Tell me why you love it or hate it - the 338 WM.
Especially when I have and love the .300 WM and the .33 H&H.....

If I need a magnum, I just use my 375 H&H.

Well, it kills hogs at distance with aplomb. My only experience with one.

You don’t.

You n Ed either a 338-06 AI or a 338 STW.

Wanting another rifle and caliber is all that is required. Need has nothing to do with it. Pretty sure you don't need any rifles at all. Your local grocery store has meat.
I follow this guidance; If I want it, I build it. Period.

I like the 338WM because it works for the 'Indian elk' I hunt 90 per cent of the time. For 40 years a single Sako Finnbear in that calibre was my go-to rifle.

It has a handsome cartridge case, works in medium-length actions, too, and is the best compromise between power and recoil of all the .338 cartridges. Having a number of competitors, however, ensures there is a reasonable choice of projectiles to load it with.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Tell me why you love it or hate it - the 338 WM.
Especially when I have and love the .300 WM and the .33 H&H.....

Because, this rifle is chambered for it? I used the .338 quite a bit over the years and it just always works.Just like all the others...

It works for me, I can hunt anything in North America with it and anything every where else where it is allowed. Good range of bullets, good velocity and a standard length action.

Ok I’ll bite.

I find it to be a pretty well balanced cartridge for larger North American game.

Popular so there’s a good selection of bullets and brass available.

Shoots about as flat as most .300’s but hits harder on bigger critters and really doesn’t recoil any more. Plus it doesn’t need a 26” barrel like some of the faster .300’s. Twenty four inches works just fine.

What’s not to like?

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Tell me why you love it or hate it - the 338 WM.
Especially when I have and love the .300 WM and the .33 H&H.....

I have mine lot most of my different calibers because it was a great buy.

Brought a Ruger MKII 338 a Rem 700 300mag and a browning BPS20ga duck unlimited at a garage sale for 900.00.

Kept the rifles sold the shotgun for 450.

Killed a few things with the 338mag because I could.

Need went away with my first 06 want afterwards

If you have a 7mm Mag and a 375 H&H you don't. It will fill all of those gaps and handle DG in North America as well. Africa, well that's another story.

Speaking of Africa…

The 338WM and a 400 something make a fantastic 2-rifle battery for the dark continent. I have taken this combo many times. Usually with my 404 Jeffery.

Ammo can be obtained in Africa. I have also taken medium bores that cannot be found over there (35 Whelen, 338-06, 9.3x66, etc.), but a 338WM, is a better bet.

I have taken more African animals with my 338WM than any other caliber (20+) over (12) safaris. I have taken (11) different calibers over there. With a 404J for the large DG, a 338WM will cover everything else with ease, from Impala to Eland.

Of course, others will tell you a 30-06 and a 400 something works just as well, and that’s a good battery too. But I just like the harder hitting power of the 338WM over the ‘06. I have never run into DG here in CO elk hunting (!), but you certainly may in Africa while hunting PG in some countries.

Having said all of that, I seem to hunt Zambia more lately (last 6 safaris) and I find the shot distances there to be 200 yds or less mostly, so I have replaced my beloved 338WM, with a 9.3, which can act as a better back up for dangerous game than the 338 IMHO. That is exactly what happened on my last Zambia safari this year, when I handed off my 404J for my better scoped 9.3x66 and took a 46” Buffalo at 140 yds. with one shot. Could the 338 have performed as well? Perhaps, but it would not have been legal. Game scouts seem to accept the 9.3 in that roll, and it works. YMMV.

The 338WM is a fabulous round, and I recommend it highly for NA and Africa as well. It will do about everything you could need in America, and 90% of your hunting in Africa.

Why does anyone new 40 pairs of shoes? Get the 338 WM!!!!

Austin,
I agree with you....
I have 3 pairs of sneakers, 3 pair of Tecovas, 4 pairs of loafers, 6 pair of hunting boots and 30 rifles....
Tells you where my priorities are.

Thanks for the positive encouragement all!

Variety is the spice of life. You do you, boo…

Because it is a "MAGNUM! And when you own a "MAGNUM" your balls get bigger!


Hip

I think bullets and powder, along with CNC machined rifles have gotten so good it's getting hard to justify a medium-bore magnum round in CONUS. But my.338 WM is my primary elk rifle, for as long as I can elk hunt.

If you have to ask, it means you need one.
250 grain bullet at 2700 fps a lot of horsepower in a manageable cost of recoil.

I would take a 338 WM over any 300 magnum.

You have a .33 H&H?

If you find a .338 WM that you like, that’s a reason to get it.

I’ve got .300 mag, a .318 WR, .330 Dakota, and a .350 rem mag. I don’t need a .338 WM, but if the package is nice enough, can’t say it wouldn’t follow me home.

Tis a fine caliber for anything on this planet IMO including elehant if you must, it with a solid bows before no caliber.Ive used it extensively on all manor of game up to and including Buffalo. I always had a problem deciding between the 9,3x62 and the 338
win, both are so good and Im presently hunting with my 9,3x62, but for the record the 338 Win is the better of the two in most respects.

338 Win Mag is awesome for elk, moose and the bigger plains game.


I love mine.

I used to primarily hunt with a .300 Winchester, but I had a bear hunt on Kodiak in 1985 and thought the .300 was a touch light for a big brownie. So, I got a .338 Winchester for that hunt. Once I hunted with it, I never looked back.

No matter what I’m hunting or where, if it’s legal I’m usually carrying my .338. It’s good out past 400 yards, hits hard and recoil is a non-issue. If I am hunting buffalo where a .338 is legal, I wouldn’t hesitate to use it. I’ve shot game from Klipspringer to eland with it and it’s always been reliable no matter the game. The .338 Winchester might be the perfect elk cartridge! I’ve used this rifle enough that I’m on my 2nd barrel.

