Okay so here we go...I've looked at a 338 Marlin the other day at the store and have considered buying one.

Does it have the staying power to justify buying one?

Only 1 round offered by 1 maker. I do reload, but current components are very limited. Virgin brass is not available and really one bullet is designed for the cartridge.

.338 is my favorite rifle bullet diameter so I've asked myself the same question. .338 Federal seems like it would be a great cartridge, but Sako has discontinued production of .338 Federal and has remaining inventory discounted for sale. .338 Ruger also seems like a great cartridge and is also too new to know if it will last. I doubt 338 Marlin will be around long term, however if that is the cartridge/rifle that trips your trigger go ahead and buy it. There's nothing wrong with having odd ball cartidges, however realize that if you decide to sell it you will probably take a beating on your initial investment. My most valuable gun is a .338-06. I would never part with it, but I'm sure if I ever tried to trade it locally I would first have to explain what it is.

If you do buy one with the intent of owning it long term, I would recommend buying enough brass to last a life time. If they discontinue the cartridge Hornady would probably stop making the .338 Flex Tip bullets, but you could always find round nose .338 diameter bullets. They just wouldn't have as high of a ballistic coefficient.

About the only cartridge that still presents any long term challenge to the primacy of the 30 WCF is the 45/70. The 444 Marlin has had a good run but I imagine the 45/70 has stolen much of its thunder. When I was younger the 35 Remington cartridge was a well-liked standard in the 336, but even it is rarely seen these days. All the other lever action wannabes of our generation: 7-30 Waters, 307 Winchester, 356 Winchester, 375 Winchester, 450 Marlin have come and gone. There is no reason to believe the 308 or 338 Marlin will fair any better than the other pretenders. As for staying power how much do you need? 500 case will last a lifetime. Stock up on the gummybear bullets and enjoy yourself. Should they run out before you do a fella might make a jig with which to form flatnose slugs from other .338 bullets, or you could get a flatnose bullet mold and cast your own.

The other fish in the pot is that it is a Marlin offering. Both the 35 Remington and 444 are not big sellers but Marlin continues to keep them alive in the product line. The 338 ME is the best ballistic offering they make so it may fare better. I bought a 308ME in the XLR and wish I would have known there would be a .338 before I bought mine. I agree with the rest, get many cases and a set of dies.

I've seen round nose bullets in .338. Do you think they would perform as well as the gummybear bullets?

I suppose if I keep my shots within 200 yards (as I try to do) I should just opt for the venerable 45-70 and load to it's potential.

Good question.
Undoubtedly, the .338 is an excellent caliber. The same goes for the .308 as well. The .308 Win is overshadowed by the .30-06, dunno why! (Although I personally have an allergy towards the .308.)

I think that due to the good availability of bullets and because the caliber is a good one filling in not just a niche but rather a gap in the choice of the levergunners it will actually survive.
On a personal note, though, I wish that we will see more bullets being offered with the soft tip. This would further improve the usability.
With light bullets it would shoot flat, and with heavier it will be good for biggish game in Africa. Not a DG rifle but good up to eland and with solids you could take giraffe, too, I believe. As to North American game, there really isn't anything that the .338 Marlin isn't perfectly good for.

If I look at the .308, it is a fairly close call to the .30-30 and therefore I doubt if it will fare well however good it may be in real life.

If anyone feels this post was worth anything, he may mail me $0.02.

- Lars/Finland

I don't know how it affects you as a reloader but no I don't think it will last. I just don't see a big following for it. Before I get corrected, I'm not saying it may not be a wonderfully practical gun and load, I'm simply saying I don't think they will sell very many.

Nope, it is likely a plan by the same group of engineers that brought us the WSM, SAUM, WSSM, and the RCMs. A marketing ploy to sell some new rifles to the "it's new, gotta have it..." crowd.
If they made it in .356Win, I would buy one of those tomorrow. It's a rimmed .358 Winchester (uses the same dies) and should be just the Cat's Ass for anything on this continent, including the big bears.

Rich
stick with the classics, the only worthwhile wheel was invented thousands of years ago.

My thoughts exactly guys. The theory is sound, but not warranted. I think I'll focus on classic cartridges. It'll likely be like many of the recent cartridges that only fill a small (and expensive) niche. Namely the 480ruger and 450marlin

I'm leaning a little more towards the 45-70 now.

Nothing wrong with the 45/70. Its been around a long time and works well. I'm just a lever action type guy and I have lots of levers with oddball chamberings The upside is that I do cast my own and handload.

