300 Win Mag or 338 Win Mag

[260 rem]

I am looking at getting another Bang Stick for open country long range carry gun
Im looking at Either a 300 Win Mag or a 338 Win Mag
I have read articles on both calibers can I have people's real life pros and cons they have found
Living in New Zealand alot of the country hunted if not almost straight up is straight down
Main goto gun is 260 rem and I have a heavy barrel 6.5x68 that I use as my truck gun I also reload
Any advice would be welcome

 

[260 rem]

I should have searched this forum before starting new subject

 

[ZAK13]

I have both, I like both. I would choose the 300WM over the 338 though. Ammunition is a bit cheaper, I reload both now, and my 338 is a bit finicky.

 

[shortgrass]

The .300 Win Mag fits the LR requirement better than the .338 Win Mag

 

[ARlife4me]

I would do the 300wm. Compare like bullet weights, barrel length and bc being better in the 30cal (of the same weight). How much velocity do you want to sacrifice over the distance? I'd say 600 and under there isn't much change, but the advantage goes to the 338wm with heavier bullets.

 

[KyCarl]

NZ doesn't have bears or any dangerous game so I would think about a 6.5 X 284 it's faster and flatter than either one you listed
and would kill a Stag just fine!

 

[Jud96]

I agree with the others, I'd do the .300 Win Mag. With a 26" 1-9 twist barrel you can run up to 230gr bullets and be very affective at very long ranges.

 

[memtb]

If larger stuff and/or the big stuff in Alaska is on the menu ….the .338 WM. I'm not about to contradict my wife about her preferred cartridge! memtb

 

[BallisticsGuy]

You might have fairly long shots occasionally but finding a shot over 400m in steep mountainous terrain is likely going to be pretty rare. The size of game you have there just isn't worth the stomp of a .338 or a .300wm to my mind. 300wm is overly destructive at closer ranges IMHO and 338wm is not a long range cartridge. With twists commonly found on 338wm's it's going to cap out with 250gr bullets but velocity suffers a lot over 225gr and 225gr and under have the aerodynamic profile of a brick. 338wm is really at its best under 500m. Any of the fast 6mm's would probably be superior in terms of cost, recoil, blast, excess meat damage and trajectory. A 243/243AI, 6CM or 6SLR will give you as good or better external ballistics than a 300wm and you can take the more common shorter range shots without blowing a 20cm hole in the off-side shoulder. I love 338wm for 400m and under on big animals, it's my preferred option for 400kg and up kind of big but on the smaller stuff it tends to be a little much. Really the 260rem is approaching optimal for the use case but you can reduce recoil without reducing effectiveness with a 24cal option runnin 110-115gr pills at 3100fps.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I have several of both….have hunted NZ on a dozen occasions. Have taken a different rifle/cartridge combo each time.
The flattest shooters have done it for me.
25-06, 270 Win, 270 Bee, 264WM, 300WM and 375 Bee. Have used others, but these were far easier on the longer shots, even the 375 Bee using 260g bullets at 3000fps shot flat as a 30-06.
I would go with a 300WM using a 200/210g bullet, it will impress.

Cheers.

 

[FEENIX]

I am looking at getting another Bang Stick for open country long range carry gun
Im looking at Either a 300 Win Mag or a 338 Win Mag
I have read articles on both calibers can I have people's real life pros and cons they have found
Living in New Zealand alot of the country hunted if not almost straight up is straight down
Main goto gun is 260 rem and I have a heavy barrel 6.5x68 that I use as my truck gun I also reload
Any advice would be welcome

I have 3 .300 WM and a .338 WM; I prefer the .300 WM.

The .300 Win Mag fits the LR requirement better than the .338 Win Mag

This!

 

[STK-300]

I had both. sold the 338. I felt the 300 win was more accurate and better at longer ranges.

 

[Ernie]

It would be a easy decision for me...300WM
Today, I would go 300 PRC

 

[Swamplord]

"meat damage" is caused by bullets, not cartridges