300 RUM or 338 RUM?? Which and why???

[Michael Eichele]

Ask yourself, do I want a super flat trajectory or super low wind drift numbers.

After owning two 300 RUM's and one 338 Edge, I will take the 338 every time. I wont always take a 338 over a 30 cal but when it comes to the RUM case, I refuse to ever own another 300 RUM.

Simply put, the 338's 300 SMK has alot less wind drift and alot more energy than the 30 cal variety and offers conciderably longer barrel life. You can drive them 30 cal 180's at 3300-3400 FPS+ all you want but at the end of the day all it does for you is allow you to brag that you ****ed further than your buddy who owns a 7mm Rem mag as well as cook the throat in the bore at an alarming rate. 180's at 3300 FPS just doesnt hold a candle to the energy and lack of drift as the 338's 300 SMK.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

With the long heavy 338 bullets the 338 ultramag feeds better through the rem 700 action than the full length 300 ultramag necked up to 338. That is one of the main reasons they shortenned the 338 ultramag case. The .091 or whatever inches shorter has hardly any effect on performance. Both top out between 2800 and 2900 fps with a 30" barrel and 300 smk's.

I agree with Michael. The 338 is the best choice in a hunting rifle. I have quite a few ultramags off the 300 ultamag case in 7mm, 300, 338, 358 and 375. Also the standard 338 ultramag. The 338 is the best all around caliber for hunting in this case.

This year I used a 338 ultramag on elk. My accuracy load was 3264 fps with a 225 grain nosler accubond with a .555 or so BC out of a 26" barrel. No problem taking out a very large bull elk at 740 yards.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

That's what I have heard too, but what happens whne you try to put a 338 Rum into a 375 RUM?

My guess would be that Remington had no idea how popular the RUM case and cartridges would be when the 300 RUM was first released. It was easy enough to make the 338 RUM shorter to prevent the 300 from being chambered in it. Subsequent developments would have required shorter/longer cases which may have no longer been practical; but who knows?

 

[MontanaRifleman]

My guess would be that Remington had no idea how popular the RUM case and cartridges would be when the 300 RUM was first released. It was easy enough to make the 338 RUM shorter to prevent the 300 from being chambered in it. Subsequent developments would have required shorter/longer cases which may have no longer been practical; but who knows?

I think it's probably a case of trying to cut the liability possibility down. It's the same with the 7mm WSM. You cant put it into a 300 WSM, but you could put the 270 WSM into the 7mm which IME would be the easier mistake to make. It's all of little, to no practical benfit and unfortunate as far as I'm concerned. But not much one can do about it.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I think it's probably a case of trying to cut the liability possibility down. It's the same with the 7mm WSM. You cant put it into a 300 WSM, but you could put the 270 WSM into the 7mm which IME would be the easier mistake to make. It's all of little, to no practical benfit and unfortunate as far as I'm concerned. But not much one can do about it.

I can understand the manufacturer's concern. In our current world of unreasonable and unwarranted litigation no one takes responsibility for their own foolish mistakes. They just blame someone else and occasionally get rich in the process.

I can't forget the time a range officer noticed a shooter who was having difficulty chambering a round in his new Wby Mark V in 7Wby mag. The range officer noticed that the shooter was trying to chamber 7mm Rem mag ammo and pointed it out to the shooter. The shooter wasn't surprised at all. He said that he was using the 7 Rem ammo intentionally because it was cheaper than the 7 Wby ammo.

True story!

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Incredible

 

[CA48]

Lol. Got to watch out for some people young and old.

 

[LongBomber]

I read that the 338rum was made shorter due to the tip to ogive length of the 338 bullets being loner than the 308 bullets. This combined with the need to still fit and function from the magazine length of the remington rifle required a shorter case length.

If you fire a smaller diameter bullet down a larger bore, it just skips off the rifling and will have no accuracy, now if you fire a larger bullet down a smaller bore...

 

[JD338]

I read that the 338rum was made shorter due to the tip to ogive length of the 338 bullets being loner than the 308 bullets. This combined with the need to still fit and function from the magazine length of the remington rifle required a shorter case length.

If you fire a smaller diameter bullet down a larger bore, it just skips off the rifling and will have no accuracy, now if you fire a larger bullet down a smaller bore...

I also read the same in an article by Jon R Saundra when the 338 RUM was first introduced. By shortening the case, they could use the existing cannelure.

JD338

 

[Overkill338]

I read that the 338rum was made shorter due to the tip to ogive length of the 338 bullets being loner than the 308 bullets. This combined with the need to still fit and function from the magazine length of the remington rifle required a shorter case length.

If you fire a smaller diameter bullet down a larger bore, it just skips off the rifling and will have no accuracy, now if you fire a larger bullet down a smaller bore...

Thats what I said pages ago, but someone wanted to argue...lol

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Tang, I dont think anyone was arguing with you. I know I wasn't. I dont know for sure why they did what they did. It's just what I heard. But since you bring it up why did they make the 375 case the same as the 300 and 7mm?

 

[sp6x6]

I saw a guy at the range shot a 7mm, down a 338 wn, wondered why he didnt hit the taget, had multiple guns and ammo at bench, bad idea

 

[Overkill338]

I saw a guy at the range shot a 7mm, down a 338 wn, wondered why he didnt hit the taget, had multiple guns and ammo at bench, bad idea

I had a guy at the range talking to me and loading magazines for me, for a Ruger KP90 .45 ACP. He loaded a .40 into the mag. The extractor claw held it and fired it. It split the case down the side, I still have it...lol

 

[jcvibby]

I think both would make excellent long range rifles. With the 300 I would probably use the 210 bergers and that would be a great round. I am afraid I will miss the 250 and 300 grain bergers that are coming out for the 338. The 338rum with the 250 vld would make for and absolute excellent set up. I think but than again thats why I'm asking you guys