Reality about 338 Win Mag Recoil
 

Hello Everybody,
I am looking for buying a gun for Hunting in Alberta/ Canada especially for elk trophy size and Sheep.

I like to buy a 338 Win Mag in Sako Bavarian (7.9 Lbs), Sako Grey Wolf (8.0 Lbs) or Winchester 70 Super Grade (8.5 Lbs)
Before buying a one of these guns, I would like to check how much 338 Win Mag recoil is?
I have shot lots of slug with 12 gauge/ single barrel (light weight gun), and the recoil is very manageable for me.

I have heard lots of "for and against" about this caliber, but I do not know which is right or wrong.

I would really appreciate if you could please help me especially the hunters that they have the personal experience

Regards,
alberta.elk

For elk and sheep I'd rather go 7rem mag myself. 338wm recoil isn't terrible, seems to me most 300wm kick harder than 338s never did figure out why.

I'm a fan, and find it no worse than a the bug 300's of most sorts.

An 8lb bare rifle is hefty, and will weigh closer to 10 when scoped, strapped and loaded.

I'd suggest you don't need that much gun for either species and if you are having to ask, well....

sheep and elk are shot in direct coralation to miles and elevation so I am going to suggest you buy a lighter rifle, in a lesser but more "shootable" cartridge. 30-06, .280AI or even 300 WSM are more managable in 7 pound packages, and when you've done 50km in a week with some thousands of feet in elevation you'll appreciate good advise.

After you put bases, rings and a scope on either of these guns you'll be in the 9.5-10lb range which is not a bad thing. Everybody is different but I find the recoil to be fairly sharp and the rifle recoil table lists it in the 30-35lb range if I remember correctly. A 270 or 30-06 would be under 20lbs of recoil. When shooting these rifles standing up or at an animal, the recoil isn't too bad but sitting down at the range and shooting it off a bench is a different story. Neither of these guns have great recoil pads so replace them with a limbsaver and make sure that you have a sufficient amount of eye relief when mounting your scope if you decide to go that way. If one of your friends has one, I would suggest that you try one out before making the purchase.

Love my 338wm!!! No issues with recoil.

I understand the subject is .338 Win but I would like to offer this suggestion.
Do some research on the .338-06. I've had a couple of Win .338's and it is a great cartridge. However, if recoil is a bit of an issue, the .338-06 is considerably gentler in that area. It is also very easy to load for and is right on the heels of the .338 Win Mag in terms of overall performance. Well worth a look.

I think if you're able to handle the recoil on a 12 gauge slug out of a synthetic or light shotgun, you'll be quite alright with a 338 win mag in the rifles you've mentioned. I was in the same boat. I was a bit unsure about the 338 myself, but now I own two of em. Find my 300 win mag to be a bit more hefty in the recoil department (ruger m77 ).

A 338 won't be a lot of fun shooting off a bench. Some guys probably find it ok, but I'd bet most wouldn't (unless equipped with a muzzle break- then it will simply deafen other people at the range)

For elk, sheep or moose you simply don't need a 338 win mag. I would suggest something in the 308, 30-06, 270 class. With the great bullets available today, you will have no trouble killing anything in Alberta, and be able to spend many comfortable hours at the range.

338 Mag
 

Seeing as others are making suggestions here, let me throw this one out there. 325WSM. I find the recoil on mine to be very manageable. It dives tacks, has a shorter action and barrel, The rifle itself is very light (I am getting old and lazy). I really can't find anything to dislike.

Me two

For comparison sake only.

12 g with 1 oz slug at 1500 fps out of a 7 lb shotgun, around 26 lbs of recoil
338 Win mag, 225 gr bullet at 2800 fps out of a 9 lb rifle, around 30 lbs recoil

These figures can go up or down depending on loads and rifle weight but it gives you an idea.

Bullet selection and ballistics don't favour 338 caliber. To equal ballistics of 7mm RM in 338 cal a fifteen pound rifle and muzzle brake are required.

He's hunting sheep and Elk. Not shooting pretend steel people at 1000 yds.

Unless you use that badass .815 bc 300 grainer from Berger. 338 is another one of those calibers that seem to have slightly better BC’s than others. My 338 is in a 20 year old Ruger weather warrior it has a used hockey puck and crushed glass recoil pad  it was sort of nasty to shoot before the break. Even with a break load development gets painful. With the break it recoils less than a 30-06 but it is as noisy as a flash bang.

Since you’re talking about rounds built on the same parent case all you are really doing is trading off velocity for bullet weight , and at this point in my life I not sure I would be fond of either in a light weight mountain gun.

I've shot a Sako Hunter in 338 win for 30 years and have taken a whack of animals with it (bears and moose), all of which have been 1 shot kills. I shoot 225 Hornady's and have not found it too nasty in the recoil department. I have shot 7 mm's and 30-06's that kicked more abrubptly.

