My father and I are going elk hunting for the first time in October. I have killed ~35 whitetails in NC and AL with a Browning 7mm-08. For our elk trip I am considering purchasing a new gun. I have narrowed it down to either a 300 WSM or a 338 WM. At 24 years old and 6', 205 lbs., recoil is not too much of a concern.

What comments do you have on my options? Any other caliber to be considered?

Both are suitable elk cartridges, so if you want one more than the other choose the one you would like to have.

If you are a handloader, both are flexible for other applications. My preference is for a larger caliber, so the .338 Winchester Magnum would appeal to me.

Other cartridge considerations:
1. .358 Norma Magnum
2. .358 STA
3. .375 Weatherby

Best of luck.

I don't see any comparison at all between the two. The 338 WM is the hands down big game choice between these two. You could get by with a 300 Win Mag (not WSM) with 200gr bullets but still have less gun than the 338. The 338 with 225/230 gr bullets kills big heavy game very effectively as far aaway as any sensible person would want to shoot. If you can shoot a 12 gauge with mag loads you'll have no problem with a 338. I think the WSM's are the most limited of the 300's and are already starting to look like history. Ammo for the 338 will also be much more readily available in most US towns and villages than the 300WSM.

I'd go for the .338, for its efficientcy & versitility. The .300 short mag is very capable of taking an elk, butno more so than the .338; & the .338 will allow you to load up a wide selection of very good bullet, whereas the .300 WSM has limitations on bullet size because of OAL.

Dave

I've used both the 338 WM and 300 WSM on elk as well as the 30-06. Since elk hunting won't be a regular thing I'd reccomend the 30-06... you can use it back home and it's completely up to any elk.

quote:

the .300 WSM has limitations on bullet size because of OAL.

Dave

That's just not true in the four 300 WSM's I've loaded for...

Well, this is likely to be a lively thread. Very interesting topic.

I own both calibers and like them both. BUT, for elk hunting I would pick my .338 Win Mag every time.

The heavier bullets of the .338 Win Mag makes it a more versatile "big" game rifle. I really like the .338 Win Mag caliber.

In fact, I had not shot mine in a while so I took it to the range this morning and was quite impressed. I first shot 200 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips in it. Three shot group of 0.64 inches. Then 225 Nosler Partitions, three shot group of 0.75 inches. Then 250 Sierra boat tails, three shot group of 1.25 inches. The best part is they all impacted 2 inches high, perfect windage. (And some of these shells were loaded in 1993.)

I have owned any number of 300 magnums and liked them all.(300H&H, 300 Win Mag, 300 Wby Mag, 300 WSM) But I really like the heavy bullets that you can shoot in the .338 caliber rifles.

Having said that, a caliber you might consider is the 300 Wby Magnum. Using 180 grain Nosler Partitions, the last two 6X6 bulls I shot with it just dropped on the spot, never took a step.

I respectfully submit that recoil is not an issue because you chose such a sensible deer rifle. Not to take the fun out of shopping for a new rifle but have you considered simply stepping up to a premium bullet load for your 7mm08? As for various 300 magnums, but for a half inch of bolt throw it probably hard to beat the plain old 300 Win Mag when it comes to chosing rifles or factory ammo. OTOH a 338 might come in handy when (no, not "if") you travel to Alaska, Canada, and Africa.

338 bore over any 30 cal bore...

however, 30 cal will still work just fine... the 338 bore is just more of a good thing.....

338 Mags have been around a long time..

WSM's, their life span is still a toss up at this point of the game.. especially since their creating company isn't manufacturing rifles for them...

I own and soot both. I prefer the .338WM [less felt recoil bigger bullet]

.338 WM Hands Down



And if recoil is an issue for you (which im sure it won't be since your a bigger guy then I) Just put a brake on it. Or get a Browning with a BOSS on it.

Justin

The 338 win mag...And who ever said it isn,t great for deer hasn,t tried it,,,,,.. Its as good a deer rifle as you could want...From couse deer thru moose the 338 win mag is ideal. Recoil is not an issue with the 338...If you use a good tough bullet you will ruin less meat also!!

jwhite82, welcome to the AR forum. I agree with those that recommend the 338wm. It has a better selection of bulets than the 35 cal., and is almost a universal standard. The 7mm-08 is a good deer round and if you picked your shots and limited your range could work for elk, but I agree that a bigger hole is in order for something as big as an elk. The bigger caliber also helps if the perfect shot isnt offered. For those that live in elk country it isnt that big a deal to wait for next time, but if you are traveling there the bigger caliber will be comforting.
My .02
Eterry

Have you thought about the 300 RUM?

