Reality about 338 Win Mag Recoil

As long as the stock fits properly, the .338 shouldn't hurt badly at all. I have both a .338 and a 9.3x64mm, both of which fit me perfectly, and I can shoot them both almost all day (off the bench, of course). My father-in-law has a .270 that has a terrible stock, and I can't shoot it more than twice before I start flinching due to the recoil. It feels like a .458 Lott.
 
I shot a friend's .338Win Mag years ago. A Ruger. I'm not a big guy but I know how to shoot a gun. That gun knocked me back and left a bruise on my shoulder for a week. I had another muscle bound friend shoot it and he had a few choice words for me after he shot it.
I am in the camp that says a properly loaded 30-06, 7mm Mag or .308 will be sufficient for most things in N. America. The .338 is more gun than I can handle.
But I'm a wimp!!
 
I have a bar in 338 win mag- the original- not the new safari- and sice we're talking about recoil it came with a recoil pad- I also stuck a kdf recoil reducer on the front end( read muzzle brake) but I shoot nothing less than 250 factory and some 275 grain semi- spitzers as far as the numbers go, the 06 generates 17 ft lbs using 180s- the 338 comes in at 34 ft pounds using 250's - and those 275's I have no idea as they're not listed anymore- they're special BEAR loads- used on special bears- and they're moving at 50 fps less than the 250s
 
I've shot the .338 for 30 years and now it's not so fun.I just sight in and hunt with it .......no target shooting for recreation.My buddies .416 Rigby CZ is way more peasant to shoot.I had/have a Ruger 77 and a Win 70 Classic in .338 now...........The .300 mags are about right for my comfort level..........Harold
 
i got my xbolt in 338 win last year and all my other rifles have been "parked" i hand load with 185 gr and its smooth, kicks less then you`d expect, and someone else already said it, but when you got the cross hairs on an animal and gently squeeze that trigger, last thing you will be thinking about is recoil!, if the gun fits you, then you`re good to go
 
If the OP has a history of shooting 7mm rem mag for years accurately, I think a .338 is not an unreasonable step up.

If a guy takes care of his rifles, he can always sell one that doesn't work out for very minimal loss of cash anyway, so I think it's always worth it to scratch that itch! :rockOn:
 
Recently i seem to lean on this one to the point of calling it my favorite caliber. When it comes to recoil, people will say that 375H&H has a big push...not a sharp crack, 300wm has a sharp crack/fast recoil. Well 338wm has both.

If you are unfamiliar with recoil, or a new shooter it might not be a good..first...choice.

There are a few things to help.

Weight: the heavier the weight in the rifle, the less the felt recoil
Recoil pad: if the recoil pad is not premium, then factor in $50-60 to the price and get a premium pad.
Reloading: Typical 338wm ammo is pricey and loaded for dangerous game. It is going to kick. The projectile range for 338 is from about 160 to 300gr. 160 would obviously have much less kick than 300. Most 338wm owners stick to 225-250gr. This caliber really benefits from reloading; price, recoil, and accuracy will be improved.

Last thought, when one is thinking sheep.....well ounces matter. A 338wm is not typically a lightweight mountain rifle. Of course someone could take a lightweight 338 loaded with say 185's and carry a few 250gr bear loads just in case.
 
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I always felt better with a .338 in hand in grizzly country JIC....the .375 H+H was also pleasant compared to my .338's and yes they had large nice recoil pads..my arthritis has left me a little less than tolerant nowadays ..Harold
 
Because everyone has a different tolerance level and perception of acceptable recoil unless you actually shoot a box of ammo from a .338 WM you are not going to know how it is for you...

I will say I have installed a lot of brakes on .338's because of the stout recoil.
 
"I shoot deer slugs for fun" always seemed to be the rallying cry of guys trying to convince themselves they could handle the recoil of a big gun when I sold guns, no offence to the op.

There is a big difference between the slow push of a slug shot offhand, a couple of times a range session, and and the crack of a .338 WM from the bench when you are doing load development with 225's-250's.

I think No Warning Shots post was very good, we have to bear in mind that .338's are usually built on the same frame as 30-06 while delivering almost twice the recoil impulse.