Even off the bench it is not too tough to shoot. However, I would look closely at the amt of drop in the stock and make sure the rifle fits you before proceed. They are substantial but are more of a push than an abrupt kick

I have shot a Sako carbine (Manilcher) in 338 wm and they are not very pleasant, but then again they aren't even pleasant in 30.06.

Personally I love the looks of the Bavarian....

I've been using a 338win for years as my main hunting rifle. I've had three Ruger M77 rifles in this caliber and still have two of them. I mostly use 250gr SGK bullets at around 2725fps and recoil is firm but not uncomfortable.

The 338 Win mag really strives in bullets 225 grains and up anything less both ballistics and ft lbs of energy are greater with the 300 Win Mag.
IMO a 338 Win Mag is a great moose and elk gun paired with a fixed power scope and in general short range "bush gun". However if I was looking for a sheep gun I wouldn't think 338 Win Mag and would be looking at something lighter and synthetic in say a short action like 300 WSM, 7mm WSM or 270 WSM or as mentioned 280 Ack Imp or 7mm Rem Mag all of which would make deadly guns for Elk or Sheep.

That said a 338 in a 9lb gun will won't be too bad or a recoiler.

I've owned 2, .338 Win Mags over the years.

First one was a beautiful Sako Delux, with French Walnut, and gorgeous blueing and engraving.
The rifle shot 250gr. Sierra's amazingly@2740fps(Yes thats hot) I had the rifle Magnaported, and had it fitted with a Decellerator pad.

Even though I could shoot some great groups with it from the bench, I could only manage about 6 or 8 shots at one sitting. And even after that, a quiet sit in a quiet place was often needed afterwards. I sold that rifle because it was such a head rattler, and because it was too gorgeous to take in the bush.

The second was a Winchester Model 70(ask Chuck) It prefered 250's over all other bullet weights, and at a benign 2650fps, it was a beast to shoot from the bench. All my old neck and shoulder injuries from my younger years, were agrivated gratly, and the only guy who probably loved that rifle more than Elmer Keith was my Chiropractor, and my Massuse.

And yes you need the bench to develop your loads, and if tyou can't get past the bench part, and evaluate the loads, what's the point of trying different loads.

Perhaps if I didn't have all the past issues with my neck and shoulders, I'd be more inclined to hang onto the .338's but, nope, too much suffering, for what?

The most I've shot a 338win off the bench in one sitting is 60rds, my shoulder was a little bruised the next day but very slightly. I've shot 7mm Rem Mag and 300wm that I thought where worse than the 338win.

I'm gonna be honest with you. That gun is gonna kick your arse. I had a Bavarian. It was a gorgeous rifle. Beautiful set trigger. Problem is that the stock design is not recoil friendly, and the recoil pad, iirc, is a glorified hockey puck. Mine was a 270wsm and recoils was fairly brisk. The stock also didn't fit me great. I would not want that gun in a 338 mag. No way.

Ask someone to meet you at a range and see if he will let you shoot his. They can be manageable or be a monster. I had a 338 mag in a ruger 77 sitting in a HS Precision stock. I am not recoil shy, and was able to shoot two boxes of ammo out of that particular rifle off the bench. However, I wouldn't suggest that to most people.

Any way you cut it, a 338 mag gets your attention. You just need to be honest with yourself.

Hey, you want to play in the Big leagues, you're gonna get roughed up a little. :lol: Get over it. Not my idea of a Sheep gun though.

Grizz

IMO the 250's are a noticeable step up in recoil from the 200/210's and even the 225's. When I bench the 338 I start with a past recoil shield and end with one. It helps keep things manageable.

My boys 15 and 18 handled the recoil pretty well and that was about 10 rounds each. There would be some bench work to get your reloads right but short term pain long term gain. That thing carries some awesome energy out there with 250 gr loads. My father in laws 338 shoots some excellent groups as well with handloads but it's not something I'd shoot all day.

With the gun weights you are considering the recoil should be similar to a 12 gauge.
It won't "pound you" or be "brutal" or any other BS descriptions.
It likely will be more of a push than the fast sharp recoil from a 300WM.
If you can get to the to of a mountain where the sheep are, a 338 will not intimidate you.

Ain't that the truth!

I have owned 2 338wm. The first was a Sako hunter, it shot fairly well with 250gr partition hand loads and recoil was manageable. The stock cracked on it so I sold it. The next was a Browning A bolt stainless stalker. This rifle shot the 250 partitions better than the Sako but the recoil was stupid. After 20 rounds off the bench I'm sure my eyes started to cross more than they already are. Lol.

Have to agree with this. I also have a 338/06 and love it.
I agree with the whole ballistics mumbo jumbo 7mm stuff.
Truth is, Figures on paper do not kill game. The 338 is a killer, no doubt or arguments there. The recoil is there but do you even feel it when shooting at game? I never have...

I agree with smokinyotes, my stainless stalker was terrible in 338, once I put a muzzle break on it, its pleasant to shoot and makes tiny little clover leafs at the range

i don't find it bad at all it will never be a 223 for punching paper but it is not that bad at all

Get a 7mm