I have been thinking about getting a 338WM to fill in my magnum calibers. Already have a 375 H&H and a 300WSM. I plan to make a trip to Alaska in a couple of years and would like to have an extra thumper for bear, moose, caribou. (I know that the 300WSM is a little lacking to some of you) Does anyone have any suggestions on what rifle to get it in. I am not interested in any of the Rem. Ultra mags. and not really interested in a Mod.700 action. I want a 24" barrel but these manufactures have gone bonkers with barrel lengths- 20"barrels on calibers/guns that should have a min. of 22"-24" and 26" barrels on calibers that only need 24" due to the caliber to case size ratio. Go figure? Is there anything out there that has good balance and isn't too light for 250gr. bullets?

Find yourself a good mauser action and start from there.

We have been very pleased with the weatherby vanguard stainless/synthetic in 338 mag. Barrel length is 24"...very nice crisp trigger out of the box.

This particular rifle shoots 250 gr grand slams and game kings very well. Found a very accurate load with 250 grand slams over 73 grs RL19.

Cheers

I don't think you can ever go wrong with either a CRF Win M70 or a good Mauser action.

M70 triggers can be done remarkably well, and even the cheapest Timney Sportman trigger on a Mauser action is very acceptable at 2.5 pounds.

I have a bunch (7) of "practical" build Mausers and a couple of M70's. My .338 WM happens to be on a pre-64 M70. Is fitted with a 24" Krieger bbl and is set into a McMillan stock. Has NECG irons and Leupold QR mounts holding a 3-9x40MC Zeiss Conquest. Weighs in at 9 pounds. Will routinely hold 2" at 300 yards. I just love it!

quote:

Originally posted by Rae59:
I have been thinking about getting a 338WM to fill in my magnum calibers. Already have a 375 H&H and a 300WSM. I plan to make a trip to Alaska in a couple of years and would like to have an extra thumper for bear, moose, caribou. (I know that the 300WSM is a little lacking to some of you) Does anyone have any suggestions on what rifle to get it in. I am not interested in any of the Rem. Ultra mags. and not really interested in a Mod.700 action. I want a 24" barrel but these manufactures have gone bonkers with barrel lengths- 20"barrels on calibers/guns that should have a min. of 22"-24" and 26" barrels on calibers that only need 24" due to the caliber to case size ratio. Go figure? Is there anything out there that has good balance and isn't too light for 250gr. bullets?

When I lived in Canada's far north, back in the early nineties, I bought one of the early Savage Synthetic Stainless in .338 WM. Very accurate, safe and utterly reliable. If there's a rifle that will take more abuse in adverse conditions like the Savage, I haven't heard about it. I use mine with 250 grain A-Frames.

I would take a good look at the Ruger hawkeye. They have a good CRF type action, and a 24 inch tube.
I have a older model 70 clasic that has a 26 inch tube and i am thinking hard about having it reworked. I would shorten to cut and crown at 24.
Add a negc site set and a good pad.
The cartridge is a good one for your alaska hunt.
(never been there but that was the design purpose back in I think 1958?)
If you can swing the money have a good look at Kimber.

The real drag is that The new crop of Model 70s do not come in the excelent .338 win.
But I think your .300 Wsm is a poor choice for brown bear.
Not knowing what your .375 i like , its a great round for the purpose. But likly a bit big and heavy for the terrain.
Consider the Alasan hawkeye in .375 or 416 Ruger !
...tj3006

I'll second the Hawkeye. Mausers and M70s are nice, but for the money the Ruger is hard to beat.

My preference would be for a controlled round feed model, but a friend of mine bought a Vanguard sub-moa model in .338Win Mag which he is very pleased with. Rodney.

I have had 12 different .338WMs over the past 41 years, it is my favourite cartridge and I have kept five of these. Mine are a Dakota 76 Classic, an early one with exhibition wood and four original P-64 Mod. 70 Alaskans now in good sunthetic stocks.

I would look for an original P-64 or rebarrel a beater .264WM in one to .338WM.

Failing that, I would do the same with a Browning Safari LONG extractor rifle.

My next choice would be a Mod. 70 Classic and under S/N 250,000

Next up would be a Ruger Hawkeye sts.

