New Ruger Guide Gun in 338win

Took the rifle for a walk in the rain yesterday... no rust today.

I found this chart online:
338 Win mag
Winchester brass
Federal GM215M primers
Reloder 19....73 grains
250 grain Partitions
27 inches.....2806 fps
26 inches.....2787 fps
25 inches.....2761 fps
24 inches.....2743 fps
23 inches.....2716 fps
22 inches.....2697 fps
21 inches.....2676 fps
20 inches.....2656 fps
87 fps from 24 inches to 20 inches...not much loss of speed according to this data.

I'll try some of my handloads from my 24" barreled M77 mk2 in it and put them across the chronograph.
 
That is just it. I don't know why a 20" .338 is attractive. It will just end up being a loud kicker. The ballistic advantages of .338 bullets come from weight and velocity, not just weight and a little velocity. I think the allure of the .338 is lost on a 20" barrel.
 
saskcop said:
That is just it. I don't know why a 20" .338 is attractive. It will just end up being a loud kicker. The ballistic advantages of .338 bullets come from weight and velocity, not just weight and a little velocity. I think the allure of the .338 is lost on a 20" barrel.
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This type of performance is what .338 Fed is for, with less kick.... Bla Bla Bla not a magnum Bla Bla Bla....
 
Carrying it through a bunch of blowdown and in the bush this week was nicer than my 24" barreled M77. The iron sights are really nice to.
 
Finally got to the range today and it shoots, approx 1" average 3 shoot groups with some old 230gr Winchester Failsafe. Recoil is comfortable without the brake so I didn't bother trying it with the brake on yet. I've put the rifle back into its original stock, the laminate wood is starting to grow on me.
 
I bought a Ruger Guide Gun in 333 Win Mag late last year. Its a nice gun. I added a 2-10 Zeiss HD5 scope. Recoil is mild vs other 338's I've used. I use it without the brake - makes it a bit shorter, and the brake is unnecessary. Accuracy with factory ammo is about 1 inch at 100 yards. What I really like is the bolt action length is the same size as the cartridge - which makes it a fairly short bolt action. Many other makers use a longer action for their 338's . All in all, its a nice knock about short rifle.

Then a few months later, I bought a Sako Brown Bear in 375 H&H. This is a very similar gun in terms of length and weight. The sako is about twice the price, but it's so much nicer than the ruger. The finish is much better, stock feels really nice, the pistol grip is thicker, with palm swell. The action is much smoother than the ruger. The sako feels like a much nicer gun. I'd thought about getting one of these (or the kokiak) in 338 when I decided to get the ruger - I picked the ruger because sako uses a longer action for its 338 (the same length action as the 375 I believe, which is needlessly long for the shorter 338). While I like the ruger, I do wonder if I should have got a sake kodiak instead.

In terms of value, the ruger guide guns are good value, and they sell quickly...........they do not last long on the shelves.
 
Just broke the Guide gun in on a nice young meat bull moose this past weekend, worked great and carried very nicely in the boat and the truck as well as the bush. The shorter barrel is very handy :)

We were hunting the Liard River here in the NWT.
 
I kinda like those rifles. A 300WM or 338WM would be perfect for moose hunting. I could live with that stock, maybe switch out the butt pad assembly.
 
HeadDamage said:
Just broke the Guide gun in on a nice young meat bull moose this past weekend, worked great and carried very nicely in the boat and the truck as well as the bush. The shorter barrel is very handy :)
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Does yours have a bbl band sling thingy as well as the stock stud as shown in the Ruger site pics?
 
Yes, it has both the stud on the stock and the barrel band. The one on the stock is removable and there is a plug to go in the hole. I use the stud on the stock, if I use the sling to brace with I can't see it being attached to the barrel and working very well.
 
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I've never found the longer barrel to be a handicap, even in thick stuff. That's one thing I don't like, the other is price.
my hunting conditions will beat the crap out of the rifle, as much as i try to protect it. I've come to accept that, it's sad, but it's the truth. So the appearance means nothing to me.
I do like the two position sling studs, and the Ruger action is a good one.
Previous examinations have shown their stocks barrel channels to be not a straight as they might be, but it's been a few years, maybe that has changed.
I like simplicity in a trigger, like the old Model 70 Winchester, and nothing on the market today is like that AFAIK.
like most of you I think, the brake would go.
 
I got the m77 Alaskan in 375ruger.
If I could have the same rifle in 243win and 30-06 I would be a happy guy.
I am sold on short barrels now.
Those ruger actions are nice too.
 
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