People have used canine hunting companions since the first wolf nervously took a slice of meat from an ancient human hand. Deer hunting with dogs is a natural extension of that aboriginal relationship.

Still, modern hunters have mixed feelings about the practice. Some are ardent supporters of the method. Others consider it unfair and outdated. Let’s take a look at the history of deer hunting with dogs and why hunters are often so divided on the issue today.

A Rich Hunting History

Ancient cave paintings show images of dogs and humans hunting together, and when European settlers reached North America in the early 17th century, they brought their hunting dogs with them. Historians believe the first pack of hunting dogs in the American colonies was owned and hunted by Robert Brooke of Maryland as early as 1650.

In Europe, hunting was a pursuit exclusive to the wealthy ruling class. However, once colonists crossed the pond, hunting became a common man’s pastime that was essential for putting food on the family dinner table.

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How Hunting Deer With Dogs Works

Although a solo hunter can tramp through the woods with a dog and shoot whitetails on the jump, most dog hunting (a term that doesn’t at all infer shooting dogs, but rather refers to the practice of using hounds to jump and chase whitetail deer) happens in groups.

A group of hunters (or “standers”) surrounds a piece of property before the dog handlers (usually called “dog drivers”) release hounds onto the parcel. The drivers and their dogs work toward the standers until they either jump a deer or pick up a fresh scent.

A good jump dog will squall when he’s on a track, and the rest of the pack will chime in like a chorus. There are few things more adrenaline-thumping than the braying of hot hounds echoing through thick woods, especially when that sound is hastily heading your way.

Experience usually influences the exact positions of the standers. Many hunt clubs use the same blocks of land, sometimes for generations, for so long that hunters know the deer’s preferred escape routes. Those spots will be either numbered or named, and hunters draw for a stand or grab them on a first-come-first-serve basis to cut off the deer as they try to evade the dogs.

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Is It Fair Chase or Not?

One reason hunting deer with dogs is so controversial is because some think the practice unfairly swings the odds in the hunters’ favor.

It’s true to an extent. Dogs will flush deer off their noonday beds and bust them out of swampland so thick that most humans wouldn’t dare venture into it, even with snake boots and brush chaps. When deer turn nocturnal in the late season, dogs often provide hunters the only chance of glimpsing big bucks bent on tucking in until nightfall.

However, both the Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young record books, which have detailed rules of fair chase, recognize bucks taken in front of dogs in states where the practice is not prohibited.

Anyone who thinks deer hunting with dogs is “cheating” seriously underestimates whitetail deer’s intelligence and wily survival instincts. Every hunter with deer dog experience has a story of a whitetail that “gave the dogs the slip.”

Deer in areas with active hunting clubs and trained dogs seem to pick up “dog smarts” early on. Whitetails chased by piles of canines learn how to trick the hounds as a matter of survival. They probably picked up the skills from Mom.

I once watched a big mammy doe and her button-head fawn hoodwink some hounds during the Virginia bucks-only season. I saw them trot across a dirt road well ahead of a braying tussle of dogs. A full minute later, both deer sailed back across the path straight in the direction of the approaching pack. Not so much as a whiff of a hoof touching the lane. Not 30 seconds later, the dogs came through hot, wailing and yapping their way across the path in the same spot the two deer had initially crossed. Unlike the deer that had circled back, the dogs kept going. Eventually, their yowls grew slower, less sure, and spaced apart. They’d lost both deer.

It’s what Terry Jones calls “the old double-back trick.” Jones was a dog driver for decades before he was elected huntmaster for Bacon’s Castle Hunt Club, one of the oldest clubs in Virginia that encourages deer hunting with dogs.

“I’ve seen that one more times than I can count,” Jones told Free Range American. “It’s harder than anybody thinks it is to kill a deer in front of a dog. The deer learn the tricks because if they don’t learn, they don’t make it to the next hunting season.”

Successfully shooting a deer running for his life is no easy feat. Shot opportunities in front of dogs rarely last more than seconds and almost always involve a fast-moving target. Wounded deer are an unfortunate part of the process.

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The Southern Tradition of Deer Hunting With Dogs

While deer hunting with dogs was once a fairly common practice across the U.S., the practice is dwindling. Most states have laws that either severely restrict or outright ban the use of dogs to hunt deer.

The Deep South, known for holding tight to tradition, is the last haven for dog hunters. Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia are the only states where hunters can use dogs during deer hunting season.

Whether you agree or disagree with the use of deer dogs largely depends on where you call home.

Dog hunting in the South intertwines with southern identity, woven into the fabric of Southern culture, and a porch-sitting deerhound is as much a Southern icon as tobacco fields and southern drawls. For many Southerners, asking them to give up their deer dogs is like asking them to quit grits cold turkey. It just ain’t happening.

Some folks consider hunting whitetails over bait unethical. However, there are plenty of areas where the practice is perfectly legal, and a good number of deer hunters fill their tags over a pile of corn without feeling an ounce of guilt.

Hunting with dogs is the same way.

Hunting culture is an awful lot like culture in general — the practices we grew up with are generally considered acceptable. I was raised in the South, which explains my affinity for sweet tea, my overuse of the words “y’all” and “yonder,” and why I have no beef with dog hunters.

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Drawing the Line

Deer seldom pay attention to property lines, and neither do dogs. While responsible hunters will respect them, dogs don’t understand arbitrary boundaries and will blow right past a posted sign when they’re hot on a trail.

According to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, hound hunts for deer historically took place on “farms with contiguous areas in excess of 20,000 acres.” Modern hunt clubs in the Old Dominion typically have access to smaller fragmented parcels.

As large swaths of rural farmland are carved into smaller plots, managing and containing a group of scent-drunk hounds inside invisible borders is practically impossible.

Most modern hunters keep track of their deer dogs with pricey GPS collars. However, many property owners frown upon crossing onto private property to retrieve their hounds.

“Today, dog hunting is so high-tech. With tracking collars and GPS, every dog driver is watching his dogs go through the woods on a screen on his dashboard,” Jones said. “We used to lose dogs or spend days looking for them, but with the new technology, the guys can see the dogs heading towards the roads or pieces of private property and then cut them off before they get there.”

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What Breeds Are Used to Hunt Deer

You’re most likely to find hound breeds with hot noses and a strong prey drive, thrumming with electric anticipation in a truckbed dog box on any given weekend of whitetail deer season in the South. Most are treeing walkers, foxhounds, blueticks, beagles, or some mongrelized combination of all four.

Hunting with dogs is an intimate affair, and dog drivers sometimes understand their hounds better than their wives. A good handler can pick out each individual voice in a bawl-and-chop chorus, and he can tell by the pitch and rhythm of the song whether that dog is running hot or following a cold trail.

