A buddy of mine is thinking about picking one up as his go-to Alaskan rifle but has a couple of ?'s.

First is recoil, he has a bad jaw and his old 338WM had to much recoil, how does the 338 RCM compare in the recoil dept?

Is the 338 RCM here to stay?

How does it handle the larger bullet weight's (reload's)?

Thank's

You can go to the "Guns and Ammo Mag site, the "Shooting Times Mag" site and do a search for articles about the 338 RCM. There are a few in there.

Imo, as a 375 Ruger owner, when Hornady and Ruger team up and work on a project together, you can bet they know what they are doing and how to successfully market and advertise their new products. The 375 Ruger as an example, has gained more popularity in such a relatively short period of time, than any other cartridge in my memory.

The 375 Ruger, the RCMs, like the WSMs, are cartridges that perform extremely well from the shorter barrels. As such, they can duplicate the performance of longer barreled rifles chambered in the longer cartridges in rifles with longer OAL`s. That is what Ruger and Hornady offer. Great performers from the shorter rifles. They`ve done it with the 20" barreled 375 Ruger, the 20" RCMs and recently did the same thing with the 20" 416 Ruger.

The RCM`s imo, will be around for a very long time mainly because of the rifles chambered for them. If a 20" tubed 338 RCM can get the same ballistics as 24" 338 Win, then why not go the shorter rifle? That`s why the appeal for the 375-416 Rugers and RCMs that won`t be going anywhere. Their appeal is broadening.

I suspect that the recoil will be there with the 338 RCM, although not quite as much imo, as with the 338 Win. But your friend has the option to get a cushioned padded cheek piece should he find the recoil too great.

If he wants the power of a go to Alaska rifle, there will be the added price of additional recoil to be paid.

There is reloading data available, dies and brass are available as well as the factory ammo.

You can go to the "Guns and Ammo Mag site, the "Shooting Times Mag" site and do a search for articles about the 338 RCM. There are a few in there.

Imo, as a 375 Ruger owner, when Hornady and Ruger team up and work on a project together, you can bet they know what they are doing and how to successfully market and advertise their new products. The 375 Ruger as an example, has gained more popularity in such a relatively short period of time, than any other cartridge in my memory.

The 375 Ruger, the RCMs, like the WSMs, are cartridges that perform extremely well from the shorter barrels. As such, they can duplicate the performance of longer barreled rifles chambered in the longer cartridges in rifles with longer OAL`s. That is what Ruger and Hornady offer. Great performers from the shorter rifles. They`ve done it with the 20" barreled 375 Ruger, the 20" RCMs and recently did the same thing with the 20" 416 Ruger.

The RCM`s imo, will be around for a very long time mainly because of the rifles chambered for them. If a 20" tubed 338 RCM can get the same ballistics as 24" 338 Win, then why not go the shorter rifle? That`s why the appeal for the 375-416 Rugers and RCMs that won`t be going anywhere. Their appeal is broadening.

I suspect that the recoil will be there with the 338 RCM, although not quite as much imo, as with the 338 Win. But your friend has the option to get a cushioned padded cheek piece should he find the recoil too great.

If he wants the power of a go to Alaska rifle, there will be the added price of additional recoil to be paid.

There is reloading data available, dies and brass are available as well as the factory ammo.

Oooops I did clicked twice!

Thank's for the reply bigsqueeze. The appeal of the RCM for my friend is the excellent rifle configuration that Ruger has put together, as you pointed out. I think he can tolerate up to 300WM recoil levels and possibly more if not benched out, but he'd prefer not to get into another tooth rattler. After handleing the RCM's they seem to have enough heft to posssibly reduce the felt recoil, but not knowing anyone with an RCM we're just guessing. He might have to toss the dice and take a chance with it??

I've dredged up all the info (old article's, post's ect.) that I can on this cart., any personal experience folk's would like to share would be welcomed.

I haven't read many of the articles, so I'm not up to speed on what everyone else is saying about it. I did buy one and have been shooting it, so I can offer a little experience, however.

It is not, nor will it ever be, the ballistic match of a .338 Winchester Magnum, regardless of barrel length, magic pixie dust powders, advertising claims, or contorted comparisons. The case doesn't hold as much powder, ergo, it cannot match .338 WM ballistics. What it is, though, is an extremely handy rifle chambered for a very useful cartridge. If you think of it as a short-action .338-06 you will be closer to the mark -- and that is very very good company. If I can run 210 TSX's at 2700-2750 fps, I will feel no need for a bigger gun. 185's should run over 2900, which will provide the ability to reach out as far as I want to shoot. At some point I do want to try some 250's, just for fun.

Mine seems like it is going to shoot well; with 35 rounds down the tube. Tomorrow will be another range day with more loads, so we will see. I'm also taking it to Texas pig hunting in a couple of weeks, so I should be able to provide some actual bullet-on-flesh results to go with the chronograph and target results.

