338 Winchester Magnum

[BARTFRNCS]

So whats the general opinion of the 338 win mag. I am taking it to RSA for a mixed bag safari. I have a 375H&H for the big stuff.

 

[James.Grage]

The 338 Win Mag with good ammo will take any plains game and leopard. I stick with 225 or 250 grain Remington ammo. I have had good success with the Ammo.

Unless you are going after the other big 5 the 338 will do all your game.

 

[sestoppelman]

Its a fine cartridge. My Ruger 77 shoots it very well with most bullet weights. It can be loaded down to like 35 Whelen or .338-06 ballistics for less recoil and still be plenty of power for PG. Load up some 250 or 275 gr bullets and its good for eland or even buff with the right bullets. Have full confidence in mine.

 

[enysse]

The 338 Win Mag is a fine choice! With premium bullets, nobody can go wrong by shooting a 338 Win Mag. Aside from buffalo and elephant it can handle everything.

 

[Nyati]

Just perfect, I have used mine with Remington 225gr Swift A-Frame for all kinds of plains game.

 

[James.Grage]

AS you can see we all like our 338 win mag and we tailor the bullets for the game...

I use core-lokt and the A-frame...The issue for you is to pick a bullet that you are comfortable with and have confidence in.

The reason i left off Lion is because some countries require a 375 or larger caliber for dangerous game. And i would not have any issues shooting a buffalo with the right bullet selection in my 338.

Rule and regulations have been put in place for those that are not so good of a shot.

As PH's i have talked to have said a lot of hunters they have guided could not hit a standing target at 50 yards.

 

[Alcornoque]

The 338win is such amazing rifle. I simply love it.
You can not find something better for plains game. As James said with the right bullet you wont have any problem shooting buffalo with it.
I know PHs that have no problem with clients using 338win to shoot buff, but with the appropriate ammo.

 

[kingcorona]

The 338 Win Mag is a great caliber.......My Beretta Mato is a slick rig in 338....with 210 gr partitions can handle about anything North America can dish out.......it's scary what it does to deer size game inside 200 yards.......I have 4 338's....I convince people who are going to hunt in Canada or Upper midwest/Rockies that it is NOT what you hunt but what might be hunting YOU if you get a kill.......you will never be undergunned with a 338 here or anywhere else......I have 200 yard zero's on 3 of them....they group well and give you a punch out to 300 yards....or more....For more than that I have a 338-378

 

[Code4]

An acquaintance took a .338 to Africa with premium projectiles for plains game and after loseing an Eland traded it for a .416RM (bad shot placement). Just take the .375H&H for everything.

If you want (IMO you don't need) two rifles on safari go a 7mm and .375 or .30-06 and .450+. The .338 and .375 are too close.

 

[libertarian]

The 338 is great... IF and only if you can shoot it really well. It's more gun then you really need for plains game smaller than eland, and a lot of people bring heavy magnum calibers and a flinch, which is far worse than a smaller caliber you can shoot well.

My wife and I took a 30-06 and 375 on our last trip, and we spent 200+ rounds on each gun at the range before the trip. Nothing we shot took more than one shot, even at 200 yards, and most of them dropped in their tracks. African game are tough, but they don't wear Kevlar.

Now, I don't know you. You might be one of those steel-shouldered studs who can fire a 458 Lott off a bench all day and not even feel it. But if you're not, make sure you don't bring more gun then you can shoot well.

When we went, there were two other groups in camp with us, and both brought ultra mags of various kinds. One group shot very well and put some great trophies in the salt, the other brought more gun then they could shoot and end up with a lot of gut-shot animals and tracking. I know which group I'd want to be in.

Just my $0.02.

 

[libertarian]

PS: If it were me, I'd probably just take the 375 (I love my 375, it's pretty light) or bring something smaller than a 338 as a second gun. If you don't need a 375 to kill it (which is just about anything under about 1600 lbs), a 308 or 30-06 will probably do the job very nicely and beat you up a lot less, plus you can get an ultralight 308 and carry it all day without getting tired. The same ultralight in 338 Mag will kick you like a rented mule.

