Just received a NIB Beretta Mato 338 win mag. Here are my plans, but would appreciate any input.

Have a 3x9x50 Zeiss coming. Put on Talley fixed rings and bases.

Thinking about taking it to Briley here in Houston and having their flush fit muzzle brake put on after having an inch cut off the 24" barrel. That's to keep it from being too long.

Plan to break in the barrel by cleaning after each of the first 10 shots, then after every 2 shots for the next ten. Using Barnes CR10 followed up by a patch of Break Free.

Plan on starting with WW brass for the break in and load development followed with Norma brass for hunting and fine tuning. Probably about 72 gr IMR4831 or IMR4350 with 210 gr TSX, 225 gr TSX, or 225 gr Accubond. Fed 215M primers.

Any suggestions?

damn boy--you kill one elk and go stark raving steril. this is not your wife talking but what more could you ask for than what the .300 did just a week or so ago. with that said i think that you should turn over all rights to the beretta to me. i don't own any caliber larger than .284 so i have a legitamate need. again congrats on the new piece.

bounty hunter

Woods,
Congrats on the new 338. It happens to be one of my favorite calibers. I get some very nice groups with the 250 Nosler and 74 grains of H-4831 in front of Fed. 215s at about 2750 fps. Personally, the 50mm scope is a little big. I would prefer the the Zeiss with the 40mm objective and have one on my 300 Wby. My 338 wears a 2.5-8x Leupold, and I like it well. I would also leave the bbl. at 24 inches and forget the muzzle brake. The 338 just doesn't kick that bad. Just my 0.02. You shelled out the money. Please keep us posted with how it ends ups. The Mato ought to be pretty nice as it is. I know it is hard to leave a rifle alone, believe me.

bounty hunter

You're right, it was not a case of need. However, I always said that if I came across a 338 win mag with a suitably heavy barrel, CRF, synthetic stock, well made and known for accuracy, then I'd take the plunge. Also, I like my Mato 300 win mag a lot and it is a 1/2" shooter, so when I ran up on this 338 Mato, I had to go for it (don't tell my wife, what she doesn't know doesn't hurt me )

Magnum

Good suggestion on the 250 gr Partition, and I might try them. Haven't been able to get the accuracy from them that I have gotten from the TSX's or Accubonds though. The 50mm had a wider field of view (which I prefer) and should be better at dawn and dusk. I think I will shoot it before I get the muzzle brake put on, maybe the stock design on this Mato will work with the 338. I used to own a Sako 338 and it kicked hard enough that I put a brake on it. The same Briley flush design and it looked good and helped a lot. Made the gun too long though.

Yeah, the Mato has a Lothar Walther barrel, a Dakota 97 CRF action, a Shilen trigger, and an HS Precision composite stock. A lot of gun for $800.00

I second that, a muzzlebrake on a .338 just makes it noisier, IMO and my hunting partner had one of those Matos in .338 with a brake. Some of them have had feeding issues, but, the basic design is pretty sound; I have had the more spendy version, the Dakota 76-.338 for over a decade and it will SHOOT!

Best cartridge going, not bad to shoot and it certainly works.

Thanks kutenay

What load are you shooting?

I use the NP Gold Molyfree over 77-RE-22 in WW brass with mag. primers, both Fed. 215 and CCI 250s work in this rifle. This is a warmish load and it boots you, but, it shoots and penetrates through and through even 6x6 Elk on quartering shots; any really good Elk load will also do just fine for Moose and Grizzlies.

I consider these quite the buy for $800.00 although I might try to change out the clip system, but, that is mostly due to being a mossybacked old phart whose rifle preferences are locked into about 1940 or so!

Don't get a muzzle break there friggin terrible !! you will be fine with .338 innie recoil, sounds like you have a great rifle !!

Woods,

Great rifle: a Dakota action and Lothar Walther barrel.

I used to shoot 210 Nosler Partitions in my Ruger .338 Win Mag, I think you will find that recoil is not that bad with the lighter bullets. I would not bother with chopping the barrel.

Good hunting.

jim

quote:

Plan on starting with WW brass for the break in and load development followed with Norma brass for hunting and fine tuning. Probably about 72 gr IMR4831 or IMR4350 with 210 gr TSX, 225 gr TSX, or 225 gr Accubond. Fed 215M primers.

Any suggestions?

I'd suggest save your money and just shoot the Win. brass, dump the TSXs, IMR4831, IMR4350 and Accubonds and not to mention the 215M primers.
Get yourself some RE19, about 73grs., 225 Interbonds and WLR primers, and you should have one shooting Mato.

