What do you all think the advantages and dis-advantages of each caliber are? These rifles would be used for large game only(Elk Moose and Bear). And in the future, take one of these babies to africa for plains game.

What do think?

Thank you,

I think they'd make a nice pair, but I'd hate to have to choose just one or the other. Is it possible for you to have both 300 Win Mag AND 338 Federal? There's my answer to that question.

Welcome to the Campfire!!

-jeff

Fundamentally, the 300 Win. Mag. is a standard world caliber that's been used to take every species of the world's big game time and again, and it's even more versatile than the 30-06 is.
It'll also do all that the 338 Federal will do, and a great deal that it won't do.

I'd be very happy to hunt all of the world's non-dangerous herbivorous and thin-skinned dangerous big game with the 300 Win. Mag., and if I never owned or used a 338 Federal for the balance of my hunting career, I'd never miss it......

AD

If your looking for a light handy rifle I would look at the 338Fed. Aside from that I think the Federal just holds you back as compared to the Winny(velocity/trajectory). These are two radically different cartridges so real hard to compare. Both have strengths, but if my main goal was bear and elk I'd tote the 300. Brett

Gotta go with AD on this one myself..

Tough question for me...I love the 338Fed and have no use for the 300WM because I have a 338WM. The 338Fed IMO is designed for short range with an extreme range to 300yds with good energy numbers without a lot of recoil. This fits most hunters so it is not a handicap. The 300WM adds a couple hundred fps over a 30-06 and flattens the trajectory but at the cost of more recoil. Some say A LOT more but that depends on the stock fit and weight of the rifle.

Between those two, I'd recommend the 300WM for the propsed usage. There is a canyon's worth of difference in recoil between the two. If recoil is a factor, get a 30-06. If not, get a 338WM.

RH

i think the 270 is a great idea!!

woofer

This is an intersting web site and gives an optimal game weight for a given caliber, velocity, and range. Plug in some bullets and velocities which you can draw from any number of web sites. What opened my eyes is that my 300WSM shooting a high BC 180 grain bullet started at 2900 is pretty impressive out to 400 yards. Plug in the numbers and see what you see, Allen has a good point.

http://www.biggameinfo.com/BalCalc.aspx

obviously the 300 Win Mag has the advantage of further reach, so if you shoot past 300 yards, that is something that can come in handy. Ammo availability will be greater for the 300 Mag

the 338 Federal enjoys the advantage of being housed in a short action rifle, having much less recoil, larger bullet frontal area, and has plenty of thump for almost anything in the world inside 250 yards

Either cartridge will kill your game just as dead. The real issue to me would be the "realistic" maximum range at which I would be using it. You hear a lot of 4-5-600yds stuff here, when the vast majority of game is killed at much less and way more often

Out to 300 yards the .338Fed and .358Win are solid contenders. They do it with much less recoil and are housed in a handier package. If you run turrets or a reticle like the Leupold BC, your first round hits can be much further.

I never shot a .300 mag that I liked, so yes, I'm predjustic. Their recoil is fast and brutal,IMO. I would much rather shoot my .338 mag any day...again, personal experience and opinion. I retired the .338 in favor of the light weight, 20" barreled Sako .358Win for elk hunting, when I realized that none of my kills were over 100 yards.

Actualy, if you can afford Africa, you can probaly afford to own two rifles anyway.

I dont go with AD on this one,I choose the 338 federal,according to the writers articles Ive looked at It puts out an energy some where in the ball park of a 7mm mag,Short action round,burns about half the powder and does not beat your shoulder into next week,I started shootin one of these about a year ago and I just love em right along with his big brother the 338-06 that Id put up against a 338 win mag anyday,but than again thats just me I am an underdog thats always been for the underdog,shootin a 338 federal is like shootin a 308 win in the recoil Dept,very tolerable and the 300 Win Mag is not tolerable,it kicks like a mule,So now lets keep this a fair fight with no punches below the belt,the little guy burn about half the powder of the big dog and it shoots a heavier bullet to boot,So it would not be a very fair comparison out at 400 to 500 yds,but Id be willin to betcha I can kill anything the 300 win mag can kill out to 200 yds and very seldom in my life do I see big game shooters shootin beyond that distance anyway,I also shoot a 300 H&H that I love but the recoil is such that about 10 rounds a day is all Im up for,but I can sit out there and shoot that 338 federal all day long,Never owned a 300 win mag and dont care if I ever do.....

