font-weight: bold; However, you must assure yourself that the level of recoil allows you to shoot the rifle proficiently; if you cant, a .35 Whelen or .375 H&H makes a much better choice. The ammo comes loaded with bullets ranging from 260 grains, which is suitable for ground squirrels, to 300 grains, which is the only weight I would consider. When I hunted caribou in grizzly country, Id use 210-grain bullets for ungulates, and always have a couple of 250-grain Swift A-Frames at the bottom of the magazine in case a bear showed up to claim the caribou. text-align: left; A black bear at close range can look like a blob of black fur, and a low-power scope can help place the shot properly, giving a wider field of view. Brilliant writing. Effective range in this test is the minimum impact energy recommended for a humane kill on medium game (1200 ft-lbs.) Both cartridges are devastating. .tg .th-lmno { It does this while delivering the flat trajectory of the 300 magnums plus terminal performance approaching that of the big bores. Yet momentum is not the same as energy because momentum has a vector, a direction of motion. Either a long-range bullet fired up close, or a close-range one used too far away can cause ineffective wounds and result in lost game. over a 300 Win. Your deer rifleprovided it is of suitable caliber, say 6.5mm and upcan easily be used on a baited hunt, but I would advise against a riflescope too high in magnification. of energy from the muzzle. Check out the following articles: 3 Rifle Cartridges to Hunt the WorldWhy My Cartridge is Better Than YoursTop 5 Handgun Hunting CartridgesAn Ode to the Ruger Model 77Top 5 Hunting Cartridges of the21stCenturyTop 5 Deer Bullets for 2018An Ode to the .30-30 Winchester5 Reasons to Book a Spring Bear HuntAn Ode to the Ruger Mini ThirtyBoattail vs. Flat-Base BulletsHow to Build a Custom RifleChoosing a Cartridge for North America's Big GameTop 5 American-Made Hunting RiflesHow to Choose a Buffalo RifleAn Ode to the .223 RemingtonTop 5 Coyote CartridgesThe Ultimate Long-Range Hunting CartridgeThe Greatest Whitetail Cartridge Ever DesignedAn Ode to the Browning BARTop 5 Bear BulletsDo You Really Need a Magnum Cartridge?Why the Ruger No. Both bears are highly territorial, peaceable enough if unprovoked, but quick to take offense at all manner of things. The Winchester engineers had shortened the .375 H&H case to 2.500", and necked it either up or down to hold .458", .338" and .264" diameter bullets, releasing the trio of new magnums in 1958. Both are quick in the same way cats are quick. Sbt Sierra Game King 20-pack. In fact, while shooting eland and oryx bulls, I felt no recoil that I can remember. has killed its fair share of charging bears. Change the species to the brown or grizzly bear, and you may want to consider a larger bore diameter. The .458" and .264" bore diameters were certainly no strangers to the hunting and shooting community; those bore diameters date back to the . They have the powder capacity to launch them at impressive velocities and thus use those bullets high BC and SD advantages. Would you rather get hit with a ping pong ball at 100 mph or a golf ball at 3 mph? They are all good, if you can tolerate the recoil. However, as with all hunting, the best rifle is the rifle you shoot confidently. Current factory offerings include a 250-grain Nosler Partition at 3,060 fps and a 225-grain Barnes TTSX at 3,180 fps. For shots well beyond 500 yards, consider the Nosler AccuBond LR, Swift Scirocco, Berger, Hornady ELD-X, Hornady SST, or Sierra Game King. .tg .tg-xhut { shooting different bullets (MPBR calculated using high B.C. .338 diameter bullets are unique. Considered by many to be the most versatile North American big-game cartridge, the .338 Win. Is it fun to shoot? .tg { Rugers current Hawkeye Guide Gun in 338 Win. font-weight: bold; I am wondering whether this is adequate for brown bear or should I work with the 250 grain barnes or some other bullet design. } I could always load it with a controlled expansion 220-grain bullet at 2,800 fps to generate 3,830 f-p muzzle energy, right there with the 300-grain from the 338 Win. background-color: #efefef; 1 or Browning BAR, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with using the good old .30-06 Springfield, .270 Winchester or .280 Remington. .308 Winchester. Snow As a geologist, Nelson has killed four bears in defense of life and property (DLP), including two black bears and two grizzlies. Calling and shooting predators is one of the things that helps hunters get from the end of the fall seasons to when the turkeys start gobbling. The .375, because of its considerable case taper and gentle shoulder angle, can be made to feed like greased asparagus in a properly set up rifle. The 338 will sure as hell get the job done for anyone who can shoot at all. It is one hell of a gun though. Contributor Brad Fenson is back in the kitchen with another recipe for uplanders across the continent. has 780 ft.