How does a 338's recoil compare to that of a 300 Winchester magnum ? I know rifle style and make will determine a lot but I have heard it is more of a hard shove as opposed to a swift kick ? I have previously owned a shot a 300 Winchester in a heavier Weatherby Mark V rifle and was considering a Ruger 77 in 338 maybe. Thanks in advance for the help.
BB

In like rifles, there is more recoil but if you are already at the .300wm level, you will have no problem w/ a .338wm. If you can't handle the recoil of the 06 (you know, .243 shooters), then I would say you might be in over your head w/ a .338wm.

I think the .338 win mag in a correctly weighted gun is fine. I have a Ruger stainless laminate in .338 win and I reckon it kicks less than the old boat paddle ruger 30/06 I had.

I´m on with PC from OZ on this one
In my experience the felt recoil wary quite a bit from rifle to rifle based on the weight and the stock designs.

My Ruger M77 in 35 Whelen with a light fiber stock, has a much more sharp kick than my Winchester M70 H&H with Pacmayr Decelerator pad.
The M70 is a darling to shoot by the way.
I also have the Ruger M77 Sporter in 338 Winmag / stainless/laminate, and I have shot 30-06 rifles that kicks more than that one.

The sporter in SS and laminate is a thad heavier than the standard blue/walnut and therefore might be a little easier on the shoulder.....

If you are a seasoned 300 Winmag shooter I can´t see that you should have any problems with the 338.

Good luck by the way, it is a terrific caliber in a great gun !!

I have an almost matched pair of Winchester M70 rifles, one a .300 Win. Mag., the other a .338 Win. Mag., the weight difference between the two being maybe two ounces, with the .300 being the heavier of the pair. Both rifles have factory synthetic stocks and both have had the recoil pads replaced with pachmeyr decelerators.
Shooting Winchester factory ammo with 180 gr. bullets in the .300 and 200 gr. bullets in the .338, the apparent recoil is greater from the .300 than the .338. My best guess is due to the smaller bore of the .300, the "rocket effect" is somewhat greater. Both stocks are for all practical purposes, exactly the same.
With a 225 gr. load, the .338 feels about the same at the .300, and with a 250 gr. load, the .338 doe have more recoil than the .300. With a stiff 220 gr. load in the .300, then it starts to catch up to the .338 mag. I like them both.
Paul B.

I own .338 WM and have fired .300WM… and for me the .338WM has only marginally more recoil. If you add a Muzzle Brake (which I do not believe is necessary) you end up with recoil between a 30-06 and a .300WM

The problem with the .338 is most people go into it expecting a shit load of recoil and they flinch and everything else.

I had a chance at the range to shoot two identicaly built rifles. One was in 300 the other was a .338. We were using a 200gr.30cal and a 250gr .338. Needless to say it was very difficult to tell them apart in recoil,if you didn't know which one you had. The owner would load one and put it on the bench. You simply got behind it and pulled the trigger. By the end of the day a half dozen guys at the range had shot both numerous times without knowing which was which.

BighornBreath if you are using a 180 Gr. bullet in you 300 and you used a 225 Gr. bullet in the .338 for comparisons sake. The .338 would have about 18% more recoil enough to more than notice if you tend to be recoil shy.

I've got a Ruger M77MKII ('94 model), in Stainless/ Synthetic, and I think that the .338's recoil is greatly overestimated. Yes, it has a lot of recoil, but I's a slow, powerfull shove, as opposed to a fast hit. I put a Pachmyer Decelerator pad on it, and I personally enjoy shooting it more than my .308 Win.

I've also had several people who've "never" shot anything firearms before, who had no problem shooting it. (one is a friend from the UK, and the other is a coworker) But to each their own.

A friend of mine had a 300WM, and he sold it as he didn't enjoy shooting it. His level of surprise after shooting my .338 was amazing.

