.308 or .338 Caliber Elk and Up Cartridge

[Mike Matteson]

338 seem to be a great size for elk, I feel it works better than the 308 caliber. I seen a lot of elk taken down with both calibers. If you are going to shoot long range beyond 500yds, I would possible step up to a large case to push a heaver bullet down the road. Now I get 3200 out of my Ruger 338 WM in a 24" barrel with a 200gr AccuBond. If I ever get my new 338 WM with a 26" barrel, I will work on a load for that in the 200gr area to see what velocity I can get out of it. I would have a muzzle brake placed on the end of the barrel. There a fair amount of recoil with the 338 WM, and if going to a larger case that would be more. The only problem presently with any rifle is getting components to reload with. With a 338 WM you max out at about 75grs of powder, where the other you get into 90+ grains of powder. So the bigger case use a lot more powder. They are better for pushing larger bullets down the tube at greater velocity. Range you are going to use the rifle should direct you to what you need for a rifle. Now I use the 338WM in Africa the last time. I used a 308 N Mag the time before. I felt the 338 did a better job. I reload for two things, Velocity and Accuracies. If I can't get the cartridge into the 3200fps area I am not interest in it. I do load to flatten primers, no creating, no ejector marks. So in my way of thinking the pressure is maxed out. Some go beyond that but not me. Have fun figuring out what rifle you are going build or buy. You will get all kinds of thinking on what to do.

 

[Sanford338]

I like Weatherbys. I am thinking about trying to find myself a left-handed 257 Weatherby Mark V. I have no idea why, I just want one. I know there are some rifles out there that outperform some Weatherby cartridges, barely, but if Roy was alive today, that would not be the case.

Have a 257 Wby MK5 RC.. it's my most favorite rifle I own, and the most accurate non-custom I own as well! Loves anything in the 100 grain weight... especially the TTSX and the TSX style in Barnes... pick ya one up, promise you won't be disappointed!

 

[HunterMann]

I have a Ruger in 338 Win Mag and have shot just about everything with it from deer, bears, moose and African plains game. It was my one gun for everything beyond a 22RF or 30-30 solution. Since then I have become more educated and experienced so that I now enjoy many more solutions. But it is still my go to rifle. I have Hornady 230 grain ELD-X Super Performance loads as a LR factory load. Have not hunted with them yet, so I cannot offer a report on effectiveness and I have not had the chance to shoot beyond 500 yards. I think the bigger 30's and any the 338's are very capable and flexible cartridges. So consider how much recoil you can tolerate (or mitigate) and what ammo you can get your hands on these days. I have not seen much improvement in the ammo available for my calibers.

 

[30378wbymag]

30-378 Bee, .338-378 Bee, .338 RUM and .338 Lapua...

 

[30378wbymag]

If you can always make good shots / good shot placement there is no reason to go anything above .264 caliber. I shoot a 338 Lapua improved for the times (and we have all had them) when the shot is not perfect.

There is no better out of the box caliber for all things North America than the standard .338 Lapua. I am a big fan of the .340 Wby as well, but it can not compare to the Lapua and the factory Weatherby brass sucks.

Norma makes Weatherby brass, it doesn't suck...

 

[TxHeartShot]

My take on going big is a bit different.
I have my own set goals for animals the size of Elk.
For me, a bullet must have a minimum of 3000fps at the muzzle for the intended game, the calibre of said bullet really doesn't matter to me.
If going over 30 cal, as you seem to be going that direction, the 338 makes sense.
So, any 338 based on the RUM case or RIGBY case fills the bill.
The 338WM, although great, is a bit slow, 2900fps is about all you can get from a 225g and 2775fps from a 250g. A 300g is 2400fps if pushed hard.
So, 33 Nosler, 338 RUM, 338 Lapua or 33 Norma mag is what I would be looking at.
In my eyes, you can't beat the fast 375's for Elk. 375 Weatherby (which I use), 375 RUM are great choices. There are others, but these are available. The 375 Ruger will also work but is not as fast as the other 2.

To be honest, I would have no qualms using my 338-06 on Elk all the time, just that it's effectiveness beyond 500yrds is just not there. In fact, it's the ONLY rifle I have taken with me every trip for NZ Elk as my back-up gun. The main gun has changed each time, but not the 338-06.

Cheers.

Use that 338-06 and sneak closer!

 

[mdmiller]

^^^^^X2^^^^^
Hammer bullets!!!!!

 

[Treeslug]

30-378 Bee, .338-378 Bee, .338 RUM and .338 Lapua...

I hope I did not sound like I was knocking the big 30s. I would love to have a 30-378, a 338-378 and I already have a 378 "Bee." I now want a 257 Bee for some unknown reason. But .30 caliber is a wonderful thing. I just had to go to .338 because skipglo said I had to.

 

[dogz]

Norma makes Weatherby brass, it doesn't suck...

I'd agree, back when I first started with the .340 Bee back in the late 80's I was getting between 12 and 13 loadings per case using Wby brass. Now maybe the most recent isn't nearly as good...

I also formed a lot of cases via 8 Rem mag cases and or 375 H&H.

I find that people love Lapua brass cause the primer pockets are so incredibly tight, the brass is thick and they work the heck out of it pushing things to big time speeds. IMO, it creates a false sense of security regarding pressures. But, being as I don't have any pressure testing equipment I can't prove that. I do know that when I go to Lapua brass from other brass's I do need to drop back the charge weights a couple grains or so.

Just my way, doesn't have to be anyone else's

 

[dogz]

^^^^^X2^^^^^
Hammer bullets!!!!!

mdmiller-which of the Hammer bullets have you used on elk and out of which rounds?

 

[Rum Man]

338 Rum or the 338 Edge with a 300 gr berger !
Proven out to 1244 yards ! But who is counting !
Maybe a repeat this fall !
This was my 338 Edge in the picture it's been rehomed !
I have a 338 Rum for this fall !
I'm excited to give it a try !

Rum Man

 

[DJ Morrison]

As you mention brown bears, Finding ammo for guns if you are separated from your ammo when traveling needs to come to mind. Finding 340 b, 338 wm, 375 hh up in brown bear country is easy. good luck with the 300 prc in heavies...also outfitters will more than likely require at least .33 or bigger when brownie hunting...just some food for thought...

 

[Muley Madness]

338 Rum or the 338 Edge with a 300 gr berger !
Proven out to 1244 yards ! But who is counting !
Maybe a repeat this fall !
This was my 338 Edge in the picture it's been rehomed !
I have a 338 Rum for this fall !
I'm excited to give it a try !

Rum Man

It is hard to beat a 338 RUM

 

[Treeslug]

It is hard to beat a 338 RUM

Not really! Drumsticks, a baseball bat, or a left-hand metric crescent wrench will all beat a .338 RUM. But it sure will be ugly when you are finished.