I appreciate your comments. I like the 338 Federal for its lighter weight, shorter barrel and from what I hear a lighter recoil. I have shot a 300 win mag and did not enjoy the mule kick to the shoulder.

What is the lightest weight rifle you would go with in a 338?

Which .338? Mag or Fed?

Well, think of it as follows: The .338 Federal is much like a .308, except that .338-caliber bullets are used for it. Think of it as a sort of .358, at least ballistically, and a step closer to the .338-06. It means that comparing a much more powerful .300WM to a .338 Federal is not exactly fair. To be fair about it, compare a .338 Federal to a .338-06: both use the same bullets, except that the .30-06 case holds slightly more powder than the .308 case used on the .338 Federal. This gives a slight advantage to the .338-06, although it really makes no difference in real life.

Both the .338-06 and the .338 Federal are great cartridges. Much pleasant to shoot, easier on one's shoulder, and can be made light enough for easy carrying afield.

I'll run with the Fed. A Kimber Montana should weigh in the nieghborhood of 5.5# naked. Seat a Leuplod 2x7 or 2.5x8 on deck and maybe the BC reticle and your all set.
Ruger also makes it's new Hawheye in both .338 Fed and .358Win.

My .358 runs 225 Sierras and Noslers and I have absolutly no problem hitting steel or making golf ball sized rocks out of soft ball sized rocks at the 300 yard mark at our range.

The 300 Win is a proven round with lots of options, both in terms of factory rounds and loading components. The 338 Federal is a niche cartridge, and as yet is an unproven marketer's wannabe.

If you want a black bear in the timber round, then the 338 Federal would be great. If you want something that will do that and about any other application you can imagine, then the 300 WM pulls way ahead.

The recoil of the 300 WM makes it not the best choice for a one-box-a-year shooter, but that shooter probably would be better off with a 308 Win over a 338 Federal.

Me too
HD

My 338 FED in a Kimber Montana with a Ziess 3x9 Conquest (I know,too big and heavy--but what a view!) in Talleys with a cheap nylon sling and 3 loaded rounds weighs 6#7.3oz. Makes it much more apt to be in my hands where it belongs rather than on my back where my pre64 M70 in 35 Whelen usually ended up after a couple hours of uneventful hunting. It does seem odd to me that some dudes who think the 338Fed is incapable of killing an elk then turn around and recommend a 308 or even a 7-08.Huh?

I've got a Rem. Model 7 Custom KS .308 & when loaded with Hornaday light magnum 150's that thing will beat your shoulder black & blue in no time. It's hard for me to compare recoil between calibers unless using identical rifles.

Why not throw fuel on the fire & consider the 300WSM...best of both worlds it seems to me.

Elk and moose capabilty to 300+ yards.... How is that a "niche" cartridge?

The .338-08 wildcat has been around for decades and it's track record is one of the reasons for the Federal offering. It's been proven.

In my view, the only virtue of the 300WM is it's flatter trajectory past 300 yards. If that's whats required on your typical hunts, then that is indeed a great choice.
If not, I'd personaly rather carry a lighter, easier to shoot rifle in almost any reasonable caliber.

The .300 Win Mag is overhyped and...boring. Burns more powder and kicks harder to do not really very much more than a .30-'06, which is the ultimately boring cartridge.

The .338 Federal is interesting, at least.

Just depends on whether you'd rather be conventional or cool .

DN

This is a complete "no brainer",and I cannot imagine anything easier than choosing between these two cartridges as a general purpose big game rifle. The 300 win mag wins hands down.

The only thing I find "cool" or "interesting" about the 338Federal is the mental gymnastics you have to suffer through to figure out how to hit anything with it past 200 yards.With its low velocity and lobbing trajectory, I think it may be the "perfect" candidate for dotz,or other such stuff.A good rifleman with a 300 win mag will have a bullet in the chest cavity of an elk at 300-400 yards while the guy with a 338 Federal is still trying to figure out what dot to use.