It does not kick all that much, either. My rifle weighs just a hair over eight lbs with a 4x Leupold in Warne QD mounts and nylon sling -- it's wood/blue, and I expect the stainless/synthetics are lighter.

I certainly hope the .338 RCM is "here to stay", though given that I have dies and 200 pieces of brass I'm not terribly concerned. The only real issue I see with it is that Hornady so far has seen fit to only issue factory ammunition with fairly stupid bullets for a medium-bore cartridge. I do not know what lapse of marketing sense has lead to that aberration, but there
it is.

Overall, I like my .338 RCM real well so far.

Best group from first range test...


Dennis

I think its a great cartridge, but...

1) How long the cartridge will last is unknown, especially if Ruger is the only one chambering it 5 years from now.

2) If factory ammo doesn't soon come with better bullets, it will only lead to the cartridges demise. The SST is one of the last bullets that I would be using for an "Alaskan All-Around" rifle.

So, if you're buddy is a reloader, and stocks up on brass and quality bullets like the TSX or Partition, then he can't really go wrong with the RCM...

What alot of people forget is that the loads can be reduced which reduces the felt recoil.

Tell him to go for the 338 RCM. It`s the same OAL as my 375 Ruger Alaskan with a little less weight. In bolt actions, the shorter Rugers in the RCM`s and discontinued WSM`s, are the best carrying rifle, handling, power combos available on the market.

Someone on here just picked up a new Ruger 338 RCM and posted some pics of that rifle along with a shooting report. He may see this thread........ Was it Mule Deer?...........Stay tuned!

I'm thinking that was me, not John... Though John did have a S/S .338 RCM that didn't shoot so well and had to go back to the factory, I believe.

Dennis

........Like the 375 Ruger, the RCM`s as far as I know, are not proprietary cartridges. As they become more popular and they will imo, other makers will chamber them. Why? Because makers, especially Ruger have trended, are trending, and will continue to trend, towards equally performing shorter rifles. Some makers now are following Ruger`s lead as the acceptance of the buying public is trending more in this area......I would certainly take that chance and gamble with Hornady and Ruger, rather than bet against them.

Yes he reload's and I agree with your take on the RCM.

muledeer, I've been following your excellent thread on the 338 RCM and appreciate your input on the subject and look forward to seeing some dead pig pic's .

Guess I'm kinda trolling here to see how many folk's have ponied up for the RCM and what their experience has been .

If I were to only have one rifle (excuse me a moment while I stave off the staggering shudders at the thought) in Alaska, I think I could do very well with a Ruger Hawkeye .338 RCM. In that dire exigency I would go with stainless/synthetic. but the range of great (handloaded) bullets at useful velocities would cover every need from Sitka blacktailed deer to brown bears. I certainly would have zero qualms about smacking a bear with a 210 or 225 TSx at 2600 +/- fps.

Dennis

md, I find myself trying to justify the purchase of an 338 RCM for myself, no hole in the battery there though..........................Yet

Does the load data in this article look to be close to what one could expect from the 338RCM?

http://www.realguns.com/archives/170.htm

I plan to find out tomorrow. I build some loads using their Reloder 15 data, and I'm planning to take them to the range to see how they work. I will be most pleased if Re 15 proves to be a good powder for the .338 RCM, as it seems to be the universal solution to about everything else I shoot.

I'll let you know...

Dennis

muledeer,

this is a little off the mark. I read above, that you run your .338 RCM with 4x Leupold on WARNE QD Rings.

I am curious about the Rings in the Ruger receiver. Have you ever looked how close you get back to Zero if de- and reattaching the scope?

Good shooting.

I was looking for other stuff yesterday and saw that Steyr has it listed in one of their bolt action models (also a 450 Marlin bolt gun btw).

That is another test I plan to run, as I'm also putting a Bushnell Elite 3200 1.5-4.5 Firefly scope on it, for night-shooting pigs. So I will have the opportunity to pull the Leupold scope with Warne rings, sight it in with the Bushnell, then put the Leupold back on and check the sight. I'm taking the Firefly strictly as backup, in case the pigs go nocturnal on us. There is a shooting range where we're staying, so changing scopes isn't a problem.

Eventually the 4X with German #1 reticle will live on my .375 Ruger African, so the question of return to zero is significant.

Dennis

Looking forward to your findings. I always try to get as many accounts as possible (similar circumstances). I have to hunters with Ruger rifles here. We are going to try them Warnes on them.

Wish you good pig hunting. Look forward to some pics.

Man all this talk about the 338 RCM makes me want to try one out. I just got off the phone with the gunsmith and will be dropping the doner action off today!!!

Dude,

what Smith are you using in Anchorage. I have a Marlin 1895 .45-70 in Wasilla that needs some work done this Winter.
I talked to WWG - they would accomodate me. Curious for other roads of approach.

What are you using for a doner on that .338 RCM?

What prices are you seeing out there? The best deal I've found is $697.00 for the Ruger Hawkeye S/S in 338RCM, seems to be a fair price.

