This is Part 2 of a current series on competitive rifle cartridges for big game. The issue being that there is often competition between two popular big-game rifles that are so similar in ballistics, weight and handling, but shooting a different cartridge – so which one of the two should be chosen, and why, assuming there is only room for one more in the safe or money in a checking account? In P1 the contest was between a .308 Winchester and a .30-06 Springfield.
I faced that dilemma several years ago in the selection of a popular magnum from the Ruger series with the Boat Paddle stock and SS barrelled action. The choice was between a .300 Win Mag and a .338 Win Mag. From a strictly practical viewpoint, because I already owned a few Big Bores, I decided in favor of the .300 Win Mag, though my likes for a powerful medium were stronger – having already owned a .338 Sako FS and a .375 H&H in earlier days. Added to those were a couple of .45-70’s. And this would not be my first .300 Win Mag either. But I wanted one of those all-weather rifles for winter hunting of big game. Rightly or wrongly, at that time I considered the .300 Win Mag a bit more versatile.
a Boat Paddle Ruger
In all, I’ve owned eight .300 magnums – 6 being Winchester’s .300. And two .338 Win Mags, the latter of those two becoming a .340 Wby Mag at the hand of an expert gunsmith. Then, I encouraged our second son, Phil, to get a .338 Win Mag for up-coming moose hunts together. He purchased a nice all-weather SS 700 Remington mountain rifle. Since I’d had a lot of handloading experience with two of ’em, plus the .340 Wby, we worked together on the development of good moose loads for his. On the first moose hunt, a 225gr Hornady SP Interloc was used at ~2800 fps, and the last moose hunt a 250gr Hornady SP Interloc was used at ~ 2735 fps.
Which of the two nominees would I choose today – and which one of those two would I recommend? My personal circumstances are quite different today than they were in 1997, so I’ll aim to be as neutral and practical as possible, all things considered.
WHAT THEY HAVE GOING FOR THEM
Both have been top choices for larger, and even dangerous game. For many years, based on the sale of reloading dies, both have been listed among the top ten, with the .300 being more popular – which I think is understandable for a number of reasons. But hunters who bought either, or both, in the past have more competition today from other offerings that basically do the same things. Yet past hunters who favoured the .300 Win or .338 Win are getting older – which in many cases have slowed them down in both hunting and shooting activities, and liking magnum recoil less. And I fit in among them somewhere, likely being a decade or two older, yet STILL with a thirst for the kind of performance to be had from a .300 Win Mag or .338 Win Mag.
And both are listed for sale in good numbers online, especially at my favorite emporium, with the .300 out-numbering the .338 by a significant margin.
From a strictly pragmatic analysis, for those interested in one or the other, I see several NIB .338s offered by Savage at $1200, and Tikka at $1600. Also a couple of Benelli R1s at $1900 and a Winchester 70 Super Grade Stainless at $2315. Currently, there are no used .338s for sale on EPPS’ website, which says to me that they are quickly snatched up and/or hunters are holding onto theirs. Then there’s always the possibility of a .338 well above those prices as a custom build. Those are in Canadian dollars and 13% above that for Federal and Provincial taxes. Tikka T3X Laminate Stainless in .338 Winchester Magnum at EPPS
.300s tend to be cheaper on the whole, even though more popular. With Winchester now producing cheaper versions of everything to compete with Savage, Stephens and Mossberg, new bolt-action repeaters in many cases are offered at prices akin to the ’80s! There are even some 6.5 Creeds listed for less than $500!
The point of all that being that shopping for a .300 Win Mag (new or used) will generally be both cheaper and more accessible than for a .338 Win Mag. There are exceptions, of course, to that general experience.
There have always been lots of choices in .308-caliber bullets, including a prolific number in premiums for all classes of game and target shooting. And the .338-cal isn’t far behind.
BALLISTICS: I’ve experience with two identical rifles, one in .300 Win and the other in .338 Win. They were Browning A-Bolts, SS, left-hand actions with 26″ barrels. I made top handloads for each, so that grants a fair bit of unbiased judgment in realistic ballistics from each. In terms of kinetic energy at the muzzle of each, the .300 Win topped out at around 4000 ft-lbs and the .338 Win at 4500 ft-lbs. Those were top loads from a 200gr Nosler AccuBond in the .300, and a 250gr Hornady SP from the .338. Of course, other bullets and loads were tried, but a 200gr from the .300 Win and a 250gr from the .338 Win would be (for me) the best choices in premiums for large and/or dangerous game.
Both cartridges have been put to good use in both Alaska and Africa.
RECOIL: I didn’t make my choice for the .300 Win over the .338 Win when facing the dilemma of which Ruger rifle to purchase, based on the supposed recoil of each. I already knew the .338 would generally produce more of it – depending of course on actual handloads for each.
