The 338 Winchester Magnum Overlooked or Overhyped?

One of my moose hunting buddies used a custom sako 338 for years. Great gun and always performed well. I only shot it once and recoil was not as stout as I expected.
Personally I mostly use a .308 then a 300 wsm and then jump to the 35's, but nothing wrong with .338 from what I've sèen.
 
Slamfire said:
Always thought provoking, Terminal Ballistics Research has evaluated the 338 WM. Some of the many interesting points they make about it -

https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.338+Winchester+Magnum.html

...338 bore loses the ability to create hydrostatic shock and can produce slow kills on both light and heavy game as velocity drops below 2600fps. As velocity drops to 2400fps, wound channel diameters between the .338, .30’s and 8mm bores can be much the same

...bore sizes larger than .338”, beginning with the .358” caliber produce faster kills on light through to heavy game with both front and rear lung shots at velocities below 2600fps via both increased energy transfer on impact and generally larger wound channels.

...To some, delayed killing is acceptable, to others who risk losing dead run game in heavy cover or over ravines, bullet selection is extremely critical. Dead run bear attacks also pose a need for careful bullet selection, regarding both bullet weight and construction- utilizing a bullet that is neither too soft or frangible, nor too stout. And again, bullet choice proves to be the most critical factor in the performance of the .338 bore leaving little room for gross generalizations.

...Many have been fooled by the ill-conceived concept that the .338 Winchester Magnum has enough power to make shot placement less of an issue. The .338 can certainly be forgiving, especially when snap shooting at woods ranges where velocity is high or when using heavy frangible bullets on medium game. But as ranges are extended or game weights increased or in lieu of dedicated frangible bullet designs, any weakness in the shooter or rifle platform becomes immediately apparent.

...As a heavy game cartridge, the .338 Winchester does not have the power of wider bores, but again, using select components, it can be put to practical use. The .338 Winchester Magnum can also make for an excellent long range cartridge, utilizing Rocky Mountain and A-Max bullet designs.
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HHHHHMMMMMMM..........where have I heard this before..........sure sounds familiar........
 
I've had two .338's, and killed a couple whitetail and a couple smaller antelope in SA.
And I don't own them any more.
But it might be the perfect cartridge for people who need a fairly light and handy rifle
for elk and moose in grizzly country.
 
I owned A .338 in a Winchester Model 70 shortly after the cartridge came out. I really liked that gun and never felt the recoil to be hard, certainly no harder than my .375 H&H and less that my Winchester Model 71 in .348. I have a Winchester 1895 in .35WCF also that kicks pretty good if the crescent butt plate isn't set right on the shoulder! I like all of these calibre for black bear.
 
I remember reading an article in the American Rifleman, a number of years back, where the author stated if he had to choose only two calibers to hunt all North American game it would be the 338 WM and the 308 Winchester. .
 
I'm new to the 338. Picked up a used rifle a year ago and took her out shooting a few times. Real beauty of a rifle and a it groups very well. I'm using factory loads for now(Barnes 210gn ttsx) and I shot both a bull moose and a whitetail buck this season. It definitely wasn't overkill on the deer and worked perfectly on the moose. Deer dropped in about 10 yards after the bullet ripped the top of his heart up. Moose was running so my shots weren't as ideal but got a good neck shot in that dropped him. Put 3 rounds in the moose and from the first to 3rd shot he ran a total of maybe 50 yards before piling up. Not my best shooting and not the perfect broadside shot but he died relatively quick and he's in the freezer.

It's also fun when people out here in Quebekistan freak out about any caliber bigger than the .300's being used. Hard to find factory ammo for it in Montreal but once I finish my factory loads I'll have enough brass collected to start building my own. It's a fantastic cartridge and I can't wait to see what I can get out of it.
 
Rod said:
I remember reading an article in the American Rifleman, a number of years back, where the author stated if he had to choose only two calibers to hunt all North American game it would be the 338 WM and the 308 Winchester. .
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Exactly... If the people on here saying sh!t about the 338 want a battle of pulling crap off the internet and posting they will lose badly. The net is full of reports and stories of how good the cartridge is.
When I was younger I did a bunch of research on it and vastly more positive than negative. It's even popular on African forums for the big cats and medium game.
 
A .308 with 150 Accubond and a .338 WM with 250 A-Frame will effectively cover anything in NA... although I would want a .22 centerfire too.
 
I would do a 6.5x55 with 140 sst and the 338 with 225 tbbc for everything.... wait that is what I do ☺
I have a beautiful 22-250 but find I always either reach for 22mag for close small stuff or take the 6.5 so I put it up for sale
 
polskiogorki said:
I would do a 6.5x55 with 140 sst and the 338 with 225 tbbc for everything.... wait that is what I do ☺
I have a beautiful 22-250 but find I always either reach for 22mag for close small stuff or take the 6.5 so I put it up for sale
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6.5 is one of the 2 best cartridges ever invented - that and the 308. Which is the better one, you think? Guys and ladies?
 
...338 bore loses the ability to create hydrostatic shock and can produce slow kills on both light and heavy game as velocity drops below 2600fps. As velocity drops to 2400fps, wound channel diameters between the .338, .30’s and 8mm bores can be much the same

Hmmmmmmmmmm........so I need to press the muzzle against the critter before it's really effective at anything but point blank range.
Thank God for the internet.:popCorn:
 
Papaclaude said:
Totally agree with your choice of calibers, but would take a 165-168 for the 308. Why? Just 'cuz. That's why.
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I was just speculating... I don't even own any .338 cartridges. I would have seizures if I had to choose two or three cartridges to hunt with.
 
DOUGLAS D said:
...338 bore loses the ability to create hydrostatic shock and can produce slow kills on both light and heavy game as velocity drops below 2600fps. As velocity drops to 2400fps, wound channel diameters between the .338, .30’s and 8mm bores can be much the same

Hmmmmmmmmmm........so I need to press the muzzle against the critter before it's really effective at anything but point blank range.
Thank God for the internet.:popCorn:
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Makes a guy wonder what on earth the 338Fed and 338-06 are good for, eh? (Sarcasm)
 
DOUGLAS D said:
...338 bore loses the ability to create hydrostatic shock and can produce slow kills on both light and heavy game as velocity drops below 2600fps. As velocity drops to 2400fps, wound channel diameters between the .338, .30’s and 8mm bores can be much the same

Hmmmmmmmmmm........so I need to press the muzzle against the critter before it's really effective at anything but point blank range.
Thank God for the internet.:popCorn:
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Geeez, wait 'til someone tells the tens of thousands of elephants killed with 275 Rigby's, 7 X 57, 8 mm and 303 those guns were not big enough to kill an elk.
 
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