First of all, I love my .300WinMag but last last week after seeing a fantastic group from a friend's .338 (Ruger KM77) I started to take another look at this cartridge.

I found that with a 185gr Barnes XLC or TSX and from a 24" barrel the MV could reach easily 3350fps... with almost BC and SD figures close to a .30 cal bullet of 180 gr

In my .300WinMag a 180gr FailSafe reaches 3180fps with a max load of Re22

Well, simple is as simple does...and a .338 bullet of 185gr launched 200fps more than the .300WinMag 180grainers will deliver more energy and a flatter trajectory, and all we know that comes with elevated MV

In short, I used to think that my .300WinMag was a fantastic vehicle for Long Range Hunting, but what about this .338WinMag load???

Please, any advise is welcomed!

Gus

Your shoulder will tell you that there's no free lunch. But if you enjoy the meal its worth it.

I love the 338, but I think you're barking up the wrong tree. The 300 itself is a great long range cartridge with respectable power, however the 338s reputation was made with 250 grain bullets and a sectional density the 30s didn't have.
With that said I'll tell you I've put many deer and antelope in the freezer with a 200gr ballistic tip in 338. It will shoot flat, but not as flat as a magnum 30 and lighter bullets will slow down faster taking you out of the biger big game category. All 338 bullets are built tough, whereas in the 30s there are many different types for magnum and standard 30s. So, it just might work. Good luck

Between my dad's 300 win mag and my brother's 338 win mag (both Remington 700), I would much rather have the 338. The 338 is easy to reload for (can almost approach 375 H+H energy levels) and i find the recoil of the 338 to be "kinder". Feels more like a shove rather than a sharp slap. Of course both are easy compared to my 510 Wells.............

For some reason we hard a harder time working up loads for dad's 300 compared to my brother's 338.
338 Win mag for me!!

quote:

Originally posted by Gustavo:
In my .300WinMag a 180gr FailSafe reaches 3180fps with a max load of Re22
Gus

Man, Gustavo, you really are stoking them!
- mike

Mho,

The data is very similar to what can be found in the latest edition of the Barnes manual for the XLC (Coated) bullets...

quote:

Originally posted by mho:

quote:

Originally posted by Gustavo:
In my .300WinMag a 180gr FailSafe reaches 3180fps with a max load of Re22
Gus

Man, Gustavo, you really are stoking them!
- mike

Gus, My Alliant manual has a max of 76grs. RE22 for the 180FS for a velocity of 2870. How much are you puttin' in? Jay

I have a 338Wmag. Built several 300wmags for friends. Even played with the 300wsm. Always come back to the 338 or my 340. If I want lighter bullets I drop to 7mm.

Jay,

Several manuals like Barnes (last edition) and A-Square list either 80.0 or 81.0 grains of Reloder 22 for a 180gr in a 300 WinMag

Of course, it is max, but not that much.

Give it a try, you won't be dissapointed.

What ranges will you be shooting? You may want to run some numbers before you make assumptions about retained energy at long ranges. I would assume that a 185 grain 338 bullet has a fairly low BC. A slick 180 grain .308 bullet may have similar energy at long range because it's more aerodynamic.

Also what kind of game are you hunting? More energy may be wasted if you're after deer sized game.

Recoil is also a big factor as others have already mentioned.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustavo:
...with almost BC and SD figures close to a .30 cal bullet of 180 gr...will deliver more energy and a flatter trajectory, and all we know that comes with elevated MV

But they aren't and they won't if you compare apples to apples. Comparing a Failsafe with a Win/Nosler BC to a TSX with a Barnes BC isn't being very fair to your 300. Try comparing the 338 TSX to a 30 TSX using Barnes' numbers or a 338 BT/AB to a 30 BT/AB using Nosler's numbers, etc.

When you compare the same types against each other, you'll see that velocity advantage for the 338 is gone before 300 yds. The farther you go beyond that, the bigger the advantage the 30 cal will have (especially if you look at wind drift).

The idea of the post was, primarily, to ask for opinions on the stated fact and if possible, to hear from real experiences of using the .338WinMag with 180 or 185 grains bullets.

Here are some ballistics (again, I have a .300WinMag not a .338WinMag, so this is NOT a case of my car is the best, because I own one...)

.300WinMag
- 180gr Nosler Partition BC=0.471, SD=0.271
- MV = 3180fps

.338WinMag
- 185gr Barnes TSX BC=0.437, SD=0.231
- MV = 3320fps

Both MVs are from real loads

at 600yds :

.300WinMag, Energy=1687.5, Drop = -83.3
.338WinMag, Energy=1772.1, Drop = -78.2

While the SD of the .338 is lower by 17& I really don't care. Please for anyone interested I have posted many times my views on the SD issue (many posts around there)

While Ballistics don't lie, I grant that they don't tell the whole picure, but are most useful to aid in these discussions.

Gus

Gustavo ----- If you like the .338, you will go ape over the .340 Wby or .338 Lapua. You might as well look at the whole picture. Good shooting.

I love the .338wm, but I just don't think there is any real comparison @ longer range. There just aren't enough high BC .338 hunting bullets to match the .308/180-200gr lineup. I don't own a .300mag but I like the bigger hammer you get w/ .338 bullets.

Gustavo

Let's look at some numbers.

I can easily get 3200 fps out of my 300 with a 180 grain TSX but have never loaded a 185 grain bullet in a 338, so lets use your 3350 fps

Exbal ballistics program for these 2 loads at 7000 feet altitude zeroed at 200 yards:

300 win 180 TSX BC .552 at 500 yards

Energy - 2590
Velocity - 2546
Drop - 29.1
Wind Drift - 10"

338 win 185 TSX BC .437 at 500 yards

Energy - 2590
Velocity - 2511
Drop - 28
Wind Drift - 12.3

Now the 300 arrives with the same energy as the 338 but with a sectional density of .271 as compared to .231 for the 338. I don't know if you believe in sectional density or not but the 300 bullet will penetrate further. If you're shooting at a Bear, Moose, or Elk at 500 yards, IT WILL MATTER!

With the 338 you're using approximately 5 more grains of powder (read more recoil) to accomplish the same but with less penetration.

Where's the advantage?? The 338 definitely shines with the larger bullets on large game North of the U.S., but not with light for caliber bullets.

Now if you can get 3350 out of your 338, you need to work on that 300 to the same level, cause you can get more velocity than you listed if you tried. Then the 300 starts walking off and leaving the 338 in the 180 grain bullet category.


Without guns we are subjects, with guns we are citizens

quote:

Is the .338WinMag a better cart than the .300WinMag ??

With all due respects, if you can't do it with a .300 Mag, you need to move up to at least a .375 H&H

It wont shoot as flat or hit as hard at 400
yards as a .300 win with a 200 grain boattail
at 2850-2900 fps but I fell it is a better elk round at 300 and under.
Little more lead. I.M.O.

I prefer the .340 weatherby or the .338 RUM