A good number of hunters bond with their hounds like they bond with their hunting buddies, building relationships in the field that can’t be duplicated anywhere else.

Old-timers tell tales of their best-running hounds long after those companions lie cold in a grave, the dogs who “could run a two-day trail” or “would run a deer three counties over without falling off.” They tell the stories with affection and a sense of deep respect that borders on awe.

Those relationships, with both the hounds and the hunters, are why seasoned sportsmen like Jones stick with dog hunting.

“I stay at Bacon’s Castle for one reason: dog hunting,” Jones said. “Because I love it; I love hearing the dogs run, and I love the camaraderie, plain and simple.”

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Young Hunters

I used my daddy’s Remington Wingmaster to shoot my first deer in front of two loudmouthed Virginia beagles named Herman and Big Girl. I was 12 and wiggly, with an attention span that would make a goldfish seem focused in comparison. Both of my sons also shot their first deer in front of dogs.

Young hunters often have a hard time sitting still and quiet long enough to see the game, but dog hunting can be an exciting introduction to the sport.

The fast pace of the hunt and the dogs’ excitement work well for the short attention spans of some young hunters. And hooking youngsters on the sport is crucial as deer populations rise and hunter numbers decline.

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Deer Dogs Under Attack

Although hunting deer with dogs is a long-standing tradition, it certainly doesn’t appeal to everyone, which is apparent in the historic chipping away of the practice spanning almost 300 years.

The Virginia House of Burgesses passed the first deer dog restrictions in 1738, requiring owners to confine their canines except when hunting deer.

In 1876, Wisconsin was the first state to ban deer hunting with dogs completely. By 1920, every state not below the Mason-Dixon line had outlawed deer hunting with dogs.

As dog hunting makes its last stand in the Deep South, not all Southerners are keen on the practice. A 2015 survey of North Carolina hunters indicated that 46% of more than 5,000 deer hunters questioned believed dog hunting should be illegal.

Interestingly, most hunters opposed to the practice had never hunted with dogs.

Perhaps because once you’ve heard a choir of deer dogs singing their way up a river bottom, you’ll be hooked for life.

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Limiting the best rifle calibers to only three options can be a daunting task when considering most big-game animals, and this can be especially true when referring to wild hogs. Any avid hunter knows that these pigs can come in many different shapes and sizes, making it a challenge to select that caliber of choice in order to bring home the bacon. For some, it’s all about that massive, trophy hog, commonly referred to within the hunting community as “Hogzilla.” However, some hunters might just want to take what they can get considering the destruction these razorbacks cause to farmers. Plus, the smaller ones make great table fare as well.

Regardless of what category you fall into, these three caliber options, proven by the evidence in each entry’s video, will pack the punch you need to bring some boars down and put some bacon on the grill.

1. .308 Winchester

It seems firearms chambered in .308 Win. get the job done the best. Some great firearm choices for hog hunting, when chambered in .308, are the Smith and Wesson M&P 10 and the Browning BAR ShorTrac Hog Stalker.

If for some reason you have doubts about shooting this ammo at a wild boar, or anything while big game hunting, just take a look at what happens at the 3:25 mark in the video!

2. .30-06 Springfield

Very similar to the .308, the .30-06 has been one of the most widely used whitetail deer hunting rifles a long, long time. Well, guess what? It works great for shooting hogs, too. This caliber is accurate, powerful and deadly, even in the hands of novice hunters.

To check out a great summation of the differences between the way each performs in the field, listen to this guy break down the nitty gritty.

3. .270 Winchester

Also known as a deer rifle, the .270 is just simple and effective. With the right shot placement on a broadside pig, a bolt-action .270 packs enough punch and penetration to get the job done on the little piglets, as well as the full-grown feral hogs!

Be sure to jump to the 4:55 mark in the video to see the way a .270 can make a Texas hog drop right in its tracks from long range!

If you’ve spent any time chasing these razorbacks through the southern terrain, you know just how tough these animals are, and how much damage they can take and still continue to keep running. Using a rifle caliber that is proven to be deadly is always a plus, but nothing replaces steady aim and ethical shot placements, regardless of what gun you are using.

Some people might be surprised that the Remington .223 didn’t make the list, but honestly, these calibers listed speak for themselves in regards to their lethality on feral hogs. Having said that, deciding which caliber to use really depends on your experience and comfortability with certain rifles, and this should just serve as a great baseline and information resource. The important part is that you get out there, enjoy the great outdoors, help battle this country’s ruthless hog problem, and bring home some of the best wild game nature has to offer.

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Chene Gear is a young waterfowling gear company out of Memphis, Tennessee, that began with waders: the base of every hardcore waterfowler’s gear list. This summer, the company is celebrating its one-year anniversary.

As part of that celebration, Chene launched a new collection of performance apparel in July to accompany their leak-free guarantee waders. The company has also doubled down on its conservation support while giving back to its customers.

Chene is buying and giving a federal duck stamp to every customer who purchases their flagship waders in 2022.

Federal duck stamps are conservation revenue stamps bought primarily by waterfowl hunters who require them to hunt waterfowl legally once they turn 16. They’re also bought and collected by a small but important percentage of the non-hunting public, so anyone can contribute to conservation efforts by buying them.

Plus, duck stamps also serve as a free pass into any national wildlife refuge that charges an entry fee. Nearly all the proceeds go toward conserving habitat for birds and other wildlife, so a fair share of birders, photographers, and other outdoorsy folks buy Duck Stamps, too.

According to Ducks Unlimited, about 1.5 million federal duck stamps are sold annually. Since 1934, duck stamp sales have raised more than $1 billion for wetlands conservation. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, 98 cents of every dollar spent on each $25 stamp goes directly into acquiring vital habitats and has contributed to more than 6 million acres being acquired since the program’s start.

Chene Gear is both giving back to conservation and saying thank you to their customers with the Duck Stamp purchases.

“Quality habitat is the foundation to a healthy waterfowl population, and the duck stamp program has a stellar record of protecting the wetlands vital to ducks, geese, and countless other species of wildlife,” said Jeff Jones in a release; he’s Chene’s co-founder and chief product officer.

“We want to support this crucial mission by giving a portion of every wader we sell back to these special animals,” he added.

Not only is Chene purchasing federal waterfowl stamps for customers who purchase their waders, but they’re also encouraging them to purchase a stamp for someone else to bolster the pay-it-forward spirit and continue to support the conservation of the birds they love to hunt.