I cannot imagine a job for a 338 Federal that a 300 win mag could not handle a good deal better.Still trying to figure out what the 338 federal is for.....?

advantages of the 338 Federal-

-less recoil
-less muzzle blast
-good performance with a shorter barrel
-chambered in lighter/handier rifles
-good performance out to 250-300 yards (most game is taken within 200 yards)
-better choice for close shots IMO

advantages of 300 Win mag-

-can buy ammo anywhere
-flatter shooting and packs more energy at extended ranges
-better selection of bullets

I use a 35 Whelen and a 300 WSM. I like them both, but carry the 300 more because it's a stainless/synthethic "all-weather" gun.

the 350 mag falls right between these two.. just something to consider... i see no reason to own a 338 fed for a large game (moose etc.)cartridge.. the 338 win will do all and more in the same package.. plus you have mountains of guns to choose from... and ammo is everywhere....

the fed is just less of a good thing...JMO

woofer

.338 Fed for me, I've got enough 30 cals.
I want to get an old style Rem TI and rebarrel it to a .338 Fed with a leupold 2.5 x 8......and then someday get another and do the same in a .358

Well if the truth be known,isnt the 300 win mag just a niche off the 300 H&H,I dont and probably wont ever own a 300 win mag,I do shoot 2 300 H&Hs that I just love and in my opinion all the other 300 mags can take a back seat to Daddy,Nope the 300 win mag Vs. 338 federal is not exactly a fair bout,but out to 200- 250 yds,that little 338 niche will still drop any thing that 300 win mag can.without planning to see your Doc. to relocate your shoulder..............

go with the 338 wm. tastes great less filling. 338 federal is cute but 338 wm is what you really want.

I would have no problem at all with the 338 Fed. in a 5 lb Kimber Montana. Keep in mind that the Kimbers all have thick soft Decelerator pads.

What other rifles do you have? From what I know of AZ there might be quite a few open spaces there? The two cartridges mentioned are not the only ones made you know.

As to the 300 WM I don't like its recoil either. Most shooters can handle a 270 or a 7mm Mag. Get something in that group for now if its your only rifle. If you have other rifles that lap over whats been mentioned and the 338 Fed is for regular distances then of course get one if you want it.

I just recently bought a 25-06 and I have a 30-06. I am looking for another large caliber rifle for a couple reasons. I am planning on hunting bear, moose and plains game(in a couple years) and would like a larger caliber for those species.

The reason I don't want to use my 30-06 is that it is heavy. 11-lbs heavy. I also don't mind adding another gun to the collection.

It seems some people like the 338 win mag. How does the recoil compare to a 300 win mag? What is the ideal barrel length for a 338 win mag? I am not really looking for a gun that can shoot out to 500 yards. I don't want to start a debate, but that is not much fun to me.

Thank you all again for your feedback.

Why not buy both and decide for yourself. Setting up 2 new rifles and working up loads would be a good winter project.

Norm

388 RUger Compact Mag . . . . .

BMT

Yea, I have to agree with whomever intimated it before that this is kind of like comparing Mutt and Jeff. The 300 Win is a general purpose cartridge with enough energy and velocity for near and far while the 338 Fed to my way of thinking is a specialized cartridge for the near and not too far. It's axiomatic that the general purpose cartridge covers the abilities of the specialized ones like an umbrella.

As to elk, moose, bear and African Plains game, the 300 Win could arguable be called the perfect choice.
Gdv

No denying the 300 Win. is a lot more gun, assuming you need it. But please define better.

Fit into a 6lb. scoped & loaded rifle, and be shootable?

Shoot farther into the bank behind the animal?

Make a slightly smaller entry hole going in, or wreck a whole lot more meat coming out?



Sorry, but you can have the 6lb. 338 win mags.


_

they hurt in 300

woofer

Are these to cartridges even comparable???

Seems to me.........2 totally different applications!!!

