338 Win Mag vs 338 Ultra Mag

[saskfly]

Well,

Heres the scoop. I had a planned pack trip in B.C. this September with my uncle and brother in law for Elk in Sept. Due to the cold Winter my wife and I our now expecting our third. The Hunt is now changed to a Jet Boat hunt up Near Fort Nelson in 2012.

I was/am in the market for a .338/.338 RUM. The main reasons for the step up to that calibre are heavy Timber, Grizzlies and have no desire to track a wounded elk (although I plan to shoot, and shoot and shoot at the range).

Is there any real benefit stepping up to a .338 RUM? I know everyone asks "well how far do you plan on shooting?" My answer is wherever I can make an ethical kill. I have spent the day at the range with an old .338 BDL and have no worries about recoil.

I don't handload....yet. Is the .338 RUM tough to come by for ammo?

What are your guys' thoughts on using these larger calibres on deer?

Opinions!

Cheers!

[schimmel]

338 RUM ammo very hard to come buy. I bought 2 boxes of remington cartridges when I bought my rifle. Since then I've reloaded every round that's gone through it. RUM ammo hard to come by.

[elkhunter11]

Unless you are the type of shooter that will be shooting at 400+ yards, and you are willing to spend considerable time and money learning the trajectory and wind drift of the 338RUM, the 338win mag is a much more sensible choice. For the box or two of ammunition per year shooter, the 338RUM offers no usable advantage, and the added recoil could be detrimental to your shooting.

[hardy]

You will find that the performance of factory 338RUM isn't that much different from the 338 win mag. I think the 340wby loads are faster than the RUM. If you handload you will be into performance levels of the 338 lapua and 338-378. For some reason Remington ammo is not loaded very hot in this chambering. Although if your lookin to buy a new rifle from everything ive read and seen the .338 RUM tends to be a vary accurate round. Nosler ammo states in their load manual that the .338 rum is used to test all 338 bullets because of the accuracy.

Remington loads:corelokt 250gr @2660fps for 338 win mag.
corelokt 250gr @2860fps for 338 RUM.

I own a 300 RUM and it freaky accurate out of squeaky clean barrel it can shoot 1/4"s shot groups with bullets from 155-220 it don't mind. Average accuracy would be 1/2"-3/4" with most loads.

[7mmremmag]

My buddy just sold his Remington 700, 338 ultra mag. It was amazing for accuracy with factory ammo. Also factory ammo is not hard to come by. I have never been to wholesale and them not have it. The Home Hardware in Fox Creek had 3 boxes when I was in there this past October! Along with 8 boxes of my 300 rum.
I have shot the 338 rum, and really like it. I would own one if I could find it in a lefty.
Also with that said, Elkhunter is right, if you only shoot a couple boxes a year than get a 338 wm. Its about half the price for shells.
BUT, if you wanna impress your friends and blow your ear drums and shoulder outta joint buy a Ultra Mag :sHa_shakeshout:

[Tone]

I absolutely love the .338 win mag. If I had one gun for everything it would be this cal. Works on everything from coyotes to big bears. I have shot a few things (including deer) with mine. Works good! IMO
Tone

[sikwhiskey]

I like the Idea of no belt on a 338. I've shot many 338wm, lapua and one 338 Dakota. Being A hand loader I think my next rifle will be the 338 RUM. loaded ammo may be hard to find, but brass is very easy to find at a reasonable price.

[saskfly]

Thank you all for your replies.

Definitely helped me in answering another question. I will most likely go with the .338 win mag until I get into my own reloading. The RUM is still on my list of calibers though...along with the 7mm STW, .270 WSM, rebuild my .300 Savage....etc. etc.

Again thanks for your replies.

Cheers!

[Grouse Assassin]

how hard is the .338 win mag on deer? does it make a pretty big mess?

[PoppaW]

how hard is the .338 win mag on deer? does it make a pretty big mess?

From my experience it will look like an '06 kill. Bigger guns don't blow things up.

[greylynx]

From my experience it will look like an '06 kill. Bigger guns don't blow things up.

Those discontinued Nosler 180 grain partitions are sort of messy on coyotes.

Otherwise, the .338 is great on deer using the right bullet. But then isn't any reasonable cartridge good on deer using the right bullet? I know uncle Jack and Uncle Elmer would have something to say about that.

[Grouse Assassin]

From my experience it will look like an '06 kill. Bigger guns don't blow things up.

blow things up...... funny guy:shake: im sure there is considerably more impact force with a.338 than a .308 is all i was inquiring about

[Andrzej]

This is exit wound of 225 TTSX out of 338 Win Mag WT Buck at 100y MV 2860
Not much for meat damage with shot in boiler room.


http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r299/Andrzej77/IMG_0491.jpg

Entry wound,
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r299/Andrzej77/IMG_0489.jpg


Exit wound, same WT

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r299/Andrzej77/IMG_0488.jpg

[saskfly]

This is exit wound of 225 TTSX out of 338 Win Mag WT Buck at 100y MV 2860
Not much for meat damage with shot in boiler room.


http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r299/Andrzej77/IMG_0491.jpg

Entry wound,
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r299/Andrzej77/IMG_0489.jpg


Exit wound, same WT

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r299/Andrzej77/IMG_0488.jpg

Wow. Can't answer a question better than that.

Thanks for the pics!

[Grouse Assassin]

wow thats not bad atall thanx for posting that!

[Alaska]

I have a Rem 700 in XCR2 in 338 Rum

I have modified it some

HS Pecision Tan Stock
HS Trigger Guard and Detachable Magazine
Timney Trigger
M16 Extractor installed on Bolt and
spiral fluting, skeletonizing of bolt
Mag Na Ported

My Handload consist of 225gr Nosler Accubond with H1000 @ 97.5 for 3100 FPS.
Sure is a Moose Buster.

[albertacowboy]

I already had a .30-'06 and .300 WM, but I wanted a Winchester Model 70 Alaskan. The .338 was closer to the .300, so I got the Model 70 in .375 H&H Mag. I will try it out soon. From experienced owners, it doesn't have the sharp jab of a .338 but more of a solid push.

We'll see! Enjoy your .338.

[Cowtown guy]

I have a Rem 700 in XCR2 in 338 Rum

I have modified it some

HS Pecision Tan Stock
HS Trigger Guard and Detachable Magazine
Timney Trigger
M16 Extractor installed on Bolt and
spiral fluting, skeletonizing of bolt
Mag Na Ported

My Handload consist of 225gr Nosler Accubond with H1000 @ 97.5 for 3100 FPS.
Sure is a Moose Buster.

I 100% thought you would be a brand new user after seeing the post is more than 5 years old. How long do you have to dig to find these posts?

[Alaska]

I enjoy reading the post, even if they are old post.

[Pioneer2]

A .270 will destroy more meat than a .338 A buddy smoked a cow moose a couple years ago with a .416 Rigby and a 400 gr Partition.You could eat right up to the bullet hole.........Harold

[averagejoe]

http://i.imgur.com/CxF4qnp.jpg