Speaking from the retail angle, the 338 Marlin was DOA (dead on arrival). It will not displace the 45/70, 30-30, or any of the standard handgun cartridge chamberings. All of the manufacturers are bringing out new catridges to get the consumer to buy a new gun. None of the new catridges do anything that a current catridge doesn't already do.

Follow you instincts. You get one suppier of uncommon ammo, no components for reloading, only an unavailable powder can duplicate factory ballistics, what else could you want? Check out a BLR in the available, old, original, full power calibers.

Hm!

I must say I'm most disappointed with this discussion. Not that anyone is wrong, but I had very high hopes for this caliber, myself; especially as so many of the same class cartridges have not fared well. Maybe they are the precedent, then...
If a caliber does not sell, of course it will die away: the customer decides.
What I am rather surprised about is thet there seems to be no real demand for a middle-class caliber between the .30/30 and .45-70. I mean, look at the .358, the mentioned .356 etc. and none of them became popular, yet those who use them are very pleased, indeed.
Another contributing factor may be that many of these are rimmed cartridges for which there is little demand outside the lever action guns. For the doubles and single-shots there are many good choices, and we haven't really seen any new ones there, either in a good long time, have we (except the .30R Blaser)? Any of those, of course, with a flat-point bullet would be a good choice for the lever actions, too.

- Lars

For this cartridge to last, Marlin has to get a lot more rifles chambered for it into distribution. I have yet to see one in the flesh. This old crap about breathlessly introducing a new caliber and letting someone like Craig Boddington kill something with it on video, and then a year later still no guns available is a sure way to cool everyone's jets and assure a marketing failure. I am really tired of if.

Schauckis,

there is a reason for the failure of these "boutique" cartridges. They are like a hot air balloon. Lots of flash, and mostly hot air. The perfect in-between (between 30-30 & 45-70) cartridge for a lever rifle already exists; the 35 Remington. 200gr bullet at 2450+fps and a 250gr at 2300+fps. What more can you ask for?

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
The perfect in-between (between 30-30 & 45-70) cartridge for a lever rifle already exists; the 35 Remington. 200gr bullet at 2450+fps and a 250gr at 2300+fps.

Wow. Buffalo Bore's 220 @ 2200 is fast as I've seen. Where did you get your data?

The round sounds promising and the gun is a gem, but will ammo be available. I had a .308MX and the ammo was/is hard to find. I had to sell it cuz I needed the cash but I did love the rifle. I just recently replaced it with a Browning BLR in .308 Winchester and am very happy. Ammo is no problem.

The .338 amrlin is sopposed to give .30-06 ballistics. Why not get a Winchester 95 ,ir Browning BLR in .30-06? Just things to think about.

I'm not too big on Wildcat cartidges, I like sticking with the tried and true.

Just my $.02

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Z.:
The .338 amrlin is sopposed to give .30-06 ballistics. Why not get a Winchester 95 ,ir Browning BLR in .30-06?

I was going to say something along those lines myself.
Problem with the Win 1895 is of course they don't make them new (OK, I know about the custom shop version, but it's not really within every man's budget!). "Problem" being relative: I have two of them...

- Lars

I like the idea of a BLR in '06 or 358Win. I think that's where I might look. There is something about the 45-70 that will probably win however.

I'm actually looking into the Wild West Copilot as an option. My friend in Fairbanks is going to place an order in 50 Alaskan for float hunting bear and moose.

Schauckis,

they DO make them new. There are dozens floating around in various internet sales URLs. Another run is coming in time for the SHOT Show in January in Las Vegas.

Rich

I have a new USARC Winchester 95 in .405 Win and I bought it new a couple of years ago. They are around and in my opinion a hell of a fine gun. I just saw a .30-06 95 SRC in a gun shop so they are there. They are spendy but they a very nice. I don't regret spending the $.



Just my $.02

To simply answer your question, yes, the 338 Hornady load will "last" and I suspect the load is made to a sweet spot just as the 450 marlin load was made to a sweet spot the 45-70 runs at, a 350 grain bullet running around 2000fps. In order to fill that "gap" between the 30-30 and 45-70/450 (I have three of each) I bought the 35 rem. I'd like to see a comparison between the 338 and 35 rem.

Nanook, the 35 rem vs 338me would be a very interesting comparison.

No the .338 Marlin will not last. Also 'Nanook', the .450 Marlin is all but already dead in this part of the country. The .338 Marlin ammo has also been hard to get.
In the levers, best to stick with the traditional rounds. Bullet makers will be making flat points for them for many years to come for the handloaders.
Have not yet seen any FPs for the .338 designed to run at the Marlin velocities, and I work in a large gun shop; so I have seen what's been available.
If I felt the need for a .338 in that case size, I would buy a .338 Federal in a good bolt gun and be done with it.
Don't have anything against the Marlin round, but simply do not think it will last.

welllll,

if you can't load a 45-70 up to 450 specs, it's because you believe too much of the BS coming out of factories these days. If you don't reload call Cor-Bon. Several people on this forum have killed everything on the Dark Continent with lever 45-70's. Cleanly.

