Question for the medium bore fans...

Quote Originally Posted by SuperCub View Post

Yes ......... I wouldn't own both.

Why not just buy a 358NM?
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It has the same problem as the .338, its not universally legal for dangerous game. Mind you that doesn't apply to that big of percentage of people, and isn't the gun's problem.
 
Dogleg said:
It has the same problem as the .338, its not universally legal for dangerous game. Mind you that doesn't apply to that big of percentage of people, and isn't the gun's problem.
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True, but the OP was asking about hunting here in NA. Most of us could do quite well with a 30/06 here.
 
In North America with the bullet selection available for the .338......the .338WM basically makes everything above the 7mm obsolete.
 
sheephunter said:
In North America with the bullet selection available for the .338......the .338WM basically makes everything above the 7mm obsolete.
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Same can easily be said for a .375, and in fact 7mm is the next notch down on my hunting gun rack from there. It's all a testament to the medium bore's versatility, whether you cheer for .338, .358, .366, .375, .416, or .423 they all put down any game, anywhere, anytime with manageable recoil. There's no denying a .375 offers a bit more than a .338, just as there's no denying a .338 will do anything one asks in North America. I carry my .375 in Northern BC when working, and feel it is an improvement over the .338 in that role. So there are applications for a .375 here, for sure.
 
i shoot 405 winchester now for my big hitter, but i think medium bores are tops. i'd like something in 9.2x62 myself.
 
...have you shot each? ...i fell into a new ruger #1 .375 hh tropical in 1992 for $300 ...haven't looked back from the calibre ever since ...i experience a much sharper recoil from a .338 wm than my .375's, and that includes even my lightweight 20 year old remington with peep sights ...a .375 is like a shove that just keeps coming, a .338 is more weatherby-ish ...bc #'s aside, the 375 can be shot effectively at very long distances as well, although all of my hunting is heavy bush or shorelines within 200 yards ...my 2 cents
 
I own rifles in both calibers, but plan to take the my new .338 Alaskan for elk/deer next month mainly because of the scope and there's lots of clearcut areas. I'm determined to get some blood on this new rifle. I love both calibers and have owned several of each.
 
Ardent said:
Same can easily be said for a .375, and in fact 7mm is the next notch down on my hunting gun rack from there.
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Possibly but I feel much more comfortable at 600 yards with my .338 vs my 375. For practical purposes, the 375 really has no place in North America...the .338....definitely. Thankfully practicality has little to do with what firearms we own.
 
sheephunter said:
Possibly but I feel much more comfortable at 600 yards with my .338 vs my 375. For practical purposes, the 375 really has no place in North America...the .338....definitely. Thankfully practicality has little to do with what firearms we own.
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Any difference is just your familiarity with the rifle and cartridge, as at 600 the .375 H&H with Barnes 250gr TTSX is the literal exact match in drop and drift as the .338 Win shooting the much higher BC 225gr Barnes .338 TTSX. It is hard to imagine a closer ballistic contest, the .375 arrives with more bullet weight however, and at all ranges inside 600 where they meet ballistically a distinct numerical advantage. .375 still outperforms .338 Win no matter how we dice it, and while that's seldom necessary on this continent, it sure doesn't hurt anything eh? :)

-.375 H&H 85.56" low at 600 (100 yard zero)
-.338 Win 85.24" low at 600 (100 yard zero)
 
Ardent said:
Any difference is just your familiarity with the rifle and cartridge, as at 600 the .375 H&H with Barnes 250gr TTSX is the literal exact match in drop and drift as the .338 Win shooting the much higher BC 225gr Barnes .338 TTSX. It is hard to imagine a closer ballistic contest, the .375 arrives with more bullet weight however, and at all ranges inside 600 where they meet ballistically a distinct numerical advantage. .375 still outperforms .338 Win no matter how we dice it, and while that's seldom necessary on this continent, it sure doesn't hurt anything eh? :)

-.375 H&H 85.56" low at 600 (100 yard zero)
-.338 Win 85.24" low at 600 (100 yard zero)
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I shoot 185s out of my .338 for longer ranges, say to 600 yards, so there is a marked difference in trajectory and recoil. If we are going to compare light for caliber bullets in the 375 we need to do the same in the 338. The reduced recoil of the .338 makes it a much more accurate choice for me as well on those longer range prone shots. Nothing against the 375 and I love mine dearly but I honestly can't make a case for one in North America when the .338 does things so much better...at least for my style of hunting here.
 
Dogleg said:
You could make a case for not needing any mediums in North America.
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You could and I've seen bison and brown bear go down to a 30-06 but at the end of the day, I think a .338 is likely a reasonable choice for the big bears and bison and pretty easy to make a case for.
 
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