338 win mag or 300 win mag

whitetailwoodsarcher

whitetailwoodsarcher

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Ok sorry for posting another thread but I'm in a jam. I really want to get a new magnum caliber rifle. I have narrowed it down to these two. I had my sight set on the 338 win mag but then I started to think about its little brother the 300 win mag. Like I said I will be using it for farmland hunting and deep brush in norther sask. I even might have the chance to take a brown bear with this gun in the next few years. That's why I was considering the 338 win mag. But I have read that 300 win mag is better for longer range and not far behind in stopping power? It's also a bit cheaper. The highest grain bullet I could find for the 300 win mag was 200. In 338 win mag I could find 250. Can someone please help me in my quest for a magnum caliber rifle so I can stop posting so many threads? Lol
Thanks
 
gtrussell said:
wsm is whats up.
Click to expand...

I have a 300 wsm in a A Bolt stainless stalker, really nice to carry and handles well. So far 180gr through it have knocked down everything from coyote, deer, black bears and moose with no problem.
I don't think a well placed 180 gr round would have any problem taking down a big brown bear. I have yet to require a second shot. Just my opinion though, no brown bears around here.
Dan
 
Went through the same dilemma for the exact same hunting scenarios. Ended up buying a 338 WM. I went bigger because I already owned a 270 Win. In hind sight I would have gone with the 300. Once you get out to 300 yards there is next to no difference in hitting power (cartridge dependent of course). I now reload and would prefer the large selection of .308 bullets.

That's my two cents. G

Edit: Just reread your post. for the bears I would stick with the 338 personally.
 
The .300 launches a 200 gr. bullet at roughly 2900 fps. A .338 will launch a 200-210 gr. bullet at 2900-3000 fps. The .338 will have a slightly lower sectional density and ballistic coeficient for bullets of the same weight. This will mean a difference in trajectory of a couple of inches at 500 yards. Difference in recoil with bullets of similar weight will also be minimal.

If you handload, the .300 will be maxed out with 220 gr. bullet. The .338 is factory available with a 250, and 275's and 300 grainers are available to handloaders. It depends on how important it is to you to have heavy bullets.

Personally I would pick a .338 over a .300. It will do everything the .300 can, plus some things the .300 will never be able to do. Plus it looks just right. The cartridge just seems perfectly proportioned. Imho, this is the best cartridge winchester ever developed.

And as you may have noticed, I have a preference for big bullets and big bullet holes.
 
I sit on the 300 side with this one.

IF, and a big IF, you were planning several big bear hunts,
then the 338 would be a superior option.

However, if you are primarily after long range capability on
stuff that does not bite back, the 300 Mag wins. In any one of it's several guises.
The 220 grain Partition at about 2800 is pretty effective on the big boys.

[FWIW, The 300 WSM will give up a fair bit of powder space with this long bullet.]

300 Win Mag will work great.

JMHO, Eagleye.
 
At last count I have 4 .300 Win Mags, 2 Weatherbys and an Ultramag. One lonely .338 Win Mag. At close range there is an enormous amount of overlap between the .300 and .338 Win Mags. (Close range defined as 300 yards and under.) Once you get past that the wind really isn't kind to the .338 any more. There are a few good choices, but in most cases the heavier bullets with higher BCs get down-right sluggish in the velocity area. When shooting them together on windy days the .338 ends up sitting in the grass with the .308s, and .223s.
 
I shoot 225 and 250 gr. out of my 338's and 180 or 200's out of my 300. For years I used nothing but a 300 WM but in the last few years have really taken a shine to the 338. With the heavier bullets, it's an awesome caliber. If all one looks at is ballistics charts and tries to match it up with the 300 mags to achieve the same trajectory, it's not for you. My experience has been that it kills with more authority than the 300 WM, especially on bigger game like elk and moose, but I've always preferred heavy for caliber bullets, ballistics be damned.
 
I find the 300s to be far superior to the 338, I've owned several of both and was never impressed with the 338, in either trajectory or killing effectiveness on game. The 300 magnums on the other hand are very impressive killers and out to 500 mtrs plus.................Now if you really want the best of both worlds there is the 340 Wby, it is one of the most impressive cartridges I have ever hunted with, bar none. If you really want to "reach out and touch something" with a very lethal touch, nothing in it's class compares to the 340 Wby !!
 