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Chene Gear’s Mission: A Wader That Doesn’t Leak, Plain and Simple

Chene Gear was created based on the idea of subverting the premise that “all waders leak” and it was founded by diehard waterfowlers who were tired of spending their hard-earned money on waders that did not perform their basic function, keeping them dry. The Chene founders are not what you’d call casual duck hunters. These men live in their waders. When they aren’t hunting, they spend the offseason improving habitat and participating in conservation efforts. In the fall, they’re still in their waders, reaping the fruits of their labor both on their home turf and across North America.

Chēne is the French word for Oak. The name was chosen to pay homage to their hunting roots and the famed waterfowl hunting history of Arkansas’ flooded oak bottoms.

“We wanted the brand’s name to represent our roots, and Arkansas’ rich waterfowl hunting heritage since our experience in this special part of the country is what drove us to start the company,” Jones said.

After years of product testing, Chene officially opened its doors with the launch of the Chene Gear Wader, their flagship product, in July 2021 (MSRP: $1,100).

After only a year, the company has some pretty heavy hitters in the waterfowling world giving testimonials as to the quality of their product. You’ll see names like Rob Kinney, a professional photographer who specializes in waterfowl, Spencer Halford, owner of Rolling Thunder Game Calls, and many others in Chene’s Behind The Waders video series.

But the waders were just the start for this up-and-coming waterfowl gear company. The folks at Chene are taking their desire to make better waterfowl gear to the next level. In July 2022, Chene Gear announced the launch of some pretty sweet-looking items, including The Sixty Series 1/2 Zip Hoodie, a Scout Vest, the Chene Over-And Under-Jacket, and more. But let’s take a look at the product that started it all, the Chene Waders:

In an effort to build a better wader, Chene completely reimagined how waders are made. The process began with the selection of a premium waterproof 4-layer nylon fabric instead of polyester. Waders are most commonly made from a three-layer polyester or neoprene fabric.

Nylon has proven to be more durable than polyester, but when you’re talking about breathable waders, there’s never a way to make them bulletproof. The seams are usually one of the first things to fail on any piece of clothing, and waders are no different. Many waders have stitched-and-taped seams, and stitching means making thousands of tiny holes in the fabric, and holes, no matter how tiny, aren’t good for waterproofing.

Chene Gear uses a stitchless process called mechanical bonding to make its waders. The process forms a waterproof seal, and then the seams are taped to serve as a secondary waterproofing measure.

Chene’s waders also feature a front YKK Aquaseal zipper for easy donning and doffing, adjustable shoulder straps, and a custom boot design with an EVA midsole for comfort. According to their website, Chene, of course, can’t guarantee its product will never fail — over time, softgoods degrade — but they do guarantee a superior customer service experience if you need to reach out to them about any product issues. The gear is also backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

If you’re looking at upgrading some of your gear for 2022, Chene Gear is worth considering.

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Murky population and hunting status often leads sportsmen and women to ask the question, “Can you hunt bison in America?”

Hunting bison in America may seem like an improbable endeavor. Overhunting and flat-out annihilation nearly wiped out the bison of North America in the late 19th Century.

Through conservation efforts and reintroductions, the abysmal number of wild bison left in 1900 (300 animals according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) was boosted to about 360,000 bison by the beginning of the 21st Century.

Over 140 years later, the vast bison herds of the Great Plains are gone. Their former range has been sliced and diced by a million housing developments, strip malls, farms, and cattle ranches, bisected by countless fences and highways.

However, the current bison population, brought back from near extinction, is a true North American conservation success story.

As such, you may be wondering if you can still hunt this North American icon. The answer is yes, absolutely you can. And you don’t have to settle for just hunting domesticated herds on private ranches either.

While you can no longer hunt bison in America the way it was once done, six states do allow special-permit public-land hunts for American bison.

Where You Can Hunt Bison in America

Alaska

The Plains bison were introduced to Alaska in 1928. Starting with 23 animals, the non-native population has grown to 900 free-range bison that roam the state. According to Alaska Fish and Game, hunting opportunities have been available since the 1950s and these days it’s an extremely popular hunt. For example, in Delta Junction, 100 permits are available for a draw of about 15,000 hunters.

Wood bison are native to Alaska and were re-introduced in 2015 after being extirpated in the 1800s. Hunting opportunities are expected to be available for this subspecies once the population has a harvestable surplus.

Arizona

Bison hunts take place in just two areas of the entire state; Raymond Wildlife Area and House Rock Wildlife Area. Plains Bison are native to Arizona and were reintroduced in 1906, in large part because of former bison hunter and rancher Charles Jones.

Charles “Buffalo” Jones ran 87 American bison nearly 200 miles from Utah to Kaibab Plateau, which President Theodore Roosevelt had set aside for protection. Jones caught most of these wild bison as calves in the 1880s from the last remaining wild bison herds in Texas and New Mexico. He then sold his remaining bison to the state of Arizona in 1927. Bison hunting came into play in Arizona in 1972.

Montana

Buffalo hunting returned to Montana in the mid-1980s. Due to criticisms of hunt methods, including game wardens assisting hunters with locating bison, buffalo hunts were banned in 1991 and then reopened once again in 2005. Now, officials are banned from contacting hunters when bison stray from the safety of Yellowstone National Park. Other new regulations include requiring hunters to attend classes on bison hunting.

Montana Fish and Wildlife data show that in 2015, there were 10,424 applicants for an available 72 either-sex permits. It could take a while to draw for this big game hunt.

South Dakota

Bison hunting in South Dakota is restricted to Custer State Park. Much like Arizona, these bison are the descendants of American bison calves that were rescued in 1881 and sold to a cattle rancher in 1899. That cattle rancher, Scotty Phillips, took over the herd and grew it to a head of a thousand. These bison were used to restock the population at Custer State Park, as well as other herds in the U.S.

Two short hunts (non-trophy and trophy) are available at Custer State Park. These hunts focus on bison that are 10 years old or older and serve as a management tool. The park provides a guide and hunters can only hunt three consecutive days at a time.

Wyoming

Wyoming brought back hunts for bison, or American buffalo, during the winter of 1988. According to Wyoming Game and Fish Department, bison hunts are allowed in “areas of Bridger-Teton National Forest, the National Elk Refuge, small parcels of state-owned land, and potentially some private lands with landowner permission.”

In order to hunt the National Elk Refuge, there is a separate application process for hunters that successfully draw a bison license.

Utah

In 1941, Dr. William Goetzman introduced 18 plains bison in southeastern Utah. Working with the Utah Divison of Wildlife Resources, U.S. Division of Grazing, and local stockmen to transplant American bison from Yellowstone National Park, the numbers soon increased.