$660 at Bud's Gun Shop -- wood/blue.

Dennis

Your friend might also consider a .325 WSM. With the 220-gn AFrame, that's gotta be grizzly medicine.

I put the recoil of my .325's about squarely between my 30-06 and my 338 Win FWIW...

I used a guy named Stan Jackson at the recommendation of several locals. I am not sure if he works on levers but if you want his number it is: 907-250-0252. I am new to the area and cannot vouch for him personally but almost everyone I talked to around here has heard of and speaks very highly of him. I admit he is a nice fellow...we'll see about his work. Jeff, I have been around here just long enough to know that you are a huge fan of the 325 WSM. I admit I pondered this cartridge long and hard. In the end I went with the RCM cartridge mostly for bullet selection and one more down. I certainly am intriged by the WSM case though and I think I will try it out in the future. Cheers.

josh

Have one on the way with the intention of using it on an island bear hunt at the end of April. Will report...

Had my first range session today with the 338 RCM and 225-grain SSTs. Groups at 100 averaged only 1.6 in., but that was due more to the scope I'm using than anything else. For the time being, the rifle is wearing a Trijicon AccuPoint 1.25-4X24, with post/illuminated triangle reticle. It's not meant for fine aiming, really, but is built for speed. I can confirm that the scope is very fast... just the ticket for shooting big hairy critters at modest range. Best group with that scope, by the way, was 1.1 in., which leads me to believe the rifle will perform significantly better, accuracy-wise, with a more traditional scope. Recoil wasn't bad at all. This will be one very fast-handling package.

Try some 210 gr TSX's... They shoot well and likely will hold up .

Dennis

Just back from my Vancouver Island bear hunt and can report the 338 RCM performed flawlessly. Had some scope issues prior to the hunt... went from Trijicon to Burris and finally to Leupold. It was a tough hunt because winter was unusually severe and the bears were taking their time emerging from their dens. Passed on a good bear on day one, probably a 6-5, but not a very big head. Regretted it for the next four days. Hunt came down to the last hour of the last day, when bears finally started to move. Tagged a huge bear at 180 yards using the 225 grain Hornady factory load with the SST bullet. One shot, double lung hit, through and through. Bear whirled and leaped over a bank, but was dead on his feet. Simply rolled 30 yards down a steep hill and that was that. He squared out at just a tad under 7 feet. Based on that hunt,I have no qualms about the effectiveness of the SST or the rifle. Early groups with the gun were a bit loose, but it seems to be "shooting in" nicely now.

Good deal. I'm somehow not surprised you ended up with a Leupold... .

Got any pictures?

Dennis

Ruger made one big mistake in the 20" barrel(MUZZLE BLAST). IT NEEDS A 22" barrel. But saying that I still wouldn't buy one, why would I when my 338WM just keeps bowling em over, without struggling to reach these 'so called' factory speeds(special powders). I'm KIS & sticking with the proven Winchester Magnum & it's 51 years of history & authority. If it isn't broke why fix!

The M77 or FN Model 70 in 338 Win Mag would be the wise choice, bank on it!

If you don't have one, nor have even ever been around one, how do you know it has a "muzzle blast" problem?

Unlike you, I actually own a .338 RCM, and have fired a couple of hundred rounds through it, including killing three hogs in Texas with it. It does not have a muzzle blast problem, just for the record.

I was never under the impression that it was actually exactly equivalent to a .338 winchester Magnum, nor was I even vaguely concerned about that. The first time I was ever around a .338 Win Mag was in the late 1970's -- aa friend had two of them. I never wanted one then, nor have I ever wanted one since. Buying the .338 RCM literally had no connection in my thoughts and processes to the WM, so that comparison, such as it is, is of no consequence. What it does do is supercede the performance of my .338 Federal in the same length action, and by nearly 300 fps in some bullet weights.

The .338 Win Mag is no favorite of mine, nor of many other people. In my opinion, anyone shooting game big enough to actually require something on that order might just as well buy a real "big-bore" rifle like a .375 Ruger and be able to actually use big enough bullets.

YMMV...

Dennis

Looking back over this thread, I realized i forgot to add some results...

Here's a little accuracy result...



Another one...



Pretty good results on a pig with a 200 gr Hornady Interlock...



I'm pretty fond of my .338 RCM, and think it works just dandy doing what it does.

Dennis

Those are so damn nice groups!

KW,
Congrats on the bear!

I've owned 3 short mags so I know a little. But if you say you don't have a problem with the blast, great, I'm happy for you.

Enjoy & good day.


PS-I think ruger should of just chambered the 338-06 A Square if they wanted another 338, but maybe I'm the only one that thinks that way, hmmmmm.

I think Ruger knew they had the mass and ability to generate their own cartridges, and are enjoying the process. They have no reason to feel constrained by what someone else has done in the past, and they find it more fun to do things their own way.