Get yourself a 338-06 and you get the best of both worlds. Larger bore diameter and heavier bullets than 30 cal, but significanlty less recoil than the 338 win mag. You will only lose a couple hundred ft/sec over the win mag, making it a 300 + yard gun. And did I mention, no damn belt.

I have a simple rule,
go with as much barrel length,rifle weight,bullet weight, bore dia.&velocity as possible that you can sensibly tolerate to carry and accurately shoot....for alot of people that means an 8-8.5lb rig chambered in something between 30.06 and 9.3x62.

I've killed all of my elk with either a .270 Win or .30-06 Springfield. You definatly don't need a magnum rilfe to hunt elk, but if you want one go for it. I'd get a regular .300 Win over the WSM or the .338 Win just because ammo is more common around here, that said I don't own either one.

I opted for the .338-06 but if you don't hand load that isn't much of an option. I haven't taken an elk with it yet, wasn't in the cards. I think the .338 Federal should be plenty capable for taking shots at 300 yards +/- if you want a short action rifle and a .338 caliber plus the ammo is available. I've met people who hunt elk with the 7mm-08 with great success around here as well using 150 to 160 grain bullets at moderate ranges.

I've killed all my Elk with a 30/06, most went down just like they should so either of the two cartridges you picked would be adequate, for most Elk under 300 yards your 7mm-08 would do alright with good bullets and careful shooting. No matter what you pick remember these are not deer, Elk have a lot of "go" in them ( lots of life ), sometimes after you've hit one pretty well they just don't give up, other times they drop to the shot. My advice is after you've made a great first shot on one keep shooting until he's down for good.

Well here is my 2 cents . First I do agree with almost everything that has been said

here. That being said I do disagree with a few. Pathfinder can you tell me please

why you think no way the 300WSM ? I am not tring to get in a debate over the 338 or

300WSM are anyhting but would like to know. Even better than that why the 300WM over

the 300WSM ? I have used both of the 300's with great sucess . I how ever have no

knowledge of the 338. But from what I read here and else where this is a fine rife for

Elk and many other animals. I do know ammo is a concern with the 300WSM , but I think

out of all the WSM calibers the 300 is here to stay , more so if you handload. So in

a effort not to steal this line a good thing to do would be put in my vote for the

300WSM . Oh yeh, like alot of you I would bet if you have killed an Elk your first was

not with eiher a 338 or a 300WSM. Mine was a 7 Mag with a 154 gr hornady sp good round

I shoot a 300WSM regularly and love it. I would not hesitate to take on any elk with it. If you are planning on elk hunting on a regular basis go for the 338. If not, a 30 cal that you can use in other situations may be the best route. The old reliable 06 is hard to beat and has taken many elk. Like any animal and bullet,,,,shot placement is the key.

My choice is .338WM. An outstanding elk round

I think the .338 win mag is more versatile than the .300 wsm......................and especially considering you own a 7mm-08 I think the .338 win mag would be a sensible addition to your collection.

I have killed six bulls with a .338 Win but none with a .300 WSM. But last week I visited and shot 1000 yd BR with a guy who builds long range rifles. He showed me a list of the calibers that are used for 1000 yard shooting. I was quite surprised by the number of .300 WSMs on the list - quite a few. I have a .300 SAUM and would not hesitate to use it on elk.

Oh yea, interesting to see the groups shot at the above 1000 yard match. With 50 pound bench rifles you could count on one finger the number of shooters who kept their bullets within a ten inch circle. But I don't want to steal the thread...

My gut instinct says 338WM, but what are your future plans?

Do you plan on doing a lot of elk hunting in the future? Moose, bears, Africa? If yes go with the 338 WM.

If you are just going to do an occasional bigger game hunt then I would go with a 30 caliber. It would cross over nicely as a deer rifle also. I would probably suggest a 300 WM or a plain reliable 30-06 before the WSM but that's your decision.

Bigger caliber kills better, higher velocity kills farther.

I personally chose a 338-06 for my bigger game rifle over my 270 Win. I reload, so ammo has never been a problem.

quote:

Originally posted by jwhite82:
I have narrowed it down to either a 300 WSM or a 338 WM. At 24 years old and 6', 205 lbs., recoil is not too much of a concern.

Because of the above statements, I'd advise you go with the 338. I say, if you can shoot it, then by all means, go for it.

You will not be sorry. The 338 WM is an extrememly impressive caliber. There is no doubt that a 30.06 will work on any elk, but since you wrote that you've already narrowed it down, the 338, IMO, is the best option.

If recoil is not an issue, why not go "whole-hog" and get a .338 RUM?