You couldnt give me a 338 federal. Well maybe ya could, but I would still rather have a win mag if given the choice between the two.

Do you know how f'ing stupid you look shooting a whitetail at 30 yards with a 300 Win ?


_

I MUST look stupid also. I shot two little South Texas does inside of 50 yards last weekend with a 300 win. Also tapped out a 100 pound hog at 125 yards during the same sitting. No need to say, but they all fell quickly.

I don't suscribe to the "too much gun" philosophy. I suscribe to the school that says find the biggest cartridge in a gun that fits you well and shoot the barrel out of it. I have a lot of guns. My Rem 700 w/HS Precision stock in 300Win is my go to. Never fails me.

I'm also beginning to bond with my 375 Ruger African. With a replacement stock (when McMillan makes one!!), it may become my everyday rifle. I might just shoot some little deer with it too just to piss you off!!

It seems that quite a lot of us are forgetting that comparing the .338 Federal to a .300WM is comparing apples and oranges. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages, and each is not equal to the other.

Match the caliber to the type of game, and where you hunt, and choose one of the two. If you are a long range hunter, then the .300 has the reach, but if you kill game within 300 yards, and don't like the recoil of the .300, then the .338 Federal is perfect. That's all there is to it. Someone mentioned that the .300 has more bullet choices? Maybe yes, maybe not.

.338 bullet weights
160-grain
180-grain
200-grain
210-grain
225-grain
230-grain
250-grain
275-grain
300-grain

Perhaps not as many bullet weights than the .300, but plenty to choose from.

With good tough bullets(200-220 gr)in a 300 win mag you are not gonna see any difference between a 300 win mag, and a 338 Federal,on anything. There will be no magic in the 338 Federal by going to a 250 gr bullet and slowing it down to "whatever".

The higher velocity of the 200 gr in the 300 win mag also makes it easier to plant a shot in the ribs of an elk or whatever out to 400 yards or so,without the use of trick reticles or a lot of fooling around.With tough bullets in a 300 win mag, meat loss has not been a problem. I've been around when an Alaskan Brown Bear was killed at under 100 yards with a 300 Weatherby and 180 Nosler patitions. He looked like a pretty dead bear to me.I've used the same load on elk out to about 450;they died also;and have driven 200 gr partitions from a 300 Weatherby just forward of the ham,through the paunch of a mature bull elk,and into the off-side shoulder,breaking it.Also dead..That same ammo (accidently in the hands of my guide)killed two cow elk with one shot at under 100 yards. Don't know how you could ask for much more....

Yes, the 338 Federal can go in a lighter rifle, and will kick less; but that wasn't the question......

More to the opposite it was indeed the question!

MtnBound wrote:

"I appreciate your comments. I like the 338 Federal for its lighter weight, shorter barrel and from what I hear a lighter recoil. I have shot a 300 win mag and did not enjoy the mule kick to the shoulder.

What is the lightest weight rifle you would go with in a 338? "

There is definitely some passion between a man and his rifle. I am not a long range "hunter" and like to get within 200 to 250 yards of the animal I am hunting. I don't know if it just me, but I like to stalk as close as possible to make it a hunt. I believe there is a fine balance between the caliber of rifle you are shooting and the game you are going after.

What I mean by that is; if I can ethically hunt and kill a bull moose with a 338 Federal from 200 yards, than I see no reason for a larger caliber. Of course shot placement is important. Many will probably say you can kill a moose with a 270 from that range and that is true. However, I also believe you need to carry enough gun to make a quick and ethical kill just encase the shot is not perfect.

I am just looking for the right caliber rifle for what I want to do. A nice light rifle, with mild recoil, that I can carry into the back country.

Thank you for your comments.

Since I see you keep refering to wanting a nice light rifle,I would suggest you shoot as many different ones as you can. Depending on how the rifle is built,felt recoil from 2 different rifles of the same wt.and cartridge can vary. For example,my Brown Precision stocked .300 at 7 1/2lbs. compares equally with a friends .300WSM Mod.70(Walmart Black Shadow I believe). With both rifles shooting 180's at comparable velocities and even though he's fairly recoil sensitive,he finds my rifle more comfortable to shoot. Of course I've shot both and you can tell the difference.
I don't want to get involved in the cartridge side of the discussion,but just thought I'd give some hopefully helpful info.Good luck with your decision.

til later

Savage: I stand corrected! I'll still take a 300 win mag!