For the 2 loads mentioned – a 200gr from the .300 and a 250gr from the .338, both in identical Browning A-Bolts with 26″ barrels, they were about 36 ft-lbs for the .300 Win and 43 ft-lbs from the .338 Win. Then they were 8.5 lb rifles ready to hunt with scope, ammo and sling – 73 grs powder in the .300 and 74 grs powder in the .338. MVs from each was ~3000 fps in the .300 and 2842 fps in the .338. RL22 was always used in my .300 Win Mags, and RL19 in that particular .338 Win Mag – which became a .340 Wby by rechambering it – increasing MV to 3000 fps from the 250gr Partition, and RL22 worked best in the larger case. And I really never noticed any increase in recoil from 43 ft-lbs to 54 ft-lbs as a .340 Wby. When you get to those levels, they all seem more-or-less the same anyway.
Did I ever regret having a very accurate and relatively light .338 Win Mag rechambered to a .340 Wby with the long freebore? No, never! But the main point of bringing up the changing from the excellent ballistics of that 26″ barrel in a .338 Win to a .340 Wby is to emphasize, again, that recoil was NOT a factor in my choice of the .300 Win over the .338 Win in that (24″) Ruger with the Boat Paddle stocks. And recoil doesn’t have to be the main reason for choosing a .300 Win over a .338 Win per se. So all matters considered, I don’t think recoil should become a major factor in such a decision. 
My former .340 Wby. Originally it was a .338 Win Mag. As a .338 Win it made 2842 fps from a 250gr in the 26″ barrel.
Some handloading hunter-shooters complain about the kick of a .300 Winchester Magnum being worse than a .375 H&H! I’ve never found such to be the case of the six .300s I made handloads for. But I did fire a 180gr handload from a short-barreled Sako (20″) in .300 Win at the range to chronograph it for a fellow shooter whom I’d never previously met. Not sure what he’d put in it for powder, or how much, but it was indeed at a level of recoil I’d never before experienced from any .300 mag, and it would have been up there with most .375 H&H loads in a 9 lb rifle! But the muzzle blast from that short barrel was well above anything “normal”, which greatly enhances the SENSE of recoil! If I correctly recall, that 180gr was making about 3050 fps from the short 20″ tube! So, depending on several factors, a particular .300 Win Mag can indeed appear more severe than a .338 Win Mag in recoil! Or visa-versa!
ADVANTAGES: In today’s world of rifle ballistics, all big-game cartridges have profited from both better bullets and propellants. Such being the case (pun unintended), I’ll give my best “shot” (pun intended) at displaying the best ballistics from each.
For this competition I’ve selected the Nosler 200gr AB from the .300 Win Mag, and the Nosler 250gr AB from the .338 Win Mag. 24″ barrels for each, and best MVs as per Nosler’s #9 manual: 2989 fps from 82 grs Mag Pro for the .300, and 2780 fps from 71.5 grs of H4831 for the .338. These are not the best accuracy loads according to Nosler, but they are the best in energy and trajectory from bullets designed for large and potentially dangerous game. They are not Nosler’s LR bullets, though they certainly are capable for taking large game at long ranges. And I’ve fired both of these bullet weights from their respective rifles and cartridges.
First up: the .300 Winchester Magnum
Bullet: 200gr Nosler AB (zero @ 250 yds)
SD = .301
BC = .588
MV = 2989 fps/ 3967 ft-lbs/ -1.5″
100= 2834 fps/ 3566 ft-lbs/ +2.43″
200= 2685 fps/ 3200 ft-lbs/ +2.01″
300= 2540 fps/ 2865 ft-lbs/ -3.24″
400= 2400 fps/ 2558 ft-lbs/ -13.9″
500= 2264 fps/ 2277 ft-lbs/ -30.6″
Recoil = 39.3 ft-lbs (8.5 lb rifle)
000000000000000000000000
Next: The .338 Winchester Magnum
Bullet: 250gr Nosler AB (zero @ 250 yds)
SD = .313
BC = .575
MV = 2780 fps/ 4289 ft-lbs/ -1.5″
100 = 2629 fps/ 3836 ft-lbs/ +2.97″
200 = 2483 fps/ 3482 ft-lbs/ +2.38″
300 = 2342 fps/ 3043 ft-lbs/ -3.85″
400 = 2205 fps/ 2698 ft-lbs/ -16.4″
500 = 2072 fps/ 2384 ft-lbs/ -36.2″
Recoil = 40.5 ft-lbs (8.5 lb rifle)
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RECOMMENDATIONS: The above scenario is only one among many possible comparisons, yet they are unbiased (from my experience) and strongly suggest any potential and real distinctions between the two competitors.
In the .338 Win Mag’s favor are 1) Sheer energy and heavier bullets in 275/280gr and a 300gr making it: 2) a better candidate for heavy and dangerous game up close. It’s only a half-step behind the .375 H&H. And yet 3) There are multiple lighter weight premium bullets available (from 170gr) making it also a favorite multi-purpose candidate for game as small as coyote and western antelope on this continent and similar-sized critters on African soil. And as well for the larger game like eland, and even the African DG where permitted. And 4) it is a favorite in the hands of Alaskan guides and clients as well as Alaskan citizens.
