338 Win Mag
- Thread starter Medic-
- Start date
Agree. I've had and hunted with the 338 Win Mag, the 340 Wby and the 338 Lapua (plus a few 33 cal wildcats). Prefer the 340 of the three. With a decent stock the recoil isn't that bad. But if recoil bothers you, the 338 Win is a better choice. - dan
I bought my .338 years ago when I drew a Bison tag here in BC. It is a Browning stainless stalker, and since I knew I was also going to be using it to hunt Grizzly, I put a 1.5-6 scope on it just in case I needed to do any close range stuff with it. It has a long barrel, and the Browning BOSS and muzzle brake system makes it even longer. Nevertheless, I love this rifle, it fits well and shoots 225 gr Accubond handloads as well as my deer rifle shoots much lighter loads. I have packed it along on many northern BC hunts, and been successful on all kinds of big game. And it is always comforting to know you're packing a cannon when you're hunting in Grizzly country!
- Location
- Western Manitoba
The Win Model 70 that I mentioned above does not have a break on it - kicks the crap out of me after a while shooting at targets on a range. However, I do not recall any recoil felt when shooting at the elk.
It has an old school Leupold M8-6x36 scope mounted in Dual Dovetail rings - since I taught myself to shoot with two eyes open, and spent much time fussing to fit that rifle and scope with my hunting duds on, I do not think the scope power is an issue for me. I never hunted with it in Grizzly country, though - I carried the thing many miles through swamp, etc. in Hudson Bay Area in Eastern Saskatchewan though. A few years ago, I was north and West from Grande Cache, Alta on a moose hunt - most definitely Grizz and Puma country - I saw both up there - I was carrying a 9.3x62 with Leupold M8-3X scope, for that trip.
An acquaintance tells me that he used to hunt that country with a 458 Win Mag - I think the bear were the reason - at the time, that is what he was after to kill.
I hunt moose with 3 different rifles now, a model 70 Winchester in 338 WM, a Vanguard in 375 Ruger, and a 9.3x62 in a Husky 1900, There are lots of bears, Grizzly and Black where I hunt in the Cariboo mountains. I am usually alone, I know all three of my choices are overkill for Moose I am not sure about for Elk. The 338 has a 3-9 scope, the Vanguard has a 1-5 scope and the Husky has an aperture sight. So depending on the specific area and type of hunt, I choose the rifle accordingly. I hunted Moose for most of my hunting life with a 30-06 but I was normally with a partner. I think the rifle choice in Moose country has as much to do with bears as it is for the moose.
I responded to this post when it first came up. I am still rocking the Tikka in 338wm with 250 gr Grand Slams. It still flattens moose with authority! I am out of Re22, so time for a new load to be developed, my shoulder is already going numb.
Im no stranger to big calibers. Shoot lots of 375H&H and 338Lapua…Sako rifles.
Someone at the club tricked me into shooting one round in his Sako carbine with a 338Win mag Knoch factory load.
The recoil was fast and fierce. Felt like I got punched into head and my glasses slid down my nose. As I stumbled off the line in a daze I was greeted by many smiling and knowing faces, seems I wasn’t the only one pranked by this stunt over the years. Lots of respect/fear for the 338WM in a tiny rifle.
Someone at the club tricked me into shooting one round in his Sako carbine with a 338Win mag Knoch factory load.
The recoil was fast and fierce. Felt like I got punched into head and my glasses slid down my nose. As I stumbled off the line in a daze I was greeted by many smiling and knowing faces, seems I wasn’t the only one pranked by this stunt over the years. Lots of respect/fear for the 338WM in a tiny rifle.