The .338 Federal should work fine for plains game in Africa at closer ranges. The .338-06 and .35 Whelen are fine, and the .338 Federal is in the same ball park, minus a few yards. Use a TSX or Swift A-Frame and put the bullet in the right place. It might be marginal on a big eland, especially if the range gets long at all.

I have a .358 Win that I used in RSA. For my hunting in the western US, though, I usually end up with the .300 mag or my .257 Wthby.

Our club here in CT used to have a running deer shoot. They had a deer target on a trolley with two tracks and a single speed motor drove it across at about 50 yds. We each got three shots for score.

I was doing pretty well in relay after relay using a M1 Garand and I had a 375 H&H in the car loaded with 250 gr cast bullets. I shot it in a relay and what with having to operate the bolt and the recoil I did not score as well and someone tied me for score. For the shoot off I asked to use the Garand and I was refused. I shot the 375 again and got the high score.

The 300 WM is good. Its just not my favorite thats all for reasons.

You said it. I didn't.

Did either of those does go 100lbs. ?





What would pi$$ me off is if you ever shot a big one.


_

Jeez Bob. Don't they teach you guys to read in NH ?

Here is the first line of the original question.



Sure sound like direct answers to the original question to me.

No wonder Hillary is so popular there. People just couldn't read the ballot.


_

I thought hard about the 338 Federal. Then if you have as I do an 8 pound full up .270 Winchester and an 8 pound full up 300WSM I had to ask what it would bring me that I did not already have. I cannot even justify a 308 or 7-08! My next move is going to be "go lighter" for the .270Win and call it a day.

I gave up trying to justify new guns a long time ago. It's a matter of want, not need.

Norm

Couldn't the same be said of a .338 federal?
Or maybe I could just do a reverse stalk so I wouldn't look stupid...Not!
BTW You have any idea how stupid you sound?

Sure, 30-06 power levels which (for the uninformed) is what the 338Fed. offers aren't really needed for close cover whitetails, but surely you must have some sense of proportion.

Is your prairie dog rifle a 375 ? Would a 340Wby. be your ideal antelope rifle?

The only reason I would choose to use a 24" 300Win. Mag. for close cover hunting is if I was too poor to own a more appropriate choice.

I saw the rifles you sold recently. Nothing unique, but there were a couple that could suit the situation. Unfortunately, it seems like you just bought some stuff without understanding the strengths of each for particular hunting situations.


_

I think Doubletap is probably correct, but I am still searching for that one more necessary rifle before I build a collection.

Yes. Doubletap is 100% correct. Need has nothing to do with it.



If that is your goal, then the 300Win. is definitely a more versatile choice than the 338Fed.

The 338Fed. is more specialized, restricted in range, bullet selection, and factory ammo choices.

But it makes a really nice, short, 6lb. all-up mountain rifle capable of handling a lot of hunting situations.

But for now, go with the 300Win. and and then trade it off when you decide that you need more than one rifle unless you're willing to compromise by using a rifle that is less than ideal for the particular game and hunting situation.



_

I love my 338 Federal, but it does not have the extreme ranging abilities of the .300 Win. Mag. For practical ranges (250-300 yards), I would say that their effect on game would be indiscernible.

Whelen:I just did not read the post the same way; I figured he was talking "ballistically".You're right, I missed the point,and never took rifle weight into consideration.Not that this enlightenment by you and Savage would change my answer in any event.I have no use for the the 338 federal.Others may...

