Reality about 338 Win Mag Recoil

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alberta.elk

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Hello Everybody,
I am looking for buying a gun for Hunting in Alberta/ Canada especially for elk trophy size and Sheep.

I like to buy a 338 Win Mag in Sako Bavarian (7.9 Lbs), Sako Grey Wolf (8.0 Lbs) or Winchester 70 Super Grade (8.5 Lbs)
Before buying a one of these guns, I would like to check how much 338 Win Mag recoil is?
I have shot lots of slug with 12 gauge/ single barrel (light weight gun), and the recoil is very manageable for me.

I have heard lots of "for and against" about this caliber, but I do not know which is right or wrong.

I would really appreciate if you could please help me especially the hunters that they have the personal experience

Regards,
alberta.elk
 
By the time you get bases, rings and optics on any of those, you will be over 9 lbs.

At that weight, the 338 is quite manageable for anyone who is not recoil sensitive.

Keep in mind, that as bullet weight increases, so does recoil. A light 338 shooting a 300 grain bullet will get your attention!

I have a 700 CDL that I had barrelled to 338 from 300 Win Mag.
It is fairly light for the chambering, but it is accurate, and the R3 pad helps.

If you can shoot a 12 ga, 3" magnum slug in a light shotgun, the 338 will not be an issue.

My suggestion is to find someone who already owns one of these rifles in 338, and shoot it with some 250 grain ammo.
Then you will have a better idea what you are up against. It is very difficult for one person to tell another what is or is not too much recoil.

Regards, Dave.
 
Never shot one but talked to a guy at the range that said it knocked 3 of his teeth loose. Some seem to handle OK, others not so.
 
I just acquired one this past summer - a Savage 116 weather warrior. Shooting 210 TTSX's out of it doesn't hit the shoulder much harder than my savage 110 in 7mmRM with 160gr, just a longer push. Both rifles weigh about the same, the 7mmRM has a limbsaver pad, while the .338WM still has the factory 1" thick squishy rubber butt pad, but roughly comparable. I find it very manageable, and I'm a scrawny bean-pole of a guy, though possibly less recoil sensitive than some. I was expecting worse to be honest.
 
I like my 338 WM, it's a 1959 Winchester M70. . When you're shooting off the bench just remember to keep your cheek tight on the stock and the recoil is no problem.

When your out hunting and it's time to shoot, there's two things you won't notice and won't remember and that's the recoil and the noise.
 
I always called the recoil a kind of "fat-push" where my 300winmag was much sharper. As long as you don't have a hockey-puck type recoil pad, any 8+ lb rifle will not hurt you much, especially since you know what a singleshot 12 guage feels like :)
 
Personally, I like shooting my .338 WM...the recoil is there, but no big deal...just make sure the rifle fits you well. Try to find someone who will let you try theirs, then you'll know if it's for you.
 
Had occassion to shoot a 60s Savage 338 and a Dakota 300 a couple of weekends ago. The Savage had a 60s rubber butt pad with little or no shock absorbing capability and the Dakota had a pretty good one. The Dakota owner was shooting handloads with 165 gr bullets and the Savage was shooting 225 gr bullets. Muzzle velocity of the Dakota was about 3200 fps while the Savage was probably about 2900 fps. Both rifles kicked pretty hard but both were manageable and were fired by 4 members of the hunting party who had never shot either one, wihout difficulty. The consensus was that recoil was not as bad as they had envisioned but they would NOT enjoy a 20 round range session with either.
 
skidderman said:
Never shot one but talked to a guy at the range that said it knocked 3 of his teeth loose. Some seem to handle OK, others not so.
Click to expand...

I would certainly be in that "no so" category! I picked up one of them lil light weight Savage 111 in 300 Win Mag on a trade and I don't even feel like test firing it before it goes to a new home! I'll get my buddy that has a 458 Lott to do it for me!
 
I can freehand some large cartridge rifles all day, but when it's off the bench....ouch. Not the 338 mind you, but firing from a bench always makes it hurt more when it's a big bore. Standing is the way we should be shooting anyway I guess.
 
My .338 is in a Kimber. Due partly to the light weight recoil seemed rather abrupt at first, but time and a few hundred shells later it turns out there is no loss of limbs or bruising or decapitation. Recoil is mostly in your head and doesn't even last very long.
 
I had difficulty shooting my friends Ruger M77 .338 well, recoil was too sharp for me. But I have a Sako .35 Whelen and a Ruger RSM .375H&H that I do not find uncomfortable or difficult to shoot well. So It is hard to predict what will be comfortable for you.
 
Bullet selection from 185 gr to 250 gr, gun weight from 7 lbs to 12 lbs. This is one of the most flexible calibres around. Don't be scared to build it light, or run a 22" barrel on it either...
 
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