which rifle/cartridge dilemma...

Recoil is a factor of 4 things. Bullet weight, bullet velocity, , guns weight and powder weight.

I own both 338-06 as well as several 30-06 rifles. 57 gr of H4350 gives me 2800 fps with 180's from a 22" 30-06. 60 gr of the same powder gives me 2700 fps with 200's in the 338-06 from a 24" barrel. Those loads are 1-2 gr below max and I could get a little more speed from either, but accuracy is where I want it. I doubt if 2800 fps is possible in my 338-06 safely. Probably 2750, which puts it pretty close to the 338 RCM.

Accoding to this website

http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp

The 30-06 will have 21 ft lbs of recoil with 180's from an 8 lb rifle
The 338-06 will have 23 ft lbs with the 200 gr bullets in an 8 lb rifle

In the real world I doubt any game animal will ever notice the difference. The 180/30 cal has better sectional density. The 338 is .03" larger diamter and slightly heavier.
 
The dilemma you have is you've fallen in love with the Ruger Hawkeye 375 for all the wrong reasons,for looks alone.
It will only end in bruises and tears. You state you dont care for all this recoil in magnum rifles, yet you choose a light weight 375 to fall in love with.
I recently purchased a .375H&H CZ that weighs a bit over 11 lbs with a scope that I actually enjoy shooting. If you want to enjoy shooting large caliber rifles I recommend the heavier the better, but as others have said, it depends on what you want it for.
I find my .375H&H gets a bit heavy after half a day of walking around mountainsides.
 
The Benelli R-1 auto is available in 338 Win. That will reduce the recoil quite a bit !
There are special recoil pads that reduce recoil nicely .You could add weights to the gun. You could reduce the load 5-10 % . You could get the barrel ported [shooters next to you will hate you] .
One or more of those will help you for sure !
You could shoot a 600NE , then the 338 would seem like a baby.
The 600NE as a steady diet usually in time causes things like detached retinas, neck and shoulder damage.
 
You can reduce felt recoil by shooting a light weight bullet and by increasing the effective mass of the rifle. I have a 6"x 6" x 3" bag of 7 1/2 lead shot I put between the rifle buttplate and my shoulder. It sure takes the sting out.
 
I have found that the .338 win mag is about as much recoil as I care to shoot. The cartridge is inherently very accurate 1/2 - MOA in my experience I am trying to get mine down to 1/4 MOA for comp and hunting. I get around 34-38 free lbs of recoil with the 225- 250 grain hornadys I use a light recoil pad and call it a day. The range depends on how far you are able to shoot accurately. I get 3.5 inch groups at 400 yds so I estimate my ability to hit at MOA up to 800 the problem is with large game like elk you want 1800 ft lbs of retained energy. That limits most loads to 500/600 yds UNLESS you want to shoot a 300 grainer at 2450+ FPS then it reaches out quite a bit further
 
The solution to your delima is sitting on your reloading bench. As a reloader, you can easily reduce the recoil with different loads.

Also, a good recoil pad makes an enormous difference.
 
If you like 338 then here is the answer....

Get a 338 Federal. I bought one last winter and have been enjoying it since. I started wtih factory ammo 180gr, 185gr, 200gr and 210grain. I found taht it shoots the 200gr the best (just over an inch) and with the Leupold 3x9 LRD scope I put on it I could hit the steel at 400 every time (I know it's not a longe range performer but I'm just sayin I do it). I now load the Speer 200gr Hot-core bullet over 52gr Allian PowerPro2000MR (load is per their book!) and I'm getting 2754fps over my chrono and it shoots 1"! This will kill all the deer, black bear and elk you aim it at inside of 400yds and if you're shooting farther then you need to be on TV.

Good Luck/Good shooting/Be Safe/Have Fun

NRA Life Member
 
"30-06 pushes it about 2650 fps max
35 Whelen pushes it at about 2700
300 H&H Mag pushes it about 2980
300 Win Mag pushes it at about 2950"

Sounds about right. I heard that Hornady has a loaded 35 Whelen with a 225 grain pill that will do 2750 fps, so advertised. That seems high. I have used this weight to 2700fps and it will do more than usually advertised with the 250 grain.

I like the 300 Win Mag the best of these and it must mean something when long-range sharpshooters use it? I usually like a 180 grain, or a 200 and I get about 2850 with a fine shooting load.

Now here is what I used to like. When Remington came out with the 8 mag, I liked the full length magnum very much, and being an unusual Weatherby owner, I dislike their ammunition, too much free bore. I had one set to a .338 and it came close to the 340. Then I went the other direction, this time with a better barrel and all around better set-up, this was a great all around heavy game getter, a real 3000 fps with a 200 grain! Later Kenny Jarret built the same and now it is known as the 300 Jarret. This is one hell of a rifle, and with the new premium bullets, I do not see a need for a .338 and would rather go to a .375. I have one older .375 Winchester, mainly as a collector rifle. My day of shooting big animals have ended.

I like the Weatherby action, and the same with the Browning A bolt. Today, I am not shooting the big rifles. I am a Browning bolt action fan and a Marlin lever action fan.

I have the Browning A bolt in a 223, 260 and 308, all fine shooters. The little short action cases are easy to reload, they cost less, now powder has gone up and really, the 260 is my favorite for open range game, it is versatile and very accurate. The 308 is also a great rifle. I did replace the barrel on my 223 and it also shoots superb. I am sold on Browning!

As for scopes, I like Leopold, in the Vari X 3 at moderate power, all other than my 223, which is my long-range varmint rifle.

I have the 35 Whelen on an FN Mauser action and I have a pre-64, 30-06 and 270, but they are not what I shoot very often and are more collector rifles.

The last remaining Weatherby I have is the 300 Winchester magnum, which is a fine shooter, but now a bit hard on me to bench shoot.

My pleasure is the smaller Browning short actions. I also like all the good Marlins and have a 358, 30-30 in super pristine condition, a 35 Remington and the two pistol round rifles, .44 and .357; I like then all in my old style 'Gunsmoke' rack.

When hunting, I seem to prefer the 35 Remington, as I have plenty of bullets, having bought them up when sales began to fall. The 30-30 is just too pretty and the 358 is great when I really need that power, and the pistol Marlins, I often shoot for hunting and target; they are great in this rough hilly country.

I do like the 260 the best for open country and more so than the 270 which is a bit more powerful.
 
I would look a little further into just leaving the 375 Ruger as is in the Hawkeye Alaskan. With a 235gr bullet, you can get 2900 fps from the 20" barrel, and although it will have more drop than a 300 Win or 338 cal, the recoil is very tolerable. My Alaskan doesn't kick much worse than my Marlin Guide Gun 45-70 with hot loads. On paper, it has about 25% more recoil, but it certainly doesn't feel that way. Sighted 3" high @ 100yds with a 260 Accubond,you're dead on at 250 and 4" low at 300 and still carrying nearly 3000 ftlbs energy...from a 20" barrel. Mine wears a Vortex Viper 2x7x32 and has taken 2 nilgai. The 375 Ruger by itself is plenty versatile, and it won't bang you up like a 340 Weatherby.
 
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