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338 win mag range-report
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Picture of AAdams
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I have been using the 338 win mag for two years now and I have had great success. I am using imr 4350 at 70gr with a 180 or 200gr n-b-t and I have got 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards. I have used this load at 20 degrees and at 95 degrees and still it shoots 1\2 inch groups. This past year I head shot a doe at about 130 yards and it was about 7 degrees outside at the time. So I guess this load is'nt temperature sensitive. You can see a target of this at web page ]http://firearm-accuracy@yahoogroups.com under photos. All this being said. I hear that gun is to big for whitetail. It will messup to much meat. I also hear you should have 30-06 or 35 for the brush and 7mm or 300 mag for them long shots.That is what I have always been told.Now I tell them I have all that right here. And IT does'nt messup no more meat than a 30-06 or 300.The past two years hunting with 338 win mag has been great. I have owned 270s 30-06s 708s 308s 243s 7mm mags 300mgs and I have taken deer with all of them they all will work but not as well In my opinion. SO one gun for all kinds of terrain for white tail size game or bigger.









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All opinions are welcome.
 
Posts: 117 | Location: Rock Hill, S.C. | Registered: 13 April 2004Reply With Quote
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My first 338 Win. mag. was acquired in 1970. It's a great cartridge. Have used it on everything from little pigs to moose, and brown bear. Handloading gives you the versatility that allows you to use one rifle for almost everything you want to hunt. I found a fair supply of old 33 win. 200 gr. flat nose Hornady bullets. Down loading it with something like 50 gr. of 4895 make it ideal for pigs and sheep at ranges under 200 yds. I have used the old Win. 300 gr. Power point factory load to effectively take moose and brown bear and numerous 2000 lb. scrub bulls (wild cattle).

The 210 Nosler is ideal for long range shooting on the larger sheep like Dall, and for caribou. The 250 gr. Woodleigh Federal premium loading was outstanding when used on Australian banteng. Not one animal but 11 in an control shoot situation.

The Europeans have introduced the 338 Lapua for long range sniping and anti-sniping tactical use. This only endorses the versatility of the 338 bullet. Enjoy your 338 as I have mine.

Geoff
 
Posts: 623 | Location: Mossyrock, WA | Registered: 25 April 2004Reply With Quote
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I think it would be hard to go wrong w/ a .338mag as a "onegunforeverything" in NA. The 210grNP is great for deer size game w/o excessive meat destruction, pretty flat shooting. The 250gr bullets are perfect for the heavier game & still shoot flat enough to make a 300yd shot. Someday I'll have to get a .338WM. I like the unbelted cases better though & my .338-06 handles just about every situation I have wanted a rifle for out to 300yds or so. I do have a .338mag in my Ruger #1, a .338x74Keith. A balistic twin to the winmag in a rimmed case.
 
Posts: 7752 | Location: kalif.,usa | Registered: 08 March 2001Reply With Quote
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I personally think a 338 Mag is too big for deer. NOT the cartridge on game, I think it is too big for the average guy to handle.

People who state it is too big for deer also consider it too much gun when it is loaded to the max levels for the cartridge.
Handloaded velocities that are lower, make it much more handlable. for the average shooter.

It will work better on deer with less meat loss using ballistic tips, because Ballistic Tips in 338 bore have a much heavier core than those in 30 caliber on down.

If you can live with a 338 shooting Ballistic Tips in the 2400 to 2500 fps range, I think it is a dynamite deer cartridge. Will take the biggest deer that ever walked. It is also very effective on some mighty big elk also.

Even the Partitions or the Grand Slams or the Barnes X bullets are great heavy game bullets at 2400 to 2500 fps, on Elk, Moose etc./

I for one never care what a guy carries hunting if he can put the bullet where it needs to go. I'd rather Elk hunt with a guy who can surgically place a 243 bullet in the right spot, knowing when and where to pass up the shots that his rig can't deliver on, that a guy who carries a 338 Mag and only thinks that he has to hit hide anywhere and the animal is going to immediately go down. It is back to SHOT PLACEMENT, NOT FOOT POUNDS.

Congrats on you hunting rig. Sounds like you have her dialed in and ready to rock!

Cheers and Good shooting
seafire
 
Posts: 2889 | Location: Southern OREGON | Registered: 27 May 2003Reply With Quote
<allen day>
posted
I don't think the .338 Win. Mag. is too big for deer at all. I've hammered quite a few whitetails and mule deer with it, and I fail to see how it's "too big". If you use well-constructed bullets, it doesn't damage deer-size animals any worse than something like a .270 Win., and it provides wonderful practice for hunts when you really do need a .338 Win. Mag. I've particularly appreciated the .338 Win. on combination mule deer/elk hunts, and on whitetail hunts that will include hogs on the menu.

I've found that 210 gr. Nosler Partitions at 2900-3000 fps. are just about ideal for deer/combination use in the .338. They are consistent, behave well on big or mid-size animals, and don't blow anything all to heck and gone, either.......

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I have shot a number of deer with .338 Mag. rifles and I have found-with medium to heavy premium bullets-that the actual meat damage is the same or a bit less, than the .30-06, .270 or .280 also with heavy, premium bullets.

The recoil issue is simply dealt with by consistent practice and the .338 has a lot more punch when you need it. This is my all-time favourite cartridge, the 9.3x74r is sneaking into second place the more I use my drilling, and it is what I carry when hunting ANYTHING in Grizzly country.

Here in B.C., we have had quite a number of Grizzly attacks and threats on hunters and, while I am not one of the bullshitters that boast about the hundreds and thousands of bears they have encountered, I have enough real bush experience to take precautions against bear problems and use a truely effective rifle. I use 250 Nosler PT.s at 2700+ m.v. and have never lost an animal hit with one.
 
Posts: 619 | Registered: 18 December 2003Reply With Quote
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I've shot 14 deer with 12 gauge slugs over the years. The .338 WINMAG can't even come close to the diameter hole I have put into deer with a slug gun. Never noticed too much meat damage of my deer, I would probably enjoy even less damage with my .338 if I were to ever hit a deer with it.

BTW, I love my .338 BAR. Kicks like a heavy loaded .308.
 
Posts: 185 | Location: IL | Registered: 25 March 2004Reply With Quote
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I shoot a .338 also !
While I use it for Elk hunting, I don't think its a bad deer rifle either. If I were a one rifle guy I would have a tuff time deciding beetween the .338 and the 300 win mag. I like rifles, period. I like deer hunting cause for the hand loader damn near any center fire cartrige can be useed efectivly, I don't use anything smaller than 25 caliber but I saw a guy pop a 4 point mully with a 22-250 at about 300 yards and using an X bullet,(I think 60 grain) it was a clean kill right through the lungs. ...tj3006
 
Posts: 129 | Location: Portland oregon | Registered: 12 May 2004Reply With Quote
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I've shot 1 deer with a 338. It was with a 200gr Ballistic tip in a 330 Dakota. Basically it pretty much grenaded the deer and bloodshot way to much meat. If I ever shoot a deer again with a 338 it will be with a Partition or other better bullet........DJ
 
Posts: 3976 | Location: Oklahoma,USA | Registered: 27 February 2004Reply With Quote
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