Buy some cheap bullets for the break-in, like some old Win. bullets or something along that line, Interbonds are much too good for breaking-in chores. Jay

Thanks

Was thinking of using TSX's for break in because the copper is softer and not "gilded copper" like on most bullets. Might be easier to clean out of the chatter marks and other imperfections than the harder copper. Got some RL19 which is about the burn rate of IMR4350, never got as good accuracy out of my other rifles as 4350, but this might be a good chance to give it another try. Seems like most guns I have broken in don't shoot really good until about 100 rounds anyway.

Thanks for the input. Definitely gonna hold off on the brake until after I shoot a few dozen rounds now.

Question is, how am I going to tell my 300 win mag and my 338 win mag apart since they are twins.

O K Bubba just keep rubbin' it in.

Hey BH

Know where there is another Mato NIB in 30-06 and 7 mag that you could probably get for $800.00.

Now a 7 mag would hardly kick at all and would be a perfect all around gun.....but then.....so would the 30-06.

Come on, BH, you need another gun, don't you

Besides, these guns are discontinued and after they are all gone then the value will go up. I'm talking another pre '64 type investment.

Gotta go for it man.

Woods,

Good call on shooting it before braking it. I don't think a 338 Win needs a brake if it has a decent stock with proper LOP and scope eye relief. I used 250gr NPs for many years in my 338 Lapua with good results on elk, but this year tried the Barnes 210 TSXs and have been VERY happy with the accuracy and terminal performance. IMHO the 338 is THE elk caliber and it does a pretty good job on mulies too!

John

thanks for the offer but i want your .338. i think that it's only fair

b h

by the way, how much is 4.32kg.

Hey BH

Just thought I would let you know what you're missing

http://dealer.berettausa.com/photo_viewer_detail.cfm?photoid=2554



4.32 kg, is that what it weighs?

yes sir!!!

b h

p s i bit way before you ragged me in public, hell i even found two for sale but they were $995.00ea too bad they don't have one in .280AI

I just finished another hunting season with my 338 Win Mag. I missed a 3 point Blacktail, and scored on a 4 point Whitetail. I own 2 Model 70's, and the one I use the most likes 70.5 grains of IMR 4350 stuffed into Federal brass, topped off with 210 Nosler Partitions. Ignition comes from CCI 250 primers. Velocity runs right at 2910 out of a 26" barrel.

This is a killer on game. I've only recovered one bullet so far. A front quartering shot on a Cow Elk. The bullet lodged in her right rear ham, just under the skin. Picture perfect mushroom. I've never needed more than one shot. Bang, flop. I like it like that.

I don't mind the recoil on the lighter bullets, but the 250's can rock you around quite a bit. 210's work for me just fine. I'm going to work up some of the Barnes Triple shocks next.

I met a guy this year while Elk hunting who hunts with a muzzle break on his 338 Win Mag. Sure wouldn't want to be standing next to him when he lit it off...

I've had a .338 Mag for years. I once matched it with the "IDENTICAL" rifle , only in .300 Win Mag. I found that at the same velocity (3050 fps), the .300 Mag with a 180 grain bullet had substantially more "felt" recoil than the .338 with a 210 gr Nosler Partition. I sold the .300 Mag and will always have the .338 in my gun safe. My A-Bolt loves the 210 gr Partition with IMR 4350. I use 71.5 gr and get 3050 fps from the 26" barrel. Since you already have the same rifle in .300, take them both to the range and shoot them side by side with your eyes closed trying to really feel the recoil impulse. I think you might be surprised as to which one has more recoil. Oh, before I forget, don't cut the barrel down, 24" is a good length for a .338 though I prefer a 26" and have not found the longer barrel to be a hinderance in any way.

quote:

Originally posted by bowhuntrrl:
I've had a .338 Mag for years. I once matched it with the "IDENTICAL" rifle , only in .300 Win Mag. I found that at the same velocity (3050 fps), the .300 Mag with a 180 grain bullet had substantially more "felt" recoil than the .338 with a 210 gr Nosler Partition. I sold the .300 Mag and will always have the .338 in my gun safe. My A-Bolt loves the 210 gr Partition with IMR 4350. I use 71.5 gr and get 3050 fps from the 26" barrel. Since you already have the same rifle in .300, take them both to the range and shoot them side by side with your eyes closed trying to really feel the recoil impulse. I think you might be surprised as to which one has more recoil. Oh, before I forget, don't cut the barrel down, 24" is a good length for a .338 though I prefer a 26" and have not found the longer barrel to be a hinderance in any way.

