Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 338RCM a gonner?

I just noticed that they are no longer listed on the Ruger site under M77, only a couple of "guide" models are still available in 338RCM.
I am sure glad I got one while they were available! Need to stock up on brass a bit more I suppose.

Kind of seems that way. Probably a pretty good cartridge though. Just didn't come before others that do the same thing and .338s just aren't as big of an attraction in the US.

I like mine. Really handy rifle and very capable cartridge. Flat shooting to 300 and small enough rifle to hide behind your back when walking through brush.
I am almost tempted to buy a second one. There are a couple well priced on gunbroker...

The RCM's were still born form the get go. Late to the game and less capacity than the WSM case.

Yuppers! I'm real glad that I got mine and also need to gather more brass. It's a great do all package.

I like the case design on the RCM's. I don't own one though.

I'm of the opinion that Ruger screwed the pooch on this one. With a little different marketing and a couple more offerings, things could've been different. The already found success with the 204 and 375. Drop the Compact Magnum moniker and simply label them the 300 Ruger and 338 Ruger. Add a 6.5 and a 7mm and tout them as short action, long range cartridges. They could have offered the larger calibers in a carbine version too -- maybe add a 358 Ruger to the mix.

The market is already full of labeled short magnums. They should have targeted a different demographic. But then again, my idea may have been an epic fail too..

I like them, I have WSMs and a SAUM and the RCM case is better feeding than either. I rather liked the Compact Magnum rifles too so I bought one of the 338rcms.

Still they were too late by a decade to be a commercial success. I have enough brass to shoot my RCM for the rest of my life and (once the current crazyness is over) its likely you will be able to feed a RCM for quite a while with the internet. Heck I am sure there were 100 rcm rifles sold for every 480 Ruger pistol and brass is easy to get for that.


The RCM that they didn't make, but might have been cool would have been a 6.5. It really wouldn't have had much competition (most LR/precision shooters aren't that fond of belts) and it would have been a step up from the 260/6.5 creed and perhaps a slight edge to the 6.5x284 that would really fit in a SA. But truthfully there are so many chamberings now days that everything is splitting hairs. Heck I could have gone 338-06 AI instead of RCM and what my rifle would be .5"longer? big deal

Cause it ain't rebated. I got mine but I need more brass.

Out they gate their biggest screw up in my eyes was lack of factory offerings. Had they made available ammo from Remington, Winchester, Federal with softpoint's to TSX and everything in between it woulda helped alot. Instead they offered the public a SST and a GMX with not much to choose from in bullet weight. Believe when it came out the 300RCM offered a 150GMX and a 180SST. No 165, 168,180,200gr offerings. Not a big deal if you handload, but if ya don't not alot to offer.

Not a goner; stillborn.

A capable cartridge but a ballistic twin to the 338-06.
Not enough difference to be marketed as Bigger Better Faster, etc.

Had it been in a 25 caliber, it'd be the hottest seller right now. If you're gonna be late to the party, you'd better have something special to offer.

Like others, I enjoy the package offered in 338 RCM. It's never been done for left handlers like that.

I've been standing on the load data and I can't average 2700 even with 185 TSXs. Very disappointing. I'm sure the bears will never know but still.

Guess we will all be CBing each other for brass too.

Which cartridge is more popular though? The 300 or 338?


The 300 was nowhere even close to my radar. A 20" tube with irons screamed 338 Bear Calling rifle.

I love both the 300 and 338 RCMs. Nice cartridges in great little carbines. The WSM and SAUMs I owned were not as nice in my book.

As I see the problem, the factory loads use a special powder and handloaders can't get the same muzzle velocities. Handloaders and other rifle loonies keep the strange stuff alive. Joe Deerhunter is happy with a .30-06, 7mm RM, or 338 WM.

Chamberings come and go. Some take 30-50 years to catch on, some start quick, only to fade away. The 257 Roberts faded in late 50 s and is now popular. The 358 win has been hanging on by the skin of its teeth. There are no rifles chambered for the 338 Federal, the 260 Rem is in the slim category along with 264 win. One never knows what will be popular 10, or more years from now. The 6.5x55 and 7x57 seem to be making a comeback. The 280 rem is just a hanger-on along with 244/6mm rem. the 6.5 mm/350 rem mags are popular among the loonies with no factory chamberings in over 15 years.

I haven't shot any tsx/ttsx, but I got to 2700 in a 20" barrel with 210's. I did lean on the Hogdgen data a little, but my brass is holding up fine.

I was mildly interested in the 338 RCM, especially packaged in the 20 inch hawkeye with Iron Sights.

I saw a brief run of the same rifle chambered for the .308 Winchester and really had a hard time talking myself out of that one.

I wasn't as strong as you - I bought one the the last ones available here about 10 days ago and love it!

Very cool setup. Shoot stuff with it and post some pictures for us.