338 win mag recommendation

[amp713]

So first off I need to start by saying I'm generally an archery only hunter. I use my rifle for cow elk each year and that's about it.... I've been using a 25-06 and killed 4 elk in the last few years. Obviously a little under gunned for the situation even though its getting the job done so I've been debating getting a gun that is big enough for anything I may want to hunt.. with me not being a big rifle hunter I'm looking for an off the shelf affordable gun that I can buy once and never need another gun even if I'm headed into Alaska or similar.

I don't hand load or have the time for it, I don't have the funds for a custom rifle and I have my 25-06 and AR for smaller caliber hunting. I'm about 99% set on the 338 win mag since it fits all of the criteria for what I'm after.


Thing is I need opinions on which over the shelf gun to pick up. My 25-06 is the gun my father bought at the age of 17 so my rifle knowledge is a little outdated. Hell I think the scope on it is older than me also.... I've been looking at some online and the savage 111 seems to have a lot of good reviews in the smaller calibers but I was also looking at the ruger American. The ruger is already threaded for a muzzle break and weighs in at 7.5 pounds which seems like a fair weight for the size of gun...
There are howas and few other gun options in the same budget but I really don't know enough about new rifles to know what to look for here...

Just to give an idea I don't even know how adjust a trigger pull let alone what's consider a good or bad weight for one haha

Thanks for all the help I'm sure will roll in.

 

[gelton]

I like a 2.5 lb trigger, and normally the first thing I do with a new rifle is drop in a Timney trigger...they set it how you want straight from the factory.

As for .338, I dont own one. I have a .300 win mag that works just fine. For me the decision came down to availability of brass and powder and, more importantly, the price of practicing often. .338's are expensive to become proficient with.

Just food for thought.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Like above, I like a Tmney trigger. I like mine around 2 lbs, though. All that is personal preference. Your rifle, set it with what feels the best for you.

Personally, I wouldn't get a 338. You're already killing a tough animal with a 25-06. For your situation, I'd get a 30-06 and be done with it. Lots of factory ammo with lots of bullet weight variations. Just my opinion, though.

 

[missjordan]

I have a savage 116 in a 338 win mag and I love it. I've been pretty happy with the trigger that came with it and feel I don't need to upgrade it at this point. It's a fairly compact gun that fits me well and recoil is very manageable. I do have a muzzle break installed as well. I'm shooting SGK 250gr through it. It's been a great elk gun and I'm hoping to upgrade my scope for it this year but for now I just have a standard 4-12x Nikon scope on it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jfronk]

Check out the Tikka T3, they are a very popular gun on here and will out shoot most other guns in their price range. My dad just picked up a Tikka T3 SS Lite in 338 Win Mag from EuroOptic for $489 plus tax (that was the cash price). I think they are out of the SS Lite ones but they have a few hunters left (list price on these are $498).

 

[wyosteve]

I have 2 .338's which is all I've used for 30 yrs. on everything from whitetail, antelope up to and including grizzly. I think you'll be happy with one. That being said, one is a Rem. 700 KS mountain rifle that goes about 8 lbs. with scope, sling and 4 rounds. The other is a custom built ultra light based on the Rem. 700 action. My suggestion is to hit a couple gun shops and try several to see what you prefer. I have my triggers set at 2 3/4 lbs., but for sure I'd recommend you get a rifle that either has an adjustable trigger or one that can use an aftermarket trigger. My KS does not have a muzzle brake and recoil is no problem. Comparable to a 12 ga. in my opinion. My custom only weighs 6 1/4 w/scope and shells, so it does have a brake.

 

[hodgeman]

I know that around here, folks tend to really like the lightweight rifles.

If you're considering a .338WM- I'd want a little gun weight to attenuate recoil. A Howa or Vanguard would be a good pick. The Winchester M70 EW would be a great pick and there's nothing wrong with a Ruger Hawkeye or a Remington 700.

My hunting partner uses a Kimber Montana in .338 and it's really too light for the cartridge. It kicks hard and it hits fast. A Tikka T3 or Ruger American will be about the same.

That said- there's nothing in N.America that I won't hunt with a .300 of any flavor. Before i dropped my cash, I'd find a .338 to borrow and go shoot .

 

[luke moffat]

I have 2 .338's which is all I've used for 30 yrs. on everything from whitetail, antelope up to and including grizzly. I think you'll be happy with one. That being said, one is a Rem. 700 KS mountain rifle that goes about 8 lbs. with scope, sling and 4 rounds. The other is a custom built ultra light based on the Rem. 700 action. My suggestion is to hit a couple gun shops and try several to see what you prefer. I have my triggers set at 2 3/4 lbs., but for sure I'd recommend you get a rifle that either has an adjustable trigger or one that can use an aftermarket trigger. My KS does not have a muzzle brake and recoil is no problem. Comparable to a 12 ga. in my opinion. My custom only weighs 6 1/4 w/scope and shells, so it does have a brake.

Dang Steve lets see some pics of that feather weight 338. Is it a rifles Inc?

 

[luke moffat]

I know that around here, folks tend to really like the lightweight rifles.

If you're considering a .338WM- I'd want a little gun weight to attenuate recoil. A Howa or Vanguard would be a good pick. The Winchester M70 EW would be a great pick and there's nothing wrong with a Ruger Hawkeye or a Remington 700.

My hunting partner uses a Kimber Montana in .338 and it's really too light for the cartridge. It kicks hard and it hits fast. A Tikka T3 or Ruger American will be about the same.