Bison then began populating the Henry Mountains. Incredibly, the Henry Mountain herd is one of two that can claim genetic purity (not containing domestic cattle DNA) and being disease-free.

Not only that, but the herd is one of six free-ranging herds on public land in the United States.

Utah offers once-in-a-lifetime hunts for American bison in the Henry’s, as well as the ultra-coveted Bookcliffs. For a lucky permit winner, either one of these rugged and beautiful locations is an incredible hunt. There are opportunities for bison hunts on Antelope Island as well.

How to Hunt Bison in America

There are many states such as Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas, and New Mexico where you can book bison hunts on private ranches. Steve Rinella of MeatEater notes the apparent “lack of challenge” in these hunts, but that it “might certainly give a hunter an idea of what it was like when our ancestors tangled with these massive beasts.”

Many of these ranches and outfitters offer a 100% guarantee of success.

If you want to ratchet up the difficulty, apply to one of the states mentioned previously for their public land, fair chase American bison hunts. It may take you years to draw, and there is also the reality that you may never draw for these competitive tags.

Spot and stalk is the usual hunting method, and most weapon choices are allowed including archery, rifle, and muzzleloader. Some areas like Custer State Park in South Dakota only allow rifle hunting on bison hunts and specify legal calibers.

A Nod to Early Conservationists

We can be thankful for early conservationists that took the form of ranchers, hunters, wildlife professionals, and presidents. Their individual actions to preserve North American bison, was the impetus that brought American bison numbers back from near extinction.

Without the foresight of people like Theodore Roosevelt, James “Scotty” Phillip, Walking Coyote, Dr. William Goetzman, Charles “Buffalo” Jones, and others we wouldn’t have bison or the bison hunting opportunities we now have.

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My flashlight lit up the narrow trail I hacked days earlier down to a wetland edge. The whitetails I targeted followed it with the regularity of New York City subway commuters. I stopped just short of the main trail and yanked a bottle of estrus-based doe urine from my pocket. With its misting nozzle I aimed for some nose-level vegetation on both sides of the trail and hazed the area lightly with scent.

As I climbed into my treestand in the predawn, I felt good that any buck passing would pause for a second, giving me precious seconds to draw and settle my Mathews bow for a successful hunt.

Some of you, firearm or archery hunters, probably question my decision to use scents. I know a handful of outfitters who flatly decline to allow the use of scent around their stands for fear of spooking deer. I don’t blame them. Cheap scents, poorly-executed deployment or lackadaisical scent control on your behalf all could lead to a whitetail spooking or worse, associating the smell with a trap.

One outfitter even told me of a hunter using a whole bottle to soak up a half dozen or more scent wicks that he hung like Christmas ornaments around his stand. He found them the next time he put a different hunter in that stand. It might have worked, but likely would raise white tails in alarm rather than stirring curiosity.

The use of deer scents can be a boon to your hunt, but only if you use them right.

PREPARE

To ensure you can get your scent positioned appropriately in shooting lanes, you need a plan. Begin by clearing paths to and from shooting lanes that you can use, thus avoiding direct travel on deer travel routes. Despite your best efforts to be scent free with clothes laundering, rubber boot usage and spraying down with scent-eliminating products, you still likely leave a bit of you on every branch you brush by. Your boots may even be spreading a bit of you on the ground.

How do I know? Coyotes give me the best gauge of my scent-elimination success. Whenever a coyote slips through the brush and crosses one of my access routes, I watch them for a reaction. Most of the time they hit a wall and slink out like a scolded dog, or worse yet, turn and flee. I rate a coyote’s sniffer one notch above a deer, but a buck could react the same way if you’re careless.

By avoiding the main trails and pruning access routes to shooting lanes from your stand, you avoid leaving any scent where you hope to shoot a deer. Clear and trim vegetation so you can move back and forth to your shooting lane without anything touching your clothes. Only your boots should hit the ground and those should be scent free as well. And as noted earlier, you simply use a mist or spray dispenser to lay a fog of spray where you hope to stop a buck for the shot.

You never have to step into a shooting lane and you can glass for spot-on accuracy. I follow this routine when hunting with my bow, even when I’m carrying my muzzleloader into dense cover.

This corridor-clearing chore should be done in the preseason, and at the same time you may want to create a mock scrape  for the perfect shot placement. Your goal is to create a primary scrape, one that gets attention, so scrape out plenty of dirt area. Deer love to scrape in areas with little vegetation, so make it easy on them and clear a wide area to reveal black earth. You can even mix in some deer urine for deep-earth penetration.

And to continue interest in the scrape, use a dripper to disperse scent. Models that heat up and open during the day to release scent, then shut down at night when it’s cool, fake the impression of daytime deer visits. If your trickery works, bucks will take over the scrape and eventually you won’t need to add any scent at all. Deer will provide their own scent distraction while you focus on shooting from a nearby hide.

PURCHASE

Picking out a deer scent from dozens of choices is about as confusing as trying to purchase the right perfume for the leading lady in your life. Do your research. You want to purchase high-quality, fresh scent, not leftovers from last year as they could break down and spook deer.

Some manufacturers claim their urine is from a single doe or buck. Others mix and match while some even have concocted synthetic versions. If your budget allows, go with those that fill bottles from a single deer, but truth be known, most of my experience with scents is with bottles filled in community whitetail restrooms.

As long as the urine smells fresh and doesn’t have an ammonia tinge to it you should be OK. As you shop look for bottles that dispense with a misting nozzle to deposit a diversion in shooting lanes. If you’re re-filling mock scrape dispensers no mister is needed. Keep any purchase cool and out of direct sunlight.

As for what scent to use, I’ve never really seen a huge difference. Straight buck or doe urine can sidetrack a buck, or doe during any season. I’ve used estrus-based scents from September through December with similar, curious results. If you believe an estrus scent could spook a buck in the early season, save it for the rut.

My entire theory on scents is to use them as a minor distraction to pause a buck where I want him to stop. After more than 30 years of hunting whitetails from Canada to Texas and points East and West, I’ve only had a handful of experiences where whitetails actually followed a drag or picked up a scent wafting on a breeze. Most stumbled upon it right where I placed it and paused out of curiosity. If it was the right buck it was the end of the story.

PLACEMENT

Despite nearly 30 years of having most bucks ignore my wafting wicks and drags, I still go through the drag-rag motion from time to time. Nevertheless, my true passion and success is with the simple placement of scent via a spritz or freshening of a mock scrape. When a buck is distracted with one of these scent traps, it’s less likely to see me drawing my bow or raising my rifle.