Think about it...Winchester is reeling and struggling to survive; Remington is muddling along selling junk versions of what used to be pretty good, and Savage is, well...Savage. Kimber, Cooper and similar boutique manufacturers are selling well at about 50% to 100% or more higher prices than Ruger for comparable chamberings, but lack the capacity to dare introducing their own company cartridges. Ruger is pretty much the only major manufacturer able to step up and expect success. so they can have more fun inventing their own lines, knowing they will, in fact, sell plenty. And they are. So there is literally absolutely no reason for them to dip into the past to rely on someone else's invention.

It staggers me that so many fans of hunting and shooting have such hide-bound reactions when Ruger, Federal or someone else comes up with something of their own development, and complain bitterly that it's not exactly the same thing that someone else invented 50 years ago. Hey...if you don't like it, don't buy it. But the world won't change dramatically if it succeeds or fails. And if Ruger and Hornady stop making .338 RCM rifles and cartridges tomorrow, it will have literally no effect on my enjoyment of same. After all -- I also enjoy 6.5x54 Kurz Mauser, 8x56 Mannlicher-Schoenauer, 9x57 Mauser, and 9.3x57 Mauser rifles and cartridges -- and they have been "distant" from the current market since before the Second World War. Doesn't keep me from handloading them and enjoying them, though. So I kinda doubt that I'm going to suddenly run out of ability to load, shoot and hunt with my .338 RCM.

Again, YMMV...

Dennis

...........340 WBY!.....MUZZLE BLAST?????

20" barrels for the RCM`s a mistake by Ruger? They need a 22" barrel? How and why do you figure that??

I tend to believe that Ruger and Hornady knew exactly what they were doing in testing and developing shorter OAL rifles and chamberings, that can in SOME cases, duplicate longer barreled and longer action performance.

I guess my 16.5" barreled 300 WSM Ruger Frontier was a HUGE mistake? A quick, great handling, handy and very accurate rifle that`s only 35.5" long WITH `06 AI performance? Shall we also throw in my 20" barreled 375 Ruger Alaskan as well? Muzzle blast from these two? NOPE!!! NOISE? YES! But any extra noise is fine with me, as I wear protection on hunts and muffs always on the range anyway.

Regardless of your personal opinions, the shorter Ruger compacts, the 20" tubed RCMs and the 20" tubed Alaskans developed by Ruger/Hornady are hardly a mistake. Their sales across the board prove otherwise!

What they bring to the market, are offerings which allow the hunter/shooter different rifle choices, which are shorter, easier to carry in the field regardless of terrain, are just as accurate, with little sacrifice of overall velocity and at a reasonable price.

I have thousands of rounds experience with my former 24" 300 Win. The only real difference between that and my shorter barreled 300 WSM,,,,is MV. I notice very little noise increase and there is no noticeable muzzle blast.

During the last several years, the Ruger and Hornady offerings have challenged that `ol conventional thinking, that MOST rifles need to have 22" barrels and longer to be any good or worthwhile.

Like what the 375 Ruger is to the 375 H&H, the 300 and 338 RCMs shoot the same bullets just as straight and just as accurate as their 300 Win and 338 Win counterparts. In the case of 20" 300-338 RCMs, they do so with little performance sacrifice, while giving the added benefit of carrying around several inches less of rifle length and less overall weight.

Prior to their public release, the 300-338 RCMs, like the 375 and 416 Rugers, were thoroughly tested by Hornady in their testing labs and then in the hunting fields. With today`s modern technology, a new cartridge doesn`t need years and years in order to prove itself worthy, either at the range or on hunts.

I commend Hornady and Ruger for their saavy gutts and challenging the conventional old school of thought, or the conventional wisdom of many.

For me anyway.



No if that's what you like great. I will just stick my 338WM, that's all I'm saying.
And I actually sold off my 340Roy for my 338WM, it's a better round for me. And yes, MUZZLE BLAST was an issue with the 340.

They're fine classics, lets keep em separate.

..........By chance, was your 340 Wby the 26" barreled Accumark with the brake? Yep! Now those things will have the muzzle blast all-right. Certainly far more than either of my two even with the shorter tubes and no muzzle brakes. Many just automatically associate shorter tubes with being these awful flame thrower types which isn`t true.

I have bench fired 20 rounds from a 338-378 Accumark! What fun! As a matter fact, I really enjoyed it. The louder the noise and more the recoil, the better I like it!!!

NO my 340 Accumark was un-braked. I will never have a rifle with a brake, as I feel they're impractical & unwarranted for my style of stalking. And as you say they are very load

Someone wants results with the 338 RCM? I'll show you results... if I can get a photo to load here. Crossed fingers...

That was one shot, 180 yards, double lung, through and through, lights out. 225 grain Hornady SST. Works for me.

I think most of the uproar about .338 RCM's is completely separate from the reality that they shoot nice bullets at decent velocities and kill things very nicely.

That's because all of the people making comments about all the issues haven't taken one to the range, sighted it in, and gone out and killed stuff with it. You and I, on the other hand, have gone out and killed things with them. And thus we are convinced that they are actually fairly useful and highly functional.

