I saw CDNN was closing out Ruger rifles chambered for 338 RCM at some good prices. A quick look at ballistics looks very good and Midway has factory ammo. Is this cartridge dead? Even if I can score a few boxes of ammo now I greatly fear that brass would be impossible to find in the very near future.

I've had a light short barreled 358 Win build in mind for a while but I was distracted by the prices on these 338 RCM guns at CDNN. Do you guys think I'm right about brass? Would you consider buying one of these if you could get a couple hundred rounds of factory ammo at the same time? At least I could always make 358 Win brass from 308 which is why had it in mind all along.

whole bunch of brass available on Gunbroker. Hornady must have done another run not too long ago. It was non existant for a while. Midway is expecting another lot in the next month as well.

I had a lefty Ruger. Great cartridge, I just wasn't overly impressed with the gun. For my uses, stainless is better, but unfortunately nothing was available in lefty stainless.

The price is good and ammo-brass available now. I'm just wondering if I'll be left without ammo in the future.

Grafs has brass in stock now as well

Put 3 or 4 boxes of brass up and its unlikely you will ever want for more.

If I didn't already have a .338WM with a 22" barrel I'd have purchased one of the CDNN rifles with a 20" barrel.

I keep looking at them, and I think one of the stainless ones would be a really neat rifle, I just can't think of what I'd use them for. My current hunting rifles in .308, .270 and .30-06 cover me for deer, antelope and elk. I also don't really care for calibers that recoil more than a stiff .30-06 load, and I bet the .338 RCM will get your attention with full power loads. If you have a need for one, and don't mind the thump, I'd say go for it while they are available and stock up on brass.

I don't have the cash in my play money fund right now.If I bought one I would have to go into the money my wife knows about.LOL I doubt there will be any left by the time I squirrel away the discretionary funds.

I'll probably be better off with my plan for a light weight 358 Win based on a short action 700 anyway.

Hornady still makes 376 Steyr ammo and brass. They seem to support their creations unlike Winchester and Remington. Hard to argue with anything based on the 308. I have a 338 Federal that is my current favorite hunting rifle.

What's a 338RCM?

Ruger Compact Magnum. Shortened and necked down 375 Ruger case if I'm not mistaken. It's designed to give 338 Win mag ballistics in a short action with a 20" barrel.

R_H_Clark - " Is the 338 RCM completely dead? ". Probably not yet but it's sure wheezin' hard. No promotion for it or its smaller brother the .300RCM. Just like the .338 Federal (another dam' good cartridge) just no love around for them. Tis the pity.
Homesteader

Actually it is revived somewhat as far as components, compared to a year or so ago. Hornady had even cancelled the brass at that time with no plans to run more. But, evidently there was enough demand to bring some more out.

It will last longer than that coughing hacking Hillary!

Folks, it's dead. Don't buy one.

I'll pass, have enough rounds that get it done.

I hope its not dead. I got jonesing for a new rifle 2 yr ago and I bought one for elk. I love this rifle. It's short barrel is surprisingly accurate, it carries easily in heavy cover, and it hits like a ton of bricks.

I plan on working up a light round for white tails and use it as a brush gun this fall in WI.

Are there other guns/ calibers that can do this? Sure. But I really enjoy the novelty of this particular round and reloading it.

As to recoil:yes, it kicks. Use the muzzle brake and stick with the 200 gr (or lighter) bullets if you think that will be an issue for you.

If you plan on hunting large game in close quarters I think you'd be well served by this round.

You can still buy brass for 25-20, 38-55 and any other number of "dead" cartridges, even here. Why does anyone think they won't be able to get brass for the RCM?

Even in 30 years from now?

Seems like a neat rifle. I was wanting something 338 and came close to buying one from CDNN, but rebarreled a mauser to 338-06 instead.

It is like the .338-06 in performance, recoil but in a short action. I bought one a few months ago for that reason, and simply stocked up on brass in case it gets hard to find someday. I feel the better sectional densities vs. weight, and ballistic coefficients make the .338s better than the .35 Whelen <gasp> flame suit on!

And Bill combined. LOL

As far as I'm concerned the .338 RCM is a great cartridge in concept but not without drawbacks, including increased bang and recoil when used in shorter, lighter rifles. In rifles with standard length actions and barrels the .338WM makes more sense.

The increased bang and flash isn't a concern to me and is probably not much greater than a .338WM. In any case, it isn't a target cartridge and the number of rounds put down range would be correspondingly low.

