300 or 338

[laker]

What would you choose for a dedicated elk rifle and a deer rifle every once in a while out to 500 yards, a 300 win mag or 338 win mag? Why?

 

[JD338]

Both the 300 Win Mag and the 338 Win Mag are both very capable rounds for long range elk hunting.

The .338 cal has a great selection of bullets with a high BC for retained velocity and energy. They are more than you need for elk but they are absolute hammers on game both near and far. If you are hunting elk in tough terrain or heavily hunted areas, I think the 338 Win Mag would be a better choice as it will put a bull down quickly with a well placed shot. Loaded with a 250 gr PT, it will give you penetration into tomorrow which is good if you are hunting black timber.
As for scopes, a Leupold VX-3 2.5-8x36mm is perfect for what you want to do.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

You wouldn't go wrong with either of these fine cartridges. I'd throw into the mix the 325 WSM which splits the difference between the two you name. Frankly, the majority of deer and elk I've taken are at ranges under 100 yards. If I need to go farther, I know that any of these rifles will do the job.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

For a dedicated Elk rifle, .338 WM hands down. They really hammer the elk. A 200gr BT at 3100 leaves big holes in elk. If you wanted a smaller more handy package, the .325 WSM would be another good option.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Since you're in Montana and the mule deer can run 250 lbs or better and of course elk can take a lot of stopping I would go with the 338. Every deer I've killed in Idaho has been with the 338 because that's what I was carrying for elk at the time. I lost one deer with a 270 I hit a little too far back because I didn't compensate enough for the wind. The 300 with good bullets will certainly do the job but I have seen elk take hits and they always seem to know the steepest, most gnarly canyons to run down into to expire. The 325 WSM is a good comprimise but I havn't shot an elk with mine yet, only pigs. The key is well constructed bullets because you can't choose the shot or angle in most cases.
My 2 cents worth.
Greg

 

[DrMike]

I can testify that a 200 grain PT launched from the 325 WSM will take down elk and moose with authority. Greg is correct, however, about elk absorbing a lot of punishment before dying. They certainly impress me as one of the game animals with the strongest constitution! Having said that, I have found that the 200 grain PT does smack them hard.

 

[Guy Miner]

500 yards is a long, long shot in field conditions.

I'd pick the cartridge & rifle I shot best, without specialized stuff like muzzle brakes, or heavy contour barrels, that would be the .300 Win mag, or... my actual choice which was the 7mm Rem mag.

With the right load, the 7mm Rem mag can launch the long & lethal 175 grain Nosler Partition at 2900 fps - shooting very flat, defying the wind rather nicely, and... It will completely penetrate a big bull elk on a broadside shot, leaving the bull dead in it's wake.

All that, and it doesn't kick any more than a .30-06, yet delivers the goods like a bigger rifle.... So, it was my choice for a big bull elk.

These days it's been replaced by an absolute tack driver of a .300 WSM, but the cartridge doesn't make any real difference to me - it's the very accurate rifle I was after, for those longish range shots.

Having shot a .338... I'd opt for the .300 if we're seriously contemplating 500 yard shots on deer & elk. Or, the 7mm mag because it's so easy on the shoulder. The .300 could be a .300 Win mag, .300 WSM, .300 Weatherby or even a fine old .300 H&H - wouldn't really matter as they're all very capable in the field.

There's my two-cents worth! I'd opt for the easier kicking rifle, with which I'm likely to be more accurate.

Regards, Guy

 

[jmad_81]

I'm a HUGE believer in the 338 WM. Not that the 300 WM won't do the job. It is more than capable. The 225 AB or even the 250 AB make great elk bullets. I took a nice 6x6 bull in Idaho at 425 with the 225 AB. He was walking and I didn't lead him so I hit him a bit back, three times. He got real sick real fast and laid down and expired. Still have all three of the slugs on my reloading bench. Found them under the skin on the far side. Very good looking bulllets.

My brother took a nice 6x6 bull in Oregon with it at about 200 yards with a 225 AB. Bull was quartering towards us and he hit him a bit high, on the point of the shoulder. The AB blew threw the shoulder and took out a solid two feet of spine and stopped just in front of the off side ham, right under the skin. Dropped him like a rock. Slug looked really good on that one as well, even for all the bone contact.

JD nailed it on the great BC and SD of the 338. The 300 would of taken both of those bulls as well, but I just believe that the bigger 338 bullets do it better. Guy is right as well. The 338 does have more recoil, but from the 300 Win mags that I have shot I wouldn't say they have much more. If you can handle the recoil the 338 is a winner for sure. If it proves to be to much, a 7 mag will do as well.

My vote is for the 338 WM. Love the 3.5-10x40 VX3 on mine.

