.338 Cartridges: What have played with? Which do you prefer?

I think the only 338 I've ever shot was my guide's 338 Win Mag SAKO with the magazine floor plate taped shut!

I'd just dropped the grizzly the second time with the fourth 200 gr Nosler Partition from my 30-06... four shots included one miss, one lousy hit and two that dropped him, all from under 50 yards. I was starting to reload my rifle when Joey traded his 338 for my empty rifle and said "finish him." I did so firing into the bear's chest. He was down but not dead until then. I think that finishing shot was at about 15 or 20 yards.

We recovered the well expanded 225 grain Barnes TSX and one of my 200 gr Partitions from the bear. I've got 'em around here someplace.

I like the 338 Win Mag, just never have owned one. Joey has gone to a 375 of some sort these days. He does a lot of guiding in big bear country in Alaska. I'm glad that he and I have stayed in touch off and on since that 2017 hunt. Maybe someday I'll be able to hunt with him again. Maybe.

Guy
 
I have shot and owned many. Currently I only have a 338 RPM (3 hogs), a 340 Bee (elk and antelope) and a 338-378 ( a Bull Moose)
Love them all but the 340 edges out the other two due to its classic status.
 
I have the book AFRICAN RIFLES AND CARTRIDGES by John Taylor. One of the cartridges he damns with faint praise is the .318 Westley Richards. He condemns it because local hunters used it to shoot elephants. The interesting thing about the cartridge is the bore is .318" but the bullet is .327 in diameter. The cartridge is very similar to the .338-06 running a 250 gr. bullet at 2400 FPS, probably using cordite as the propellent. I understand that brass can be made using 30-06 brass. With three rifles in .35 Whelen, I haven't seen the need for the .318 WR or 338-06, LOL.
Paul B.
 
salmonchaser said:
Hell I’ll stop by Pauls and pick it up for you when we head north around the first of April. Im sure I can come through John Day, Maybe:)
Click to expand...
While that would work, it wouldn't be legal thanks to GCA 1968 and GCA 1986. I'd have to pass. If you're in the neighborhood do stop by. I don't get many visitors so you'd be more than welcome.
Paul B.
 
TexasLife said:
338lm is all i have experience with, but would like to make a 338wsm for using 230-250gr for short work.
Click to expand...
Back in 2001 (or about that time after the 300 WSM came out), I was really hoping that Winchester would come out with a 338 WSM. I had just started in the build for my first custom rifle, in 300 WSM, but as it was going to be a while to complete the build, I was hoping the 338 WSM would be introduced and the build would have been changed from 300 to 338.
It took 3 years for them to complete the 300 WSM build...and I was disappointed when Winchester brought out the 325 WSM, stating that they just couldn't get the 338 WSM to achieve the velocities they were hoping.

It is interesting that there are now other cartridges out there today that closely duplicate what the 338 WSM would have achieved if it had been introduced...
As I have been happy with the performance of the 300 WSM, and the performance of both the 338-06 and 338 Win Mag over the years, I am confident that even if the 338 WSM had not duplicated the performance of the 338 Win Mag, that I would still have been happy with its (338 WSM) performance, both on paper and on-game!
I prefer to have rifles chambered to regular cartridges (I have one wildcat - 250 AI - I am not interested in acquiring more wildcats), the thought of a handy, short action 338 rifle with performance equal to the 338-06 to 338 Win Mag performance level is still of interest to me. So, I am unlikely to build a 338 WSM myself.
As stated above, I just haven't yet found a LH Hawkeye in 338 RCM, which would be most likely to duplicate that performance level. If there is another factory short action 338 cartridge out there, with this level of performance, that I am missing, please let me know!

You'll have to let us know if you complete your 338 WSM project, and let us know how it performs!
I look forward to your results.
 
I’ve only shot the 338wm and it was the rifle I grabbed when hunting camels. With a 225accubond it was lethal. A bull camel is a big animal and it wasn’t until I shot my first one that I realised just how big. The crushing plate on their chest would certainly run a mischief on you and surprisingly to me they have big canine type teeth too. I would happily use the 338wm on camels again.
 
