300 win mag vs 338 win mag?

I have to go with the 300WM, but I would not fault anyone for going with the 338WM. The 300 will shoot flatter & the 200Accubond @2,950 is very flat, a little flatter than the 225Accubond & less wind drift. And at the closer ranges, both will work.

To me, the 338 bore really kicks butt with the 250gr, but then I want more powder, more like the RUM & then the 338 is ahead.

Lately my thoughts have been to use my 300WM Sendero for most bigger than Deer animals & I have been looking at the 375 Ruger for the Bigger stuff, 338WM traj. or very close with more power.

http://www.realguns.com/archives/144.htm
 

Nomosendero,

That's a good article on the .375 H&H and .375 Ruger. The first thing that came to my mind was the 7# rifle would really pound the shooter, but according to the article, it's not so bad.

My son has a CZ 550 in .375 H&H. Shooting factory loads of 270 gr. Core-lokt, it kicks (felt recoil) less than my .338 shooting 250 gr. bullets. The .375 H&H seems to shove move and the .338 seems to just pound. The CZ shoots incredible well with those 270 gr. bullets. I was amazed at the accuracy of it. We were shooting near 1/2" 2-shot groups at 95 yards with it, and rarely did it go over 1".

Have you ever fired a .375 Ruger? If so, what is your impression of it with regards to accuracy?

As to the .300 Win Mag, it's a fine caliber for sure, and your Sendero should make for a rather long-range thumper.


CZ 550, .375 H&H

375-3.jpg


375-4.jpg



 
6mm06, I have not as yet even seen a Howa in 375R. I want to gather more info & see one before I take that plunge, but I
am wanting to head that direction.
 
I own and shoot both and really like both. My Ruger 77 in .338WM with the worthless stock Ruger recoil pad was painfull to shoot. I replaced it with a grind to fit LimbSaver and now felt recoil is in the same class as the 300. The .338WM with either the 225 Nosler Partition or the 225 Hornady InterLock at around 2800 fps shoots fairly flat and hits plenty hard on anything up to elk. For the big bears I'd go with a 250 grain premium bullet.
 
Originally Posted By: 6mm06This may be getting off topic just a bit, but I can't help it. I'm curious.

Wyoshooter, at what distances did you take the deer and antelope with the .338? I'm curious as to a capable range and trajectory of the cartridge for antelope, specifically.

My experience is limited to deer at around the 100-125 yard mark with both the .330 and .338. Both dropped like they were pole-axed.

I shot one antelope at 467 paces. Couldn't tell you the exact yardage. I was young and dumb at the time. I didn't see the antelope drop because of the recoil. My "spotter" an older friend of mine, watched it drop. He couldn't believe it. That load, if I remember correctly was a 250 grain Sierra. I carried my .338 for years in the mountains. Deer and elk at that time were open at the same time. Pole-axed is a good description of most everything I have killed with the .338. I still remember the day I bought that gun like it was yesterday. Been shooting it for 25 years now.
 
Originally Posted By: orrbull48preferences anyone? it will be my future elk/caribou/whatever else gun? from what ive read and looked at it seems the 300 mag 180 gr falls only about around 100fpe behind a 225 gr 338. any one have any recommendations between the two?

Unless big bears were on the menu, I'd take a 7mm mag over either. With todays bullets, they'll take elk and moose no problem, shoot flatter, and recoil less.

If big bears were on the menu, I would go 338 Win.......
 
Originally Posted By: nomosendero The 300 will shoot flatter & the 200Accubond @2,950 is very flat, a little flatter than the 225Accubond & less wind drift.

Originally Posted By: Cornstalker Seems to ruin less meat than my buddy's 300 WM with 165's. Maybe the 180's would be a little better.

Originally Posted By: 6mm06 I shot a whitetail buck at about 100 yards with that load. The entrance and exit wounds were no more destructive than what I have seen from a .270 and a 30-06.