I guess I looked at it as a question concerning the suitability of the two rounds as general purpose, all-round rifles for North American hunting,which is how I tend to evaluate rifles. I don't believe in "brush" rifles, close cover rifles, long range rifles,short rifles,beanfield rifles, etc.I use the same rifles here in New England that I use in Wyoming, or central Canada, or Alaska. Same general theme,just slight variations in caliber, barrel length and contour.In short, I do not choose rifles and calibers based on some theoretical notion about what is "perfect" for every micro-habitat in existence, because I've found over the years that hunting conditions and opportunities change too rapidly in the same day,minute-to-minute,to saddle yourself with a "niche" cartridge like a 338 Federal.My closest black bear was killed(instantly) by a 270 at about 20 feet here in New England. The 130 Partition exited. I've used the same load and rifle to take game in Wyoming at about 300-350 yards.The rifle weighs under 7 pounds.I've done the same thing with 280's 30/06,7x57,etc. What the hell do I need a 338 Federal for?

I was thinking in that context when I answered the post. Uh, yes, I can read, and read carefully when I am interested in something. But I become dull and liverish when the question involves a query about another redundant cartridge that exists to keep a bunch of rifle loonies happy, but has no real practical advantage for anything much...

BWAlker:+3

Some hunters are asking if a rifle cartridge is adequate. Others are looking for something special-personal to make their own. Then there are those who don't care what gun they use. There are even more views for sure.

If a 338 Fed. will get a guy to prepare well, scout his area and get up at 3:30 AM to be in the field before daybreak then more power to the 338 Fed. Same for other combo's of course.

Today seems like a good one to go over to Cabela's in Harford. Been there?

Do I look less stupid with a 300WSM?? I guess I am real stupid as I have a load with a 180 accubomb that shoots into 0.5 inch, and stupider yet as it flattened a nice 8 point at Oh my Gosh 22 yards last year!!! It seems to work on everything from Fiddler Crabs on up....

I have hunted a few different places and the one conclusion that I have come to is that shot opportunities don't always fit preconceived notions.
A prime example of this is my experience hunting the western US. Been out there several times and have yet to take a shot over 200 yards. With this in mind not one time did I think to myself I would be better off with a 30-30 or the like.

BobinNH just posted some very good advice.

In the area I hunt deer shots can range from a few feet to 400+ yards. It just depends on how you hunt. A prime example of this is the spot I shot my dear in this year. I ended up shooting it at very close range. I had several blinds set up for different wind directions. The one that happened to work best opening day was in dense cover. I had another alternate blind that was atop a large hill looking down a power line where a shoot of 600 yards good be taken if one chose to. Am I going to haul several rifles into the woods with me for each situation? No, of course not.


I have plenty of rifles from 25-06 up to 45-70. Enough to fill most "niches" for sure. Problem is most of the time I carry a 300 Win Mag or a 280 Remington as they will do it all.

Now back tot he original question. If you want a short action, light gun, low recoil round that wallops dear look no farther than the .308 Win. The .338 is a marketing abortion and will be dead before long. It also will not do anything a.308 wont do and will recoil more.
If you want a truly versatile gun that will work under all circumstances, everywhere and with authority go with the win mag. However, be aware of the price one pays for this versitility is increased recoil.

Ok, but the obvious next question is; If you didn't want to answer the question, why bother responding to a different question rather than just ignoring it altogether?

But please don't reply (afraid I would have to guess what you are replying to).

As far as becoming "liverish" is concerned, I guess that's how I would be if I was focused on a group of (redundant) cartridges like the core group you mentioned:



I have (or have had) all of those, but they are so similar there is no real sense in owning more than one of the group.

I would get bored with a dozen or two rifles in those calibers.

I just need a little more variety than that.



_

No,Savage. Did not know there was one in Hartford....they're supposed to be build ing a couple up this way; Hooksett,NH and around exit 5 off the Maine turnpike.If I get a chance I may take a trip down to Hartford. Sure it would be a great take.

Bob - the new Cabelas in Hartford is worth the trip :), knowing from 1st hand experience of course...

Was driving back from NYC last night and contemplated stopping in but it was the difference of getting home at 8:00 or 10:00.

Hope all is going well.

Mike.

Whelen: I think I answered the guys question,which was (paraphrased,since I don't want to be accused of not be able to read) the suitability of the 300WM vs 338 Federal for elk/moose/bear, pretty much wherever they're found.

