338 winmag? Should I?

H

Husqvarna

New member
338 winmag? Should I?

Pondering the idea of replacing my 9,3x62 with a 338wm

due to laws here I just can't buy it and evaluate. I have 8 rifles so it is one in one out.

I have come across a bargain. I have a t3, great rifle but I have come across a SAKO in near mint condition

the t3s are of the shelf available anywhere so if I want to go back I always can.

I am a left hand shooter and good deals on used LH hardly ever come up here

338win mag seems to have considerable long range edge over the 9,3x62?

For some time I was considering a 375HH but Africa is not a possibility in the near future tbh, Alaska/Canada a bit more possible and 338wm is liked by bearhunters/guides
 
The ballistic tables I'm looking at show a slight edge going to the .338WM---but hardly enough to make much difference.
Ignoring ballistics, if you are in love with the SAKO, do the switch anyway.
One must try as many rifle varieties as possible.
-----krinko
 
Ya...I would jump on the SAKO. I just bought a used, near mint. custom made 338WM, with an FN Mauser action, heavy Douglas barrel, with a beautiful walnut stock and recoil pad --- along with a mounted turretless 2.5-8x Weaver scope.

I believe Sportmans Guide sells the cheapest 338WM ammo around. They also have a good selection of various 338WM ammo.

I have a SAKO Model 75 synthetic in 30-06. The only negative is the push lever release for the box magazine, that makes it too easy for it to drop out by accident. I use a small piece of duct tape to cover-up the mag release lever.

The SAKO Model 85 rectified the magazine problem.

Model 75 magazines are getting hard too find. The extra one I bought last year cost me around $125.
 
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Even though I shoot a left handed 338, I am going to spoil your excuse for buying a new rifle. Comparing using 250 grain bullets and the same sight setting at 100 yards, both cartridges have essentially the same energy at 400 yards and only an inch difference in drop. Now if the gun is a real bargain, that is a different excuse for buying a new rifle. I had a hard time finding a left handed 338. Seems to me that 338 ammo would be harder to find in Sweden just as 9.3 X 62 is harder to find here.
 
We do these apples to oranges comparisons so often but, in general... the 338 wm has a slight edge in velocity and of course, for equal weights, its bullets have a better bc and sd. Advantage 338.
 
If you go to the 338 Win Mag, expect to have a significant increase in felt recoil over the 9.3x62. If that is not a concern, by all means go for it. For hunting you will probably never even notice the recoil, but for sighting in and practice, a few shots of a 338 Win Mag go a long way.

Jimro
 
Several years ago, I was considering both calibers. Made the choice for the .338 mainly on availability of rifles. I still search 9.3x62 occasionally on Gunbroker, love the old classics. But I'm staying with the "new" kid. The recoil of the .338 Win Mag will certainly get your attention, but my impression from the first shot with a commercial 225 grain round, through hundreds from 200 to 275 doing load testing off the bench is that it ain't that bad.
 
.338 Win mag is Ok. I retired mine when I got my .340 WBY. I eventually turned my .340 WBY into a .378-338 WBY. The .338 Win. mag. does not recoil too badly; compared with the latter two anyway.:D
 
In a word... yes.

IIRC you have moose and black bears there. The 338wm is perfect for those animals. Not that the 9.3x62 is a slouch - I just bought one, but why have only one option.:)

The 9.3 and 338 are similar up to about 200 yards then the 338 starts to step away but they are both very good cartridges.
 
we got browns man;)

not that far from Kodiak you know:D

but probably browns the size of your blacks

everything is bigger in Amerikatt:)

been looking at a mauser m03 to, so I won't have to choose calibre

but that requires living on bread and water for a long while:mad:
 
I have enough big powder burners; 86gr is only ~81 rounds per pound of powder.
However, if I was interested, I'd lean toward the .338 Lapua over the .300 WSM, YMMV.
 
with a persistant lawyer friend you can:D

technically one shotgun isn't a hunting rifle only for trap

one is for hunting offically for the municipallity

now I have been looking at 300wm aswell

maybe do some impromptu long range again...

Africa isn't really on the plate anyway

the rifle would be driven game and moose/bear from a stand
 
Personally not a fan of anything 33 caliber. If you compare equal bullet weights in 300 WM vs 338 WM, the 338 might shoot them 50 fps faster. Either are equally capable on the same game at close range, but the much better BC's of the 30's give them the edge in both energy and trajectory at anything farther than about 100 yards. A bullet diameter difference of only .03" is insignificant. The heaiver 200-220 gr 30's will do exactly the same thing on game as a 225-250 gr 33 caliber. I personally favor the 300 WSM because it fits in a more compact package, offers about 98% of 300 WM velocity, but with noticeably less recoil

If I couldn't get the job done with a 30-06 or any of the 300 magnums I'd skip right over everything else and go straight to 375 mag.
 
I have a couple 338WM rifles that send a 250 gr at 2600 fps.
I use a large grind to fit Limbsaver recoil pad, and then don't grind it. The extra area on the shoulder is the key. I could shoot it all day, unlike my hard butt 30-30.
 
Hi,

I am set on getting a 338winmag also but I am looking at either a Mauser M12 or Sauer 101

Does anyone have a view on the Mauser and Sauer?

Cheers
 
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