I have a 300 win mag and am thinking on getting a heavy bullet throwing 338 caliber what do you recommend. Or do you thing I should get a different caliber.
What is the intended purpose? Any reason why the 300WM is not meeting your need(s)?
there is no thing my 300 canât do I just looking for a new caliber to try.
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Copy thatâŚ
We all like things that go boom! 
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Thatâs a canon lol, I like 300 prc, prolly as big as will go.
Sounds fun. I donât own any 338âs and would like to get one as well just to get more experience with them. Seems like itâs mostly a choice between 338 federal and 338 lapua, with the former being the most popular for the hunters, and the latter being the more popular option with shooters.
Carried a 375 HH magnum while I lived in Alaska. Itâs a great cartridge. Recoil was very manageable.
Quick note, when I went to AK for a Black Bear hunt, there we some guys at the airport who had booked a brown bear hunt (the kind you stay on a boat all week). Their guide said not to show up with anything smaller than a .375 H&H. One of the hunters had the H&H, the other a .375 Ruger. If I were going to jump above .300 WM, the 375 HH would get the nod. Bergara, Fierce and others are making great rifles in the H&H, I donât see many .338 Rems for sale.
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Also any dangerous game in Africa. I also believe that the jump from 300 WM to 338 is not worth the investment. Unless you have the funds and you just have to have it you just wonât see any real benefits. The 300 âs will do everything the 338âs will do. And the 300PRC might just be better if your a hand loader.
I recommend the classic 375 H&H Magnum. Only rifle that I take to Africa.
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Curious what folks think between the 300 win mag and the 338 win mag regarding recoil.
I have and shoot both and I find the 338 mag recoil to feel more like a push than a pop where the 300 mag feels like it hits equal to or perhaps harder than my 338 on my shoulder.
I have no data to back that up but Iâm interested in folks take on this?
I you are right. I have a lot of experience with 338 win mag 375 HH mag and 300 win mag. Recoil with the 300 win mag is the worst of all three in my opinion. The other two is more of a push and roll. The 300 is a sharp rap and is much more uncomfortable. Just what me and my friends observed while living in Alaska.
Thanks much for the validationâŚI was afraid I was just being weird. I love my 300 win but its kind of punishing. I did a moose hunt in BC with the my 338 and it was perfect and not punishing.
Have a great day!
P.S. my apologiesâŚdidnât mean to hijack your thread Ryan!
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I think the most common options in 338 are the Win Mag, Lapua, Norma, the Weatherby cartridges, and the 338-06. If recoil is the driving factor and the distances arenât too far maybe take a look at the 338-06.
Iâm with many of the others in the thread in that something between a 33-37 caliber is a nice jump from the 30âs. Other cartridges to consider are the 325 WSM, 35 Whelan, 9.3x62 Mauser, and of course the 375 H&H or the 375 Ruger if you want something in a standard length (long action to some) cartridge. Distance will be a factor and most of these cartridges are typically used inside of 300 yards though they can probably reach out a bit farther with the right bullet combination.
The 338 probably has the best selection of high BC bullets but many people would rather shoot the bigger slower cartridges for easier to handle recoil. If long range is a strong determining factor thatâs probably your best bet amongst these. If the goal is 500 and closer then just about any of these will probably do well for you. There are lots of wildcats as well but thatâs a different animal than most people are willing to take on.
Any of these would be a nice alternative for a hand loader or for someone that wants something different. If going with factory I see 375 H&H, 338 Win Mag, and 338 Lapua on the shelves most frequently. I see 35 Whelan offered on occasions along with 9.3x62 Mauser.
Well the 338 is a great cartridge.
And the 340 Weatherby mag is a killing machine.
But if I was looking to go bigger Iâd probably go with the 375 H&H or the 375 Ruger.
That way you are ready for Alaskan Brown Bears and Africa.
But your 300 is a great North American cartridge.
Good luck with Choosing.
Cheers
YES. A Lapua 338 is my dream gun. Therefor you must buy it so i can live vicariously through you!
I have a .411 KDF. Its a 338 WM necked up. for those times when a mid 200âs gr bullet are not enough. I would venture to say no others here have this? Not going to find ammo on a shelf.
Not entirely true. Since I started getting into firearms about a year ago, my interest was/is primarily long range target shooting (up to 2,000+ yards ultimately and hunting second). At the start majority of my rifles were 300 WM, till I had a conversation with R. Vestal (google him) and he recommended to go to 375CT or 338LM. This was about 9 months ago or so. Since then I have been looking at 338 LM (they are easier to find than CT and all being relative, relatively less expensive than CT ammos). I picked up my first 338LM about 6 mos ago, a SAKO TRG 42 26-7" with a NF on it. One thing Ryan did not indicate was whether he has a budget or not? I got mine on gunbroker for the price of a brand new TRG 42 (basically got the scope for free!). It runs you about $4,200 or so and if you really want to go even higher (if money is no object), then there is also SAKO TRG 42A (it comes in both 300WM and 338LM). And if you are going to be spending the money, I would look at âmodularâ interchangeable caliber rifles, where you can purchase your 338LM rifle and can add other caliber barrells without buying new rifle. They tend to be more expensive (Start at slightly under $10,000 and modular additions would run you about around $3,000 give or take a couple of hundreds).
You might want to check out Desert Tech SRS-M2 in 338 LM, and later on you can add the other caiber barrells, they would run about $1,800 to $2,000). And DT happens to be in the same state as Jim.
I guess it mainly depends on what purpose he is intending to use the rifle for. Your Trg is way to heavy to be lugged around the hills and mountains all day. 13 plus pounds with a scope is way heavy. 338 LM in a hunting rifle would just punish you with every shot. If he needs to shoot 2000 yards for hunting then something is wrong. 300 prc in a lighter hunting rifle would equal the 338 LM or best it and not be as punishing to the shoulder. If he already has a 300 wm then stepping up to the 338lm is not going to give him much more of an edge for the hunting environment. If we are looking at a long distance paper puncher then yes you might have a point. I was thinking that it would be more of a hunting rifle than a plinking rifle. The 338lm is not legal for most dangerous game and most guides require you to have at least 375 for the biggest bears in Alaska so the jump from 300 to 338 just doesnât seem logical for a hunting rifle.
You are correct Ken, My TRG 42 with a NF on Top in a semi-rigid case, is quite heavy not suitable for carrying around on a hunt.
However, there is an alternative 338 which happen to be the âlightestâ gun out there. It is DT SRS-M2 in 338 LM, here watch this youtube video:
6 BEST SNIPER RIFLES IN THE WORLD OF THE YEAR 2023
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Guns You Canât Live W
And here is the price quote I received from one DT dealers in W. Palmbeach Florida:
Rifle- M2 FDE $6299.99
Accu-Tac bipod - $342
Maintenance Kit - $375
Hard/soft case combo - $406
Total- $7422.99
This is also a Modular rifle.
For hunting purposes, there is a âProof Resarchâ composite 338 LM âThundraâ which I received a quote from âEvolved Ballisticsâ of Texas.
The build with everything, including a Khalesâ long distance scope came out around $9,000. (Again this is with everything included). Yes, it is also a bit pricey.
I also have a Ruger precision 338 LM on layaway for close to $1900. But this is also heavy, 15 lbs, without anything. (This is covered in the video as well).
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