During the hunt, I prefer to stay away from shooting lanes. As described earlier, I try to stand a few feet away from a shooting zone and mist scent into the area. Lean out to where you want a buck to pause at your ambush site and apply the aroma of whitetail with a spray.

Sounds easy, but you need to place it correctly. Whether you spray or use a wick my experience has been it needs to be a nose level. I’ve sprayed and dribbled scent on trails only to have deer disregard it and walk over it like trash on a city boulevard. Wicks and spray dispensed at deer-nose level receive attention. It’s the sector they’re surveying as they travel, and that’s even more important during the rut as bucks pick up the pace — even trotting between ridges. They’re not as perceptive as you’ve read when on the hunt for a hot doe.

If you do need to freshen a scrape or refill a dispenser during the hunt, wear scent-free footwear. Splashing in mud or water on the way to your stand can help in adding natural cover scent to the tread. Also don latex gloves as you handle dispensers to avoid leaving any traces of you at the scrape. If a buck reaches up to rub its preorbital gland and suddenly smells the McMuffin you had an hour earlier it could lead to a string-jumping ending.

An hour after sunrise, a brawny whitetail buck I knew from trail cameras circled the wetland before me. I had a hunch his circle would end right under my stand and a few minutes later the scattering of does signaled his approach. Like a scripted movie he came down the trail and paused to investigate the scent I had sprayed two hours prior. Totally immersed in the olfactory delight, I was able to draw my Mathews and send an arrow off for an ending to my season that had the smell of success.

The ongoing battle between 45-70 vs 30-06 is distinguished with slim margins considering they are both quality cartridges.

These two black powder cartridges were originally designed for war and are now mainly used as hunting calibers. We’ll look at the best performer between 45-70 vs 30-60 to help you decide which is best for your needs.

Here’s an overview of what you’ll learn in the following article:

• The most powerful ammunition
• Which bullet has a higher velocity
• What are the most significant differences between 45-70 and 30-06
• Dynamics of the two cartridges
• Which is ideal for deer hunting

Let’s get into it!

A Quick Comparison Between 45-70 and 30-06

The 45-70 and 30-06 are powerful ammunition initially designed for the American civil war and are now popular among modern-day hunters.

Their unique attributes, especially their penetrative ability and velocity, are perhaps their most distinguishing features.

Let’s take a look at a quick comparison analysis:

The two bullets can perform ideally for most shooting purposes but go for the lighter recoil variation if you have a standard rifle.

Therefore, how lever action rifles in use handle recoil matters. Take this as a safety measure for those around you if you operate in hunting groups.

In-Depth Analysis Between 45 70 vs 30 06

You’ll be pleased to know that the two quality cartridges are ideal for big-game shooting and only have small differences. The differences are easily tracked to the cons of either cartridge, recoil being one of the major distinguishing factors.

Gascho et al., (2019), in their research, further investigates their differences in terms of their characteristics at different energy levels.

Which Cartridge has the Better Velocity?

The 30-06 is a popular cartridge for its velocity, where its maximum flow speed is at 2820 fps. When targeting moving objects, the hunting cartridge comes in handy, bringing down mobile prey accurately.

When using a 150-grain 30-06, it bolts at a full velocity of 1,030 fps and increases significantly after 300 yards by 1,193 fps. This variety is a typical 325-grain ammunition with an average of 2,050 fps of muzzle energy.

On the other hand, the 45-70 Government rounds travel at 1680 fps. It, however, covers up for the compromised flow speed with excellent energy.

From 150 yards, the 45-70 Government performs effectively as one of the centerfire rifle cartridges, but its kinetic energy goes low at about double the distance.

So, ballistic performance comparisons are best made within 150-300 yards. Within the distance, the 45-70 bullet travels at 1,225 mph, which means the 30-06 is nearly twice as fast. It is outshined due to its heavier projectile and less powder charge.

You are lucky if you use marlin rifles for target shooting or participate in other activities utilizing similar ranges.

Also, when using a quality lever action rifle, you can achieve relatively more velocity from good muzzle power.

Muzzle Energy Comparisons Between 45-70 vs 30-06

The 45-70 round is a powerful cartridge for lever action rifles and is readily accessible. It has a shorter case length and features a straight-walled design.

Additionally, it has a larger bullet diameter and is heavier than other rounds, giving it more stopping power.

According to Hrdlicka (2003), when comparing stopping power, it’s obvious the 45-70 version works in your favor. However, the 30-06 caliber energy leads the two with 127-foot pounds out of the muzzle than the Government bullet.

Because the heavier slug loses velocity rapidly, this competitive edge rises to 543 ft. lbs. after 100 yards.

Research from Sanchez et al. (2016) adds that, at 300 yards, the 30-06 Springfield moves 865 ft. pounds faster than the 45-70, which is a significant difference.

As a result, the shorter and narrower 30-06 outperforms the government variety with more than twice the pressure.

The Availability of the Bullets

We found out that the 45-70 ammunition requires more material and has a larger dimension. This explains why this cartridge is expensive.

Additionally, these loads were crafted for use with lever-action firearms. The Marlin guide gun, since 1895, is one of the best guide guns for the 45-70.

Meanwhile, the 30-06 cartridges give you additional sure variations to select from compared to the government version. The 30-06 were military options, making them reliable for most uses, and their lower price point is a plus.

Moreover, they offer better variety in bullet weight categories (100gr-220gr) for small to big games.

Which has Better Trajectory

The trajectory of a bullet as it travels downrange is quantified in inches of bullet drop, impacting your ability to hit a target.

Due to its energy drop, the heavy bullet, 45-70 variety fails to match up well on long distances, but it gives back exceptional performance over short ranges. Here is the reason why:

Because these projectile models are less aerodynamic than a boat-tail Spitzer characteristic, they hemorrhage muzzle velocity at an astonishing rate.

As the ammo loses speed in flight, the gravitational pull has more opportunity to pull them toward the ground.

At 200 yards, the smokeless powder Government drops 10.3 inches.

The light 30-06 vs 45 70 excels in this category, having a much flatter direction of travel than the 45-70. As a result, these versions are among the commonly used cartridges in lever action rifles for mid-to-long-range hunting worldwide.

Therefore, flatter shooting ammunition is preferred over long-distance shooting. This factor is so because it needs fewer adjustments to the shooter’s scopes to make up the difference for bullet drop. A flatter path also implies that a cartridge is more tolerant of ranging errors.

The Bullets’ Recoil

Regarding the level of impact in 45 70 vs 30 06, the former has more recoil and can catch you off-guard if you’re not prepared for the blast.

When using a rifle with a smokeless powder 45-70 at rest, they’ll still produce a heavy recoil, even if you’re utilizing shooting sleds or sandbags.

