338wm, does it do excessively damage on dear?

[Richard35]

Never shot anything with a 338wm, does it do excessive damage compared to a 300wm? And how much more recoil? Looking to buy a semi auto 338wm.

Thanks!

 

[RangerPark]

Meat damage has a lot more to do with shot placement than bullet size or caliber. Boiler room shots make for the least wasted meat. Front shoulder shots will usually ruin that quarter. Spine shots usually damage the back straps or loins.

As for bullet choice, I believe slow and heavy bullets do less meat damage than faster and lighter bullets. In your case, the .338 WM would be preferable to the .300 WM. In theory anyways. In the end, poor shot placement will result in meat loss, regardless of caliber.

 

[Power Pill]

Dear who?

 

[WhelanLad]

nah, not like some may think, hard projectiles on the smaller deer species in the "right spot" to kill them wont damage much meat at all...

heart/ double lung / neck a deer an u will "eat right up to the bullet hole", as they say on here ..

 

[Richard35]

I have messed up many times shooting the game in the shoulders and spine, I’m sure a perfect shot is fine. I was worried about the bad ones...

 

[stang]

Have you tried counseling?

 

[conor_90]

In my experience using 250 grain hornady RN bullets at relatively close range, no it does not do excessive damage in terms of the size of wound channel and bloodshot meat.

 

[9.3mauser]

I have messed up many times shooting the game in the shoulders and spine, I’m sure a perfect shot is fine. I was worried about the bad ones...

Any bullet will ruin meat if it's put in the wrong spot. High velocity seems to be responsible for more bloodshot meat than bullet weight or calibre. If you're consistently messing up shots, maybe you're using a bit too much gun.

 

[LongBomber]

A 338win pushing a 250gr bullet will do less damage (blood shot meat, bone fragments) than something like a 7mag with a 140-150gr bullet. Speed is a big factor in the amount of "damage"

 

[Boomer]

Impact velocity and bullet construction have much to do with the amount of ballistic damage inflicted on an animal carcass. Bullets intended for heavy game are unlikely to expand rapidly on a deer or antelope due to the lack of density of those animals relative to game that is double or triple the weight. Kills on smaller species might not be lightning quick as they are with a high velocity small bore, unless a frangible bullet intended for low velocity impact performance, but as the old saying goes, you can eat right up to to the bullet hole. You might find this interesting, but in the .338 section, I think only the .338 Lapua has photos of terminal performance . . .
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase.html

 

[MTM]

I’ve used the 338 as my main deer/all around rifle for 25+ years. Use to be 250 Noslers, they always worked great. Finding the 210 ttsx work really well and are a bit flatter. My 22” scoped custom model 70 weights just under 8.5 lbs so not too bad for weight.

 

[DOUGLAS D]

Impact velocity and bullet construction have much to do with the amount of ballistic damage inflicted on an animal carcass. Bullets intended for heavy game are unlikely to expand rapidly on a deer or antelope due to the lack of density of those animals relative to game that is double or triple the weight. Kills on smaller species might not be lightning quick as they are with a high velocity small bore, unless a frangible bullet intended for low velocity impact performance, but as the old saying goes, you can eat right up to to the bullet hole. You might find this interesting, but in the .338 section, I think only the .338 Lapua has photos of terminal performance . . .
https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase.html

Very true.
I'm reminded of the fellows who switched from 30-30,s and 303's using 150 grain soft points to 7mm Remington Mags using 175 grain bullets.
Lung shots with the heavy bullet didn't fold the deer in its tracks the way the lighter constructed bullet used to.
Caliber choice is far less a factor vs bullet construction / velocity and weight

 

[nomad 68]

Have you tried counseling?

Hahaha!

 

[remyltr]

mate shot his deer last year with his 338laupa

i refuse to post the pictures
it was excesive

 

[mbogo3]

A .270 wrecks more meat.I shoot them in the lungs as I don't eat them.

 

[liberty]

Friend uses 210 partitions on deer, bear and moose..np.

 

[Spcamno]

A 338win pushing a 250gr bullet will do less damage (blood shot meat, bone fragments) than something like a 7mag with a 140-150gr bullet. Speed is a big factor in the amount of "damage"

Agreed.

The damage on the deer I shot with a 150gr 300wm is much severe compared to the one I shot with a 270gr 375hh (both broadside lung shot the one shot with the wm is just under 300 yards and the one with the hh is about 100).

 

[track]

Never shot anything with a 338wm, does it do excessive damage compared to a 300wm? And how much more recoil? Looking to buy a semi auto 338wm.

Thanks!

The 338 kills from one end and wounds on the other end. Thin jacket bullets shot through the shoulders, spine and hind legs will cause significant meat damage, more so than a well constructed premium bullets. A shot tight behind the front leg/ribs is the best shot to reduce margin or error for meat damage or wounding.

 

[bbobie]

I used a 210 NP for antelope to sheep to Moose and elk work fantastic.
I know Nosler makes a ballistic tip with a thicker jacket for the 338
I never tried it.

 

[buji88]

I used to work with a guy that only hunted with 375 Ruger and he loved it. On deer the bullets don't expand hugely and seem to take them down really easy. Bullet construction and shot placement are the key here. I'm personally not a huge fan of 338 Win Magnum just because it just never was my go to 338 caliber choice. But it will do the trick just fine!