.338 win mag

sounds like overkill. Unless you are combination elk and deer at same time... still a bit of overkill but better to be heavy rather than too light...
 
I have been shooting a 338 for about 25 years and love them. I first tried my brother-in-laws Ruger on a moose hunt in Alaska. I was shooting a 30-06 and after seeing how effective the 338 was, I tried it. Was concerned about recoil but was surprised that it didn't feel much different than my 06. I shoot 225 grain cor-lok for everything from coyotes to elk. Tim McCormick from Remington Custom arms built mine.
 
Haven't used it on muleys, but have on white-tails. Might be overkill, but you can't kill them too dead. As far as recoil, I would take a 338 win recoil over a 30-06 any day of the week. '06 is sharp recoil. 338 is just a slow shove, I compare it to a muzzleloader. I've had 4 '06s, and am done with them. Give me a 338 and I'm a happy man, other than the ammo cost.
 
Killed 10 bucks with a .338 and several elk 2 goats. it's not over kill! No it dont blow them in half!


37205hornkiller.jpg
 
I already own one in Ruger m77. Was just trying to get out of buying another gun if it would work. What scope would you reccomend? Currently has a vortex viper 4x16x44.
 
I use to hunt deer with a a Browning Bar 30 06 I got for my fifteenth birthday. When I was in my twenties I bought a 338 win mag in a Browning A bolt Medallion. I thought it would be good for elk. I started enjoying it so much it became my deer and elk rifle. Started hand loading 185 grain Barnes blue coated bullets back in the day. Now loading 185 grain Ttsx bullets for it. My son took it over . It's a killing machine. Have killed deer out to 534 yards with a 3x9 Leoupold on it. A do all awesome cartridge ! If you do your part it will do it's part.
 
For a lot of years it was my go to gun for everything.

200 grain Ballistic Tips for deer/antelope, 210 grain Barnes for elk.

You setup is perfect.

I second the big push versus sharp recoil of an 06 or 7mm Mag.

My .338 is ported so I usually get to see stuff die in the scope although the porting was initially done for bench work while working up loads.

15-20 rounds in a T-shirt in the summer was about all I could do in one day.
 
Similar situation for me. I shot my SD mule deer with my 1963 Browning safari grade in .375 H&H mag. It shoots a 260 partition going around 2550 fps to the same point as a Barnes 250 grain TTSX.

Love the rifle.
 
I've shot deer in Canada and here both with the .338. the one thing is you will never find the bullet in the deer after as it usually goes through it.

keep your shots to the ribs area don't hit the front shoulder as there will be nothing but hamburger left

love the gun the recoil is less than most guns as they say it is a slow push. It will however go through a small aspen around 6" in diameter.

They don't get up after you shoot them with the .338
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-18-19 AT 12:23PM (MST)[p]It'll work just fine for mule deer. I have a.338 in a Ruger M77 Hawkeye. I love to reload and with 225 grain Sierra Pro-Hunter or Nosler Accubonds its quite accurate with R-19 or IMR 4350 powder. If I was to carry a load for deer, it'd be the 200 grain Nosler Accubond with R-15 powder, its SO accurate in my Hawkeye. About 10% less powder than what the .300 win mag needs to shoot a 200 grainer with most powders, producing roughly the same velocity. Won't carry as well as the .300 win past 500 yards, but for most typical hunting shots out to 500 it'd be my go to for a deer round in the .338 win mag.
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-18-19 AT 12:23PM (MST)[p]I love mine and would highly recommend to anyone that can handle the recoil. You can't kill them too dead.

I shoot a stainless Ruger M77 MkII with 225gr Barnes ttsx and have killed a lot of stuff with it.

I named mine "Designated Hitter" and started keeping a list a few years ago...

1 bull bison
1 6x6 bull elk
2 spike bull elk
1 cow elk
2 buck pronghorn
1 doe pronghorn
1 springbok
1 kudu bull
1 red heartebeast
3 warthog
1 chacma baboon
1 blue wildebeast bull
1 blue wildebeast cow
9 oryx bulls
1 oryx cow
2 Steenbok
1 Hartmans Mountain zebra
1 Black Wildebeast bull
1 Common Duiker
1 Coyote
1 black bear

All but 2-3 of those have been 1 shot kills and those ones were my fault.



Dax
 
>LAST EDITED ON Nov-18-19
>AT 12:23?PM (MST)

>
>I love mine and would highly
>recommend to anyone that can
>handle the recoil. You can't
>kill them too dead.
>
>I shoot a stainless Ruger M77
>MkII with 225gr Barnes ttsx
>and have killed a lot
>of stuff with it.
>
>I named mine "Designated Hitter" and
>started keeping a list a
>few years ago...
>
>1 bull bison
>1 6x6 bull elk
>2 spike bull elk
>1 cow elk
>2 buck pronghorn
>1 doe pronghorn
>1 springbok
>1 kudu bull
>1 red heartebeast
>3 warthog
>1 chacma baboon
>1 blue wildebeast bull
>1 blue wildebeast cow
>9 oryx bulls
>1 oryx cow
>2 Steenbok
>1 Hartmans Mountain zebra
>1 Black Wildebeast bull
>1 Common Duiker
>1 Coyote
>1 black bear
>
>All but 2-3 of those have
>been 1 shot kills and
>those ones were my fault.
>
>
>
>
>Dax

Heck yeah Dax! That's quite the list. There's just something about seeing a .338 thump what it hits. I shot my Wyoming bull bison with a 225 grain pill behind the shoulder. Nothing like hearing that thump hitting a 1800# animal in the boiler room. And there has been very little meat loss and bloodshot with all the animals I've shot with the .338 even when going through heavy bone compared to a fast .300 win mag with 180 grain pills.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. Like I said I'm new to mule deer hunting and will take any tips I can get. I plan on getting my feet wet in western Nebraska next fall in the sandhills while I build points in other states. Can't wait to try spot and stalk, always stand hunt here in Tennessee.
 
