I'd have to go with the .338 RUM as an "all-around" gun.

Were I to single out big bears, I'd opt for a .375 something. But the .338 will shoot flatter at long (maybe longer than practical, but long) distances.

I've shot the .338 RUM along side my .375 Roy at the same sitting. The recoil (both 8 1/2 lb rifles) is very comparable. The .375 Weatherby shoots quite reasonably flat to 500 yards. The .338 RUM seems to shoot a good deal flatter out there.

quote:

Originally posted by mmaggi:
Will your shots be more than 300 yards? If not, then a .338-06 or .35 Whelen is perfect for the game you mentioned. Why waste powder and deal with so much recoil?

.338 RUM is the poor man's 340 Wby. I'm not knocking it, just stating the obvious.

.375 (Ruger or H&H) is a great caliber. But it's overkill for NA.

It's all good. Buy what you like and you will use it with a smile.

Consider me one of those poor men Remington was kind enought to keep the cost of brass to less than $5 a piece to boot. And no belt, freebore, and lots of aftermarket triggers to spend my welfare check on

It aint very fancy but my satainless ruger hawkeye , in .338 win will do real well for any thing you mention.
You talked about reach, I don't know you and you might be a great shot. But for me, If I could not shoot an animal with my .338 load.
225 grain acubond at 2800, then he is to far away for me with any rifle.
and i am not a bad shot.
...tj3006

The .338 WM is all you need. If you can get one with an 1-10 twist even better, as it will shoot the heavier bullets well. Meany .338's have a 1-12 twist and anything over 225 gr. doesn't group real well. I'm building a .338 Federal with a 1-9 twist, we'll see how that performs. The .338 Edge needs a 1-9 twist to stablize the 300 gr bullets. It may be the most accurate gun I have ever fired.....Tom

A friend from Texas shoots the 338Edge and has e-mailed me some very impressive groups and velocities to match. I was also vey impressed with the accuracy.

I am really interested in the changing opinions of an "all around gun"! It used to be that a 338WM was "THE" big game rifle that was the perfect "all around gun" for ALL big game hunting.......how things have changed!

Getting back to the OP, I own both the 338WM and 340Weatherby and to be honest you're lucky to get 100fps more with the 340 over the 338 when handloaded. I use both for our largest deer species here, Sambar, and both do the same job. Both my rifles have 26" barrels on S/S Win 70's, and the accuracy between the 2 isn't measurable, both shoot most bullets into .5MoA.
I have never dabbled with any RUM cartridge, but it's performance is impressive, but you do really NEED that sort of power?
I guess it boils down to what rifle you prefer, if it were me, I'd build a 338 or 340 on a S/S Win 70 action with a 26" barrel, you will never see a difference in the field between the 2!

I like the 338 RUM also and know it can kill any animal in North American.

I would go .375 Wby which is basically an Ackleyized .375 H&H, or maybe the .375rum if I was choosing.

But, I have a nice 274gr NEI .338 bullet mold and several .338 guns already so... Even bought a .375rum barrel, new takeoff, to go with a .300rum LSS I got. Was thinking about longrange potentials with the 350gr .375 bullet.

My magnum choice is the .338/300. It is a plain necked-up .300win mag case and it gives more flexibility than the .338win. I have shot 250gr bullets in a 9 lb rifle with very mild recoil using 65gr of xmr4350 and with 79gr experienced close to the same power as my .338rum would produce without a brake on either barrel.

Also like the .338-06 and have one for walking around carry in 22" barrel. I live in the upper Mat-Su and bears are big here, and plentiful. Have decided to standardize on 250gr sierra Gamekings in both rifles, although think about the 300gr matchkings and the 250SST.

The .338/300 is right up there with the .330 Dakota, RUM, and .340wby. Maybe a tad less power at max loads, but does an extra 200 ft lbs of energy matter when you are over 3 tons already? If you are a What-Iffer, then go for all the gusto. If you want a rifle you can load to shoot very pleasantly and still have mucho power, the .338/300 makes mucho sense.

It is the flexibility that sets this round apart. All the bigger cases run the risk of detonation with mild loads, unless we are talking cast bullet mild with UNQ or 4198 or other special light load. Yet, try loading a 250gr bullet with 14gr less powder in a .340 and it is risky territory.

I have owned the RUMs and bought another to build on, and also a .30-378 and simply got disenchanted. The only change I ponder to .338/300 is going beltless and doing an AI shoulder, for longrange precision and all-around hunting purposes though it is Excellent if not Perfect!

Split the difference. Get a .358 Norma and go hunting.