I now have a 300WM and a long while back had a 338 which I enjoyed. I see the 338wm as a 33 caliber 30-06, in other words it's a well balanced cartridge for normal hunting ranges that doesn't smash the shoulder but is not a whiz bang long range cartridge. If big bears were seriously in my future I'd pick the 338 with its heavier bullets as I believe it has better stopping power at medium and close ranges. Just my 2 cents.
 
If you already own a standard .270-7mm-.30 whatever cartridge rifle, I would step up to 250 grain .338s rather than a .30 magnum of some sort. More different. Go heavier instead of faster. I'd also consider the .375 H&H if you are leaning heavy. I own a .300 Win Mag and a .338 Win Mag, but have fired neither, so my opinion is worth what you paid for it. The .338 will get a thorough wringing but I confess to not seeing the spark in the .300 win mag.

I know I love the .375 H&H. That cartridge is relatively pleasant to shoot given the amount of power it dishes out (mind you I'm not sure I'd shoot it prone...). I don't care for really snappy recoil.

If you haven't got a .270 or .30-06 yet, I'd start with one of those.
 
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I have owned and shot both and presently only own a 300 win. More then adequate for any hunting I'll ever do. I also live and hunt right here in Saskatchewan and its what I shot my elk with last Fall. If I had of drawn a mule deer tag this year it most likely would have found itself afield yet again. I shoot 180g Accubonds and nothing else is required here. You can certainly go with heavier bullets, it's just not necessary. My Elk was shot at 426 yards last year and he didn't take another step after the shot.

Having owned both I just feel I have a bit more practical versatility with the 300.
 
whitetailwoodsarcher said:
Ok sorry for posting another thread but I'm in a jam. I really want to get a new magnum caliber rifle. I have narrowed it down to these two. I had my sight set on the 338 win mag but then I started to think about its little brother the 300 win mag. Like I said I will be using it for farmland hunting and deep brush in norther sask. I even might have the chance to take a brown bear with this gun in the next few years. That's why I was considering the 338 win mag. But I have read that 300 win mag is better for longer range and not far behind in stopping power? It's also a bit cheaper. The highest grain bullet I could find for the 300 win mag was 200. In 338 win mag I could find 250. Can someone please help me in my quest for a magnum caliber rifle so I can stop posting so many threads? Lol
Thanks
Click to expand...

This will come down to opinions because both will do whatever you want to do. The 338wm is the older brother but smaller brother, IIRC the 338wm came out in the late 50's and the 300wm around 63? The 300wm having a little higher powder capacity.

The 300wm will hold more powder and will launch a high bc bullet pretty good. But if one is going for long range why not use a Weatherby or RUM? Even more powder and a longer neck for bigger bullets. I've shot all three of these more than a little. They are all good.

While they do launch a little faster than a 338 shooting 250's my experience has been that the heavier 338 bullets with the better bc fly better in wind.

I would not get too concerned about all the ballistic gack. The actual difference in drop between the 3006, the 300wm, and the 338wm shooting 165's, 180's, and 250's in a Nosler Partition is about 5 inches at 500 yards. After 350 you should be using a ballistic reticle or turret twisting.

I shoot out to 500 yards through the winter to stay sharp. Here is an observation, when shooting a mild steel 1" thick plate there is no discernible difference in the impact marks on the plate between a 7mmrm, a 3006, a 300wm, a 300wb, a 300rum, and a 338wm at 300 yards. Anywhere past there all the rest tend to just scratch the paint off the steel while the 338wm is still making visible divots in the plate at 500 yards. Does this mean it kills better? Im not convinced it is better although it does a good job. However, the empirical evidence would suggest that the larger slower bullet with the higher bc and sd is hitting harder.

More important than a fast .30 or a 338wm is practice. Longer shots only come consistently with lots of practice.

I would recommend the 338wm based on my experience with it both hunting and shooting distance but I cannot honestly tell you the fast 30s wont also do the job. What it will come down to is your comfort with the rifle, the glass, the recoil, and your willingness to practice.
 
thanks guys I decided to go with the 338 win mag. picked up a nice ruger m77 all weather at cabelas today. just got back from the range and the recoil well stout was still manageable. although I will have to get out shooting more because im so used to shooting my 308 because I have never owned anything bigger then it. but I really like the ruger all steel construction and pretty accurate. more accurate then I can shoot with this rifle now. thanks for the help.
 
Get a limbsaver pad . I have a .308 Norma Mag, .300 H+H and a .338 win mag.A .338 bullet weight begins where a .300 mag ends. You can load the .338 down if needed.I like both.Harold
 
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