They are a feral animal here in Australia. Really remote locations where we hunt them. You really do have to plan extensively and build in redundancies around equipment for survivability given it is mostly desert type hunting on million acre privately owned properties. Not as smart as deer but you feel like you earn them just the same due to the harsh environment.
 
Aussie Wanderer said:
They are a feral animal here in Australia. Really remote locations where we hunt them. You really do have to plan extensively and build in redundancies around equipment for survivability given it is mostly desert type hunting on million acre privately owned properties. Not as smart as deer but you feel like you earn them just the same due to the harsh environment.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a challenging hunt. Is the meat consumed? Is it good tablefare?

JD338
 
Aussie Wanderer said:
They are a feral animal here in Australia. Really remote locations where we hunt them. You really do have to plan extensively and build in redundancies around equipment for survivability given it is mostly desert type hunting on million acre privately owned properties. Not as smart as deer but you feel like you earn them just the same due to the harsh environment.
Click to expand...
I have read about camel hunts in the outback. Always thought it would be an interesting hunt.
Were I to make it there for a hunt, I've thought that my 9.3x62, 376 Steyr, or 416 Taylor would be the ticket for camel and water buffalo.
 
I have used a 338 Federal, 338-06 and 338 Win Mag the most. I really like the 338's myself. I don't know if they are really special but I have always thought a 340 Wby or similar is probably king of the mountain for elk hunting if a fella can pack and shoot one. My 338 Win Mag has been in on alot of elk hunts and has always been a very decisive cartridge for me.
 
SJB358 said:
I have used a 338 Federal, 338-06 and 338 Win Mag the most. I really like the 338's myself. I don't know if they are really special but I have always thought a 340 Wby or similar is probably king of the mountain for elk hunting if a fella can pack and shoot one. My 338 Win Mag has been in on alot of elk hunts and has always been a very decisive cartridge for me.
Click to expand...
Same here...
I always felt that the 160 gr AccuBond at 3222 fps in the 7MM STW had impressive on-game performance (over 30 animals to date from antelope to elk)...and when the 340 Wby pushes the 210 gr Partition at 3200 fps, felt that it would provide as impressive, or better, on-game performance than the STW...and as impressive as the Win Mag is on elk, the Wby would be that next level of performance!
 
Blkram said:
Back in 2001 (or about that time after the 300 WSM came out), I was really hoping that Winchester would come out with a 338 WSM. I had just started in the build for my first custom rifle, in 300 WSM, but as it was going to be a while to complete the build, I was hoping the 338 WSM would be introduced and the build would have been changed from 300 to 338.
It took 3 years for them to complete the 300 WSM build...and I was disappointed when Winchester brought out the 325 WSM, stating that they just couldn't get the 338 WSM to achieve the velocities they were hoping.

It is interesting that there are now other cartridges out there today that closely duplicate what the 338 WSM would have achieved if it had been introduced...
As I have been happy with the performance of the 300 WSM, and the performance of both the 338-06 and 338 Win Mag over the years, I am confident that even if the 338 WSM had not duplicated the performance of the 338 Win Mag, that I would still have been happy with its (338 WSM) performance, both on paper and on-game!
I prefer to have rifles chambered to regular cartridges (I have one wildcat - 250 AI - I am not interested in acquiring more wildcats), the thought of a handy, short action 338 rifle with performance equal to the 338-06 to 338 Win Mag performance level is still of interest to me. So, I am unlikely to build a 338 WSM myself.
As stated above, I just haven't yet found a LH Hawkeye in 338 RCM, which would be most likely to duplicate that performance level. If there is another factory short action 338 cartridge out there, with this level of performance, that I am missing, please let me know!

You'll have to let us know if you complete your 338 WSM project, and let us know how it performs!
I look forward to your results.
Click to expand...
and yet, ruger has a 338rcm and ya know velocities are less. if hey would've taken pressure to 65k then it possibly
 
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