In the .300 Win Mag’s favor are 1) More available, and 2) On average less expensive. 3) A bit longer reach with a flatter trajectory for medium, non-dangerous game. And some would claim 4) better accuracy, though that’s debatable, as the assumption generally made is that the .300 has 5) less recoil making better accuracy possible.
CONCLUSION:
From personal experience: I’d say there is some truth in all five points in favour of the .300 Winchester Magnum. In regard to points 1 and 2, I’d say those are generally true, but with some exceptions. As to point 3) it is generally true that bullets of equal weight and design from two distinct calibers, that the larger of the two calibers will have both a lower SD and consequent BC. So the .300 will be the winner in that contest. But that alone wouldn’t be a deciding factor for myself as, generally, I’ve rarely needed (or could use) what my .300 magnums could do beyond 500 yds.
From a purely practical viewpoint, either one would suffice for 90 + percent of world-wide hunting. Yet, for potential “in-your-face” dangerous encounters, I’d far rather have a .338 Winchester Magnum loaded with 250gr premiums at 2700 – 2800 fps than anything less!!
Billy Molls, “The Modern Day Mountain Man”, who spends 100 days of the year living in Alaskan wilderness in a tent, guiding clients for Brown Bear, Grizzly, Moose, Caribou, Sheep and Goats, says a .300 magnum is minimal for brown bear, and he’d prefer that clients show up with at least a .338 Win over the .300. He carries a .375 H&H as backup AND going into thick alder patches for a wounded one . . . LOADED always with Barnes TSX or TTSX. He also likes Partitions and A-Frames. 300gr TSXs in .375″. They make about 2700 fps from my .375 H&H in a Zastava M70 with a 22″ barrel.
In my latter years, for the past decade at least, I’ve been focused on bear hunts, and I don’t trust any of them. And, I’ve moved on to “mediums”, all having at least the potential of a .338 Win Mag, or more. So I think you know what I’d choose today in any contest between those two note-worthy candidates.
So why don’t I have a .338 Win Mag today? Because I have a .35 Whelen that will do basically the same things using today’s best powders. It’s also more efficient in the use of powder, even in a shorter barrel. Then I also have a 9.3 x 62 that slightly surpasses the .338 Win for large and/or dangerous game if barrel lengths are equal – again, in using the best powders available. But the .338 still has an advantage over the 9.3 x 62 in the use of available lighter bullets for long-range shooting of medium game. As to the heaviest bullet available for the .338, it would be a 300gr at ~2500 fps/4163 ft-lbs from at least a 24″ barrel. My 22.44″ barrel on the Tikka in 9.3 x 62 will shoot the 320gr Woodleigh at over 2460 fps/4300 ft-lbs, though I’ve settled on 2425 fps for better accuracy. 2500 fps from a 300gr/.338 = 107 momentum. 2425 fps from the 320gr Woodleigh/.366 = 111 momentum.
A larger bore is more efficient in the use of propellant than a smaller bore even though case capacity is similar, or even less. Did you notice that in the above examples from Nosler’s #9 Reloading Guide, that the .338 Win only used 71.5 grs powder (H4831), whereas the .300 Win used 82 grs (Magpro). The .338 is more efficient in it’s use of the right powder than the .300 because it has a larger bore (expansion ratio). So also, .358 and .366 are more efficient than a .338 for the same reason, even with smaller case capacities. Similarly, the .338 Win has less case capacity than it’s sibling, the .300, but is more powerful. The key to that, of course, is in the use of the right powder. As a general rule, a larger bore will use a faster burning powder than a smaller bore, if case cartridges are similar – and do so more efficiently.
That’s why the .458 Win Mag is so efficient – being a large bore in a straight-wall cartridge, its best performance comes from powders designed for the .223 Remington, not from powders made for tight, bottle-neck magnums like the .30-378 Wby that employes upwards of 100 grs to produce 4500 ft-lbs KE. But ~80 grs for around 5600 ft-lbs KE is easy in the .458 (depending on which powder) etc.
All that as examples of why the .338 Winchester Magnum is more efficient and powerful than the .300 Winchester Magnum, yet having slightly less case capacity. Many users of the .338 Win choose a premium 225gr for everything. The 225gr AB has a decent BC of .550 and SD of .281, so it could be used on most things appropriately, way out there when pushed at an extreme 2900 fps from a 24″ – 26″ barrel. Should be a dead elk at +500 yds if someone can make that shot . . . At about 2100 fps and 2200 ft-lbs – much more than a .30-30 at the muzzle or a 6.5 Creed at 100 yds.
Of course, “we all know” that kinetic energy (KE) is one means of analysis only – there are others, but I ain’t goin’ down those “rabbit holes” . . . at least, not today, and they wouldn’t change a thing in my recommendations or personal choices, anyway.
< Hey! That’s wildlife in our backyard! Is that rabbit looking for its “rabbit hole”? Or is it afraid of that dove? They’re both good eatin’ ya know. . . Wait, while I go get my “most efficient” Big Bore!
Till the next . . . P3 – the .375 Ruger vs the .375 H&H
Shalom
BOB MITCHELL