My choice was the 300 win mag because its higher velocity and flatter trajectory with suitable bullets makes it a more verstile choice as a general purpose hunting rifle for elk and moose, most places they're found.It'll work fine on bear under most circumstances as well (which bear?).I assume this is specific enough to withstand your rigorous criteria as to the form of response?

The reason I stick with boring "core calibers" is because I have already gone through the "playing around,let's pretend I'm a gunwriter phase" and screwing with every brass concoction the factories can turn out.Been there and done it....THAT was pretty boring...

I find the more experienced hunters stick with proven calibers,understanding they can only carry one rifle at a time;plus they tend to know what works.What did Jack O'Connor write once?:

"...the peasants may be conned by every pitchman who comes along with some new wonder-magnum, but the cogniscenti stick with the classic calibers....." Quoted from memory; forgive me if I'm off a bit. Look it up..you get the drift.

Next time I answer a post, I'll be sure to PM the answer to you first,for your approval.....

In the Cabela's East Hartford Gun Library they had approx. four pre 64 M70 Featherweights. One was a 243 and the others 30-06s. The entire top floor in the giant store is dedicated to hunting gear.

In the picture below you can see the Gun Library in the distance.



For the most part the Gun Library's prices are very high. Thats why the fine old guns are there and not sold. The prices on the Featherweights were about $1200 and up.

I found a down filled coat there that I liked for general use. Their own brands were marked down with a double discount and I got the $108 priced coat for $54 plus tax. I want another insulated cap for back up and I have my eye on some nice parkas there that might go on sale this spring. Its only a 60 mile round trip for me.

To add:

If its a long drive to you then some hotel might be comfortable for overnight. The Farmington Marriot is secure and isolated. A dinner at the East Side in New Britain would make it a holiday weekend. Make sure you get reservations at the East Side. They sell out fast.

http://eastsiderestaurant.com/

Hmmm... regarding your question about doe weight, the answer is no they were much smaller. Probably 70 lbs dressed. That's about the size they go in South Texas. What's your point in asking?

Why would it pi$$ you off if I ever shot a bigger deer? Do you have rights to all those? I'm not following your posts because they have no logic.

I'll explain the situation more clearly though I don't owe you an explanation. I was hunting from an elevated blind where 300 yard shots were possible. If an opportunity came on a hog at that distance, I'd have taken the shot. My 300 win is my favorite cartridge. I shoot the gun extremely well with some handloads that are very accurate. Now, when those does came in at less than 50 yards, I guess I should have been like you and said to myself "oh crap, I have too much gun. Let me go back to camp and get a more civilized cartridge for this specific hunting situation so I don't kill these little does too much." Get real.

Savage: Thanks for the pics. I can do it in a day. Used to visit a couple of stores,one in Lyme, and then Hallowell's in Greenwich, all in a day!Back then, they had some nice stuff!

I certainly have no issues with a 300Win. for that setup. You don't need light-and-handy for stand hunting.

On the other hand, there is nothing in your description that leads me to believe the 338Fed. or a dozen other smaller rounds wouldn't handle it very well.





Fortunately, I haven't been faced with this since the fawns up north are usually that big come hunting season, and they get a pass.

But if it was something I wanted to shoot, I would do it, and hope there was something left to eat.



-

I appologize for questioning your reading skills, but I tend to answer multiple questions in the order that they are asked, since the first one is usually the most important to the questioner.



I've never been a big O'connor fan, so I can't quote him, but if I was following things when the battle was raging I am sure I would have agreed with Elmer Keith more often than not.

I am sure Jack was dissing some new cartridge like the 257Wby. 270Wby. or 300Wby. (all of which handily outperform their non-magnum alternatives) so I will take it for what it's worth.

Unlike you, I just don't believe that no useful cartridges have been developed in the last 30-50 years.

Will they do anything the 30-06 won't do? In many cases no, but many have characteristics that make them especially suitable for specific uses.

I think you are ignoring the attributes of the rifle/cartridge package, and focusing on pure ballistics.




_

Whelen: What did you take for a rifle on your last 3 elk hunts?