Also, you should expect a worse experience when firing from a standing position. Unprepared shooters are frequently knocked backward when they fire in this position.

If necessary, take a wider stance and prepare before squeezing the trigger on a 45-70.

A photo showcasing various shooting positions and stances

When comparing 45-70 vs 30 06, the former appears to be a lightweight, despite having a significant recoil. A 30-06 will also cause a shooter’s flinch, maybe not with more recoil as a 45-70.

The 30-06 has approximately 14 ft-lbs of recoil energy, whereas the 45-70 Government variety has nearly 64 ft-lbs of energy imparted into a gunman’s shoulder. That’s twice as much.

The felt recoil is often forgotten or unrealized when you have a big bull, Cape buffalo, or black bear in your sights.

Target shooting on the range lacks the adrenaline rush that the thrill of the hunt can provide.

The Most Versatile Bullet

The 45-70 is effective against large game animal hunting but is a great cartridge between 200 and 300 yards. The massive slug of the government provides stopping power to bring down whitetail deer, bears, moose, bison, and elk at a close range.

If you intend to shoot at distances greater than 300 yards, opt for the 30-06 Springfield in your bolt action rifle. The 45-70 is ideal for large game hunting because it frequently requires stalking and closing the distance.

Accuracy Features

Accuracy is contextual when comparing 45 70 vs 30 06, which is highly dependent on the shooter and the gun used. Both factory loads are excellent for big game hunting.

The 45-70 has bone-crushing power at a short range. It is low in accuracy over long ranges due to its low velocity and less ballistic coefficient, which produce a relatively steep trajectory.

The 30-06 is a definite winner in terms of accuracy in long-range hunting due to its flatter trajectory. While using a quality bolt action rifle and scope within 300 yards, it gives exceptional accuracy per single shot.

These quality loads can maintain hypersonic speeds in a flatter trajectory for slightly more than 1000 yards before gravity and sit resistance impact it and begin to affect accuracy.

However, the contrast will become more difficult to ignore as the range increases.

Perhaps the 30-06 has a further advantage as you’ll unlikely flinch with its less recoil, while the 45-70 has a higher chance of distracting your stability/stance.

The Ballistics’ Coefficiency and Sectional Density

Simply put, the ballistic coefficient indicates a bullet’s aerodynamics. The higher the proportion, the greater your cartridge will perform in windy conditions.

Unlike the previous features, the 45-70 has a slight advantage in this situation as it is more powerful. Despite doing exceptionally well in the close and mid-range, 45-70 bullets suffer slightly in the long range.

As observed, heavier bullets typically have a higher coefficient count, but 30-06, as a lighter version, still finds a way to impress. Its aerodynamic model allows it to dominate the ballistic coefficient count even at longer distances.

Also, the bullet design plays a role in the ballistic coefficient factor. For instance, a 160 gr 30-06 will have more BC than a 325 gr 45-70 ballistic.

Social Density: Best Penetrative Power for Big Game Purposes

An ammunition’s Sectional Density (SD) determines how well it penetrates a target. This factor is critical in big hunting events because you need a bullet penetrating thick hide and bone.

Therefore, penetration is measured by comparing the mass and diameter of the projectile. The greater the SD, the further the bullet will infiltrate the target.

Consider this a simplified explanation of penetration because other factors, such as bullet expansion and velocity, are also in the picture.

The 45-70 is well renowned for its penetration, as it has been used successfully to hunt big games for bigger targets such as brown bears.

Is the 45-70 overkill? Yes, it may, but it accomplishes the task, and many buffalo hunters have successfully utilized it since the late 1800s.

When properly aimed, a large buck can get away after being hit by a 45-70 round. On the other hand, a deer will fall almost immediately if you hit it in the chest.

With the 30-06, it relies on its high-velocity power to form its ideal social density. It is suitable for deer hunting, having the edge for mid and long distances.

The high velocity and barely any disintegration localizes the penetration in one area to influence a deeper penetration.

Price Variations: Which is the Most Affordable?

Most of our comparisons revealed a recognizable disparity between the two ammunition, and the price section follows suit. Ironically, the government cartridge seeming to perform poorly is the most pricey.

On a 45-70 ammunition, you’ll have to use around $2.75/round for regular training versions and $5/round or more for premium hunting versions.

Regular 30-06 will cost about $1.50/round, while the premium rounds cost you double that.

The Cartridges Size Differences

We have so far touched on how the bullets’ designs can impact their performance.

Their size also affects how they are chambered. As a heavier slug, the 45-70’s is normally chambered in heavy loads because its projectile diameter is 0.458 inches, compared to 30 06 at 0.308 inches.

The cartridge length for the Government variety is 2.105 inches, while the 2.494-inch 30 06 Springfield towers over it.

Although the 45-70 ammunition is heavier, it can be holstered in a lighter rifle.

Which is Better for Hunting Deer?

Without a doubt, the two cartridges are capable of taking down various targets during a hunt. So, which provides the better all-around performance for the deer hunting purpose?

The 30-06 deer rifle is superior to a deer rifle. It is far more accurate over long distances, does not leave a large hole in the target, and is easier to shoot.

On the other hand, a 45-70 with a lower velocity and more significant expansion isn’t a great option of the two, destroying much meat with a poorly placed shot.

Unlike its competition, when traveling at over 2500 feet per second, the 30-06 does not destroy much of the target’s meat.

The 30-06 is a clear winner regarding range, accuracy, less recoil, and ammunition cost.

Meanwhile, the 45-70 does the job but is more expensive and puts a little more strain on your shoulder from its heavier recoil.

Which of the Cartridges Would You Choose for Lever Action Rifles?

The answer varies from one shooter to the other.

For the 45-7, it is still relatively popular among big game hunters in heavy cover and black-powder silhouette shooters.

Having been utilized in the Spanish-American war, we clearly understand why these cartridges are still popular with users.

In justification of their higher price as a standard cartridge, the big game heavy loads deliver bone-crushing muzzle energy, capable of hitting any target within 300 yards. If you love its output while hunting and have no issues with its cost or impact, go for the 45-70 variety.

On the other hand, if you prefer long-range hunting, we recommend the compact 30-06 to go with your bolt action rifle. These popular cartridges stopping power and long-range prowess will make your shooting purpose more dynamic in various hunting scenarios.

Also, many modern rounds cannot compete with the 30-06’s prominence and raw stopping power. They can bring down every four-legged animal in the North American region.

The 30-06 bullets are affordable; they give the total value for your money and won’t let you down in major shooting events.

