I am looking to buy a new rifle for elk and moose hunting. I have narrowed it down to a 300 Weatherby or a Sako 338 Winchester magnum. Any advice and comparisons anyone can provide on the accuracy, flatness and knock down ability of these two calibres would be greatly appreciated.
300 Weatherby or Sako 338 win mag??
- Thread starter RDJ
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RDJ, Those are both great choices for elk where I have hunted. The 338 Win or 340 Weatherby have both provided significant penetration for me on elk hunts using 250 grain sierra gamekings and 230 grain failsafes. The 250 sierras retain energy extremely well and are my first choice currently. You can load it with lighter bullets if you wish for deer hunting. Ammo is probably more readily available for the 338 mag in most parts of elk and moose country. Good luck on your choice. Kurt
NTM
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Currently use a 338 win mag in a Mod70 winchester-Awesome gun especially on moose and elk. Can always use lighter loads for deer. But then again-there's nothing wrong with a 300 weatherby especially in something other than a weatherby rifle.
I think you are good either direction. I use my 300WBY for everything, antelope, deer, elk... I think the 300 is a little more versitile - but only a little. The 338 is a great gun and for elk I think it is hard to beat. One thing to take into consideration is the bullet. A 338 will push a 200gr bullet close to the 300WBy - but the BC is lower. PLuss the 300 will have a higher sectional density - thus theoretically better penitration. However, the 338 has greater frontal area to transfer energy better. EIther way you have a great gun that will kill elk. I have killed the majority of my elk with a 270 Win - with 130gr bullets. Shot placement and good bullets will go very far.
