Should I buy a .338?

[mtmuley]

I just bought 3 mos ago a Lefty Ruger M77 in .25-06 in perfect condition. Ive heard that the tang safety M77 had a junk barrel on them and they don't group that well. You can get a good one, but a lot of times you get a bad one. What's been your experience? What caliber is it?

I have 2. A .243 and a .270. Both shoot well. mtmuley

 

[RevJim]

There was a period in the early offerings of the Mod 77 when Ruger did not make its own barrels. They outsourced them, I "think" Douglas was one? But there was also a batch that cost them, what I read long ago, about $17 a pop. Ha As I understand it too, when Ruger started making their own barrels they also changed the Red Pad for one in black. I too agree in shooting it (well, maybe doing some trigger work or replacement) before messing with the bedding.

My first .280 was a Mod 77 I bought in late 1977 ! Its trigger was hard but broke OK. Back then, no gunsmith I knew would attempt to lighten it. I didn't do anything to it, just kept the screws tight. It was very accurate. Oh BTW, I was never able to reach 95 "pds before my screwdriver started to slip and hair-lip the slot! Don't worry about, just keep every tight. Clean it good, wet that bore with EezOx and allow to dry overnight. Then shoot three, and swag/wipe the bore with more EezOx. Do this for 15rds. It will help "season" the bore like a good iron-skillet, which is what my mother baked "Cornbread" in lol.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Buy it but don't kid yourself, I guided for 20 years in Alaska, a 270 will kill a grizz, but not as dead as a 338 will.

 

[Cornbread]

There was a period in the early offerings of the Mod 77 when Ruger did not make its own barrels. They outsourced them, I "think" Douglas was one? But there was also a batch that cost them, what I read long ago, about $17 a pop. Ha As I understand it too, when Ruger started making their own barrels they also changed the Red Pad for one in black. I too agree in shooting it (well, maybe doing some trigger work or replacement) before messing with the bedding.

My first .280 was a Mod 77 I bought in late 1977 ! Its trigger was hard but broke OK. Back then, no gunsmith I knew would attempt to lighten it. I didn't do anything to it, just kept the screws tight. It was very accurate. Oh BTW, I was never able to reach 95 "pds before my screwdriver started to slip and hair-lip the slot! Don't worry about, just keep every tight. Clean it good, wet that bore with EezOx and allow to dry overnight. Then shoot three, and swag/wipe the bore with more EezOx. Do this for 15rds. It will help "season" the bore like a good iron-skillet, which is what my mother baked "Cornbread" in lol.

Thanks for the tip RevJim. I'll try that. Love the seasoning comment! LOLOLOL. I sold my horse about 3 months ago. It name was Butter Bean!! What goes good with Butter Beans? Cornbread, of course!

 

[MTLabrador]

Buy it but don't kid yourself, I guided for 20 years in Alaska, a 270 will kill a grizz, but not as dead as a 338 will.

I hunt in a few places with a lot of bears where it will give me warm and fuzzy feelings when walking through the dark timber.

 

[GlockZ]

My very first rifle was and still is a Winchester Model 70 in .338WM. I was 18 and weighed 135lbs. soaking wet. A few people looked at me funny when I first went to the range, said the rifle was too big for me, but I managed to prove them wrong. Had the trigger smoothed out, bedded it and replaced the recoil pad on it, what a huge difference that made. I still take it out on occasion, it's waffled game animals with great authority. I say get it and have fun.

 

[grizzly63]

Just got my 338 today. So far things look pretty promising. Its a stainless Savage 116 in a Hogue overmolded stock. I took it apart to check to see if I was lucky enough to get a full aluminum bed block. Bingo. Those stocks soak up a lot of recoil. While in the there noticed I also got a Timeny trigger job as well. That combined with the VX3I scope means I basically got the rifle free for the cost of the upgrades. Now for that brass to arrive so I can start slinging lead looking for the magic load. Does not appear overly abused. Cleaned some copper out of the barrel. Time will tell. Its always a risk buying things online that are used. I wonder the circumstances that lead to a rifle like that ending up in a Pawn shop? Hard times, estates, etc. Maybe it will not perform.

 

[tcrcodile]

of course yes

 

[Salmonchaser]

Just got my 338 today. So far things look pretty promising. Its a stainless Savage 116 in a Hogue overmolded stock. I took it apart to check to see if I was lucky enough to get a full aluminum bed block. Bingo. Those stocks soak up a lot of recoil. While in the there noticed I also got a Timeny trigger job as well. That combined with the VX3I scope means I basically got the rifle free for the cost of the upgrades. Now for that brass to arrive so I can start slinging lead looking for the magic load. Does not appear overly abused. Cleaned some copper out of the barrel. Time will tell. Its always a risk buying things online that are used. I wonder the circumstances that lead to a rifle like that ending up in a Pawn shop? Hard times, estates, etc. Maybe it will not perform.

Probably just too much recoil for the prior owner.

 

[Don Fischer]

I had a tang safety M77 and it was also a lousy shooter. 7x57 when they first came out. Tried about every load I could to fed it to shoot and nothing worked, but beautiful rifle. Well was in local sporting goods store and saw some 150gr Hornady RN bullet's and figured what the heck, nothing else shot. Well these 150gr RN bullet's shot great, only reason I kept the rifle. Even discovered that the bullet's would actually kill stuff pretty well also!

 

[Maverick1]

This old rifle needs to be out hunting elk, and I’m glad I rescued it from the used rack. Always wanted this exact model with the tang safety and irons. It’s even better now that I found my 6X Leupold thanks to JR.

I was going to reply "No" to this thread. However, it appears you purchased the rifle. Good luck this season, enjoy the new addition, hope it brings you joy!

 

[406dn]

The 338 does nothing for me, but I did purchase a Leupold FX-3 6x42 for my Remington 700bdl several years ago. There is no buyer's remorse, at all.

 

[elkhuntinfool78]

I'm pretty sure that when it comes to the question of whether or not to buy a gun, regardless of the caliber the answer is always YES....lol

 

[Don Fischer]

Been there, done that. Got a 338 Wim Mag new in 1968. Was stationed in Lakeside Montana and close to Grizzly country. Figured I needed more than my 7mm mag. Well got a 338 mag and a box of ammo for it and stopped at the dump going home and tried it out. Three shots and the worst black and blue shoulder I ever saw. Shot it a lot any way to try and get used to it and got to shooting ground squirrels with it. Could fire off 20 rounds at them and black and blue was not as bad as those first three shots. That was not only the last magnum I ever bought but never even would shoot a magnum again after that. Much worse recoil than even my 7mm mag or a friends 300 win mag!

My heavy rifle these days is a 30-06 and if that won't kill it, I ain't hunting it! matter of fact recently had a 260 rem put together and pretty sure with a proper bullet well placed it will kill pretty much anything that old 338 mag would kill!

I killed a deer one time with that 338 mag, 225gr Hornady spire point bullet. Bullet went in somewhere near just behind the shoulder at about 50 yds. Damn near cut the deer in half but it did kill it right there! So much damage to the deer I could not tell just where to bullet went in. Came out the back side a little bit of every where!

 

[Wildfan99]

I have one.
It's a Browning Safari BAR with the Boss system.

Thumps like a bastard!
LOVE IT!!!

 

[RG300]

Go for it!!!...don't let it get away!!!