Damn the way practical reality overcomes superfluous excitations... .

Dennis

Amen. I'me a believer in the 338 RCM, and the SST is plenty tough enough. I'll take that kind of performance out of a 20-in. barrel rifle any day when pestering big hairy things in cover that have the ability to bite back.

The problem with so many traditionalists is that they treat every new caliber as though everything is competive, rather than additive. If everyone held that view there would be no innovation in the firearms industry -- ever -- and Roy Weatherby's ideas would never have escaped his garage.

Muledeer

Nice shooting with that RCM! Did you have to bed the action on your rifle?

I have been intrigued with the 338RCM for a while now. May have to give one a go...

Kentucky Windage

Wow nice bear there mate! How do you find the Stainless Synthetic Hawkeye?

I have two Hawkeyes, and haven't done any modifications to either.

My 338 Fed is a regular stainless/synthetic model which I picked up second-hand for a very good price. This has become my go-to rifle for California (hogs & deer) because it is one of my few rifles which will shoot factory copper ammo with good accuracy (non-lead ammo is now mandated across large parts of the state). It shoots 185 grain Federal Triple Shock load sub-MOA when I do my part.

My 338 RCM is the stainless/synthetic Ruger Hawkeye Compact Magnum, with a 20-in barrel and fixed sights. It is lighter and handier than the standard Hawkeye. Initial groups were a bit loose, but the rifle seems to be shooting in nicely now. I also had some scope issues which may have contributed to large groups initially, but that has been remedied by switching to a Leupold.

Overall, I'm very satisfied with these rifles (most of my other rifles are Weatherby, Savage, etc.) and I'm exceptionally happy with the rifle/ammunition performance of the 338 RCM on that big island bear. Recoil may be a bit much in this light rifle for those who are recoil intolerant, but anyone who has any experience with 30-06 or heavier calibers shouldn't have any issues.

MuleDeer
Did you happen to have a chrono. with you when you went to the range. I'm just dying to know what those 210s where doing.
I've been beating around thinking about the 338RCM every since I first heard about them.I would like to put one in my hands to get a feel for it but nobody around here seems to have any.

Yes I did chronograph my loads. The 185 TSX's were running about 2850 fps; the 200 Hornady Interlocks were running 2750 fps, and the 210 TSX's were running 2650 fps. I have a load of the 210's that runs over 2750 fps, but it opens the group up to about 2", so I'm going to work a bit with it on bullet seating and suchlike to see if I can bring it down a bit.

None of my loads are showing any signs of pressure, so I suspect I can improve them a bit. But they kill stuff plenty fine at the moment.

Dennis

After splitting the first wood stock on my .338 Federal last year, I never even fired the .338 RCM before I bedded it. Isn't that hard and doesn't take that long, but saves me a lot of grief and trepidation.

I like both of my short-action .338's quite a lot .

Dennis

Thanks for the input muledeer. Im trying to validate the purchase of another medium bore in my mind.. (I own a 35 Whelen 700 Classic) The shorter handier package goes along way in validating. Better bullet selection in the 338. Would handle better in the thick stuff. 210s at 2650 to 2700 would still be plenty good for a long shot,300yds or so.
Yeah I'm gettin there

The more time I spend one these threads, the closer I get to getting the card out. I toyed with the idea of the 375 Ruger, but since Africa is probably never in the cards, just can't justify it. A handy .338 like this, though, could easily be justified.

George

I need one medium-bore pretty badly -- and bought a .35 Whelen in 1993. Since then I have owned a .358 Win, a .356 Win, a 9x57, a 9.3x57, a .338 Fed and now a .338 RCM. I still have all of them except the .358 Win (and might just get another one ), and like all of them well enough not to feel the need to get rid of any.

If I only could keep one, it would come down to a very hard decision between my old .35 Whelen and my new .338 RCM. So I sure think you should have both...!

Dennis

I have a .375 Ruger, too, but if only keeping one would also find the .338 RCM preferable. Though I may go back to Africa sometime, I can't feature me needing anything bigger than the .338 again there either.

Dennis

My logic (never been accused of that before) is that the .338 in a small package will do everything I need done for larger game. We're not counting the 35 Whelen 7600 that's incoming, right?

IF I should ever get a chance to go to Africa then I'll HAVE to buy a .375. Just wouldn't be right not to.

George

Yes! You are absolutely, incontrovertibly correct.

At least in my thoughts...

Dennis

Excellent post.......couldn't agree more!!!

I'm gonna get one!!

Check this out.... http://www.realguns.com/archives/168.htm

Found a 338 RCM tonite for $689. It was the all weather. I personly like the Blued/wood version better. But both are very nice. I wonder how much less the blued version should go for. The one I was looking at(blued) a different shop wanted $749..


I see the standard Hawkeye in 338RCM comes with a 22" barrel.

Shag ... a standard Hawkeye in 338 RCM with a 22" barrel?????


