338 WM build advice

[Aussie Hunter Steve]

What will make you enjoy your 338 most is having it fit you properly... if it does, the recoil will seem much less than that of a poorly set up outfit. An unbraked, well balanced 338 at 8lb or more is not unpleasant.

 

[Wedgy]

The Leupold VX-5 2-10x does not have a parallax adjustment so it will give you trouble if shooting longer shots. A brake will make the rifle much more friendly to shoot and you can take it off if you want.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I use either 225g Accubonds or 250g Partitions depending on the game, mostly use the 225g as no animal, except one poorly hit Sambar, has ever argued with their use.
As to CRF, as you can tell, most of my rifles are CRF, have only ever had 2 large cal push feeds, Rem 700's in 338WM and 416RM. Wasn't a fan of the extraction and didn't want to machine the bolts for Sako style extractors so moved the rifles on.
All of my 338WM's have Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40 scopes, have never felt they needed anything more.
Running a VX-3 HD 4.5-14x40 on my RUM. Like the glass.

Cheers.

 

[MagnumManiac]

What will make you enjoy your 338 most is having it fit you properly... if it does, the recoil will seem much less than that of a poorly set up outfit. An unbraked, well balanced 338 at 8lb or more is not unpleasant.

This is why I like Kimber stocks, they make the felt recoil much less than other designs and it come straight back, even though there is some torque.
I also find HS-Precision stocks do the same.
The B&C stocks on my Win Model 70 EW's tend to handle recoil well, but have extra muzzle flip.
Lightweight rifles really need a high comb, almost zero drop at heel and be inline with the barrel through the buttstock.

Cheers.

 

[snox801]

Are you going for light weight?
If so I would have to say I've toyed with the anti but always go back to the Pierce ti action for mine.
As for bullet if it is not long range check out the hammers like the 225 shock hammer
Load the shock hammer 180's in a .358 norma and it hammers anything inside 300 and probably farther if I tried.

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

Short barrel…20 to 22 in barrel max…

 

[nwhunter]

Maybe, if the stock fits you well.
When I got my first 338 I also at165 lbs, at 5'11". That was a custom Enfield in a walnut stock and with a 2-3/4 baush and lomb scope it was 8-1/2 pounds. I packed well and didn't recoil bad. The lower powered scope did not have enough brightness for deep woods in November gloom so I traded it off.
I then got a ruger 77 with a Leopold 3-9, it was heavier and the recoil could only be described as brutal.
Then I went through two SS Winchester model 70 rifles, one was magna ported, one had a 26" barrel, one was 24". They both shot well and had reasonable recoil. I decided that for hunting the Oregon woods I disliked a 26" barrel.
35 years later I have no 338 wm but have a 338/06 that only takes 67 grains W760 to send a 186 grain hammer at 3000 fps, ways about 8-1/2 pounds in a synthetic stock and recoils like 30-06.
If a 338 wm is what you want and the stock you mentioned fits you well recoil should be fine.

 

[willtim]

Who makes a top quality 22 inch carbon wrapped barrel in .338? Thanks

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

Carbon 6
OMR barrel (Oregon mountain Rifle)
Hell Canyon Armory…

 

[willtim]

Thanks.