Finally, if you can afford it, find a Dakota used and have a good synthetic stock put on it.

I use Talleys, Leupy QR and QRW mounts on various of my rifles and have a spare, sighted scope for each in appropriate rings.

I load 250NPs to 2800 and 250 SGKs the same for practice and deer.

If, I could afford it, without selling any of my current rifles, I would buy a "Legend" from D'Arcy Echols and have a spare scope for it.

I have been in Alaska, all over wilderness BC, the Yukon, NWT and northern Alberta; there is no better cartridge for these areas than the .338WM, IMHO.

There are lots of good used ones out there and P-64 Alaskan originals can still be found and boy, mine shoot like target rifles and never give me any trouble.

I've owned a number of .338's and have found that it is important to have a "full length" magazine (3.6" or so). Many .338s are built on ".30-06 -length" magazines of about 3.35". A shorter magazine limits the overall length of the .338 with longer bullets, thus limiting your powder capacity and potential performance.

So, whatever gun you look at, be sure to check the magazine length. Offhand, I know that Sakos and Rem 700's use the longer magazine, while the Ruger 77 and Savage use a shorter one. I think the Browning A-bolt has a longer magazine. Not sure about the Howa or Tikka. A normal '98 Mauser or Win 70 start out short, but can be lengthened.

Look for a P64 winchester or Browning Safari...
You'll be money ahead in years to come.

Ruger all the way
Eighter M77 or Hawkeye.
Stainless and laminate is next to indestructable
Had a M77 for more than ten years, a little touch up on the trigger, Decellerator cap and bedding.
Not a single hick up, great rifle if one put strenght and accuracy up front.

Loaded with 250 gr Woodleighs this rig WORKS!

I think a used Sako would fit the bill too. I've never seen a Sako that wouldn't shoot well.

http://www.sako.fi/catalogue/ and Never regret it !.

quote:

Originally posted by buckshot:
I think a used Sako would fit the bill too. I've never seen a Sako that wouldn't shoot well.

+1 Find yourself a good Sako AV in 338 WM. There are always a few on Guns America, Gun Broker, Auction Arms, et al. Sako...there is no substitute! Lou

Go to Hendershot's Sporting Goods web site and look at the used rifles. They have a Beretta Mato in 338 for sale. They were great guns built on the Dakota 97 action and a bargain at their price.

Ruger Hawkeye.

Vanguards are a tremendous value, as are Savage guns. If it must be CRF, a Ruger Hawkeye would be a good choice as well. If you're willing to spend more, Weatherby Mark V or Sako 85 are excellent.

I think that the 338 Win would go under the 375H&H then you would need a big bore. The field is open to what ever you might want. My self I have the CZ Safari 550 458 Lott. It can kill anything in this world. With no problem.

I've been shooting the Browning A bolt in 338 WM with a 26 inch tube since 1992 and it has served me well. Last year I bought a Weatherby Vanguard SUBMOA chambered in 338 WM and I've grown to like the shorter 24 inch barrel. The rifle feels a bit more portable to me.

If I were buying a third 338 WM it would probably be a stainless synthetic Sako 85. Both my current 338 WMs shoot accurately with 225 grain TTSXs over different charge weights of IMR 4350. I've used the 225 grain X bullet exclusively for everything I hunt...that includes both brown bears and grizzly bears. This past year I started loading the TTSX and have high expectations for its performance.

+1 on FN Browning Safari. Make sure it is a "no salt" type. Just a wonderful rifle and great wood on most of them.

I just got one for Christmas. It was a present from my wife. She let me pick it out. I chose a Ruger 77 MK II in stainless with a laminate stock. Ruger has discontinued the MK II's, but they are still in distributor's inventory. I like the MKII stainless better than the Hawkeye stainless. The MKII stainless is as durable as it gets. The laminated stock vs synthetic stock is just a matter of personal choice. I however like the feel of wood (even if laminated). The laminated seems more rigid than the synthetic. The rifle weighs 8 1/4 pounds and has a 24 inch barrel with no sights. I had the trigger reworked from a factory 5 pounds to 2 1/2 pounds. I also replaced the factory recoil pad with a limbsaver pad. Mounted a Burris Signature Select 3-10x40 with BDC reticle. I've put 25 rounds through it so far, breaking it in as outlined in the most recent Barnes Reloading manual. Haven't shot maximum handloads through it yet, just middle of the road laods. It is a pleasure to shoot. Doesn't kick near as much as I would have guessed. Good luck on selecting your 338WM. It's a great cartridge.