-lbs. Question: Would you say the results of the best .338 magnums of your tests/comparison would be the same if reloads were considered? If you handload, or know someone who does, the two rounds can accommodate the 275-grain Swift A-Frame bullet, which puts them, for all practical purposes, on the same footing as the .375 H&H. 62.99 $. The .338-378 has devoted fans in the long-range hunting sub-culture, but only exceeded the .340 Weatherbys muzzle velocity by 119 fps; a small reward for the huge recoil it produces. background-color: #333333; The 338 Winchester Magnums overall length is 3.340, same as the 30-06, 270 Win, etc., so its cases hold about 12 percent less powder than the Weatherbys. This old-timer shoots nice, heavy bullets, albeit at modest velocity, and its recoil will not remove your head. Its also been incredibly popular among Alaskan hunters and guides, especially in lever-actions like Marlins 1895 Guide Gun, which is compact, fairly lightweight and highly maneuverable in close quarters. Keith wanted something which would hammer through a quartering-away elk (his favorite game) out to 300 or 400 yards and realized a .338 caliber bullet driven fast enough would get the job done. Stainless and laminated, its obviously aimed at Alaskan guides and fishermen needing a reasonably handy yet hard hitting protection tool. Based on ballistic charts, I don't see a great increase in energy with the 250 grain bullet and its trajectory is not as flat as the 225 grain bullet. }. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. David E. Petzal Weatherby has developed several rounds by necking down their awe-inspiring .378; the .300-378 and .338-378. Mag. Mag. A .225 gr. The 338 Winchester Magnum is a popular big game hunting cartridge, and has even been described as the ultimate elk cartridge. All calculations were based on the heaviest Nosler AccuBond bullet available in factory-loaded ammunition for each caliber, unless otherwise noted. What is the distance this species is typically hunted from? A strong 400-grain bullet at 2,400 fps is highly persuasive. A well-fed grizzly boar will scale around 600 pounds, with the really. is what usually comes to mind. A hunter must really want to shoot an elk at 800 yards to consider anything above the .338 Win. .375 H&H Magnum (L), .338 Winchester Magnum (R). With a Cerakote finish on all the metal parts and a Leupold VX-5HD scope in Talley detachable rings, this rifle gives me all sorts of options. Copyright Ron Spomer Outdoors document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) While some may consider it the minimum, its plenty powerful enough to stop an onerous bear. will dig in deeper then most 250 gr. Caliber. Sbt Sierra Game King 20-pack. Combine this pressure with the 70- to 76-grains of powder generally stuffed into 338 Win. Mag. For black bears, in country where there is no grizzly presence, the popular deer and elk cartridges will certainly work very well; a .308 Winchester or .30-06 Springfield loaded with a 165- or 180-grain spitzer bullet will handle black bears. Mag. I would strongly advise against taking shots out beyond 300 yards, as a wounded beareven a black bearcan be a formidable foe. Mag) hits the expansion limit at almost 600 yards! Mag? The heavier the bullet you shoot in any cartridge/rifle loaded to maximum pressures and MV, the greater the recoil. Want to read more from Philip Massaro? Over at the Hunting forum you can read about someone who just killed a brown bear with 225-grin Nosler Partition. Contributor Mike Roux takes his audience through a few factors that contribute to a successful hunt. This should be a standard practice with any dangerous game. John B. By October 10, 2014. A rifle of this weight in .300 or .338 magnum can be mastered with a lot of practice. Mag. Both BC and sectional density (SD) are noted for each bullet tested. Please email us if you have questions about any of our product listings. The disadvantages are that the recoil is not for the faint of heart, and you need a rifle that weighs 10 pounds. } 250 gr. While a well-placed shot from a 10mm can no doubt do the trick, the .357 Mag. And a hunter desiring flat trajectory and long reach along with best bear protection can load the magazine with 300-grain bonded bullets, then carry some 180- to 225-grain, high B.C. Like the .338 Lapua, it is a great candidate for the 300-grain long-range bullets now on the market. In other words, the trajectory curve of the 300s 210-grain load is almost identical to the 338s 225-grain load. } Make no mistake, the .300 Win Mag will never have the same amount of energy or knock down power as a .338 Win Mag or .375 Win Mag rifle. vertical-align: top One of the most useful cartridges ever developed by the hand of man, the .338 will do it all. border-color: #656565; Dude Ranches, Horse Riding and Pack Trips, 416 Remington Mag (Recoil reducer recommended). Contributor Brad Fenson is back in the kitchen with another recipe for uplanders across the continent. Over the decades, several cartridges have proved themselves as worthy against the nastiest bears North America has to offer. Is the .338 Winchester Magnum a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for grizzly or brown bear hunting? Based on ballistic testing and field use, Nelson recommends Brennekes Black Magic Magnum or DDupleks Monolit 32 solid steel slug. Never, ever, shoot a large-caliber bear just once. border-color: black; Semi-automatic and striker-fired, the P320-XTEN is extremely accurate, easy to shoot even with powerful 10mm loads and holds 15-plus-one rounds. It comes close to .338 RUM performance but fits into standard (.30-06) length rifle actions. Hornady Superformance .338 Winchester Magnum 225 grain SST Centerfire Rifle Ammunition. 