Maximum velocities with a 20" barrel (per Hornady's specs for loaded ammunition) are very similar to the not quite max 225g/2742fps loads in my 22" .338WM. The 20" platform makes for a handier rifle with plenty or range and thump for most purposes. The cow I shot at 487 yards with my .338WM would never have noticed the difference if I had shot her with a .338RCM instead.

Like the Ruger rifles with the Zytel stocks, I expect the 20" barreled rifles chambered for the .338RCM will become more sought after over time.

Ha!

I think along the same lines. Supposedly the 338 RCM doesn't have the same recoil and muzzle flash that a standard 338 win mag would from a 20" barrel. It also doesn't loose as much velocity. I suspect however that most of that advantage would only be gained when using the factory optimized ammo.

I was looking for a short light powerhouse when I ran across these. I had never even heard of the 338RCM until a few days ago and on paper it seemed everything I was looking for. It seems that I am a bit late to the party though.

It's only dead if you stop buying them

This is how they die

Laugh it you want. My three Zytel stocked rifles are worth far more than I paid for them and what they would be with the walnut or newer synthetic stocks. Not too long ago people would have predicted they would be worth less than the others. (As did the retailers who let them go cheap.)

Not unless $499 for a Ruger 20" walnut stocked rifle at cdnnsports.com is "late to the party". If they still have them at Christmas time I may have a discussion with Santa...

Me too. I'm only late as in I'm trying to raise the cash to get one before they are gone.LOL

The 22” Stainless/Synthetic version without sights is now $399.99 !

Coyote Hunter is right. Look at all the complaining people did about the Zytel stocks, and now they are double what they were new. People compained about the Mk II models, so Ruger brought out the Hawkeyes and people want the Mk II's now. If you want a 338 RCM, buy it now, and the brass.

If this is the rifle under discussion, it's not short or light. The price is incredible.

https://www.cdnnsports.com/338rcm-hkm77rfp-22-m-sts-syn.html?___SID=U

At $500 for a good solid rifle including rings, one could afford enough ammo and/or brass to cover your future needs as well as a small stash to go with the rifle if it's ever sold.

Lots of sad no-brass stories here of late, but this ain't one of them, yet. If I really wanted one (I don't), I'd jump.

At $400, I'd jump quicker.

I think this is the one being talked about.

Ruger M77 Hawkeye 338 RCM 20" barrel w/ sights

This is the one I'd jump on. 20" barrel, $499.

If anyone is still afeared of buying into obsolescence, they've got .338 Winmags as well.

Got a wood one a while back from CDNN, stocked up on brass, handy rifle, short action, hard hitter (I would think, maybe I'll find out this year), I'm not worried I think this round will be more appreciated in the future by those who scoff at it now,and those who like above 30 cal whether it dies or not.

I have 4 boat paddles, so I am no stranger to their allure.

But the RCM's ain't goin nowhere but to the very bottom of the popularity list. Mark my word.

I believe that the .338 RCM or -06 fills a significant spot. Until someone brings out moderately priced commercial versions of the .338-06, the Ruger .338 RCM does nicely even though it requires one brand of brass. It remains a fact that very few over-.30 cartridges gain any popularity with recoil-shy Americans, out of the larger handful that are worthy. Remington has failed several times with the .350 mag and .35 Whelen, two cartridges with similar performance to their .338 counterparts.

That'll boost their value I would think. Anyone who want to shoot one can buy enough brass to last two lifetimes and not have to worry about it.

Fills a significant spot?

Like significant enough that you can't find an RCM in most gun stores?

Yeah that spot was real significant alright.....

You won't find a 35 Whelen either but a lot of guys love them.

There was a time when you couldn't find .22-250 or .25-06 either. At that time people could have argued they didn't "fill a significant need" but to argue that they would have to argue it for the present time as well.

There is no way I would contend the .338RCM will reach their level of popularity but I do think the 20" version fills a need. Yesterday I mounted a scope on the synthetic stocked, 20" barreled Ruger Hawkeye that will be a wedding present for son-in-law #3. While handling it I was impressed with its light weight and balance and couldn't help think what a joy it would be to carry during elk season. Its like my synthetic stocked, 16.1" Ruger Scout on steroids and probably just as light due to the thinner barrel.

While a lot of folks would turn there nose up at such a rifle, I'm thinking it will be pretty darn useful and versatile.

I've seen a lot more Whelens than RCMs