My experience between the two has been the same. I have an almost matched set of Winchester M70s, one in .300 Win. mag., the other the .338 Win. Mag., and both rifles weighing within two ounces of each other, the .300 being the heavier of the two. I loaded up max loads for each rifle with 200 gr. bullets. The felt recoil from the .300 mag. was the heavier of the two. I think it's due to the "rocket effect" of the gases escaping from the smaller bore. No matter, I like then both.
Paul B.

Great rifle in one of the world's most useful calibers. Loaded with X bullets or Nosler Partitions, I use .338 to hunt everything short of elephant or rhino.

I would avoid the muzzle break. I wouldn't hunt with one, nor would I hunt with anyone else that was using one. More and more guides are starting to say the same. Put a good recoil pad on it and go hunting.

Congradulations on your 338. I own the 338 RUM and I have a brake that I can take off and put a thread cover on to protect the threads. When I go hunting with this gun I don't use the brake. The only time I do use it is when I'm at the range. And I shoot Nosler Partitions. They go faster.

Well it's got a short throat. Seated the 210 and 225 TSX's right out to the last cannelure. Still .3" of clearance in the mag.

So far so good. Waiting on the scope.

I sold my .300 after getting my .338 Model 70 Super Grade some years ago and like the .338 much better. I would advise against the muzzle break - the recoil is just not that bad. Oh, and it kills Elk very very dead and may just be the best caliber for use on Elk out there.

Qualities that I like very much about the 338 are its lack of fussiness to reloaded ammunition and its uncanny accuracy, as well as its great selection of bullets. This is one bore size that all bullets are serious hunting bullets, even those lacking weight and sectional density. This cannot be said about its closest competetion the 8m/m Rem and the various 35 calibres. IMO it is the best calibre to come along in the last 50 years.

According to a recoil calculator I found

http://sst.benchrest.com/recoil.html

the recoil on the loads I will probably be shooting is 38 on the 300 win mag and 41 on the 338 win mag, about 8% more. I can shoot the 300 all day long so I will give the 338 a go around before I think again about the muzzle brake.

Still waiting on that scope - come on Jon

I think that is avery wise decision if you are at all concerned about the recoil. Also recoil is a very subjective thing, not mention such variables as rifle fit, weight, etc.

The recoli I feel in my 338 WM is soft. I have a medium weight rifle (4.15 Kg ), I use light bullets (180-200 gr) and not very hot loads. I use medium burning powders, and I get with these bullets soft recoil in my rifle. I have shooted with a rifle of this caliber, (338 WM) with a muzzle brake and it is very noisy. I think there are other proposal to reduce vthe recoil (increase the weight, use mild loads with medium burning powders, use recoil mercury break in the stock...)

Update

Won't need the muzzle brake. Shoots like a sweetheart. Never had any fear that the scope might redecorate my handsome face ! Did shoot like it meant real business though.

Shot 2 different bullets, 225 & 210 TSX's with 3 different powders. It shot all of them into an inch even though cleaning it every shot the first 10 and every other shot the next 10.

Best break in results of any new rifle so far.

woods,

Nice! I can appreciate your remark about scope cut. I found out (it's sort of like a duh! head slapper moment) that if I didn't have to worry about the scope getting me I could shoot pretty heavy calibers fairly well. In my "pre-knowledge" days I had a Rem 700 300 Win that I really didn't like to shoot...it didn't bite me but it knocked my shooting glasses every shot. HELLO proper LOP and scope set up For my 6'4" frame the standard LOP didn't get it done and my scope was set too far back as well.

Now when I set up a rifle the LOP is considered and the scope is mounted for max eye relief. If you're not worried about getting cut you can concentrate on better shooting! I shoot a Sako TRG-S 338 Lapua, several 375 H&Hs, 416 Rigbys and a 458 Lott, all scoped and with proper set up I am confident they won't get me unless I do something dumb (and forget proper technique). That was a BIG breakthrough to me shooting heavier stuff.

John

3rd round shot today.

Tried RL22 and RL19 for 225 gr TSX's and 225 Accubonds.
IMR4350 and IMR4831 for 210 gr TSX's. My gun definitely does not like IMR4350! Shot a 3/8" group with the TSX 225 gr RL19 @ 75 gr MV 2871. IMR4831 worked best with the TSX 210 gr @ 73 gr MV 2930.

Going to focus on RL19 and 225 gr TSX's, load a few and try to shoot something before the end of the season.