 

[safari-lawyer]

338 WM is a machine. Really, it will do just about everything that a 375 will do.

My grandfather used it for numerous cape, water, and forest buffalo, banteng, lion, leopard, giant eland, EA eland, brown bear, etc, etc, etc.

I've used the 338 for two leopards and dozens of bait animals and plains game animals.

It will kill about anything you'd care to point it at.

 

[lwaters]

I am planning on taking the 338 win. to Namibia for plains game. Mine really likes the 210 nosler partitions and I have shot three elk with it and never recovered a bullet. I never have tried any other bullets as these group under an inch. I do have some 225 hornady interbonds and will try them but will take the the most accurate. Does everyone think the 210 partition will be enough for eland? Eland is not on my main list but may take one is availabe. Also is 338 ammo available in Namibia and I am also taking a 300 ruger compact mag. that I will load with a 180 partition for a back up rifle. I doubt if there will be any ammo available for the 300 ruger if mine goes astray also would like to use it on the smaller stuff.

 

[richteb]

Hi lwaters

Good luck for your up coming hunt.

If you are going to hunt eland I would use a good 250 gn load. I shot one with a 375 using 300 gn projectiles. Eland by all accounts are one of the antelope species that can be hard to put down and considering that they are bigger in body weight then a cape buff I think that the caliber should reflect that. What does your PH recommend?

 

[safari-lawyer]

I'd shoot an eland with 210 NPs IF IF IF I was taking a broadside vitals shot. I'd be much less certain if I was faced with quartering to or hard quartering away.

I've shot all my elands with 375, but I've shot enough zebra and other large PG with my 338 to know that I could kill an eland with it.

Also, recall that elands don't like lead. A 210 NP in the wheelhouse will do it every time.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Buddy just used his on the plains game hunt in SA. 210 TTSX.
Never found one bullet either.
No deflection worth talking about from shooting through light cover in front of the animals either.

I used a borrowed 8mm on my Eland, 200 grn soft points. (No idea other than that, as they were reloads)
The Eland sucked up 4 of them through the boiler room (lung shots).
Amazed me and the PH both.

Given this comparison, I'll take that .338 after an Eland any day!

 

[timbear]

Buddy just used his on the plains game hunt in SA. 210 TTSX.
Never found one bullet either.
No deflection worth talking about from shooting through light cover in front of the animals either.

I used a borrowed 8mm on my Eland, 200 grn soft points. (No idea other than that, as they were reloads)
The Eland sucked up 4 of them through the boiler room (lung shots).
Amazed me and the PH both.

Given this comparison, I'll take that .338 after an Eland any day!

Agreed, but you said you'd also bring your .375 H&H. Is there any good reason to use your light gun on the big fellows if you have a big gun handy?

 

[BRICKBURN]

Safari Lawyer used and spoke about a 375. (Can't recall me saying anything about that.)

If you have the big gun there use it. Take your favourite and have fun.

 

[Nyati]

I am planning on taking the 338 win. to Namibia for plains game. Mine really likes the 210 nosler partitions and I have shot three elk with it and never recovered a bullet. I never have tried any other bullets as these group under an inch. I do have some 225 hornady interbonds and will try them but will take the the most accurate. Does everyone think the 210 partition will be enough for eland? Eland is not on my main list but may take one is availabe. Also is 338 ammo available in Namibia and I am also taking a 300 ruger compact mag. that I will load with a 180 partition for a back up rifle. I doubt if there will be any ammo available for the 300 ruger if mine goes astray also would like to use it on the smaller stuff.

The 225 gr Swift A Frame is a great bullet for the.338, I have used it extensively in Africa with great satisfaction.

I havn t shot an Eland with it, but two friends of mine did, without any problems.

 

[enysse]

210 grain Nosler Partitions in 338 Win Mag. will bring a eland down.