That said- there's nothing in N.America that I won't hunt with a .300 of any flavor. Before i dropped my cash, I'd find a .338 to borrow and go shoot .

Wouldn't a Winchester EW be actually 4 oz lighter than a Ruger American?

 

[hodgeman]

Wouldn't a Winchester EW be actually 4 oz lighter than a Ruger American?

The published weights on the EW seem to be optimistic. My buddy's rifle started out just a hair under 8, not 7.25 like the specs say. The American is listed at 7.5, but the stock design on the American just looks punishing at that level of recoil. I've got a couple and have no desire for one in a belted magnum.

 

[Lucafu1]

I love my 338s and they cost as much to shoot as anything else. Barnes 225gr. TTSX.

 

[luke moffat]

The published weights on the EW seem to be optimistic. My buddy's rifle started out just a hair under 8, not 7.25 like the specs say. The American is listed at 7.5, but the stock design on the American just looks punishing at that level of recoil. I've got a couple and have no desire for one in a belted magnum.

I am stock retarded so help me out? How can you say a stock looks more punishing than another? Is it the drop in the comb or what?

 

[bigdesert10]

I know that around here, folks tend to really like the lightweight rifles.

If you're considering a .338WM- I'd want a little gun weight to attenuate recoil. A Howa or Vanguard would be a good pick. The Winchester M70 EW would be a great pick and there's nothing wrong with a Ruger Hawkeye or a Remington 700.

My hunting partner uses a Kimber Montana in .338 and it's really too light for the cartridge. It kicks hard and it hits fast. A Tikka T3 or Ruger American will be about the same.

That said- there's nothing in N.America that I won't hunt with a .300 of any flavor. Before i dropped my cash, I'd find a .338 to borrow and go shoot .

Took the words right out of my mouth. Particularly considering you mostly bow hunt, you really ought to consider whether you are willing to put in the range time to get comfortable with a light-weight rifle with that kind of recoil. I would strongly recommend shooting a couple before buying one. A little inertia in the weapon does a lot for stability/shootability.

 

[hodgeman]

I am stock retarded so help me out? How can you say a stock looks more punishing than another? Is it the drop in the comb or what?

A lot of drop tends to hit harder, a straight stock that's narrow in the butt tends to hit harder, and a stock without a cheekpiece tends to hit harder. A rifle with a hard butt pad tends to hit harder.

For instance, those old Rugers with skeleton Zytel stocks were narrow in the butt and had a pad like a hockey puck and would beat you like you owed them money. Take the same rifle and stick it into a squishy Hogue with a wide soft pad and a higher comb to keep it from slapping your face under recoil and it suddenly becomes a different rifle.

The EW has a pretty wide butt, a decent pad and a pretty generous rounded cheekpiece....the Americans are straight, skinny and finished with a pretty hard pad. Tikka comes the same way. I know which one i'd want in a .338WM!

 

[luke moffat]

Can't you swap out the Tikka pad for a cushy limbsaver for like $30?

 

[hodgeman]

Can't you swap out the Tikka pad for a cushy limbsaver for like $30?

Yep- most of the guys I know with one in a belted mag have swapped them out. The Limbsaver helps.

 

[mtswampfox]

Having never shot or been around one being shot, is the 338 that much more in the recoil than a 300 wm? Thinking maybe like a 20 ga to a 12 ga? Or is it a ton more recoil? Looking for results using max loads with max bullet weights for each

 

[hodgeman]

Having never shot or been around one being shot, is the 338 that much more in the recoil than a 300 wm? Thinking maybe like a 20 ga to a 12 ga? Or is it a ton more recoil? Looking for results using max loads with max bullet weights for each

Just for kicks...

Your 25-06 firing a 120gr bullet is generating 12.5 gt lbs of recoil at 10ft/sec.

A .300WM firing a 180gr is coming in around 25 ft/lbs at 14 ft/sec.

A .338WM firing a 225/250gr bullet is going to generate 34 ft/lbs at 16 ft/sec.

Felt recoil is going to depend on stock design, gun weight and to some extent your shooting position and body mechanics. But, going from a 25-06 to a 338WM is a pretty significant jump up the scale.

 

[MTHunter20]

Can't really help much with a .338 but you mentioned the Savage 111. That's a blued rifle. For a "one-and-done" type rifle, I wouldn't consider anything but a stainless gun.

Also, I kinda went down this road a few years ago. I wanted a rifle for anything in North America. I got a Savage 116 in 300 Win Mag. It's a great rifle and a great shooter. It's actually in the classifieds right now cause I want a smaller gun for where I hunt in TN. But I figure the only advantage a 338 might have over a 300 is in hunting Brown Bears. I think if we're honest, most of us from the lower 48 will never get to do that. Or if we ever do, a new rifle just for bear hunting would be a fraction of the total cost of the hunt with having to have a guide, tag fees, and travel costs etc. But then again, I imagine a 300 with good bullets works just fine for Brownies too.

 

[mtswampfox]

Just for kicks...

Your 25-06 firing a 120gr bullet is generating 12.5 gt lbs of recoil at 10ft/sec.

A .300WM firing a 180gr is coming in around 25 ft/lbs at 14 ft/sec.

A .338WM firing a 225/250gr bullet is going to generate 34 ft/lbs at 16 ft/sec.

Felt recoil is going to depend on stock design, gun weight and to some extent your shooting position and body mechanics. But, going from a 25-06 to a 338WM is a pretty significant jump up the scale.

thanks for a clear defining answer. now wanting to shoot one just for s's and g's......