Ross, you need a .338!

I to am a fan of the .338 WinMag. It’s my go to elk rifle - shoots flat and hits hard. I have complete confidence in its ability to take an elk from any angle.

I have used the 250 gr. bullet almost exclusively (NP) as it’s the reason to USE a 338WM IMHO. Otherwise, for lighter bullets, I’d simply use my 30-06.

I used a 275 gr. SAF in my 338WM twice in Africa. Penetration was great, but with an SD of 344, I guess one should not be surprised.

I had two .338's and liked them, but I like speed and opted for the .340 Wby and liked it so well also got a .338 Lapua when it appeared as a bargain. The .338 bullet is awesome in particular the Northfork 240 grainer. My bunch of grandsons and my son all use them on Elk sized and larger game. They shine on those across canyon shots we get in Colorado. Good Shooting.

I have hunted with the 338 wm for 37 years and it's awesome. I gave my dad my 300 wm because it was not nearly as good as my 338 wm .I didn't see enough difference between the 3006 and 300 wm to make it worth the recoil or ammo price difference at the tone .The 338 win mag was way above the 3006 in killing power. I let my best friend in Alaska use one of my 338s he loved it .He killed 7 moose in their tracks with it and was totally impressed with it .I have shot 3/4 inch groups with My 338 wm stainles at 200 yards too not shabby .I did buy a 338-378 weathetby for alaska to shoot even further Than the 338 wm .You won't be disappointed with the 338 wm.

I wonder how many animals you shoot with your two rifles and a .338 in the exact same spot with the same yardage, etc. would not have the same results? I suspect few if any.

It's an all-time favorite of mine for elk and as the light rifle for Safari. Its ballistics are not earth shaking, it's not a "Dead right there" caliber, but its sho nuff a "dead right near" on anything.

Well, I up and bought one, so am developing loads now... You all convinced me....

Forum member 458Only has a blog series comparing the 338WM and the 9.3x62 and one may be surprised reading it.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Well, I up and bought one, so am developing loads now... You all convinced me....

My go to load in my 338 is a 250 grain Nosler partition using IMR 4350. From memory I believe it is 70 grains of 4350. That load produces a little over 2800+ FPS from my gun with no problems. I have taken probably 40 various big game animals with that load including at least a dozen elk and I have never recovered a bullet, all have exited. It just flat works no matter what.

quote:

Originally posted by MtElkHunter:

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Well, I up and bought one, so am developing loads now... You all convinced me....

My go to load in my 338 is a 250 grain Nosler partition using IMR 4350. From memory I believe it is 70 grains of 4350. That load produces a little over 2800+ FPS from my gun with no problems. I have taken probably 40 various big game animals with that load including at least a dozen elk and I have never recovered a bullet, all have exited. It just flat works no matter what.

I use a 250 gr TSX @2800,THE GUN IS A 338 Lapua,Dakota African,like your load it just kills like a hammer,biggest game taken a giraffe,one shot through the heart is all it took.The 338's are very efficient.

Bal, I WANT IT BACK!!! :-)

It was almost always my second gun on Safari too back up my double or 404..Why because it was the lightest caliber I trusted to take on a surprise while hunting camp meat or PG. You never know when a mad jumbo or a buff with a snare on his foot, it happens and the 300 are a tad on the light side but a 275 or 300 gr 338 keeps you heathy.

For those reasons I loaded 300-grain Woodleighs for Africa. They were only soft points but I thought they might help against buff if I ran into one at the wrong time.

I hunted with the 338 wm for 35 years and it's awesome. I SHOT game from 3 yards to 425 yards with it .It killed everything usually in its tracks It was the smallest gun I trusted in Alaska .My best friend shot 7 moose with 7 shots with my 338 from 30 yards to 350 yards they all fell in their tracks .He has used 3006 forever and had to shoot moose alot of times to kill them.I wish 338 ammo was as cheap as it use to be .I use to pay $18 a box now its$100 crazy . It's still awesome mine were super accurate mostly ruger 77 and I always shot less than an inch at 100 yards lots of clover leafs groups too .a

Ive used the 338 since the day it hit the market. In all those years I never could never fault it on any thing up to and including Hipp0 and buffalo and I punched 338 solids thru a dead elephant brain and got exit holes wherein my 375 failed on occasion.

Today after all those many years Im playing with a 35 Whelen, a caliber I always played down to the 338 and still feel its not comparable to the 338 or 9.3x62 but it needs not to be, its mild of voice, short on recoil and just a pleasure to shoot for an old timer such as myself,kills "dead right near" long live the whelen..

Ithink the 338 WM is a great caliber, but since I have a 7mm Rem Mag and a 375 Weatherby Mag, no gap needs to be filled in between.

The 338 win mag is awesome .I used it the last 38 years .Its power to me is way above the 3006 and 300 win mag .I shot a ton of deer with it and hogs and bears and even coyotes .I had all super accurate factory rifles with it too unlike 3006 I never had an accurate one of them .I have shot 3/4 inch groups with my ruger 77 in 338 at 200 yards and clover leafs at 100 .I read alot of Elmer Keith and put to test what he said and it worked .It actually was the only rifle i used that hit harder on deer the farther I shot game .My buddy Loyd in alaska took 7 moose with 7 shots with my 338 he borrowed .I like medium heavy barrels on 338 like ruger builds not thin barrels like remington and winchester

My Sako AV’s have medium weight barrels as well, or would, if my Carbine had not been trimmed…