I don't get the feel that you've got much experience taking whitetails. Are you worried about some bloody shoulder meat? I guess I'm blessed that is not much of a concern of mine, even with these little (i.e. tasty) south texas whitetails. I seem to keep the freezer full of venison hindquarters and backstraps no matter how small they may be. Maybe you should hunt down here!

I still say what I said.

300 Win Mag and .338 Fed would make a nice PAIR of rifles. Put the Fed in a Model 7 or Montana. Put the 300 WM in a nice midweight sporter. You'd have a great two-rifle battery! Almost as cool as my .358/.325 WSM two gun battery. Insert evil grin here.

But picking between the two... that's like picking between a Jeep Wrangler and a Toyota Tundra. They have some overlap but they have very different strengths and weaknesses.

And yes, I've owned both... the Wrangler and Tundra that is! :-)

-jeff

...oh, Bob keeps alluding to dots. Dots make my .358 into an EASY 400-yard caliber. It's a technological advancement that some older folks have trouble assimilating.

<insert another evil grin here!>

(Bob, you must not have gotten up at your usual 4 am yet or you'd be playing along! Sleep well.)

-jeff

Jeff: The trouble with you younger guys is that some of you are woefully short on historical perspective, and assume that all the stuff around today is a product of your generation, created just especiallyfor you, cause you are "pre-ordained" to stand above the riff-raff,and benefit from all this "new" technology.......

Fact of the matter is that "dotz"are older than many of you guys who proclaim that they have launched you into the realm of "super shooters".O'Connor was using them as a range-finding device in the late 40's;and wrote of using them in a 2.5-3X scope to kill a big 6x6 bull elk in an open Wyoming basin at real long range(over 500 yards or so).In the 70's Earl Etter,a cutting edge kinda guy, good writer, and experienced wildcatter,wrote of the dot or stadia system in a Gun Digest I have around somewhere.

So, for many old, feeble characters who spend a portion of each day drooling in their oatmeal, this is all nothing new; just a rehash of what has come before,and many of us who can still see,just roll along knocking off everything with a standard duplex, and sometimes(Gawd!,Gasp!)in a FIXED POWER SCOPE!!!
How DO they do it!!!!

Most of them have figured out(through LOTS of shooting and hunting, usually way more than the younger guys)that the guy showing up with all the fancy do-dads and high-tech gear,seems to be the ones who screw-up in the heat of the moment, the most; and a guy is maybe a little better off to keep things simple and really learn to SHOOT in the heat of the moment,and be a closer.

I am seeing an awful lot of +50 year old guys on here knocking off a lot of game...and good quality stuff, too

Lots of fussin' and fumin' over nothing.......

Carmichel had it right, and (once again) what he had to say bears repeating:

"There's no shortage of all-purpose rifles - where are the all-purpose hunters?"

AD

I must really look stupid because sometimes I take my 340 Wby to the woods when I am deer hunting. But, you know, I don't care how stupid it looks. It's my favorite cartridge. I also carry a 300 Win. to the deer woods at times and a 9.3X62. I must be the ultimate moron.

Take what you like and forget about the rest. With that said, the 300 Win. Mag., at least in my opinion, wins this contest hands down.

Landrum

I agree. IF I could only have one, it would have to be the 300 Win Mag as it's a lot more versatile.

Bob: I guess it took a younger, hipper generation to really put those dots to good use! :-)

(By the way, my generation invented sex, too.)

-jeff

That's about the dumbest thing I've ever read on these forums...and that includes the campfire/general section.

First, I didn't know we hunted with an audience who graded us on our kills on the spot...news to me.

Second, I'd rather "look stupid" as you say and shoot a deer at 30 yards with a .300 win mag than sit there and look at a B&C at 300 yards with a .338 Federal in my hand.

So if you have a flat shooting long range cartridge now your only allowed to take 200+ yard shots?

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the OP said something about using it as a plains game in Africa. It doesn't apply to every PH, but some (I've been twice) have a hard time with new cartridges even on non dangerous game. They'll let you use them but you instantly get that "rub" that last the rest of the hunt. There are certain cartridges that are a "known" and I like to stick to those in those parts of the world, for reasons other than ballistics.