Then you'll have something for your Alaskan bear hunt, when you go, and you'll have something that no one else on your block has!!!

Well I am going to give you some advice I am sure I will get some flack for. I would skip on the new rifle as you already have a good feel for your 7mm-08. I would use a good bullet like a 160 Nolser Accubond. Instead of buying a new rifle for yourself either buy a really good range finder and some really good bino's or both. My hunting buddy has shot 75 Elk over his hunting career. He has shot them with anything from a 257 Weatherby to a 416 Rem. He got a new girl friend 2 years ago and has taught her how to hunt. He has her using a 6.5-06 with a 140 Sierra gameking. She shot a Cow this year with it at over 300 yards. The cow went about 10 yards stumbled a fell over. You have plenty of rifle already. A 300 WSM will shoot 200gr bullets and it is not going anywhere. Remington just started to offer it this year. Now if you want to take 500 yard shots then I would look at a 7mm wsm, 300 wsm, 300win, or a 338.

quote:

Originally posted by jwhite82:
My father and I are going elk hunting for the first time in October. I have killed ~35 whitetails in NC and AL with a Browning 7mm-08. For our elk trip I am considering purchasing a new gun. I have narrowed it down to either a 300 WSM or a 338 WM. At 24 years old and 6', 205 lbs., recoil is not too much of a concern.

What comments do you have on my options? Any other caliber to be considered?

J, have you ever fired a 300 WSM or 338 WM... both are quite a step up in recoil.

I'm going to reiterate: GET A 30-06!

You'll enjoy shooting it, it uses the same powders as the 7-08 and has similar trajectopries with various bullets as the 30-06.

Also, as was suggested above, the 7-08 with a good gullet (140 TSX) would be fine.

I think alot of posters on this thread have been a little hard on the WSM........I was certainly one of the naysayers on this stubby little case from the get go , but after actually shooting and loading for one , I've got to say I am pleasantly surprised and impressed with the slick feeding , chronoed ballistics , and the moderate recoil and muzzle blast . And there is little doubt a 180gr @3000 is going to dump any elk its properly pointed at , or if you expect close cover , a 200 gr Nosler @2800 shouln't excactly bounce off either.

Then you have some nice , flat shooting options to pick from , with 150 s to 165 s at 3100 to 3300 fps if you ever decide to go after pronghorns or mulies in open country , or for beanfield hunting on your home turf , for that matter .

The 270 and 300 WSM cartridges are not going to go away , rest assured on that issue . I know they have sold very , very , well in this country and even farm supply stores have stacks of the ammo on the shelve......WSM ammo is much more abundant in this neck of the woods than 338........I just cannot visialize having a big problem finding ammo in any decent big game country in the USA.

So it may boil down to which rifle FEELs the best to you.........you've been using a short action for a number of years and you may want to stick with that format..

Here's my two cents for what it's worth.

I'm surprised no one has suggested the 375 H&H. Buliwyf got close with the .375 Weatherby, which is also an excellent round, but no one has suggested the H&H, so let me do that.

While I don't disgaree that the 7mm-08 with premium bullets would probably work just fine with careful shot selection, if this is a first elk hunt or only elk hunt for the forseeable future, more gun would likely be better. Personally, I would not want to have to pass on a good animal because I didn't have enough gun if this was my only opportunity.

The 338 Win Mag is an excellent choice. I am actually thinking of adding a stainless/synthetic one to complement my wood/walnut .375. The bullet selection is tremendous, which makes the cartridge quite versatile. And, as others have noted, it complements the existing 7mm-08 nicely.

Regards,

LWD

338 WinMag with 225 gr. Northfork bullets in front of a case load of Reloader 15 is the right elk medicine.

go .338 win mag. I just can't ever seem to get those stubby little wsm's into the chamber properly without dropping them or something.

I love it... cannons for bullet proof elk.

Then we digress into 100fps being better than the next 'mag' or that 20gr of bullet is really that much of an improvement. LOL

Why not get a 416? If you're driving around on your ATV all day by all means get 375 or what ever paper wieght you want. Personally I like to go about as light as I can when I'm humping hills all day long. I coudln't even fathom packing my M70 375 up into my elk spot for a day trip. A 9.5lb rifle??? I'd rather take my 280 mt rifle and have at it.

I agree with Brad, get a 30-06 and call it a day. The 300WSM is not that much diffrent though.

If you can shoot a 338 as well as you can shoot your 7-08 go for it. I've seen a whole lot of people that own 338's and not many of them can shoot them all that well. Sure MOE (min of elk) and thats usually just fine.