Best of luck in making your decision.

mike

IMHO most recoil is the result of phycosis. If you have yourself built up in the phycic world for a big blast of recoil from the 338, sure as hell your mind will react and really belt you, but if you are doing what you should be doing, that is,concentrating on the bullet placement into the target, the recoil will be hardly noticed. How many have another theory.

I agree with two canoes - I shoot a .340 Wea. & never really notice the kick.

steve golden

just had my 340 weatherby to the range today and had a great time blowing some holes in the paper. also took my custom 300 weatherby and shot a half box of 200gr. factory ammo just to see how close the fps were to my reloads.pretty close.

I always thought the kick from the 338 was pretty similar to the 300.

My first rifle when I was 15 was a 338 win in a ruger 77 tang safety.

If you want the 338 to kick put some 275 grain bullets in it.

Recoil is mostly psychological. just realize it isn't going to hurt you and mount the gun properly and concentrate on the target. It is a lot like catching a pass and knowing someone is going to put a hit on you. I am not sure I can tell a .338 from a .300 if they were stocked the same. I had a Sako in .338 WM years ago, and hated it, swore it was way worse to shoot than my .375's. I recently bought a .338 built on an FN action with a McMillan stock, it is really nice to shoot and accurate as well. All over Alaska, Canada and Africa the .338 has the reputation as an exceptional game killer and I'm sure well deserved.

In identical rifles, the .338 will have only marginally more physical recoil than the .300. How you percieve the recoil is unique to what's inside your head.

The other factor is rifle fit. I once got the shit kicked out of me by a 700 BDL in 7mm-08. Didn't fit me. Hurt like hell!! I have an 8 1/2 lb. 375 Wby. that doesn't hurt at all. It fits me.

No one else said it....So I will...

This only being my opinion...

In factory ammo...

The recoil on a 300 Winchester, is more like a quick jab,

Where as the 338 is more like a strong push....

That is why I think people believe the 300 kicks more...

Being a handloader, that more has to do with the powder used and volume....

in like rifles the 338 will generate more recoil numbers but in practical sense you won't feel that difference....

Also bullet weight has some input on it also..

A 200 grain 338 load, comparable to a 300 Mag 180 grain load, you wouldn't notice much difference...

Up the 338 load to include a 250 grain bullet, you should notice a difference....

I shoot a 220 grain load in a 300 Win Mag with a stout MV of 2950 fps... it is quick and it will thumb ya...but also does so to what it hits...

I have owned 4 300 Weatherby's and 2 300 Winchester's, one 340 Weatherby, and 4 375 H&H's. I have shot 2 338's. I always felt the 338's kicked the least of the bunch.

I think the 375 kicks more than the 340 Weatherby.
A 300 Mag is one of my favorite hunting calibers.
I think the 338 is a great North American, and big plains game ctg. I would prefer it to the 300 for the bigger stuff.

I will probably never own a 338 as I have the 375 H&H and beaucoup ammo and brass... But that is just my individual circumstance...
The 338 is still a great cartridge.

quote:

How does a 338's recoil compare to that of a 300 Winchester magnum ?

Recoil comparisons should be done in mechanical terms, i.e. "recoil energy" and "recoil velocity", i.e. the theoretical value, to better appreciate the jumps between 2 or more rifle systems. The velocity component is responsible whether or not the recoil is perceived as a push or a jab.

Felt recoil, as perceived by man, can vary a lot based on stock design, how the stock fits the individual, stance or dead rest, leaning into the stock or not, mass of rifle setup (may or may not include a scope), angle and fit in the shoulder, type of recoilpad and the area over which the recoil is distributed, etc. Recoil reducers is yet another supplementary add on that will blurr the issue..

Given the same ergonomic design and weight of 2 rifle systems, but different calibers, one is back to theoretical recoil energy values as the guide. There is a definite jump in recoil from a 300 Win Mag to a 338 Win Mag.