 

[Elkman]

As stated by my name I am a passionate, long time elk hunter (since 1958). My rifle of choice since 1970 has been the 300 win mag with 180 partitions. My dad when he was alive used a .300 Weatherby Mag again with 180 Partitions. Also like me he killed many elk. I have hunted and killed elk with an 06, 7mm Mag, 7mm STW, 338-06, and a 50 caliber muzzle loader. My go to rifle is the .300 win mag, with the 2.5X8 leupold Vari X III, the rifle has been fairly well customized. This rifle has been reblued, and the stock painted twice, it has spent a lot of time in the field. My second rifle is a Remington 700, 7mm STW shooting 160 Barnes TSX with a 3.5 X10 Varix III, that rifle as also been tricked out a little. I am learning to shoot it out to 600 yards.
If I was starting over I would buy a quality rifle (your choice) in .300 Weatherby Mag and find a good accurate load with 200 grain Partitions or similar quality bullet for hunting. I like low mounted scopes so I would choose one of the two already listed. The .300 bee is one of the flatest shooting, hardest hitting rifles at long range that is shootable by most hunters. It does have a moderate recoil but even in an 8lb rifle manageable.
Thats my 02 :grin:

 

[Divernhunter]

+1 for the 338WM. That is what I will be using if I get to go for elk this year with 210grPAR bullets.
My 300WM will be my back-up rifle or if I get a stand maybe my 50bmg with 647gr Barnes X-bullets because Nosler does not make a AB or PAR for the 50bmg.
My friends have used 30-06/7mm Rem mag/7mm Weatherby/300win mag/300weatherby and all have worked from close to far.

 

[SJB358]

I have both the 300 Win Mag and 338 Win Mag. I like them both alot, but for elk, I kinda like to have a bigger hole in and out. They are both equally flat out to 500 yards with a good 200gr Spitzer for the 300 and a 225 for the 338. I wouldn't argue with Bill either about the 300 WBY with 200gr bullets, since he has taken many more elk than I, but I would like to have a little extra the 338 gives me. I just want them to stop where they are at, because I know every step they take downhill is another three I am going to have to make back up the mtn. Right now, I use my 300 Win Mag with 200gr Sierras at 2940 and the 338 with 225gr SST's at 2890. Mike and the others recommending the 325WSM are probably about as good as it gets, being you can get the 325 in some very smallish rifles, that would carry very well in elk country and there is some great bullets available for the 8mm. Scotty

 

[NTM]

Tough to go wrong with either but I know I really like my 338 with 225gr accubonds. :grin:

 

[str8meat]

having both calibers and killing elk with both. i would have to say both. the 300 with 200 grain bullets is goin to ruin any elks day as will the 338. i shot 2 wtail bucks in id.and 1 cow elk with the 338 the deer were flattened and th elk made it 80 yards. last year my cow was a 200 yd shot and went another 100 after putting a 230failsafe through her shoulders. the cow i shot with my 300 went strait down spine hit. i beleive the 300 might do alittle more meat damage, but thats my opinion. what ever you decide yo will enjoy them both.

 

[big rifle man]

I hunt Elk with a 180 grain Partition in my .300WSM and a 225 grain Partition in my .338RUM. (Through chronographing I've found there is no difference between the .300WM and the .300WSM) The 338 drops Elk with quite a bit more authority than the 300 provided the shot is good. There is more recoil with the 338 but when hunting I've yet to notice the difference between the 300 and 338. The 338 is definitely a heavier rifle but that is a good thing on the recoil end.

 

[Guy Miner]

And that's why you're Big Rifle Man! :grin:

Of course we have a few gun nuts here on the forum who insist on shooting deer & elk with .375's and .416's and the like... Did smack a few deer with a .50 muzzle loader and a .45/70 Marlin myself, big holes in game do seem to work real well...

 

[SJB358]

I think a dedicated elk rifle shooting 225 or 250gr bullets is about the top of the heap for elk. Maybe not perfect, but it adds alot of versatility to the hunter. I think bigger bullets make animals sicker, faster. Just my opinion, as I am sure 270s and 30-06's account for a ton more animals. I know if I was primarily hunting elk and didn't have a rifle, I would look really hard at the 338UM in a good portable rifle. Pretty hard to beat a 250gr bullet at 2900-3000! Scotty

 

[DrMike]

big holes in game do seem to work real well...

Slow, fat bullets (like some hunters I know :shock can be deadly. As the old saying goes, you can eat right up to the hole after the shot.

 

[JD338]

I think a dedicated elk rifle shooting 225 or 250gr bullets is about the top of the heap for elk. Maybe not perfect, but it adds alot of versatility to the hunter. I think bigger bullets make animals sicker, faster. Just my opinion, as I am sure 270s and 30-06's account for a ton more animals. I know if I was primarily hunting elk and didn't have a rifle, I would look really hard at the 338UM in a good portable rifle. Pretty hard to beat a 250gr bullet at 2900-3000! Scotty

Scotty,

That is exactly why I bought the 338 RUM. It is more than one needs but it really hammers elk! I have also shot 2 mule deer and 2 white tail deer with the 338 RUM. They all hit the hard where they stood with a single shot.
IMHO, there is no such thing as over kill.

IF I could only have 1 rifle to hunt with, this would be it.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

JD,

The impact velocity of those fast bullets combined with the greater frontal area virtually ensure disruption of the nervous system; hydrostatic shock is massive. That particular cartridge and those with larger bullets at high velocities do an awesome job of dropping game.

 

[JD338]

JD,

The impact velocity of those fast bullets combined with the greater frontal area virtually ensure disruption of the nervous system; hydrostatic shock is massive. That particular cartridge and those with larger bullets at high velocities do an awesome job of dropping game.

Mike,

Right on! The on game impacts are impressive but you still need to put the bullet in the right spot to make it happen. Shot placement is king.

JD338