Don't have a 338, and have never shot one. But as someone said, shoot the gun you're comfortable with and can shoot well. If it's a 338, then it's a 338!

I found the recoil comments interesting. I currently have a 7mm and a 300 WM. Let's just say I don't shoot a couple of boxes of the 300 just for fun!

There's a few of us from TN on here. Where are you? I'm in Knoxville.

I've never hunted the Nebraska Sandhills for muleys, but it's pretty country. I've driven through it several times to western Nebraska for Merriams turkeys.

Good luck!
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-18-19 AT 07:17PM (MST)[p]I'm from Athens, not that far from Knoxville. I actually hunted fof merriums in western Nebraska 2 springs ago also.
 
If it's any consolation, I hunt deer with a 338 Lapua and 250gr Scenar bullets.
Might be considered overkill by some, and no there isn't nearly as much meat damage as my 300wby with 180's.
 
You will really enjoy hunting in the sandhills. I have hunted out of Gordon NE several times and had a blast. Whitetails and muleys with a good number of mature bucks. If you enjoy spot and stalk it is possible to get really close but you can also shoot as far as you ethically are able to.
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-20-19 AT 09:56AM (MST)[p]My dad made the switch to a .338 lapua after hunting deer with a 7mm mag for 25+ years and never looked back. After seeing it perform at 400+ yards its next on my list of hunting upgrades




-Cass
 
I shoot a .338 with a Barnes ttsx 210gr pencil in silver dollar out... this is not my go to gun but still a pleasure to shoot...
 
Whatever you are good and confident with that can ethically kill the prey at hand is fine. I wouldn't even second guess yourself, certainly not on a public forum.

But, yes it's way way more than you need for a MD. I'd say the range for MD is .243win-.300WM. Anything more is just unnecessary recoil. You're almost to 300gr to get an "efficient" bullet. But again, none of that matters in the end. It does if your rifle is just okay, you wince at the idea of shooting it for "fun", or you just really want to buy another gun, which is ALWAYS OKAY.
 
I have a Model 70 in .338 win mag with the BOSS system on it. This gun is an absolute pleasure to shoot as far as recoil goes. It kicks no harder than my 7mm and less than my 30.06. This gun is very accurate and I shoot it well. The only complaint I have about shooting it is that it is LOUD! It is one of those guns that the first time it goes off at the range, everyone notices. Did I say it is loud?

I don't hunt with it often because it's a big, heavy gun and I don't especially enjoy carrying it around in the hills due to that. I do use it, however, and it's a great gun. One day I'll finally draw a bison tag and this is the gun that will go with me. I've killed a couple elk with it and it does the job.

I do not think .338 win mag is too much for deer. It's more gun than is necessary to kill a deer, but agree with others in that you don't kill them "too dead."
 
>You will really enjoy hunting in
>the sandhills. I have hunted
>out of Gordon NE several
>times and had a blast.
>Whitetails and muleys with a
>good number of mature bucks.
>If you enjoy spot and
>stalk it is possible to
>get really close but you
>can also shoot as far
>as you ethically are able
>to.
 
>LAST EDITED ON Nov-18-19
>AT 07:17?PM (MST)

>
>I'm from Athens, not that far
>from Knoxville. I actually hunted
>fof merriums in western Nebraska
>2 springs ago also.

Hey Hiefnac, pm sent.
 
I've killed a couple mule deer with my .338 and it's definitely overkill, which is why I love it! I am not the best tracker and I've watched other people shoot blacktail with a.243 and not find them. The deer I shoot with the.338 don't require much skill to locate after the shot. It's great for a quick kill, also love the 300 win mag and the 300 wsm.
 
>I use to hunt deer with
>a a Browning Bar 30
>06 I got for
>my fifteenth birthday. When I
>was in my twenties I
>bought a 338 win mag
>in a Browning A bolt
>Medallion. I thought it would
>be good for elk. I
>started enjoying it so much
>it became my deer and
>elk rifle. Started hand loading
>185 grain Barnes blue coated
>bullets back in the day.
>Now loading 185 grain
>Ttsx bullets for it. My
>son took it over .
>It's a killing machine. Have
>killed deer out to 534
>yards with a 3x9 Leoupold
>on it. A do
>all awesome cartridge ! If
>you do your part it
>will do it's part.

I love this post and great question. Perfect gun. Super caliber by the way , I own a few .30s and the go to for twenty three big game seasons , has been a Ruger , stainless syn. paddle stock m77 .338 win
The -4x16 scope is plenty!
Shoot Barnes bullets and recommend 210 grain. But shoot what shoots best!
Per the above, do your part.
And, someone brilliant already said ?stay away from the shoulder? : excellent feedback very true statement.
Ear protection is a good idea when hunting, not just for the range.
 

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