Finally, the 45-70 is excellent for close-to-mid-range shooting, while the 30-08 is ideal for long-range targeting.

FAQ

Conclusion

That’s all on our tropic, 45-60 vs 30-06, with the latter emerging clear winner in terms of its smooth operation. The heavier 45-60 cartridge should be supported as a quality rifle.

So, which bullet stands out, and you’d select it for your upcoming hunting event/plan?

Comment below with your thoughts on our topic, and suggest which varieties we should analyze next.

References

1. Sanchez, D. M., Epps, C. W., & Taylor, D. S. (2016). Estimating Lead Fragmentation from Ammunition for Muzzleloading and Black Powder Cartridge Rifles. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management, 7(2), 467-479. https://doi.org/10.3996/092015-jfwm-086
2. Daryl Hrdlicka. (2003). How hard does it hit? A revised study of atlatl and dart ballistics. The Atlatl, 16(2), 15-18. http://www.thudscave.com/npaa/articles/howhard_10-04.pdf
3. Gascho, D., Zoelch, N., Richter, H., Buehlmann, A., Wyss, P., & Schaerli, S. (2019). Identification of Bullets Based on Their Metallic Components and X-Ray Attenuation Characteristics at Different Energy Levels on CT. American Journal of Roentgenology, 213(3), W105-W113. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.19.21229
4. 30-30 vs 45-70 Which Lever Action Is Best For You? (2022, October 21). Big Game Hunting Blog. https://thebiggamehuntingblog.com/30-30-vs-45-70/
5. Herring, G., Eagles-Smith, C. A., Wolstenholme, R., Welch, A., West, C., & Rattner, B. A. (2022). Collateral damage: Anticoagulant rodenticides pose threats to California condors. Environmental Pollution, 311, 119925. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119925

With an effective range of over half a mile, the 338 Lapua Magnum and 338 Winchester Magnum are two centerfire rifle cartridges that excel at long range shooting.

The 338 Lapua Mag is the rifle cartridge of choice for military snipers as it was developed to punch through body armor at 1,000 yards and bridges the gap between the 300 Win Mag and the 50 BMG.

The 338 Win Mag was part of the belted-magnum cartridge craze in the late 50’s and early 60’s and has been the go-to ammo of choice for dangerous game hunters across North America.

Capable of ethically harvesting any thin-skinned game animal on the planet, it is the preferred cartridge in Alaksa to protect yourself against belligerent grizzly bears or other large game. But which of these two magnum cartridges is the best option for your new medium bore bolt-action rifle?

For most non-competitive shooters, the 338 Win Mag will be more than enough cartridge to suit your needs while the 338 Lapua is most at home on the firing line for 1,000+ yard shooting competitions.

In this article, we will examine the advantages and disadvantages of the 338 Lapua and 338 Win Mag to help you understand which will work best for your needs.

What’s the Difference Between 338 Lapua and 338 Win Mag?

The 338 Lapua and 338 Win Mag are two centerfire magnum rifle cartridges that fire the same 0.338” diameter bullets. Although both rifle cartridges fire the same caliber bullets, this is where the similarities between the two ends.

One major difference between the two is the design of the cartridge case. The 338 Win Mag utilizes a belted-magnum design that became popular during the magnum era of the late 1950’s and was marketed for big game hunters while the 338 Lapua uses a non-belted case and was designed specifically for military use.

The 338 Win Mag was also designed to fit into a long action like a 30-06 Springfield, while the 338 Lapua requires a magnum action as it is a longer, beefier round.

Both 338 magnum cartridges excel at long range accuracy and precision, you will not find the 338 Win Mag on the firing line of a 1,000-yard competition that is dominated by 6.5 Creedmoor, 300 Win Mag, and 338 Lapua.

But why is that?

The reason is because the 338 Win Mag is primarily a sporting cartridge while the 338 Lapua is long range precision cartridge. Each have their own roles that they fill admirably and understanding the difference is critical to making the right choice for your next rifle.

In the following sections, we will break down the differences between these 338-caliber magnums so that you can more clearly understand the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Cartridge Specs

When evaluating two big game hunting cartridges, it’s a good idea to analyze the cartridge specs to gain more knowledge of each.

The first, and most obvious, similarity is that both the 338 Lapua Magnum and 338 Winchester Magnum fire the same 0.338” diameter projectiles. However, this is where the similarities end.

One major difference is the case length of both rifle cartridges. The 338 Lapua Magnum has a case length of 2.724” and overall length of 3.681” compared to 2.50” and 3.34”, respectively, for the 338 Win Mag. This difference in case length directly affects case capacity.

The 338 Lapua is well-known for having a cavernous cartridge case. With a case capacity of 114.2 gr, the 338 Lapua can hold over 30% more powder than the 338 Win Mag at 86 gr. This added powder capacity is what allows the 338 Lapua to fire heavier bullets with a higher ballistic coefficient than the 338 Win Mag.

Another difference is the type of rifle action that both cartridges are fired from. With its longer overall length, the 338 Lapua sits firmly in a heavier and stronger magnum action, while the 338 Win Mag is short enough to fit into a long action rifle like the 30-06 Springfield and 300 Win Mag.

At the time of writing, SAAMI has not proofed the 338 Lapua and does not have an established max pressure for the round. To complicate matters, Lapua and the CIP have been somewhat ambivalent about the max pressure for the cartridge.

There is some scholarly debate as to the max pressure for the 338 Lapua, but the lower limits (and therefore safer) suggest 420 MPa (60,916 PSI). The max pressure for 338 Winchester Magnum is 64,000 PSI.

The 338 Lapua is an overall larger case and can fire heavier bullets, and although those projectiles perform extremely well at long distance shooting, there is a price to be paid for this enhanced downrange performance.

The additional case capacity afforded to the 338 Lapua has a negative effect on felt recoil and barrel life when compared to the 338 Win Mag.

Recoil

Recoil is the energy directed towards the shooter when a cartridge is fired from a firearm. For experienced hunters or marksmen, recoil will be a non-issue. However, for less experienced shooters or those who are recoil sensitive, less felt recoil will be preferred.

Lower recoil will also allow shooters to get their sights back on target quicker for follow-up shots. In contrast, heavy recoil can cause shooters to flinch before they pull the trigger, and during long shooting sessions shoulder fatigue can become an issue.

Both magnum cartridges are well known for having stout recoil. The 338 Lapua has so much felt recoil that most manufacturers install a muzzle brake at the factory to help reduce the amount of pounding the shooter’s shoulder receives.

The 338 Win Mag is no slouch when it comes to recoil either. However, this is exacerbated by the fact that most rifles chambered in 338 Win Mag are lighter to make them easier to carry on long hunts.

