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Old 12-18-2010, 08:11 PM
novicehunter novicehunter is offline
 
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Default 338 vs 358 norma mag

I am just starting to hunt moose & elk. I want to buy a magnum and I am stuck between the 338 win mag and the 358 norma mag. The norma with the same bullet wieght & powder seems to have almost identical speeds of the bullet. The bullet in the norma is bigger around...Will that make it hit harder or kill better
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Old 12-18-2010, 08:19 PM
1shotwade 1shotwade is offline
 
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Originally Posted by novicehunter View Post
I am just starting to hunt moose & elk. I want to buy a magnum and I am stuck between the 338 win mag and the 358 norma mag. The norma with the same bullet wieght & powder seems to have almost identical speeds of the bullet. The bullet in the norma is bigger around...Will that make it hit harder or kill better
Well novice hunter, you better be able to walk before you run! If this is your first magnum you better be prepared for what this calibre brings to the table! Try before you buy!!!
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Old 12-18-2010, 08:22 PM
novicehunter novicehunter is offline
 
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Originally Posted by 1shotwade View Post
Well novice hunter, you better be able to walk before you run! If this is your first magnum you better be prepared for what this calibre brings to the table! Try before you buy!!!
First one to buy but I have had no problem with the 338 Rum or the 338x 378 weatherby so I can fire it comfortably. I am more concerned about the performance of the gun
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  #4  
Old 12-18-2010, 08:23 PM
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Homesteader Homesteader is offline
 
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They are definately more then enough, and perhaps can be too much depending on the gun, and the shooter. I'd take the 338 out of the two you mention, and not just because it is way more common. The 338 will out penetrate the 358, and still provide you with lots of smacking bullet diameter. It will fly flatter, then the Norma as well, although within 300yds the Norma really won't give up much there. If different is your bag go Norma, but the dies and ammo will both cost more. For me the 338 is much more of a classic do all, heavy North American rifle.
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Old 12-18-2010, 08:31 PM
novicehunter novicehunter is offline
 
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They are definately more then enough, and perhaps can be too much depending on the gun, and the shooter. I'd take the 338 out of the two you mention, and not just because it is way more common. The 338 will out penetrate the 358, and still provide you with lots of smacking bullet diameter. It will fly flatter, then the Norma as well, although within 300yds the Norma really won't give up much there. If different is your bag go Norma, but the dies and ammo will both cost more. For me the 338 is much more of a classic do all, heavy North American rifle.
At 500 yds with a 250 gr bullet at 2600 ft per sec, the 358 drops 66 inches while the 338 only drops 64.5. Not much flatter , but the bullet size should deliver more horse power right because the bullet is of greater diameter. More sq inches of impact over lbs per sq. inch...

Have I got that right or am I reading the stuff wrong
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Old 12-18-2010, 08:39 PM
7mmremmag 7mmremmag is offline
 
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Tell ya what novice hunter, my hunting partner is selling his .338 remington ultra mag. I can get you a good deal on it with a great scope!
Thatll knock down any moose or elk ive ever seen!
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Old 12-18-2010, 08:41 PM
novicehunter novicehunter is offline
 
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Originally Posted by 7mmremmag View Post
Tell ya what novice hunter, my hunting partner is selling his .338 remington ultra mag. I can get you a good deal on it with a great scope!
Thatll knock down any moose or elk ive ever seen!
I will look that up, different than the 338 win mag is it,sort of like a 340 weatherby eh more like the Lapua 338
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Old 12-18-2010, 08:43 PM
7mmremmag 7mmremmag is offline
 
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Lots of energy and it carries it very well to long ranges! I can email you pics if you pm me your email address
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Old 12-18-2010, 08:45 PM
novicehunter novicehunter is offline
 
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Some fellow just told me the 338x 378 is better than the 338 remington Ultra.

It kicks like hell though if I remember
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Old 12-18-2010, 09:02 PM
7mmremmag 7mmremmag is offline
 
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Oh the 338-378 weatherby has more energy, but ballistics wise and velocity is not the same! I dont know about the 338-378 but I know the 30-378 ammo is absolutely ridiculous in price, .338 rum isnt too bad
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  #11  
Old 12-18-2010, 09:03 PM
7mmremmag 7mmremmag is offline
 
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Sorry but I have to ask......What are you hunting?
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  #12  
Old 12-18-2010, 09:39 PM
Traps Traps is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by novicehunter View Post
I am just starting to hunt moose & elk. I want to buy a magnum and I am stuck between the 338 win mag and the 358 norma mag. The norma with the same bullet wieght & powder seems to have almost identical speeds of the bullet. The bullet in the norma is bigger around...Will that make it hit harder or kill better
If you hit a moose with a 338 win mag it will be plenty. Better selection of bullets, cheaper all the way around and you'll be able to find ammo almost anywhere. Forget the norma, its not worth the time and money for pretty much the same performance.
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Old 12-18-2010, 09:53 PM
6.5x47 lapua 6.5x47 lapua is offline
 