IMO 'elk' rifles start at about 7-08 and go up from there. They are not bullet proof and are not that difficult to kill. I have no idea how many I've seen shot but its a pile... Big bodied bulls can take some lead, and if you're going on a hunt that has a likely hood of running into a true big boy then get a big boy rifle... AKA a 30-06 and up.

My latest 'elk' rifle is a 338-06, kind of the best of both worlds. Light recoil, and in a fairly light rifle. My hands down go to rifle for elk is a 7mag, a close second would be the 280 or 30-06.

Over the years on these boards, the guys that usually preach about needing a cannon for elk are the guys that kill one about ever 2-3 years at most or have been on a few guided hunts.

I'll bet if you called up 10 elk guides and asked what they would rather have you bring to camp... a 30-06 or a 338WM? They would perfer that you show up with the 30-06 because most people can shoot them well.

Any of the calibers listed on the page would do just fine for elk. It has often been said the 338 with a 225 grain bullet is the best elk medicine money can buy.

Great comment on the .375 H&H. Agreed!

The .375 H&H can be fired from the .375 Weatherby chamber. However, the brass will be fire-formed to .375 Weatherby case demisions.

B

Both are excellent choices... I, like others that have posted before, prefer the larger caliber... This year, if we get drawn, I'll be hunting with a 338-378 Weatherby... Bit over the top for power and range but it will certainly get the job done... I've seen others here mention the likes of the 375 H&H and that certainly wouldn't be a bad choice either...

That said, which ever you prefer will work.. My previous elk rifle (and it will be my backup) is the tried and true 30-06.... I simply prefer the larger caliber...

Ken....

quote:

Originally posted by Ivan:
I'll bet if you called up 10 elk guides and asked what they would rather have you bring to camp... a 30-06 or a 338WM? They would perfer that you show up with the 30-06 because most people can shoot them well.

Actually, I did just that, and the response was, "bring whatever you shoot best, the bigger the better though."

I do not shoot a 338 that much, but the recoil was unremarkable to me. I borrowed one from my guide in Alberta this past spring for my bear hunt so I didn't have to mess with my rifles and crossing the border. I brought my own ammo, 225 AB Winchester ammo (worked great).

Shot his 338 every day. Was not a big deal.

I have a great .06 and wouldn't hesitate to take it elk hunting, but why not go ahead and take the larger caliber if one shoots it well?

You hit it spot on though with your 338-06. You are exactly right, best of both worlds.

I've hunted elk with calibers ranging from the .270Win to the .375H&H (gotta have some fun) for more years than I want to think about. Although everything in this range can and did kill an elk, there are some unique things that apply only to you.
First, as has been commented on, this might be your only elk hunt. You don't want to hunt with a minimalist cartridge. Some of the cartridges are great for that perfect shot, but you don't have the time to hunt every year to wait for that shot. I'm not talking about Texas Heart Shots, I mean the quartering shots that you often get.
Second, unless you are going horseback into the far reaches, you will see other elk hunters. Your cartridge needs to put the elk down NOW. I'm a Coloradoan and see wounded elk escape hunters every year. Sometimes someone else will finish an elk off, then tag it. Your loss.
Third, if this turns out to be a grand experience, you may decide to come out more often. My cousin from Michigan decided to come out on what was to be a one-time hunt. He was on his third hunt this year and now plans on coming every other year.
Fourth, you may decide to hunt moose, bear, etc., later on. Here the larger cartridges shine.
My go-to rifle is a .338 WSM, yeah, a wildcat, on a Rem 700 left-hand short action. I also have a .338-06. Sold my .338WinMag to a friend who just had to have it. If you handload, you have a wide choice of bullets available and can load either up or down for whatever you want to hunt. Use Enough Gun is not just an African saying, it needs to be applied here, also.

quote:

Originally posted by nordrseta:
I respectfully submit that recoil is not an issue because you chose such a sensible deer rifle. Not to take the fun out of shopping for a new rifle but have you considered simply stepping up to a premium bullet load for your 7mm08? As for various 300 magnums, but for a half inch of bolt throw it probably hard to beat the plain old 300 Win Mag when it comes to chosing rifles or factory ammo. OTOH a 338 might come in handy when (no, not "if") you travel to Alaska, Canada, and Africa.

Exactly, the 7-08 will do it easily if you can shoot, if you can't, the .338 will likely make it worse. Otoh, if you've got to have a .338, I"ve got two I'll sell you, one or both, one relatively cheap, a .338 Tikka NIB, or one more expensive a Win M70 supergrade, in very good condition. BTW, if I had to choose between the two cartridges for elk hunting, I'd take the .300 WSM.

prof242-I also run a 338 WSM and would like to know what you like to run in yours?

PM me if you like.

Many thanks

Mark D