I think I saw a pre64 model 70 rebarreled to this in the classifieds the last couple of days.

I'm in the same situation - going to Alaska in May. I already had a Savage stainless/synthetic & a Ruger in stainless/laminated in .338. I just bought a new Blaser R93 bolt rifle in .338 that I'd planned to take, but with the very nasty environment (saltwater & all), I'm going back to my Savage. With a new Timney trigger, it shoots amazingly well, & it'll withstand anything that Alaska can throw at it. I've got many rifles, & I still like the Savage - it'll stand up to any of the brands.

I did not see a Savage listed in a 338wm. Does anyone know anything about a Tikka T3? They offer one in a 338 Win.Mag. I can get one for $656 plus TT&L. and a ruger for $621.
It appears I will be limited to a Ruger, Tikka, Sako 85 (used), Winchester M-70 (used) or spend 3 times as much and get a Kimber or CZ.

If you don't go with the Sako, the Tikka or M70 are a great alternatives. Lou

had the rugers in 338 win.
much prefer my tikka t3 hunter,lighter gun,shoots better,only i did add was a really good buttpad.
and nice and light to carry.weighs less than my browning a bolt.

Savage Mod 116 (Stainless) in 338WM

Savage Mod. 111 (blued) 338 WM

Regards,
HM

Beretta Mato, Dakota 97 CRF action, Lothar Walther barrel, HS Precision stock, 3 position safety, standard Remington trigger. Great gun and gaining value yearly.

Cut off the muzzle brake for a 23.5" barrel or leave it there. Just heavy enough but easy to carry. I have 2.

I had a Sako 75 Hunter that would stack 225 TSX's on top of one another. I can't give a better endorsement than that.

Have stainless model 70 that I trimmed the barrel to 24" and added a good Mcmillan stock. Did the trigger work and action work.
I tried some of the Federal high energy 250 Noslers and 225 TBBC. They both shot under 1" at 100 yards. Then they quit making the cartridges. I think I bought every box I could find about 10 of each. I cannot easily reload this cartridge to the specs I chrono'd and the accuracy.
I have a Bushnell 2.5 X 10 4200. A nice tough package.

You can get about the same performance levels as the Fed.HE ammo with at least two loads I use regularly.

1. WW brass, mag. primer, RE-22, 76-77 grs. (max.)250NPs/250SGKs.

This clocks 2800 fps-mv out of my four P-64 Mod.70 Alaskans, with their factory 25" tubes; it shoots far better than my 62 yr. old eyes can, usually sub.-moa.

2. Substitute H-4350 to 7.5 grs. (max) for very similar results. I find this a tiny bit slower, but, a bit more temp. stable in BC's cold weather.

I have shot the RE-22 load in six different .338s and since 1991, with total satisfaction. I chrono'ed Fed. HE stuff, still have some and it runs just about the same.

DO NOT substitute Rem. brass here, but, I run Fed. in one of my rifles with the same loads and same performance.

Is the Tikka trigger fully adjustable? Any quirks in the gun?

eezridr
My .338 in Win M70 Super Grade shot a Federal 225 grain factory load so well that I spent some time figuring it out.
Federals factory load for the 225 grain SP is what shot so well in my rifle so I determined that they used IMR-4350. I have duplicated and bettered that load by a few FPS and accuracy is outstanding.

My vote for Rae59 is get a Winchester. I have several in many different calibers and all are very accurate with the right loads, I am a big fan of the safety as well.
Here's a picture of a few loads in my .338.

You guys are great! I have a super grade mod 70 ; 338 in the box; never shot. My beater (stainless) shoots so well there is no reason dust it off.
I really like a 338 with 250's at 2800. Gives you allot of power and good trajectory and great SD.
Just a great multi dimensional North American big game cartridge and I suspect equally so on large African plains game.
They can be made light weight fairly easily.

