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

I tend to think the 338 RCM is "dead in the water", so to speak. I picked one up earlier this year with the intention of it filling the .338 spot in my battery. (Mine is the model without iron sights, walnut stock, and the 22" barrel, which Ruger discontinued at the first of the year.) Love how handy it is, its weight, how easy it shoulders, etc. However, even with the help from members here, I have not been able to source ammo or brass locally or from the usual on-line suspects. I really wanted to see what kind of performance I could have gotten out of the 210-gr. Swift Scirocco II and the 225-gr. Barnes MRX.

I'll probably try and move mine if the ammo/brass situation doesn't improve in the next month or two.

Stillborn? I suppose. Anything after 30-06 is just about stillborn.
I think people are too magnum-crazy and fail to recognize an excellent utility hunting round, packaged in a super handy rifle. Those who noticed, have one.
As far as reloading goes, I had great accuracy with 225 TTSX and slow burning ball powder. Had more erratic shots with extruded, I attributed this to the powder packing irregularity around the base of the long copper bullet.
I had no problem replicating factory velocity from the Superformance, and recoil with TTSX is milder.
I agree, the ammo monopoly was a very short-sighted decision for the caliber. Oh well. I have 90 cases, that will last for hunting for the rest of my life.

People will clamor for them like they do for 350 Remington Magnums some day. I have mine and I have a little brass, so it will live for me.

There are a couple well priced on gunbroker...
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Diablo 3 Gold|Diablo 3 Gold Kaufen|Guild Wars 2 Gold

That's the truth. Folks have been screaming for a short 25 mag to rival the 257WM, and no one has answered.

Looks like 338 RCM brass is rarer than 308 brass! Looked through several pages and all said out of stock. One supplier said they should get some in NOVEMBER 2013!!!

375 Ruger brass is available. I suppose if a person were truly desperate they could neck down, trim and turn/ream necks. The 375 is the same case only longer. Wouldn't that be a ton of fun?? Not!

Maybe, but I doubt with the case capacity of the RCM it would have matched the .257 Bee. 72 grains of H20 capacity for the .338 RCM is only two grains more capacity than a .338-06 averages and 12 grains behind the .257's 84 grain average. I just don't see it coming close to what the Bee can do.

Tell me more about the 308 one. I have a 338 rcm ss and I love the way it handles. I'd like a 308 one to go with it. I find myself packing the 338 a lot when I'm stomping around Island Park. There's quite a few grizzlies there and the little rcm shoulders nice and functions well. A 308 would be a good truck/camp gun.

Bb

You could have predicted the fate of the 338RCM at introduction...like the 358 Winchester, the 338/06,the 35 Whelen,the 350 Rem Mag, etc etc...they will always have a small following but will never achieve the popularity levels of those things 30 caliber and below,because, excellent though they may be, they simply aren't needed for the majority of the hunting that we do here.

And for those rare occaissions when a medium serves a useful purpose,the 338 win mag, the 9.3x62,and the 375HH have such a firm lock on that market it's doubtful anything else will grab much market share.

Nor anywhere else much I expect. There are some fairly big game animals in Australia, water buffalo are our biggest game. If you think a 300WM isn't enough gun for that class of game, why would you be confident using a 338-06 or a short equivalent?

You most likely wouldn't, and would go straight to 9.3/375 calibre.

Not rubbishing the 338 RCM. I actually think it is a cool little round. But I can't see how it would be any better as a big game round than a 300WM (or even a 30-06 at moderate ranges).

I kind of liked the cartridge and the concept but the rifle was a bit lacking. Ugly stock shape, too-thin bolt handle, skimpy feed rails, too-short LOP. All in all, it was concept which was lost in the translation. GD

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Sorry Grey Dog but my opinion differs for much the same as yours. I find those features to be the saving graces. I toted mine yesterday all day long due to its compact size and quick handling. While I should have facts in front of me before shooting my mouth off, I can simply say my rig is noticeably "light".

While I own many other appropriate rifles that could have done the job, I selected to bring the .338 RCM for a day cruising for Spring Bears. I can hand carry the short rifle various ways, even pointing down holding the pistol grip without the muzzle hitting the ground....and I'm short. I think the .338 offers an increased frontal diameter which is reported to make a noticeable difference on game. I'd prefer to dump a bear and not have to get into the thick timber to work on a blood trail.

I'm still working with 50pcs of brass. I'd looked a while ago and could not find much. Guess I really need to place a Back Order.

But I was actually thinking about checking to see if any of these Leftys were floating around at wholesale close outs, as I don't think they were hot sellers. But I do think its a very practical rifle. And I realize the niche for a mid range bear rifle for patrolling logging roads and clear cuts is relatively small.

Even at wholesale plus a little taste for my FFL, tax and shipping I was in it for $650ish last year I think. A CDNN close out for $459 would be nice. If anyone hears anything similar I wouldn't mind a PM and grabbing a spare.

Jesse Jaymes

I agree with you regarding that rifle. I have a 308 in the same configuration and its a wonderful stalking rifle.

I have only fired a few shots with mine with 150gn Hornady soft points with a load developed for a 308 T3 I have - and the Ruger shot 3xshot 0.6" groups straight away.

Just a great little gun for the money!

As do I. Almost bought a used stainless on at Cabelas in Sidney for a song but the money was targeted for a Ruger SP101 for my wife instead.

Love the looks of the rifle in the pic - except for the placement of the bolt handle, which is wrong-sided. It has Ruger's iron sights, which I like a lot and think belong on any Ruger hunting rifle that might spend a week or so in the mountains/boonies.

Ended up building my own except its 22" and a .338 Win Mag. Close enough. .338WM on the left, 24" .300WM on the right:

I had one of the 300 RCMs. I felt that if the RCMs had been brought out on a different case in some other caliber with a better bullet selection they would have been a success.