Recoil tolerance is very much an individual thing. I met someone at the range, a first time user of a 300 Win Mag with factory ammo in Federal 'High Energy', that flinched badly after he made the transition from a 7x57 mm. He was using a Remington 700 DBL factory issue. He could not group his rifle and decided there and then that he was going to get rid of this rifle that kicked like a mule, despite my friend grouping his rifle for him within 1.5" at 100 yds.

I once demonstrated the difference in recoil to friends on the range from a 375 H&H with 300 gr bullets - one down loaded to 2,250 fps and the other one somewhat hotter at 2,550 fps. There was no doubt by all concerned that the velocity difference of a mere 300 fps, which gets accentuated by the power of 2 in the formula, yielded higher felt recoil.

Chris

quote:

Originally posted by BighornBreath:
How does a 338's recoil compare to that of a 300 Winchester magnum ? I know rifle style and make will determine a lot but I have heard it is more of a hard shove as opposed to a swift kick ? ...

Hey BB, You can make it recoil at about any level you want "if" you Reload.

You can Down-Load it to about 308Win levels and up to it's normal SAFE MAX.

Find a rifle you like that comes with a good recoil pad, like the Weatherby Ultra-Lightweight, and start your Load Development with Starting Loads of IMR-4064 and the 200gr Speer Hot-Cor, with info taken from the Speer Manual. That will put you at 308Win recoil levels.

Then ease the Load up using H4350 Starting Loads and that will put you at 338-06 recoil levels. If you like it there, Develop a good shooting Load and wear the barrel out.

As you become comfortable with those Loads, which you will, ease the throttle on up with the H4350 and switch over to heavier bullets.

No need to be concerned about Recoil if you Reload.

I own an older Weatherby Vanguard deluxe in 300Wby. with 24" barrel and a Rem. M700 SenderoSF with 26" barrel chambered for 338RUM. I find the 338 to be more pleasant to shoot; probably because of the extra pound or so of heft it has. IMO I do not feel that a muzzlebrake is mandatory on either caliber unless they were being chambered in a lightweight rifle. Unless you are planning to lug the rifle up and down higher elevations for long distances, I believe you will find a little extra dose of heft to your advantage. The Sendero is one of my favorite guns in my linited arsenal

TWO CANOES, I just ordered .340 dies on Saturday & after I go thru 2 more boxes of factory I'll be giving hand loads a try. When I'm ready I wonder if I might bother you for some data if you are reloading for your .340

quote:

Originally posted by Paul B:
I have an almost matched pair of Winchester M70 rifles, one a .300 Win. Mag., the other a .338 Win. Mag., the weight difference between the two being maybe two ounces, with the .300 being the heavier of the pair. Both rifles have factory synthetic stocks and both have had the recoil pads replaced with pachmeyr decelerators.
Shooting Winchester factory ammo with 180 gr. bullets in the .300 and 200 gr. bullets in the .338, the apparent recoil is greater from the .300 than the .338. My best guess is due to the smaller bore of the .300, the "rocket effect" is somewhat greater. Both stocks are for all practical purposes, exactly the same.
With a 225 gr. load, the .338 feels about the same at the .300, and with a 250 gr. load, the .338 doe have more recoil than the .300. With a stiff 220 gr. load in the .300, then it starts to catch up to the .338 mag. I like them both.
Paul B.

I agree with this 100% !!! I also had an identical pair of rifles, only Browning A-Bolt Composite Stalkers, one in .300 Mag, the other in .338 Mag. The .300 shooting 180 gr bullets at 3050 fps, and the .338 shooting 210 gr bullets, also at 30g0 fps. Both had 26" tubes, the .300 had a stiffer recoil than the .338. I even used the same powder in both, IMR 4350. I sold the .300 and still have the .338. If you can handle a .300, you can surely handle a .338.

I have a 338 Ruger 77 that bounces a little but no worse than a 300 Weatherby. By contrast I have a Tikka 338 that is positively soft shooting. I swear it doesn't recoil anyumore than my 700 30-06 with Federal HE ammo. I've looked it over and put it down to stock design.