If you can shoot a .338 RUM well you'll have no problems with a decently stocked .375 of equal weight. The .338 RUM is a very good cartridge and in reality equal to or superior to the .375 H&H in effect on game. I've used one in Africa on quite a few plain game including Zebra and the results were very very satisfactory. Penetration is phenomenal and recoil is relatively mild IMHO.In my view the .338 RUM also makes due as a fine tactical rifle round where extreme penetration is required.-Rob

If you are able to shoot the 338 Rum you can handle the 375 HH easily enough and the 375 Rum isn't that much more if you have the correct stock and recoil pad. I got really beat up by mine shooting hot reloads before I put a limbsaver on it. It is now a hard kicking but controllable rifle to shoot. Going up to a 416- mine is a Taylor- isn't that much more of a jump but were I to buy only one or only keep one it would be the 375 Rum for the versatility it offers in shooting heavy for caliber premium bullets and for being able to load down for just fun shooting.
One thing I do when I have my larger caliber rifles- 458wm and 458 Lott- out to shoot, is to take the 338 or 375 along and start with those before going up to the heavy bangers.
I might also say that if you are planning to find a rifle for a Safari or for hunting larger more dangerous game that you look at finding two of the same inclination for that perupose. I plan to use a 375 HH and a 458WM both on Whitworth rifles for my Africa hunting. I practice with them as a pair very often and switch back and forth between them. It is like shooting the same rifle only one kicks a little more. They are both common calibers readily found in the bush and both will do the work on most anything I will ever hunt by choice or accident. JUst my plan.
Frank

I finally had the opportunity to try a 338 Remington Ultra Mag� at the shooting range. No, not a true big bore, but nobody seems to shoot really big guns where I practice.



I wanted to see & feel how bad the recoil really is- given that many people on this forum and others have made it seem like beating your shoulder with a sledgehammer!



My conclusions are as follows:



1. While I did only fire two shots through the unbraked Rem Sendero, the .338RUM recoil was manageable-off a bench. Felt like a hard jab from a 3" 12 gauge slug. I could probably have shot 20 rounds over 2-3 hours without enough pain to cause me to throw my shots.



The rifle I used was loaded with factory Premier Ultra Mag 250gr. Pointed Soft Point Core-Lokt� bullets at stated Velocity of 2860fps.



Is this considered a light load? How much foot pounds of recoil and recoil velocity would this produce out of an approx. 9.25 pound scoped Rem. Sendero?



How might this recoil energy compare to the other RUMs or a 375 H&H? Or the 300 RUM (180gr.) or 7mm RUM (160gr.) or a 375 RUM (270gr.) at same rifle weight?



Reason for asking is that I would like to assume?? that since I can handle the .338 RUM like I did, then I should be able to handle a 375 to 416 and the other RUMs with practice.



What are your thoughts?



Thanks!

Canadian Lefty- here is the thing, you're shooting a Sendero that rifle has a whole lot of barrel weight. And that is one of the keys to shooting a bigger round.

If, you're gonna have a 375 or a 416 in a Sendero type of configuration then I'd say your thought process is on the right track. If you're gonna have them in a the typical sporter weight then you will be in for a bit of a suprise.

I like my tubes for the bigger rounds to be at or about .7" at the muzzle, and this make for them to be very controllable.

Now if you're gonna have a typical 375 /416 I'd suggest you find a M700 BDL in a 338 RUM and then have at it. You are gonna find a fairly different critter in your hands.

Just something to think about.

I have a ton of 340 experience which is a 338 RUM in my mind and have worked with it with light and with heavier tubes, so I have a bit of experience with this subject.

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dogz

Thanks all!

I now feel much better about going for the big bores!

I'll be back in 2 weeks, see my post in Canadian Hunting Forum.

Cheers!

BTW, my 300WSM should get a good work-out at long range.