What is the big advantage of the 30-338 over the 300wm? Besides the 300 has about 3 gr more powder room.

The 30-338 was the round that was wildcatted after the introduction of the 338 WM in 1958. Winchester had other ideas and brought out the 300 WM. Rifle nuts being what they are saw/see some sort of superiority in the longer neck of the 30-338 even though no evidence exists that it's needed. Today it's just matter of deriving some sort of pleasure in having an obscure round you can't get factory loads for, is harder to handload and is slower... bragging rights have nothing to do with it though

The .30-338 (very similar to the .308 Norma and pre-dating it) was originally developed with the idea that Winchester's much-anticipated .300 Winchester Magnum (which would round out their short, belted-magnum family of cartridges) would simply be the .338 Win. Mag. necked down to .308. As Brad indicated, when the .300 Win. Mag. was finally unveiled in 1963, the case dimensions turned out to be somewhat different, with the shoulder moved farther forward than the 'pre-producton' .30-338 wildcat, and the neck shorter.

The .30-338 is a good cartridge in its own right, and an easy wildcat to work with. Remington actually flirted with the idea of offering it as a standard chambering a few years ago before finally coming up with their .300 RUM instead. Even before that, Remington has offered custom shop Model 700s in .30-338 on special order. I don't know if that option is still available from Remington or not.

The .30-338 developed a good reputation early on as a long-range target cartridge, and there are a surprising number of hunters who still use it, including two of my local friends. One of these guys happens to own a very fast .30-338 with a 24" Douglas barrel that provides right at 3000 fps. with 200 gr. Noslers: A rare and delightfully accurate rifle.

To be honest, the .300 Winchester is a better bet. It's my personal all-time favorite cartridge for general hunting purposes. It will at least equal, and most of the time exceed, .30-338 velocities with the same bullets across the board. It will also at least equal its accuracy potential. Brass is readily available, properly headstamped, and since it's a standard cartridge, resale value is better as well. You can find .300 Win. Mag. ammo just about everywhere - even on the other side of the world, and at most crossroads mercantiles in the U.S. and Canada. The old, ignorant 'short-neck' alarums tend to make experienced .300 Winchester fans chuckle and shake their heads. In reality it's a non-issue. The .300 Winchester is used for hunting world-wide, and has an illustrious championship-winning history as a long-range target cartridge as well, and you don't hear about any problems concerning neck length coming from guys who actually use the cartridge.

Really, there's no reason to go .30-338 unless you have the opportunity to buy a very good and accurate rifle in that chambering, or else you just have to have something different. Otherwise, the .300 Winchester is a much more viable alternative.

AD

It looks better when loaded because more of the bullet can stick out of the case when the over all loaded length is the same as the 300 Winchester.

As Allen said it is similar to the 308 Norma although the 308 Norma is I think about .05 or so longer in the body.

I have had in the past quite a few barrels in 300 Winchester ranging up to HV taper and with twists from 1 in 10 through to 1 in 14. I can think of a few reasons why I would prefer some other calibre to the 300 Winchester but accuracy would not be one of them.

I have no idea of how many kangaroos and pigs I have shot over the last 40 years (I started killing them at 15)across our dry flat country from the vehichle but the 300 Winchester and the 270 are probably the two best. Although up to about the mid 70s the 308 Norma was the go out here.

In my opinion to deviate from the 300 Winchester the result should be a 300 WSM, 300 Wby, 300 RUM or 30/378...in other words something that is quite different to make up for the lack of convenience.

Mike

Is the 30-338 better than the 300wm who knows. Since I own both I can only comment on my rifles. Rem did offer 30-338 in the 40x for along time. It's kind of one of those rounds that just won't die. When I had my 30-338 done I wanted something equal to a 300wby but using 10 grs of powder less and I never consider the 300winmag an equal. I'm having a 300wsm done up now and want that rifle to equal or better a 300 win mag. velocity. I'm of the old school on the lenght of the neck but that is me. I retired my 300wby about 17 yrs ago in favor of the 30-338. My first 300winmag was a factory job and I wasn't all that happy with it so got one done up and it was real nice had a Lilja barrel but day in and day out shooting for me the 30-338 was alittle better doesn't mean the 300 mag isn't any good other wise I won't own it. I think some guys are still using the 30-338 for 1000 yd matches. Tom

I forgot to mention that wilson,rcbs,redding plus every other die mfg mades dies for the 30-338 plus Redding makes their type s die for the 30-338 so cann't be that out of date. Tom

Allen Day said it right, can't add much except I almost built one but came to my senses one day before the 'smith was to rebarrel my action. I asked him to reach for his 300WM reamer instead in which he did.

That said, I do have a brand new set of 30-338 Redding Deluxe Dies (3pc) I'll let go for $50.00 shipped (U.S)

MtnHtr

Or be really cool and get a .300 H&H.

The 30-338 is a better designed cartridge and I would prefer that Win adopted it over the 300 Win mag., but they didn't so I will take the 300 Win Mag as my choice as Wildcats are a pain for more than several reasons, not the least of which in my position I may want to take it to another country and the headstamp is wrong of the 30-338....

It's a moot question to me anyway, I also settled on the old 300 H&H many years ago and never saw any reason what so ever to change...With a good handload and a 200 gr. Nosler it will run with the best of them...

I guess in your deal taking a wildcat would be a problem. It's funny how popluar the 300 H&H is. I think Win learned from there mistake with not taking the 30-338 when then came out with the 300wsm. There has and always will be the problem with the oal with certain bullets to fit in the magazines. I remember when the 300 mag hit the stores and it was bad then since there wasn't alot of bullet selection and not that much power selection either for some time I didn't think it would make it but the mfg keep making rifles as they are doing with the 300wsm kind put it out there and people bought it. Back then there was a need for something between the 30-06 and 300wby and Win when after that market but wanted to knock the 300wby off . That case never got the job done. One of the nice things about the 30-338 is you don't have to worry about what bullet you use as you have plenty of room in the magazine. When I built my first 30-338 I talked to Fred Jr and he told me they still had the rilfe plus they used it for elk hunting. People seem to forget all his dad did for things back then and I ran into an old 7mmrcbs not long ago. I shot a 308 norma mag for awhile also kind of fun. I bought one of those custom shop Win model 70 that Hicks had before Win reintroduced the 300 H&H. I gave it to my nephew when he turned 21 and he hunts with it and has taken alot of calif deer plus pigs. Well best be going. Tom

I too have been hunting with a 30-338 for about 20 years now & really enjoy it. Especially not having to worry about restricting the OAL & the bullet being seated down onto the case & robbing case capacity.