Just read an article on “Medium rifles for Africa†by Boddington in the current issue of SCI magizine. He argues that the .338 (among others) is better at longer ranges, say 250 yards, than the .375. I have rifles in both calibers and with the same weight bullets velocity is nearly identical. In fact my favorite planes game load is the .375H&H 250gr Swift at about 2700. I cannot beat this in my .338. With similar BC and identical velocity why would the .338 have an advantage? Am I missing something???

Brett

Only in print, originally the 338 Winchester was suppose to give 375 performance in a .30-06 lenght action. That being said, with the kind of bullets we have to day, you would have to shoot game for the next 50 years to be able to tell the difference. For the life of me, I never could tell the difference in sporting rifles at sporting ranges shooting good hunting bullets. You take a 375 loaded with some good bullets like a 270 gr Swift A Frame plenty bullet and plenty vel for what have you when it comes to plains game. Same could be said of the 338 with a good 225 or 230 gr bullet, thou I pefer 250 gr . Bullets out of my 338. You have to understand something, spliting hairs and picking nits or Nit Picking is what keeps writers and the publishing business in business.

That's for sure! If we were forced to only use practical differences in cartridges, we'd be down to the .22/250, 30/06, .375 and .450 Lott. Anything else would be redundant. Practical, perhaps, but nowhere so much fun. Heck, what would we have to spitandargue about?

I think you guys are on to it. I usually don't read these articles much, I'm soooo tired of the "short-fat" flavor of the month B.S. Boddington is usually a bit better.

Brett

The same type and weight bullet in each caliber will not have the same BC.

375 SAF BC = .271

338 SAF BC = .427

The down range trajectory and energy difference is significant.

Fundamentally, I agree with all of Craig's points.

I also contend that much of the cartridge selection game pretty much amounts to pole-vaulting over mouse droppings........

AD

I agree with the BC numbers but don't find them significant. BC doesn't kill game, Sectional Density more important and bullet placement is, of course, infinitely more so. Ballistic Coeficient might be of some interest to a long range target shooter but not in the African game fields, IMO.

Yup, just more hair splitting.

Some folks say velocity doesn't kill. Try killing something without it.

BC equates to downrange velocity if you don't have it, you don't kill.

375 250 SAF sighted in at 200:

Velocity at 400 = 1544 (not enough for good bullet performance)

Energy at 400 = 1323 (light)

Drop at 400 = 31.8

338 250 SAF sighted in at 200:

Velocity at 400 = 1919 (adequate for expansion)

Energy at 400 = 2045 (adequate)

Drop at 400 = 25.2

I have seen you guys "split hairs" on the finer points of double rifles all day long. I expect you know what you are talking about.

In this particular case you would do well to listen more than you talk.

Sodakhntr,

Good points! Can you post the same comparison at 250yds (were Bodding was doing his comparison)??

Maybe I will rethink the .338 vs. .375 for a plainsgame only program...

Respectfully;
Brett

quote:

Originally posted by Sodakhntr:
375 250 SAF sighted in at 200:

338 250 SAF sighted in at 200:

This is not an appropriate comparison because the two bullets in question have remarkably different sectional densities. Try a .375 300 grain bullet at 2700 fps compared to the .338 load you mention.

I like the .300 win mag and the .375 H&H. Never have tried the .338 but assume it hits hard.

Heck, my son took several animals with a .243, but not in a DG area.

For me, the .375 is the first pick followed by the .300 win mag.

Brett,

375 V = 1933, E = 2075, D = 4.1

338 V = 2197, E = 2630, D = 3.4

At this distance the 375 load is similar to the 338 at 400.

500,

That is not what the original post asked. Nor is it what I replied to.

Ted,

Thanks, I take it that at 250yds they are about the same (less than an inch difference in drop). Past 250 the .338 seems to have an edge with these two bullets due to the difference in BC. Good stuff.

Brett

The numbers do seem significant. I'm a South Texas hunter and have never been to Africa so I don't know. Do you sight in at 250 and shoot game at 400 over there?

Old Sarge,

Sectional Densities:

375 250 gr. SAF = .254

338 250 gr. SAF = .313

Which one do you like?

soda,

If you aren't comparing similar densities, then this is a straw man comparison. But perhaps that is what the original article presented.

I've never taken a shot in Africa over 200. I might push it to 250 in Namibia, or wherever shots are long. I don't think I'm up to anything longer than that.

Given the minimal difference in drop at ranges up to 250 I would just as soon take the .375 that I know (and probably shoot) much better.

Brett

500,

While it is a different topic, I do agree that a 300 gr. 375 bullet is a better choice than a 250 gr. 375 bullet for distant shots.

I would even go so far as to agree that comparing it to the same type of bullet in a 250 gr. 338 for long distance would be "splitting hairs".

The 338 would however, probably be the better choice. This would especially be true if one gun (375) was set up with a bullet and sighted in for DG in close and another (338) was set up for PG at distance.

While there are those who disagree with me, in 4 safaris to three countries I have never taken a shot at over 125 yards. That's why I made the differentiation between a long range target shooter and the game fields of Africa. BC is definitely important a long ways out there and I know that in Namibia or the Ethiopian mountain ranges the ranges can be long. However, "plains game" in a bit of a misnomer. Call it "thick brush game" and you will understand my point. I'd rather have the frontal area of the .375 than the 400 yard performance of the .338. Of course, if all I had was a .338, I'd still go hunting.

I own a Remington Classic 700 in 338 Win mag and shoot 250 gr Nolser Partitions out of it (it is going with me in August 2006 for PG in Namibia that includes eland). I also own a CZ 500 in 375 H&H,which I use on occasion for moose and grizzly with 300 gr bullets.
BOTH are overkill for any PG including eland. A good old 30-06 with 180 gr bullets will suffice for that.
BUT what fun is a gun safe with just a few long guns in it? To me buying a new gun or bow for a hunting trip is just part of the fun of the entire hunting trip package.