Rich

Oh well, the 338 ME may not last but dont let that stop you getting one. If you like if buy it and some dies and bullets. No big deal. Whos cares if they keep making it if you have the capacity for reloading and casting. I have many guns of different calibers. Buy getting the od ball ones you will be less apt to sell it in the furute because some of these same people will not want a so called obsolete caliber. My favorite has been the win 95 in 405 for many years and for the longest no one made factory ammo for it soooo what. Now low and behold Hornady makes some very nice 300FP at 2200. Thats half of the fun hunting with something no one else has!
JM2CW

This cartridge is a great between cartridge.

The 45-70 is a great cartridge - it just has a “ballistic path” as curved as the everyday rainbow.

The 30 -30 - brilliant up “close-up” “in your face” deer cartridge - just don’t shoot over 200 yards.

The 338me is the cartridge to reach down and grab the lever gun by the bollocks and pull it into the "modern era" - just a pity the "old boys" can’t see a good thing - even if it stands up and bites them in the arse.

How many of the detractors have actually taken the time to look at the ballistics? - be careful if you do - it will shock you to see how closely it resembles the old - "o six" curve - and that out of a lever gun that can reach out to 300 \ 400 yards with enough wallop to put an elk on it's arse?

Did anyone else see this? - For a "DOA" or still born - there seems to be a light of hope eh?

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewP...productNumber=298814

" Remington Premier Ammunition 338 Marlin Express 250 Grain Soft Point Box of 20"


BTW - I own a 338 ME - best bloody thing I have bought since landing this side of the pond....



..--..

If you are worried, buy 500 pieces of brass and enjoy.

New calibers are most certainly brought out to sell guns. As far as "filling a gap in the line"as some would say, the .30/06 will do everything from varmints to brown bear. I am guilty of trying new calibers for the fun of it, whether they are needed or not, and that is a large part of what keeps our gun manufacterors going. If they only made 30/06, soon everyone would have a 30/06 and they would go out of buisiness, and then, no new '06's either. My suggestion is ,if you like a gun,and can afford it, buy it. That is helping keep our hobby afloat,IMHO

It might. There seems to be a bunch of hunters that want to turn the traditional lever gun into a long range performer. Evidently shooting past 200 yards with a lever gun interests lots of folks. I live and hunt in Alaska and the .338 Win. Mag. has been my favorite caliber for this state and the hunting I do. Still, I would love to have a lever gun that was .35 caliber and shot a 250 grain bullet at 2300 fps mv. I must be in the minority. The reality of it is there area lots more deer and elk hunters in the "states" then there are moose hunters in Alaska. So maybe there will be a market for it. I wonder how fast it would toss a 225 grain bullet. Anybody got an educated guess?

AK Guy,
you are wanting a 35 whelen in a winchester 1895 it sounds like. That one is easy to come up with.

quote:

Originally posted by buckeyeshooter:
AK Guy,
you are wanting a 35 whelen in a winchester 1895 it sounds like. That one is easy to come up with.

Yup, buckeyeshooter has it right. . . . . .

Hello
Yes, this is an old thread, but I was wondering if anyone has any new insights about the .338ME today?

I haven't really paid much attention to Marlins' new offerings until recently. I was intrigued with the rifle and ballistics. It is the ballistic twin of the .348 Win, at least at the muzzle.. everything changes after that.

Some concerns I have are the availability of components.. I haven't gone shopping and see what is on the shelves.

Another concern.. something I picked up on browsing through other forums, is the soft tip of the factory bullets will, it is reported, get 'hard' over time. Dents in the primers ahead of the hardened bullets in the magazine have been showing up using ammo a few years old.

If this is true then storing the bullets, if they are available as a component, and/or storing factory ammo for lengthy periods might be a problem.
I haven't seen anything official about this. Could be non-sense.

Thanks for any new insights..

quote:

Originally posted:
If they made it in .356Win, I would buy one of those tomorrow.

I don't know how many people I have heard or read who say that. Where were they when Marlin DID make the M 336 in .356 Winchester?

How many will be singing that same tune when 10 years from now the .338 Marlin isn't available either because of today's nay-saying?

Called Marlin this morning.

They say, production of the MXLR in .338ME will start up in 2012. Still getting things settled after the move.