Do you have a link? I cant seem to find it on Ruger's site ...

I will about bet that he saw 338 federal, and read 338 RCM.

ah bummer ... i want a regular hawkeye all weather in 338 RCM w/ no open sights ... 20" or 22" barrel would be fine ...

I am so sold on the .338 Win. that I will probably never change. If it recoils too much then the simple suggestion seems to be have your friend load it down to the same specs as the RCM...

I shot the 338-06 for a long time until I figured out that the 338 Win was so well balanced that it, with proper handloads, would do anything the 338-06 would do and a whole bunch more if the need arose...I also figured out the difference in recoil was next to nothing in my case.

But if one just needs an excuse for another rifle then thats a whole different ball of wax!

Having never bought a belted magnum of any description, I am committed to never buying one. Therefor such issues are irrelevant to me . For those who are willing to own such an outdated case form, of course one can load it to whatever velocity strikes them as useful.

Thus, I prefer a larger rather than lesser choice of available cartridges...

Dennis

The 338 RCM does just what my 338-06 has done for the past 14 years which is kill big game rather well. So, though I do not and will not own one, there's no question of its effectiveness in my mind.

How about a 338RCM AI..

Well said!

Great post as I truly enjoyed this one,and damn it anyhow Ill bet I know whats gonna happen next.........

Are Ruger all weather stocks tupperware/syn or a higher quality?

Yep, I screwed up today and handled Rugers in 338 RCM and 375 Ruger. There's gonna be a new rifle in the safe shortly!

I was holding out as Kimber showed the Montana in 338 RCM at one point. Doubt that's gonna happen, though.

George

No sir...you've got it all wrong... . There ought to be two new rifles in the safe... !

At least...that's what ended up in my safe.

Dennis

Had the guys at the local shop put the 338 RCM(blued) on their digital postal scale.

6.52 pounds!!

OK guys, here's a few facts for you to chew on based on my .338 RCM. I got the stainless/synthetic version. The rifle weighed 6 and 3/4 lbs. out of the box, sans scope. Trigger pull of the new LC6 trigger was exactly 5 lbs., which I lightened a tad. Early groups were a bit large, but the rifle seems to be shooting in nicely now. Best 3-shot group to date was 1.09 in. at 100 yards with Hornady 225 grain SST, which I used to kill a monster bear on Vancouver Island just a week or so ago (squared nearly 7 feet, one shot, double lung, 180 yards, through and through, DRT). Recoil works out to about 30 ft. lbs. with that load -- certainly noticeable, but manageable, unless you pull a rookie move and crowd the scope in your excitement and total focus when proned out shooting a very large bear, but I of course don't know anyone who would do such a dumb thing... In any event, I'm sold on the rifle/cartridge combo and the 20-in. barrel. Just the ticket for hunting big toothy critters in cover.

I'm guessing that 185 TSX's at 2850-2900 fps will work on smaller antlered critters in the open country too... .

Dennis

I would imagine those would be deadly as sin.

I don't need to imagine. I know at 2900 the 185 TSX is a fine round. I have only recovered one round from game. Everything shot with it has died.
Randy

The "grins" in our comments might be there because we know that from experience too... .

Dennis

I will hopefully be shooting one of those 185 grain TSX at a hog next Tues/Wed -- but that will be out of my 338 Fed. Will let you know how it goes.

I killed a mule deer buck with a 185 TSX out of my .338 Federal, and a dry sow with a 185 TSX out of my .338 RCM...so I am fairly confident that it will work on either creature out of either cartridge... .

Dennis

Yep - looking forward to de-virginizing that rifle.

I can't help but think the sweet 'lil RCM package will do well. Lots of thick brushy country around the US. Guys back east should love it. Plenty big for deer but you know it's gonna thump something really hard!!!

I'm planning to use mine in Montana where there are almost no trees . I'm fairly sure that a 185 gr TSX starting at almost 2900 fps will be plenty good out to 400 yards or so...

It'll be fine in tight country with heavy vegetation too... .

Should be fun...

Dennis

K.Windage, Handloads or fackry stuffed?

My 2 cents is a bit off topic from the original posted questions, but it appears this thread has already run a bit off course.

I've owned three 350RMs, a custom, a Remington 673, and a stainless short action MkII in the factory all-weather stock. All three were good rifles, but hands down the Ruger was my favorite and in my opinion the best platform for the cartridge. The magazine was perfect size for handloads using heavy Nosler PTs, and the feeding and accuracy was superb. Even with the factory 200grain Core-Lockt fodder, the accuracy with the Ruger was outstanding. In addition, IIRC, one of the largest bears taken out of Shoemaker's camp was with the 350RM. I cannot say anything bad about that cartridge, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that vintage Ruger MkII.