3. You can also avoid using a muzzle-brake by selecting a cartridge that you can shoot comfortably and enjoy shooting enough to practice with frequently. border-color: #656565; Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Or close enough. Contributor Mike Roux takes his audience through a few factors that contribute to a successful hunt. One point for every 25 yards beyond 200 yards for minimum expansion velocity range, one point deducted for every 25 yards less. What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a grizzly or brown bear in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Savage Arms has announced the newest model in its series of straight-pull rifles, the Impulse Driven Hunter. Question: I'm curious why you chose to use different weight bullets for each cartridge? But the 33-caliber 338 Winchester Magnum seems to thumb its nose at popularity surveys, probably because it fills the gap between that frightening kick of dangerous game cartridges and the tolerable recoil of the magnum 30s. Mag. One point for each ft-lbsf recoil less than 15, and one point deducted for every ft-lbsf greater than 15. That way youre instantly bear ready. Lets dive right in. .tg .tg-sklq { A handgun is worn on your person, however, and is invaluable because it stays with you, whether youre answering natures call or stopping to field dress a game animal. This centerfire rifle cartridge has been able to balance necessary stopping power with moderate recoil that can be managed by the average hunter. Bullet selection for the .338 magnums presents some challenges. Federal loads its 06 ammo with 200-grain Trophy Bonded bullets, which is what you want if you dont handload. Hsm Ammunition Hsm Ammo .338 Win Mag 215gr. The heaviest bullet available would give each cartridge its best chance since such bullets offer the highest BC's and SD's and would thus make the comparison as fair as possible. The .338 Winchester Magnum is among the popular choices for large bearsboth my Alaskan guides carried a rifle so chamberedand I see the wisdom of using bullets of 250 grains. But many elk hunters are rolling with the 338 Win. This is an instance where a 7mm Remington Magnum or .300 Winchester Magnum would be right at home, in a good bolt-action rifle. As yet, no one offers a 250 grain AccuBond in factory ammo for the 33 Nosler, and it would have scored closer to the .338 RUM with a 250. (You are going to practice with it, arent you?) Just $1 per month , Rounds you can trust when hunting North Americas largest predators, By Alas, our calculators dont quantify this vector of motion, but its rather easy to intuitively understand. For handloaders, the 300-grain Swift A-Frame is the way to go. No, the .308 Winchester is UNDERKILL for grizzly or brown bear hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement. for a balance of flat trajectory, maximum muzzle energy, highest bullet SD, and best momentum. So that will help you get off repeat shots quicker. So why choose a 338 Win. Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor; Action: Bolt; Barrel Length: 22" Magazine Capacity: 5; Classic XT model with MAX polymer stock; Neutral cast for both left- and right-handed shooters After the first shot immediately shoot it again and again if needed. Mag. The 338 Winchester Magnum's overall length is 3.340", same as the 30-06, 270 Win, etc., so its cases hold about 12 percent less powder than the Weatherby's. That amounts to about 50 to 100 fps less muzzle velocity with a 250-grain bullet. If you, the hunter, need or want it, look no further than the .338 caliber magnums. If that bothers elk, moose, bears or eland, they sure havent told anyone. padding: 10px 5px; What we need to know without fluff mucking up the targets. His outfitting crew has scored a 100 percent success rate on brown bears for rifle hunters for years. I would consider my 30-06 45-70 or the 416 Rem Mag. and large game (1500 ft-lbs), and the minimum velocity most hunting bullets require for reliable expansion (1800 fps). You are using an out of date browser. besides a bigger caliber is useless if you dont hit where your aiming, do your part and come home with a nice trophy. All of which you hit dead on. Still the most popular .338 magnum in the world, the .338 Win. Mag. .454 Casull Developed by Dick Casull and Jack Fulmer in 1957, the .454 Casull is a dangerous game hunters dream come true. of energy. Their superior sectional densities combined with high velocity and bullet weight anchor these killer bears like few other cartridges. is an accurate cartridge, shown by this group fired with Swift 225-gr. Several folks have even successfully killed bears with a 9mm. Whether you're shooting a break-action, pump-action, or semiautomatic, Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. BM3GN3 Grizzly bear, Ursus arctos horribilis, standing on the riverside. Therefore, a cartridge with less recoil than another, but with similar terminal performance, is better for the simple fact a missed shot, no matter how powerful, is useless. . Heres how each cartridge ranked. However, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether the .338 Winchester Magnum is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest grizzly or brown bear. 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