6mm06: You really should take your 338 out more, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how flat it will shoot w/lighter bullets. My favorite 338 load for deer and nilgai is a 210 NP @2970 fps. Pretty much duplicates the 300 w/200 gr.; a bit less meat damage due to slightly heavier constructed bullet and is super accurate in my rifle . Zeroed @ 100 yds. it is 1" low @ 200 and 7" low @ 300 yds., which is as far as I care to shoot game animals. Will stretch that a bit on a coyote
wink.gif
, however, have taken a coyote @ lasered 345 yards with it.



This is my last sight-in target, fired shot #1 w/210 NP, moved rt. 1/2" and down 1" and shot #2. Switched to same load behind 200 gr. Nos. silvertip and shot #3. Rifle routinely shoots 5/8" 100 yd groups w/either bullet.

IMG_3793.jpg


Note. This load shows no pressure in my Savage but is above the maximum suggested load, so as usual, start low and work up.

Regards,
hm
 
Good shooting hm.

Actually the BC of the 200 Accubond is .588 & the wind deflection is the big deal to me. A friend has a load I want to try in my Sendero, the 210 Berger with a BC of .631 & he is still getting 2900 .

You can be almost as flat with a 225 Acc in the 338 (BC .550)
I have seen loads near 2850-2900. The new 250 Acc. at .575 is close to the 30 cal. 200 at a BC of .575, but the vel. is then lower.

No, like I said with the best hunting bullets for both the 300 is flatter, but both will work.

I decided it is rare that I will need to hit harder, hence the 375 Ruger toy. just another way to justify a rifle.
 
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Quote:pole-axed is a good description of most everything I have killed with the .338.

That is a fact.

Quote:No, like I said with the best hunting bullets for both the 300 is flatter, but both will work.

Some of the "best" hunting bullets for the 300 WM will not fit in the average mag box. The case length of the 300WM is longer than the 338WM by .12" yet the listed COL is the same. Normally no big deal until you get into the "heavy for caliber" bullets, especially VLD's. Feeding may become an issue, assuming of course that you are able to still even use it as a repeater....

Here is what my .338 is capable of. It averages between .4 and .6, but this was exceptional.

best338group2.jpg

 
Originally Posted By: cornstalkerQuote:pole-axed is a good description of most everything I have killed with the .338.

That is a fact.

Quote:No, like I said with the best hunting bullets for both the 300 is flatter, but both will work.

Some of the "best" hunting bullets for the 300 WM will not fit in the average mag box. The case length of the 300WM is longer than the 338WM by .12" yet the listed COL is the same. Normally no big deal until you get into the "heavy for caliber" bullets, especially VLD's. Feeding may become an issue, assuming of course that you are able to still even use it as a repeater....

Here is what my .338 is capable of. It averages between .4 and .6, but this was exceptional.

best338group2.jpg



Good shooting and a good rifle.

If one is buying a 300WM, there is no point in buying an average mag. box!
Good point about the mag length, some have bought the shorter long action or long actions with a short box. However, no need with a little research. I use the Sendero with the 375H&H length action,in other words just a Mod 700 action, the same can be done with Wea. MK5 or Vanguard or many others. This allows me to use the greater case capacity of the 300WM case & yes there is plenty of room for the "best" bullets. The only way I would be able to match the long range per. with a 338 bore is to get a bigger case, as in the RUM or 340 Wea or Lapua. But really for anything other than big Bears the 300 is more than adaquate. And for those & African game I would rather have the 375 Ruger.

Only stating the why for my purposes. With todays bullets many rounds will work.

I sure don't blame anyone for using the 338WM though, great round indeed!!
 
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I am looking into the .338 and .300. I want a gun for Buffalo, caraibou, and nilgai (outfitters require a .300 magnum or higher). I think that the .338 will give me more of what I want for shots out to 300 yds. I like the Winchester e-tip 200 gr round.

I just have to see what I read about in the near future.
 
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