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totally love it, just under 8 pounds ready to rock. Time back on target is much less than with my 340 or 375 Wby!
I've tested both 200 grain Sierras and Speers and their 180 grain counterparts for point of impact at 100 yards in 30-06 and 300 winmag. In both cases, the 200 grain bullets impact about 5 to 6 inches higher at that distance. This is due to the lower velocity/higher recoil of the cartridge with that grain weight. They are on line horizontally, but impact higher vertically. However, if you run the charts on trajectory, the heavier and higher bc bullets actually lose less velocity and drop less at distance. In big bear country, I'd just go with the heavier bullet. A deer or caribou won't know the difference, and I'd get much better bone breaking and penetration on a bear. I actually tried the 200 grain Sierra on antelope this fall(I know, sacrilege) in both a Ruger M77MKII and a 1903A3 in 30-06 (again, sacrilege) and the exit wounds at 200 yards were about silver dollar sized with almost no damage to meat. Of my two hunting buddies this year, one used a 30-06 Improved and 200 grain bullets and killed his at 275 yards or so, and the other used a Ruger M77 Hawkeye in 300 winmag for a shot of 480 yards using a Nosler ballistic tip 180 grain bullet. That's a good bone breaking bullet too, due to its thick jacket and base. It would work on bear. The point here is that you may not have time to switch loads. So I'd carry the load that would best protect me while still giving me a good chance of a first round hit/kill on my game animal at 600 yards or less. I would use the same load for everything, if possible. By the way, the Ruger with a 200 grain Sierra hits point of aim at 200 yards with the 200 yard aim point in my Shepherd scope, and I regularly hit steel at 600 yards (when the wind is low or steady and not whipping everywhere) with this bullet in both the 30-06's and both the 300 winmags, using the 600 yard circle/aim point. A final thought; with factory loads in either of these calibers you will be limited pretty much to 150, 165 and 180 grain loads. I'd go to the 180 grain loads, and sample to find which factory load shot best in my rifles and stick to the heaviest bullet they would shoot accurately, because I might only need the rifle defensively once, but it would be a real disappointment for me if I needed it and it didn't work. A bear can be killed with a 243 if the bullet can get to the brain, but if you're facing a charge, its hard to get an eye or nose shot. A 180 grain .308 bullet will break shoulders and penetrate to vitals where a 150 or 165 grain bullet might fail. A 200 grain or 220 grain bullet will do this even better. Both cartridges can probably be found in these weights in Alaska and Canada, where big bears abound.
A subject that has been "beaten to death..... with many side-stepping the thread intent. Some choosing custom or full "wildcat" chamberings, some picking rifle/cartridge combo's with impractical weight for everyday, various terrain use by "normal" humans, factory ammunition must be available, potentially needed as a stopping cartridge. So, here's the criteria for the challenge.
Rifle/Cartridge must meet this criteria: only one rifle allowed
#1 - used for all North American Big Game (including dangerous game - assuming no back-up)
#2 - rifle weight - under 11.0 pounds (scoped, fully loaded, slung)
#3 - If a bipod is used - total rifle weight cannot exceed 11.0 pounds (scoped, fully loaded, slung, and bipod)
additional
points for combo's coming in at less than 9.0 pounds
#4 - factory cartridge - (improved chambering allowed) must be able to fire a factory cartridge
#5 - various terrain - thick timber/brush to hunting elk, sheep or goats in the mountains, to wide open western plains
#6 - cartridge....bullet weight, bullet (cup-core, partition, mono) design (based upon a potential mixed bag hunt in "big" bear country - no back-up) and brief explanation for your choice
I hope I haven't missed anything!
This should give you something to think about while sequestered at home! So.....what's your "poison"? memtb
338WM for sure! No Berger bullets if dangerous game are included! No way! 210 TTSX Barnes
I like both the 338-06 and the .35 Whelen. I use the Whelen extensively and have just had a second one made. But as you said, its hard to find factory loads in either cartridge. That's why I didn't include them aside from their lack of versitility on smaller game. As to larger game such as deer, elk, moose or bear, if you handload, their trajectory is the same as a 30-06 with the heavier bullets(I get 2675fps from Speer 250 grain Spitzers) and they hit much harder. Exit wounds on mule and whitetail deer tend to be fist sized out to about 500 yards( yes, I've killed deer with the Whelen at that distance, and I don't have to blood trail them) and the 250 grain bullet is a true bone crusher. But the criterion of readily available ammunition keeps both cartridges out of the running. To meet all the criteria, I still have to go with the -06 or the .300Winmag. Also, try going into a small town hardware store or gun shop and finding a good selection of .375 Ruger or H&H ammunition, any Weatherby ammunition, or even .338 Winmag(which you may be able to find, actually) anywhere other than Canada or Alaska. They will have 30-06 if they sell rifle ammunition. They'll probably have 300 Winmag, and maybe 338 Winmag at the outside, but not the dedicated dangerous game cartridges, and not the Weatherby cartridges. Very few of their customers would have a Weatherby rifle, and a 375 Ruger would be a luxury. They'll have working rifles, among which the 30-06 and 300 Winmag, along with the 7mm Remington mag would be included. By the way, the 7mm Rem Mag would be my third choice, but a distant third. The 338 Win Mag would be the fourth choice, just due to ammunition availability. It is, in my opinion, a great round in every respect.My G33/40 is a 338/06 or as I like to call it 338OKH........
Great round, like you said though kind of tough to find factory ammo though.