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it depends on the amount of money you want to throw at the project but all the calibers you have stated are more than enough for this neck of the woods and probably almost everywhere else in the world.the 358 norma has a coolness factor to it though...
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  #14  
Old 12-19-2010, 10:09 AM
Leeper Leeper is offline
 
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Looking back, it kind of surprising but I think I have built more 358 Normas than I have 338's! I like the 358 Norma but I would always recommend the 338 just because brass and bullets are more readily available.
Someone once told me, the elk was designed for the 338; or maybe it was the other way around! Whatever, it's a great cartridge andnever a disappointment.
I have built some 358 Normas with a longer neck to accomodate untrimmed 300 Win Mag brass (after full length sizing, of course). The owners liked the convenience along with the ability to use Winchester brass (cheap and tougher than Norma). Leeper
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  #15  
Old 12-19-2010, 10:31 AM
equanuck equanuck is offline
 
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If you're bush hunting and need point blank power the bigger diameter will give just a bit more with those 2 calibers. I'm a Weatherby fan but between those 2 I would go with the 338 as others have said already, it's more common / easier to get bullets / and more than enough for moose & elk.
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  #16  
Old 12-19-2010, 01:31 PM
Lance Skene Lance Skene is offline
 
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338 win mag is enough for anything on this continent. Ammo as well as loading supplies are also readily available ,a convienent and reliable load. I use it for bear.
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  #17  
Old 12-22-2010, 04:40 PM
585 Nyati 585 Nyati is offline
 
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Wink 338 mag vs 358 Norma

OPINIONs being what they are!!

I have owned numerous 338 win mags, several 340 wbys, and several 338/378 wbys. (I still have 2 or more rifles in all these calibres) I have also owned a custom assembled 358N Mag. I have hunted (killed) moose, Elk, Grizzly and Black bears with them all.

IMO..the 338 win is the way to go 'for you'! Factory ammo is readily avail..358N is NOT!..Factory rifles are available from virtually all makers in 338 win. 358N will be a custom operation and $$$$! You will also need to handload for the 358N unless you find a source of ammo (hard to find)

Since I first showed up in hunting camp with a 338 win, (35+ years ago) All of my hunting campanions have switched to that cal and love it. I have seen a lot of game taken with the 338win, and if I had to (god forbid) settle on one hunting rifle cal...that would be it.

If you get the bug to 'Play' with 338 Lapuas, 338 Rums, 338/378wbys or any other supersized .338..have fun. The 338 win mag in a good factory rifle is hard to beat for hunting anything in Canada. The .338 cal also has much better bullet selection than a .358. everything from 185 gr to 350 grs!!
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  #18  
Old 12-22-2010, 05:03 PM
sheephunter
 
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Another thing to consider is that just because lower bullet weights are offered for a particular cartridge doesn't mean they will shoot them well....while far from a rule, most rifles shoot heavier for caliber projectiles better than light for caliber projectiles. Obviously there are exceptions but it's something to consider when comparing rifles of significantly different calibers.
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  #19  
Old 12-27-2010, 03:16 PM
nanuk-O-dah-Nort nanuk-O-dah-Nort is offline
 
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I loved my 338WinMag

wish I had never sold it.

Ruger MK11 SS with the plastic stock

very nose heavy but an easy shooter, and it killed whatever it hit

Using 230gr failsafes, I put one just beside the poopshute of a mature moose.

drove through the hip knuckle, through the paunch, and into the lungs.

bull travelled about 200 yds and laid down, coughing blood.

that is about 5 feet of penetration. who could ask for more
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  #20  
Old 12-27-2010, 08:13 PM
Sask Hunter Sask Hunter is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nanuk-O-dah-Nort View Post
I loved my 338WinMag

wish I had never sold it.

Ruger MK11 SS with the plastic stock

very nose heavy but an easy shooter, and it killed whatever it hit

Using 230gr failsafes, I put one just beside the poopshute of a mature moose.

drove through the hip knuckle, through the paunch, and into the lungs.

bull travelled about 200 yds and laid down, coughing blood.

that is about 5 feet of penetration. who could ask for more
Uhhhh......wow. Thanks for the image! Ha.ha.
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  #21  
Old 12-28-2010, 07:32 PM
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MattSako MattSako is offline
 
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.338 Lapua magnum with a hornady 285gr BTHP Drop anything dead in its track up to 800 yards np.
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  #22  
Old 12-28-2010, 09:52 PM
rembo rembo is offline
 
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you don't need either one for elk..lots of elk killed every year with 7-08's, 270's and the like....
But if you want a 338 or 358 go for it...
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  #23  
Old 12-30-2010, 05:19 PM
norma norma is offline
 
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i use the 358nm, have now for 40 yrs , love the cal .. i reload 250 and 180gr for it ,
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  #24  
Old 12-30-2010, 08:16 PM
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sbtennex sbtennex is offline
 
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No such thing as too dead they say, so shoot as big as you want. Said this before, and though I don't own one (prefer my .338-06), if I could only have one rifle for everything on this continent and a whole pile of others it'd be a .338 Win Mag shooting 250 Partitions for the big stuff and 210's to 225's for everything else. Load it down or to the teeth and very little on earth can't be taken pretty cleanly with the .338
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