 RUM might be warranted if one were guiding and potentially might need to tag a disappearing wounded animal, that hardly makes it a great choice as a primary hunting weapon for the animals listed. If you can't do it with a standard Winchester 338 (or a 300 Mag or 30-06), there is news about your use of things that needs some attention.

I have owned the 338 RUM for a while and it kicks but it is one of my favorite hunting cal for big game. I don't really like it off the sand bags but when hunting i don't even hardly feel it when shooting at a game animal. If I was going after bear the 338 RUM would be my first choice with the Nosler Partition or Triple Shock. Brown Bear and Moose in my opinion is what makes the 338 RUM shine. I use mind for mostly Elk but have killed three or four Whitetail that dressed around a hundred pounds with very little meat loss. As Elmer Keith used to say you could eat them up to the bullet hole. I like the 338 RUM and it isn't as bad in recoil as most think. If you can handle any of the 30 cal magnums then you can handle the 338 RUM.

Sounds like a good setup, Calvin.

I have been meaning to try 210gr slugs in my 340, I have never fired anything lighter than 225gr.

Have to disagree...

I have shot several versions of the RUMs and there is a huge difference in every way between the 30s and the 338. Not even in the same league, and the numbers would show the huge difference. I just sold a 375 RUM a few months back on here and it was noticably kinder than the 338 RUM, though still a thumper.

ADF&G in Delta Junction took notes of the number of rounds fired (as reported by hunters) at bison and the cartridges they used. Tracking the numbers graphically showed the bigger the cartridge the worse the shooting. I forget which cartridge, but a double gun shooter with something huge won the prize for shooting well over a box of ammo at one bison...
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