Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 338 win mag recoil

how is the recoil of the 338 win mag in the browning x bolt its such a light rifle.. is the recoil really stiff compared to heavy rifles in 338 that fell like more of a push?

If recoil is a concern, buy a .30-06. The .338wm packs a punch, no matter what rifle you buy...

I have a Ruger Mod. 77 witha laminated stock. To be honest, I can't compare it's recoil to anything else. I do know it's uncomfortable with 225 gr. Northforks from the bench. When at the bench, I wear a PAST recoil pad. When hunting & getting ready to put a moose down, I don't even feel recoil. I'd get a PAST & be done with it.
Bear in Fairbanks

Same experience when shooting 3" Magnum slugs during deer season. I can fire off mulitple rounds and not even recall any recoil during a hunt. Sighting in a scope with them is another story.
Adrenaline is the best form of recoil control.

I'm onto my 4th 338WM. All weighed between 7.5-8.8lbs, & to be perfectly honest I cannot tell much of a difference in recoil between them.
There is a noticeable difference between 210 & 225+ bullets IMO. I only use 210's.

I would much rather shoot a .338 Win off the bench than a twin in .300 Win.

+1 with blargon. However I will say my 9# 375 H&H kicks less than any 338WM I owned. They were in the 7 1/2 - 8# category.
Physics matters.

Not me.The 300 recoils pretty quick

My Ruger tang safety wears a Pachyer(sorry for spelling) and the 250 gr are stout, but slow push so even they are ok to shoot.
Randy

The 338 WM doesn't "push" when it recoils, it kicks. I've had five 338's. Love the round, but don't use it any more. Never found it did anything a 300 WSM can't do as well with less recoil.

If I want more than a 30 cal I'm going right on up to 375 H&H country...

That is an understatement!!! My .300 Win is now a safe queen. 338 is MUCH more comfortable to shoot than a 300 win IMHO.

I have 2 Rugers 77s one in 300 win and one in 338 win.I can't tell any difference in recoil from the bench.
I will say if I'm elk hunting I like the 338 better!

My 300 win mag is worse than my 338 I think. (Both are Browning Safaris).

Ref: ATV down and out - looks like an Evergaldes pix in my neighborhood - LOL. How many shots to put her down??? Homesteader.

luiss....buy it and have one install a Simms recoil pad on it and be done with it. I've 2 .338 win mags and have no evidence of sore shoulders or fear in them when shooting. I don't use a Simms but on a BPS 10 gauge that I sold last yr. I sold 2 .300 win mags but it was not recoil related..have now a caliber that compares to them and that is a 30-.338 win mag..love it. I've been shooting belted mags for 40 yrs. or so and am not bothered. I'm 5'10" and 190 lbs.....does that matter? ha...just toughen up abit.

I have an A-Bolt in .325WSM that is quite light and short. My .338 WM M70 is more pleasant to shoot with a bullet of about the same size going about the same speed. Both are quite a bit less frisky than a M70 .375H7H shooting full power loads, and that is quite manageable. I really only notice the recoil when shooting from the bench. If you are recoil sensitive, go smaller or get a muzzle brake and some ear plugs.

Me too! And I love both cartridges.

Maybe it's just me, but I find my best 210 Nosler Pt load at 3000 fps to be pleasant from the bench in my Rem 700 .338. But, my 250 gr load @ 2700 fps seems brutal!

I have two .338 win mags that weigh under 8 pounds and I shoot them for all my hunting. I have shot over 3000 rounds through them so I am used to the recoil. They both shoot under one inch groups. I use them for everything.

I had a pre-'64 Model 70 .338 Magnum, my elk load was a 275 gr. Speer RN bullet over a stout measure of IMR 4350. Recoil when sighting in off the bench was not for the faint hearted. Shots fired at game were never felt, it was the most accurate M/70 I ever owned capable of putting three shots in the same hole at 100 yds. I sold the .338 several years ago and now do most of my big game hunting with a pre-'64 M/70 that I have had rebored to .35 Whelen. The Whelen is a very effective round and offers more loading versatility. I shot 50 rounds off the bench this weekend, the load was a 200 gr. RNFP cast bullet over 15 gr. of Unique. I also shoot a lot of .357 pistol bullets over a load of Red Dot, the light loads make the rifle a joy to shoot and are quite accurate.

My brother bought me one of them for my birthday about 15 yrs. ago. Recoil was brutal. It took all my concentration NOT to jerk the trigger. Cut my eye several times before I sold it.