The idea of 160 and 180 grain bullets in a .338 confuses me. Also my rifle seems to shoot better the heavier the bullet gets.

I am with NoWarningShot on this one, the .338 is quickly becoming my favourite caliber.
 
I've shot a ruger that kicked like a crazy redhead that caught you with a pretty lil blonde and a savage that wasn't bad at all. More than the 30/06 but similar to my 300 Wm.
It's how the guns fit that makes a difference. A barvarian type stock that curves low I find increases muzzle rise and makes off hand shooting gentler but brutal prone.
Best to buy a couple boxes and see if someone would lend you one for a few shots
 
conor_90 said:
"I shoot deer slugs for fun" always seemed to be the rallying cry of guys trying to convince themselves they could handle the recoil of a big gun when I sold guns, no offence to the op.

There is a big difference between the slow push of a slug shot offhand, a couple of times a range session, and and the crack of a .338 WM from the bench when you are doing load development with 225's-250's.

I think No Warning Shots post was very good, we have to bear in mind that .338's are usually built on the same frame as 30-06 while delivering almost twice the recoil impulse.

The idea of 160 and 180 grain bullets in a .338 confuses me. Also my rifle seems to shoot better the heavier the bullet gets.

I am with NoWarningShot on this one, the .338 is quickly becoming my favourite caliber.
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i only load 185 as its what i could get to shoot straight with the powder i had at the time, once this batch is gone i`m gonna be trying different combos, but for now, it works
 
I like to use my own reloads for hunting rather than store bought stuff mainly for the accuracy. . Each round is weighed out to the exact grain, bullets weighed and brass done up real nice. . My rifles sight in with very tight reliable groups. . One less thing to worry over when out hunting.

I use my 338 WM for large size animals such as moose or elk and use a 200 gr. spire point bullet over 73 grains of IMR 4831. . This about fills the case up and is a pleasure to shoot. . No recoil problems here. . Also have a few boxes of 250 grains I loaded as well but offhand I don't recall the powder measure.
 
No offence intended Ian, I wasn't trying to call you out. I always prefer heavy caliber bullets and using bulletss the same weight as 30 cal projectiles never appealed to me.
 
My .338 Ruger M77 stainless with the boat paddle stock is my go to hunting gun, I simply like the rifle, it’s almost indestructible.
Would I sit down and shoot two boxes of cartridges out of it at a tree stump just for the fun of it, not a chance, that would be brutal on me, but as a hunting gun, I love it.
 
conor_90 said:
No offence intended Ian, I wasn't trying to call you out. I always prefer heavy caliber bullets and using bullets the same weight as 30 cal projectiles never appealed to me.
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oh none taken, i get teased about my canon that shoots bb`s all the time..lol, truth is, the gun just likes lighter bullets haha, i`ve got some heavier ones that i wanna try but not till my current batch is gone, which will be a few years at the rate i`m filling my tag soup bowl, 2 years now, but the gun is great..lol
 
Shooting light bullets out of the 338wm, just think of it as shooting a 308 Norma mag. Gives you the chance to walk around with a few close range stompers though, that the 308nm cannot do.

The 338wm shoots a very useful range of bullets. People always say things like "mice to moose" for calibers like 6.5x55 or 30-06. When that is said about the 338wm it is true. Delivers the smack down on anything, at typical hunting ranges for all of Canada, without the excessive blast and recoil of the super magnums. I own some of those, doubt that the extra capability was ever needed for anything i have shot.
 
My 338wm is based off a New Haven, SS, Model 70 Classic action. It weighs about 8 and a bit all in. I shoot nothing but 250grn bullets over 72 grns of H4831sc. I don't find the recoil unpleasant bu then the stock fits very well and it has a good pad on it. Your best bet, as Dennis mentioned, is to get someone who has one to go to the range with you and shoot a box or two off a bench and see how you feel.
 
conor_90 said:
There is a big difference between the slow push of a slug shot offhand, a couple of times a range session, and and the crack of a .338 WM from the bench when you are doing load development with 225's-250's.
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Very true. I spread my load development out over three or four range visits, partly since I was going after work in the evenings and running out of light for my chrony, and partly that 10 rounds per visit was about my comfort limit.
 
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