I would have to agree with Dr.Lou on this one .I own all three the Sako is my favorite but there's

no cobwebs on my Tikka as it shoots a little better groups . It's SS Synthetic stocked T3 Hunting Rifle

and it functions like a hunting Rifle . Tikka triggers are just fine in all 4 that I own .

Dr. Lou
one of us

Posted 06 February 2009 05:04 Hide Post
If you don't go with the Sako, the Tikka or M70 are a great alternatives. Lou

If, there IS a superior load for general North American hunting, especially where big bears are commonplace, than a .338-250NP or SAF or NF at 2800 fps-mv., I cannot imagine what it would be.

I HAVE .375s, 9.3s and .458s in divers case capacities and they all have their benefits, but, a good crf .338WM-250 NP simply can be lighter for longterm carrying in the mountains and STILL will STOP anything I have ever seen.

Each to his own, but, if limited to a single rifle/load here in BC for hunting and bear problems while wilderness working, this would be my choice, no question.....I just NEED the 23 other big game rifles in other chamberings I have and am going to the gunstore in a minute to see about acquiring two more......we all know how THAT is.......

IF I were going to build a 338Mag I can descrbe it pretty closely...

I'd start with a stainless CRF Win M70 action and have Hart fit a medium heavy barrel to it (I'm 6'4" and 300lb and a few ounces on a rifle doesn't ammount to shit for me)
I'd have it fitted into a Borden Rimrock stock.


I'd THINK about a Dakota action only if I had recently won the lottery.
I have difficulty believing that they are worth the $3000+ compared to a WinM70
As far as loading?

I see ZERO purpose to any bullet in the 338 other
than the 225gr, but if a 338Mag is "necissary" to kill the target animal so is a Nosler Partition, Nosler Accubond or Barnes TSX.

250's only do one thing differently from a 225gr, they leave the muzzle a bit slower.
BUT the Bullets that really make no sense to me in the 338Mag are the 180's and 210's which I think belong in the various small 338

Propellant? I have long believed that if you are loading for a 338Mag (or a 358Norma) and you cannot get it done with IMR4350, H4350 or RL19 you should stick to factory ammo.

AD

Several years ago I bought a new Winchester 70 stainless in 338WM. It was one of the most inaccurate rifles I ever owned. It took a long time to figure out the problem, but I discovered the threads on the barrel were crooked. In other words the alignment of the barrel was not straight with the receiver. After figuring out that it was in fact the barrel, and not the receiver, I had the rifle rebarreled with a Lilja 338 in 12" twist. Now that was a transformation. The gunsmith who is now retired did an excellent job, and the rifle is extremely accurate now, but I have a lot of money in it too.

Since then I have owned two Ruger stainless 338s, and both have been very accurate with factory barrels. I still have one of them, but rarely use it. The last one I bought is better than the first Ruger. The trigger is better, but still needs a little work. I'm thinking of buying one of the Hoague stocks to drop the barreled action in, to tame the recoil a little.

For the money, although they need some attention out-of-the-box, a Ruger is a good buy, but I don't know yet what to think of the Hawkeye. I just bought one in 257 Roberts, and found that it had more problems than I would have suspected, such as feeding issues, and so far I haven't been able to get the accuracy up to acceptable. In the past, I have found that first impressions, with guns and women, are usually correct. So I lost interest in the Ruger 257 Rob quickly, and I left it with a friend, so he'll work with it, and I told him he could have it, so that's probably a done deal once he gets used to the idea.

The Rugers I have that were made before the Hawkeye all feed very well, and about the only thing they needed was a little trigger work-over by a qualified gunsmith, but be careful because there are so-called gunsmiths who can & will screw up a Ruger trigger job. I've had it happen three times, once with the factory trigger, and twice with Timney replacment triggers. I had to have another gunsmith correct the problems, which were actually unsafe.

Anyway, Ruger has my vote, for the money, but not necessarily the Hawkeye.

KB

Stevens 200 in 7mm Rem. Magnum : $300

Then buy this ER Shaw barrel in .338 for $180.00:

http://www.sportsmansguide.com.../cb/cb.aspx?a=261314

This kit includes the gauges and wrench which all cost $80.00 from Midway.

The 7mm Rem. Magnum and the .338 both use the same magazine and bolt face.