How Do You Like Your .338 WM?

[tzone]

For some reason I've been thinking about getting one or having one built. It sounds like a fun round to play around with.

What do you think of yours? What would you change about yours?

 

[rjthehunter]

I wouldn't change a thing. I like it a lot! I have a brake on it as well which is nice. It's not overwhelming in terms of recoil. I have a pretty long barrel which is nice for accuracy and not that heavy. Fiberglass stock, thing can take a beating! There isn't a big game animal that can't be killed with a .338 WM. Mine has been used from antelope up to Hippo in Africa. It is hands down the most versatile rifle!

 

[tzone]

What do you have RJ?

Everyone I talk to says it's a very versatile round.

 

[BuzzH]

I've shot a fair bit of game with one maybe 50 or so deer, elk, muskox, black bears, moose, sheep, mountain goat etc. The last time I fired that rifle was when I killed my muskox several years ago.

Its hard to badmouth the .338 when I've used one for a long time, but they just flat are not any fun to shoot, way more recoil than I like anymore. Not that a person cant handle it, its just not a rifle I'm going to shoot very often. Certainly nothing I'm going to head to the range with and shoot a box, or even practice with much.

Mine really likes 250 grain partitions and IMR4831 and always shot right around an inch at 100, give or take depending on the day.

Always got good blood trails with it:

Shot through a pretty good sized lodgepole and killed the elk standing behind it with my .338 one time:

I probably need to dust that rifle off sometime and shoot a cow elk with it, I have 200 rounds loaded for it...just for old times sake.

 

[memtb]

tzone, The .338 WM is possibly the finest “do it all, all around” factory cartridge available. A Win. Model 70 SS/synthetic .338 WM. has been my wife’s “only” hunting rifle since 1995. It weighs 8 pounds 15 ounces, scoped, loaded, and slung and she doesn’t use a brake (hates them). She’s taken quite a few elk....the closest around 30 yards and her farthest @ 400, a small black bear @ 380 yards, a moose, and numerous deer/antelope. With optimum shooting conditions, she feel very comfortable out to 500 yards. She uses one bullet (Barnes 225 TTSX pushed to 2950 fps), and one zero for all of our hunting! She can use any rifle she wants, but loves her .338 WM.

She really doesn’t like to shoot from the bench, but can comfortably shoot 5 or 6 rounds to verify the zero. Most practice with it is from “field” positions, more replicating hunting situations....with less “felt” recoil than from the bench!

Her rifle is also a good “back-up”, should something happen to my rifle on a hunt. We use the same zero, and our trajectories are almost identical out to 800+ yards. I guess I could “force” myself to step-down to a .338 WM if I had to! memtb

 

[rjthehunter]

What do you have RJ?

Everyone I talk to says it's a very versatile round.

Mine is a Gentry Custom, it has a Gentry barrel and Sako action and Trigger. It was built back in '87 but still shoots amazingly! Gun has shot hundreds and hundreds of animals taken with it. Being able to shoot a 185 grain for deer and go all the way up to 250 grain bullets makes it extremely versatile! I personally shoot 200s for pretty much everything. I've sat at a bench and shot 40 rounds through it before without much of an issue. Gentry makes their own muzzle brakes that are pretty quiet. They market it as their "quiet muzzle brake" It's pretty nice to shoot with. But that being said, you still need to wear hearing protection.

 

[Jape]

I've shot a fair bit of game with one maybe 50 or so deer, elk, muskox, black bears, moose, sheep, mountain goat etc. The last time I fired that rifle was when I killed my muskox several years ago.

Its hard to badmouth the .338 when I've used one for a long time, but they just flat are not any fun to shoot, way more recoil than I like anymore. Not that a person cant handle it, its just not a rifle I'm going to shoot very often. Certainly nothing I'm going to head to the range with and shoot a box, or even practice with much.

Mine really likes 250 grain partitions and IMR4831 and always shot right around an inch at 100, give or take depending on the day.

Always got good blood trails with it:

Shot through a pretty good sized lodgepole and killed the elk standing behind it with my .338 one time:

I probably need to dust that rifle off sometime and shoot a cow elk with it, I have 200 rounds loaded for it...just for old times sake.

That rock looks like a horror scene!

 

[noharleyyet]

That rock looks like a horror scene!

No kidding, looks like Buzz caught 4 poachers..

 

[tzone]

I've shot a fair bit of game with one maybe 50 or so deer, elk, muskox, black bears, moose, sheep, mountain goat etc. The last time I fired that rifle was when I killed my muskox several years ago.

Its hard to badmouth the .338 when I've used one for a long time, but they just flat are not any fun to shoot, way more recoil than I like anymore. Not that a person cant handle it, its just not a rifle I'm going to shoot very often. Certainly nothing I'm going to head to the range with and shoot a box, or even practice with much.

Mine really likes 250 grain partitions and IMR4831 and always shot right around an inch at 100, give or take depending on the day.

Always got good blood trails with it:

Shot through a pretty good sized lodgepole and killed the elk standing behind it with my .338 one time:

I probably need to dust that rifle off sometime and shoot a cow elk with it, I have 200 rounds loaded for it...just for old times sake.

that musk ox is bad ass!

 

[Sask hunter]

I have a ruger 77 in 338. Bit heavier of a gun then I would like. My dad has a Remington 700 in 338 that I really like joy to carry. Overall really good gun and cartridge I load mine with 225 Barnes ttsx. It has accounted for four bear two elk and a moose. I probably hunt with that gun more then any rifle I have. I don’t find the recoil too bad. My ML with 120 grains of 777 seems to kick worse

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

They sound better when they're spelt 9.3x62...i kid. My brother used to have one. From memory it was a remington. Nice gun to shoot.

 

[mtmuley]

For some reason I've been thinking about getting one or having one built. It sounds like a fun round to play around with.

Exchange WM for RUM. Fun round to play with. mtmuley

 

[D4570]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Gunner46]

I had a 1980's Win 70. (back in the 80's) The damn thing kicked so hard, off the bench, I could only take a shot about every 2-3 minutes. 20 rounds was a brutal test to my fortitude. Needless to say I sold it for what I paid for it.....let anther sucker get abused. But I now have a 338 Fed and it's a charmer ! 210's @ 2600fps ain't nuffin' to laugh at !

 

[GlockZ]

My first ever rifle I bought was a Win 70, in 338WM, it's a great rifle! There isn't much on this continent that can take a hit from it and keep going. Have had good luck with 200-225gr. range of bullets out there. It does have a tad bit of recoil, so it's not a caliber where you're going to be sitting out at the range shooting a box or two of ammo. It will punish you. Good luck with it .

 

[Europe]

Buzz H----it looks like a war zone (-: Without a doubt it has worked for you,

 

[Salmonchaser]

Mine is actually a .338 Jarrett, I’ve owned it about 20 years. Absolutely love the rifle, taken quite a few elk and deer with it. I haven’t played with it much over 500 yards, or used anything other then 250 gr. Partitions or Accubonds. The dang thing will shoot 1/2 MOA with either bullet.