Ist Post- My One Hunting Rifle Answer For All, I know!
- Thread starter wildcatter
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #22
wildcatter
Beginner
- Jan 11, 2025
- 13
- 58
My main reason is headspace, I like the sharper shoulder, I also know the less body taper and sharper shoulder aid less brass stretching on all my other AI cartridges. I
More shoulder is another reason I chose the 338 over the whelen. Same brass, same caliber same powder and bullets, but the AI is better looking to my eye, why date anything less than the prom queen, when your the only one controlling her?
Anything in the .338 realm will work fine in my humble opinion.
I’m a fan of the .338 Win Mag for everything from moose down to antelope. I only went with a .375 because I’m planning on hunting Cape Buffalo. That and because I found a left hand, CRF, stainless version. I have a friend that stopped a charge by a Cape Buffalo on a plains game hunt using a .338 Win Mag so I know it works even if not legal for hunting them.
I think the .338 has been far too often overlooked for its versatility by the American gun/hunting community. It’s a real shame.
Vince
I’m a fan of the .338 Win Mag for everything from moose down to antelope. I only went with a .375 because I’m planning on hunting Cape Buffalo. That and because I found a left hand, CRF, stainless version. I have a friend that stopped a charge by a Cape Buffalo on a plains game hunt using a .338 Win Mag so I know it works even if not legal for hunting them.
I think the .338 has been far too often overlooked for its versatility by the American gun/hunting community. It’s a real shame.
Vince
Take a look some time at the .318 Westley Richards cartridge. For all practical purposes it just a .338-08 with IIRC .333" bullet rather than .338". Even the brass looks like it may have started out as a 30-06. If you can find a copy of AFRICAN RIFLES and CARTRIDGES by John Taylor, it seems that him being a big bore type of guy kind of damned the cartridge with faint praise. What the problem was too many were using it on elephant and Cape Buffalo and getting stomped into mud mixed jelly. I debated for a long time between the 338-06 and .35 Whelen and when Remington legitimized the Whelen that's the route I took. My custom Mauser that I found at a gun show in the .35 turned out to be quite accurate with anything I tried and scary accurate with the Barnes 225 gr. TSX. I've taken elk with it from about 75 yards out to 250 yards and nary a complaint from any of the elk. No complaints from me.
Paul B.
Paul B.
RL338
Handloader
- Mar 23, 2017
- 3,499
- 5,788
I became a big fan of the .338 when I got my 338 Lapua. Now I have several .338 caliber rifles.
I really liked my 338 Win Mags. Had great success on elk, grizzly, and bison with them (not to mention moose and black bear too).
My first rifle was an older LH Model 700 BDL w/ a hard recoil pad. Shooting 20 rounds from the bench left me sore and bruised. After changing to the LimbSaver pad, 60 rounds and I wasn't bruised and nowhere as nearly sore! Then when I had shoulder issues, I sold it and built the 338-06 for even more felt recoil reduction. Got that, and still had great performance from a 338!
I had actually used and hunted with a friend's 35 Whelen before building the 338-06...but since he and another friend both had 35 Whelens, and I always like something a little different, and really liked the 338, I went with the 338-06. And as Weatherby had just made it legitimate and had ammo, I went this route. Don't get me wrong...I like the 35 cals too, having had great success already with the BLR in 358 Win...and now having a LH bolt action too...I just like the 338 a little bit better. (My personal opinion) I also now have 2 338 Federal rifles; a lever action and a bolt action! And I were to ever consider a fast 338 cal, it would most likely be a 340 Wby. (But this unlikely as I am really enjoying the 338 Federal, and my average shot distance on game is just 132 yards...so the extra reach isn't necessary.
My first rifle was an older LH Model 700 BDL w/ a hard recoil pad. Shooting 20 rounds from the bench left me sore and bruised. After changing to the LimbSaver pad, 60 rounds and I wasn't bruised and nowhere as nearly sore! Then when I had shoulder issues, I sold it and built the 338-06 for even more felt recoil reduction. Got that, and still had great performance from a 338!
I had actually used and hunted with a friend's 35 Whelen before building the 338-06...but since he and another friend both had 35 Whelens, and I always like something a little different, and really liked the 338, I went with the 338-06. And as Weatherby had just made it legitimate and had ammo, I went this route. Don't get me wrong...I like the 35 cals too, having had great success already with the BLR in 358 Win...and now having a LH bolt action too...I just like the 338 a little bit better. (My personal opinion) I also now have 2 338 Federal rifles; a lever action and a bolt action! And I were to ever consider a fast 338 cal, it would most likely be a 340 Wby. (But this unlikely as I am really enjoying the 338 Federal, and my average shot distance on game is just 132 yards...so the extra reach isn't necessary.
truck driver
Ammo Smith
- Mar 11, 2013
- 7,373
- 998
I guess I wasn't quite clear in my post so I thought I would clarify that I wasn't referring to a standard 35 Whelen but an Ackley improved version of the Whelen with the 40-degree shoulder.
I wanted something different then an off the rack rifle.
Quick load tweaked using CFE223 and 225 Nosler PTs 24" barrel 62K psi 2850fps 10shot average MV M70 barreled action with 375 H&H mag box and Wby style free bore throat so I could set the bullet out in the neck and not compress the powder charge. Quick load said this load was at 61k so it still had room for more powder.
200gr bullets would launch over 3000fps with my loads and not reach max pressure.
Since this load was developed strictly for my rifle, I won't divulge the powder charge since I don't want someone blowing up a rifle trying to duplicate my results.
After playing with my 338Win mag I don't think I could be satisfied with a 338-06 unless I couldn't physically handle the recoil anymore.
Maybe a 338 PRC would be nice.
I wanted something different then an off the rack rifle.
Quick load tweaked using CFE223 and 225 Nosler PTs 24" barrel 62K psi 2850fps 10shot average MV M70 barreled action with 375 H&H mag box and Wby style free bore throat so I could set the bullet out in the neck and not compress the powder charge. Quick load said this load was at 61k so it still had room for more powder.
200gr bullets would launch over 3000fps with my loads and not reach max pressure.
Since this load was developed strictly for my rifle, I won't divulge the powder charge since I don't want someone blowing up a rifle trying to duplicate my results.
After playing with my 338Win mag I don't think I could be satisfied with a 338-06 unless I couldn't physically handle the recoil anymore.
Maybe a 338 PRC would be nice.
All good reasons in my book.
