Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 300 vs 338 win mag?

I am looking to buy a big game rifle and have been asking for input. Most say get a 30-06 it's all you'll ever need. Some say the 300 win mag is great for range power. I'm looking at a 338 just to be a little different and bigger than the guys I hunt with. What's your take on this round or any other good ideas. Thanks. Ryan.

I have always hunted with rifles and calibers that were different from the norm, partially because I am left handed, and left handed bolt actions were/are not readily available in many choices. Also, because as a reloader, I didn't want to succumb to the status quo based solely on the availability of factory ammo at Walmart. I have hunted with lever actions in 44mag, 35Rem, and 45/70, pump action rifles in 35 Whelen, single shot rifles in 35 Whelen, 300 win mag, and other calibers. This year, I bought and hunted with for the very first time, a bolt action 30-06.

I love it.

I'm hooked on it. It weighs the same with a scope that my Marlin 1894 44mag, it is as quick handling as my Marlin Guide Gun, it shoots as flat as my 300 win mag for all the ranges I hunt, and it blew through a deer lengthwise using a cheap Remington Corelokt 150 PSP. ...and with recoil milder than I've grown accustomed to.

I do understand your desire to be different. Hell, I plan to blast a hog this year with my 458 Lott just to see what happens. BUT, as absolutely boring as it is, the 30-06 has so much going for it, that it really is kinda stupid to pass it by.

I think the 300 winmag is really only needed if you truly and honestly have 400yd shots to deal with or are going for elk, nilgai, moose, bear, or some other heavier bodied animal other than just deer or hogs.

At this point I'm not looking for a white tail gun because we cannot use rifles to hunt here. I'm buying with the plan on an elk hunt in a few years. I'm looking at the 338 for the energy it carrys out to 500 yards. And by ballistic charts has only about 6 inches more drop at that distance but flying slower may be more effected by wind?

I own, and shoot, several rifles in both calibers. I very much like the .338 WM with the 210 Nosler Partition. The recoil is noticeably less than with the 250-gr pills, and the game seems to die just as surely when fairly hit by the smaller bullet.

And...I took my second biggest elk, a 340-class Arizona bull, with one shot at 285 yards with the 210 Nosler.

You don't say how much experience you have you have shooting, but judging from your inquiry I would assume you've not shot large rifles too much.
A 338 mag is not a good choice for a gun to learn to shoot with while learning to manage recoil.
It also doesn't give you much over a 300 win mag unless shooting heavy bullets.
I'd suggest getting a good 30.06 and learning to master it, then move up to a larger gun.
The 30.06 will take down any elk walking, and shot placement and bullet performance trumps power and poorly placed shots every time.
If you absolutely have to have a magnum, get the 300 and start with lighter bullets until you get good with it, then move up to heavier slugs - or consider a 7mm mag.
A 7mm mag is alot easier to shoot well than either that you mentioned, and carry alot of energy down range due to the high ballistic coefficients of the bullets used in them.

Good Luck whatever you decide to do, and hope I'm not offbase in my assumptions,
Ted

You are not off. Spot on actually. I have experience shooting distance with a 308 snyper type rifle. Savage bolt action, bypod, 4-10x40. Etc. out to 500 yds. I also have experience shooting a bolt action 12ga slug gun accurately to 200 yards. I'm not exactly how a 338 compairs to a 3" mag but I'm thinking there on a similar plain. I also don't want the typical north American hunting rifle. 30-06. I do appreciate your input. Thanks. Keep it coming.

Sounds to me like you are leaning toward the .338 - so why not get one.
They are a great round that, with proper bullets, will suffice for any game in the world.

If you can handle a 3" slug gun a 338 won't be a problem. I would choose the 338 over the 300 just because of the heavier slugs. Kinda sounds like that's what you want and it would be a good choice as long as you put in a lot of practice time with it. Good luck!

If you are looking for a longer range deer rifle now with the thought of using it for elk later, a 300 WM would be plenty big enough. If you plan to hunt in an area where brown/grizzly bears could be encountered, then I might consider getting a 338 WM. While I've hunted both deer and elk with my 300 WM there is nothing wrong with a 338 WM. My hunting buddy now uses a 338 WM for pretty much everything even though he has taken deer at nearly 500 yards with a 270 Win. Just my opinion, the main consideration is what your are most comfortable in shooting.

That is my question. Why not? As compaired to a 30-06 there isn't as many bullets and loads to choose from but it looks to be a fair spread. Also a co worker has one for an African trip he took and now loads reduced rounds for white tail out of state. Is it a gun, round that can be managed to be accurate at 500 yds or is the recoil too much?

To answer your question: The 300 WM has better S.D. and range up to 220/225 grain bullets. Anything heavier than 225gn the 338 has the advantage.

I like both cartridges and would hunt most of the same game with either one. If you're an antelope to moose guy, the 300 is just fine. If your menu includes anything that charges or bites back, the 338 is just a bit more confidence.

I like the 338 in the timber up close. It does great with a shorter barrel and plays well as a North American dangerous game type cartridge.

I like the 300 in open country because I'm most likely to shoot from the prone and I don't mind a longer barrel at that point because it adds a bit more weight to the gun. The 300 is also near my upper limit of recoil tolerance when shooting from the prone.

Recoil can be managed and it will definitely get the job done at 500, but will you really need to shoot that far? Be far better to close the distance if at all possible IMO.

Pass on the big boomers, buy a 270, 7/08, 308, or .30-06, and shoot the hell out of it.

Don't concern yourself with what your buddies are shooting. Only concern yourself with what you are shooting at.

I don't need to hunt at that range but it would be nice to shoot at that range. Thank you all for you're info now on to the rifle itself. Will anyone say the savage 116 bear hunter is a bad choice. I love their accue trigger in my shotgun and have no reason to think they produce a poor rifle? Again very new to the long guns.

You could always get a 338 Lapua and then I know you could make those 500 yard shots and your buddies won't have one either.

I looked into it buy it seems they don't make much hunting amo for it. Just match grade stuff. Very effective for a snyper but not great for the big game to just punch clean holes. I'm kinda looking for the one gun for any job. I know that doesn't always work but I think the 338 wm will do everything I want.

So would a .270 or 7/08, and not beat the hell out of you or your bank account.

But what the hell would I know.. Get your .338 WM and rock on.

Be a little different and get the classy newer 300 wsm, not that there is anything at all wrong with your choices but it is kind of a win win situation. Yeah, I guess there is a little pun intended . I carried my 338 win mag the last 8 days out in the field while elk hunting and I know it will get the job done without question. However after owning the 300 win mag, 338 win mag and 300wsm I'd opt for the short mag since it is a little more user friendly (less felt recoil) and will still be sufficient for your needs. Just an idea, take it for what it is worth......Oh, and don't forget the good ol 7mm rem mag, it is also a dandy.

I may have scanned this thread a bit quickly and missed it, but I didn't see anything about what animals you plan on hunting. Unless you're just going to punch holes in paper, the answer to that question should drive your selection. What animals will you hunt most often? And what's the biggest animal you will definitely hunt with your new rifle?