With that said, as a longtime H&H fan owning many rifles chambered for 375H&H, I also own a 375Ruger "African" model that I've restocked. I find this rifle and cartridge to be the equal if not superior to any 375H&H I've ever handled. Again, I cannot say anything bad about the cartridge, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that vintage Ruger Hawkeye. Because I think the 375Ruger design and base cartridge is so outstanding, I became interested in the 338RCM. I know nothing about the 338FED, but I do like the 338-06. The 338RCM appears to fit into this short barrel group well and when combined with the Hawkeye rifle, the overall package seemed worthy of my purchase. As of yesterday, a brand new rifle cost me $604, a case of ammo cost me $29 per box, and a set of dies cost me $26. The rifle, ammo, and dies are readily available and delivery time is a matter of days. I think that is an outstanding value in todays market and I give a thumbs up to the boys at Ruger and Hornady. When it comes in, I'll give it an honest try and see how well it stands up to the 350RM. I suspect that it will be every bit the equal if not a bit better as there are so many great .33 bullets available today which should give the 338RCM an advantage in versatility. The beltless Ruger case certainly has advantages.

I do have one question though, I ordered straight from a warehouse that stocked the standard Hornady 225gr SST ammo, but they also stocked a Hornady 338RCM 225GR SP ammo, of which I ordered a case. Is this something new from Hornady compared to the SST??

Thanks

The Hornady website only shows 200 gr SST and 225 gr SST ammunition. I think they would be way ahead to start manufacturing Spire Point (SP) ammunition at a lower cost, but they have not put it on their website yet, if they are in fact doing that.

I have yet to see a box of factory ammunition, though I have been shooting my .338 RCM quite successfully since January, and have killed three pigs with it so far. The biggest, a boar, I killed with a 200 gr Hornady SP, and it penetrated through the shoulders quite nicely. The other two I shot with 185 and 210 gr TSX's.

Since I don't shoot factory loads for anything I own, the lack of it in this case wasn't all that significant . And I really really don't like plastic points on bullets, so that made a difference to me too.

I think you will enjoy your new rifle quite a lot, and you got it for a very good price. I hunted with a Leupold FX II 4X with a German #1 reticle, which now lives on my .375 Ruger African. My .338 RCM is currently living with an FX II 6x36 with a post and crosshair reticle, which I think I'm going to like a lot.

Good luck...

Dennis

Great price. Best I've found local is $689 but I know I can do better. Need to start lookin in oregon(no sales tax).

I knew I saw one somewhere. Price is way high but none the less says it's a standard Hawkeye with a 22" barrel in 338RCM.. Still like the compact version with the front and rear site's better!!

http://www.lipseys.com/itemdetail.aspx?itemno=RUHM77LR338RCM&type=Rifle

Bet you don't find one in right hand... .

Dennis

Saw another site somewhere showing a 6.5 Remington Mag in the Compact with the open sites?? I could be loseing my mind??

I ordered from Bonitz, and those were dealer prices. A stocking dealer buying in bulk would be a bit less. The Hornady ammo stocked as 338RCM 225GR SP is priced the same as the 225GR SST, they both run $29 a box for a full case. I thought it was maybe a misprint, but it does carry a different product number. The guns and ammo goes through these guys before you see it on the shelves at a dealer, so I had thought maybe this was a newer product than the SSTs. I hate plastic point bullets which is why I ordered the SPs. I'll find out what it is when it gets here.

I'm sure the rifle will do fine based on my past experience with the Ruger 350RM and the 375Ruger. I'll use a scope for load development, but I doubt the rifle will wear one while hunting as I've become spoiled hunting big game with a longbow. I'm sure the 338RCM will do fine on the biggest wild boars found anywhere on earth as I've cleanly killed two large boars that both had heavy shields and topped 300pounds using nothing but a straight limbed longbow shooting a heavy arrow with a two blade broadhead. I got complete penetration on both boar with my lowly longbow so I'm sure the 338RCM would do so easily:)

For me, I like compact rifles that are versitile and have broad brushed applications, be it antelope, bear, caribou, deer, elk, hogs, moose, etc., etc. I like a rough duty rifle that I don't mind sticking in the bottom of a canoe or boat. I like a strong claw extractor and a good safety. I think this 338RCM in a compact Hawkeye will fit this bill nicely. It may not have the advantage on the upper end with a 250GR bullet as does the Ruger in 350RM (though I'll see for myself), but I'm like you as I'd probably grab a bigger rifle if I needed serious top end stopping power on the biggest dangerous game.

I'll let you know what I think when the rifle comes in.

Best

I'm running 250-gr Hornady bullets at 2500 fps and haven't pressed the powder load yet. I'm fairly sure I can get 2600 fps, and I doubt the .350 Rem Magnum did any better than that, in the real world.

I'm fairly sure you're about to enjoy your choice... .

Dennis

Can I get you to post your current chosen loads on one post on this thread? You may have posted elsewhere, but I'd appreciate if you list your final loads used in the field with the various bullet combinations to include the 250grainer. I have a supply of Reloader 15, but if you've found a better powder, I'll give it a go:)

Thanks much!!

A couple of TSX/Re 15 loads are posted earlier in this discussion, written on the photos.

185 gr TSX/59 gr Reloder 15 -- 2850 fps
210 gr TSX/56 gr Reloder 15 -- 2650 fps
200 gr Hornady SP/58 gr Reloder 15 -- 2750 fps
250 gr Hornady SP/54 gr IMR 4895 -- 2500 fps

There are no "final" loads at this point, though there are some I used in the field to kill pigs. I have some 225 gr loads too, but nothing I'm all that happy with yet. I'll let you know if something comes together that I like.

Reloder 15 is the Ultimate Solution to nearly every reloading question I ask... .

Dennis

Thank You Much muledeer! I'm thinking I'll start with the 210gr TSX or a 210gr NP with Reloader-15 first. That should make for a good all around combination. I just went through my safe and dug out a LEU 2.5-8 w/ 3/4Mil-Dot and a LEU 1.5-5 w/ German#4, an extra set of Ruger Low Black Hawkeye ringmounts sent to me for my 375, a full set of NECG replacement front sight blades, and a couple of canisters of Rel-15. I'll have enough stuff to really shake out the 338RCM for what its worth:)

Later

I'm not aware of ANY other Hornady rounds being loaded for the 338 RCM other than the 200 and 225 grain SSTs.

338Federal - I shoot factory fodder because I frequently write about its performance -- and I don't have time to reload.

NOW... if I can remember how to insert a photo, here's a shot of nice meat hog I shot just yesterday afternoon with my 338 Fed., using Federal 185 TSX. I am NOT fond of copper, but it worked OK in this case as I had to work up a "California legal" package. Many hogs hit with copper are not well anchored, but this one was. Entry was just behind point of shoulder. Round smashed a couple of vertebrae and exited ribs on offside. Hog was DRT. Of course, not much of anything goes anywhere with a smashed upper spinal column.

I took the RCM out of the box yesterday and gave it a look over. First impressions are that the fit and finish is every bit the equal of my 375Ruger with the exception that the RCM wood stock does not have quite as much figure in the grain. But the stock is indeed straight grain and appears to be a good piece of wood. As is out of the box, the rifle weighed 6 lbs 14 oz, and the trigger was crisp pulling just under 5 pounds with no creep and a perfect amount of overtravel. Adding a LEU 1.5 - 5X scope with covers and the supplied medium rings brought the weight up exactly 1 pound to 7 lbs 14 oz. I tested the scope with both low ringmounts and the medium ringmounts and much prefer mediums (#4 and #5). The lows clear the scope, but lesson learned from hunting with my 375Ruger, the lows causes the scope to crowd the loading/ejection port and restricts the ability to use the scope as a handle. The mediums gives better clearance while allowing a perfect cheek weld when looking straight down the scope. Rifle balance is excellent with and without scope, it handles well, and points naturally.

The mag box holds 4 down, as is, and will feed with all 4 in the box, but there is not quite enough room to clear a 5th round in the tube. I suspect some modifications might add enough wiggle room in the box to allow 4 + 1 capacity. I didn't measure the box, but first glance gave me the impression there is enough room to use big bullets with the cartridge.

I'll probably epoxy a stock cross pin through the thin web area between the mag box and trigger inlets, and bed the stock. I may even pick up a factory all weather stock and play around with that as well.

The ammo I ordered ended up being the 200grain SSTs. The wholesaler had incorrectly listed these as 225gr SPs. Hope she turns out to be a shooter as the rifle and cartridge appears ideal for my needs. Thumbs up so far!

Best

GaryVA - Hope it's a shooter. Initial groups with my 338 RCM were a bit large, but the rifle has been "shooting in" nicely and I had no issues taking my big bear on Vancouver Island at 180 yards a couple of weeks ago. 225 grain SST performed great. I got the synthetic/stainless version.

Thanks Kentucky Windage. Though I've experimented with a number of handloads in 338 Fed, the only game I've taken with it has been with that factory 185TSX load. Works well enough, and I have several boxes, may be all I ever hunt with in that caliber. Boring huh?

It may be boring, but it's likely all I'll ever push through my 338 Fed in California given the lead ammo ban over most of the state and the fact that it's the first rifle in my collection I've tested, so far, that actually likes copper ammo. Four other excellent rifles (all sub-MOA shooters with preferred lead loads) did NOT shoot factory copper well. This 338 Fed will shoot .75 in. all day long. So, presto, instant California rifle. Happily, my other rifles find their action elsewhere.

I'm unsure about the synthetic stock RCM, but did anyone notice that the wood stock RCM is CNC inletted to free float the barrel? All of my previous Rugers had a forend pressure point, this one does not. I can slide a dollar bill the length of the barrel channel to the contact pad that extends 2 inches beyond the receiver. I checked the factory torque on my action screws and they were 70in-lbs front, 40in-lbs middle, and 30in-lbs rear. Odd combination which probably accounts for the binding mag box. I picked up some sleeve pillars to install and I'll bed the action along with adding a second cross pin. I think she's going to work out well!

Later