For this recoil comparison, we will use the Savage 110 Brush Hunter (7.4 lbs) as our 338 Win Mag rifle and the Barrett MRAD (14.5 lbs) for our 338 Lapua Magnum. This comparison will not include the added weight of a scope or bipod as this adds too many variables to the equation.

For a 225 grain Nosler Accubond traveling at 2700 fps, the 300 Win Mag shooter will experience 38 ft-lbs of recoil energy. Now for the 338 Lapua we will consider the 250 grain Nosler Accubond traveling at 2850 fps, which will slap the shoulder at 32 ft-lbs for force.

Now you might look at this and say that the 338 Lapua has lower recoil but note that the rifle is virtually twice as heavy. If we fire the same 338 Win Mag round out of the Barrett the felt recoil would be 20 ft-lbs.

This showcases the extremely different roles that each round serves and the rifles that are used to fit that role.

Barrel Life

Magnum cartridges are notorious for being tough on barrels. Although all that case capacity is great for achieving ridiculous muzzle energy and velocity, it is also will erode the rifling at the chamber throat considerably faster.

Take for example the 300 Remington Ultra Mag (300 RUM) that is reported to burn out a barrel at or below 1000 rounds.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding barrel life and how many rounds a particular barrel can endure before downrange accuracy begins to suffer. One of the major factors that affects this is the powder charge.

If you’re reloading close to max pressure for either round, your barrel will have a shorter lifespan than someone loading milder powder charges.

This is critically important for precision rifle shooters who often engage in extra long range shooting competitions that require the utmost pinnacle of accuracy. These shooters will maintain meticulous records to determine when their barrel is “shot out”, as they will typically see changes in point of impact or their groups opening up when shooting long distance.

For hunters, it’s less likely that you will ever shoot enough to wear out a barrel for either cartridge.

Although it’s difficult to name a specific round count that barrel is good for, the 338 Lapua Mag will generally burn out a barrel faster than the 338 Win Mag as the Lapua round has 30% more case capacity.

Trajectory

Trajectory is how we quantify a bullet’s flight path as it travels downrange measured in inches of bullet drop.

Obviously, a flatter shooting cartridge is preferred for shooting longer ranges, as a shooter will require fewer adjustments to their optics to compensate for bullet drop. Having a flatter trajectory also means that a cartridge will be more forgiving of ranging mistakes.

For this comparison, we will consider the Hornady 250 gr Match 338 Lapua ammo traveling at 2900 fps and Hornady 230 gr ELD-X Precision Hunter ammo screaming out of the muzzle at 2810 fps for 338 Win Mag.

As the 338 Lapua has a higher muzzle velocity, it will reach the intended target faster and thereby be affected by gravity less than the 338 Win Mag.

At 500 yards, both projectiles have almost identical trajectories with the 338 Lapua only being slightly better at -40” of bullet drop compared to -43” for the Winchester Magnum.

However, the 1,000-yard line is what separates the marksmen from the plinkers, coincidentally this is where the 338 Lapua starts to pull away from the 338 Win Mag. At 1,000 yards, the 338 Lapua has experienced -211” of bullet drop compared to -231” for the 338 Win Mag.

Although both the 338 Lapua and the 338 Win Mag have excellent for long range shooting, the 338 Lapua has the flatter trajectory overall.

Ballistic Coefficient

Ballistic coefficient (BC) is a measure of how well a bullet resists wind drift and air resistance. Put another way, it’s a numeric representation of how aerodynamic a bullet is. A high BC is preferred as this means the bullet will buck the wind easier.

Generally, heavier bullets will have a higher BC as it takes more force to disrupt the flight of a heavier bullet than a lighter one. Ballistic coefficient varies from bullet to bullet based on design, weight, and other factors that are beyond the scope of this article.

Since the 338 Lapua can fire heavier projectiles than the 338 Win Mag, the Lapua round will generally have a higher BC.

For example, a 300 grain Nosler Custom Competition 338 Lapua round will have a BC of 0.8 compared to a 225 gr Nosler Expansion Tip for 338 Win Mag with a BC of 0.611.

Although ballistic coefficient will vary between bullets, in general the 338 Lapua will have a higher SD than 338 Win Mag.

Sectional Density

Sectional Density (SD) is the measure of how well a bullet penetrates a target. This is extremely important when hunting big game, as you need a bullet that can punch through thick hide, bone, and sinew.

Sectional density is calculated by comparing the bullet weight and the bullet diameter. The higher the SD the deeper the bullet will penetrate into the target. This is a simplified view of penetration as there are other factors to consider, such as bullet expansion and velocity.

Let’s look at the Hornady Precision Hunter line for an apples-to-apples comparison.

The 270 gr ELD-X for 338 Lapua has a SD of 0.338 while the 230 gr ELD-X for 338 Win Mag has a SD of 0.288.

As the 338 Lapua typically has a higher muzzle velocity than the 338 Winchester Magnum, it will often have the higher SD.

Hunting

Determining the superior round for hunting has been debated ad nauseum in online forums, around campfires, and at gun store counters. There are clear merits to both the 338 Lapua and Winchester Magnum in terms of hunting efficacy.

However, the 338 Win Mag is the better choice in terms of hunting large game. I know a lot of Lapua fans are lighting their torches and sharpening the pitchforks but let me explain why.

The first reason is rifle design.

Generally, 338 Win Mag rifles are lighter and easier to carry into deep brush. This is why so many Alaskan guides carry them as a deterrent to dangerous game, it’s a light-weight rifle that packs a massive punch.

Would a 338 Lapua be good against bears? Absolutely. But carrying a rifle weighting 12+ lbs is a lot more difficult than carrying one that is 7 lbs. Rifles for 338 Lapua were intentionally built heavier to handle the massive strain the cartridge puts on the rifle action and to reduce felt recoil.

All that weight might be perfectly fine for long distance shooting from a bench, but it’s not so helpful when you’re carrying it miles on end. In this situation, having a lighter and maneuverable rifle is preferred to having one that is bulkier, longer, and harder to carry.

The second reason is cost.

Many big game hunters will scoff at the concept of cost, stating that ammo expenditures are minimal when only going through a few boxes a year. And I’d agree with that.

However, if I told you that you could get identical performance for a lower cost, I’m guessing most of my readers would take that deal. I know I would!

When comparing the same brand of ammo, the 338 Win Mag will almost always be the lower cost option.

And let’s not forget the rifle cost as well. Your regular run of the mill bolt action rifle from Savage, Weatherby, Sako, or Ruger for 338 Win Mag will typically cost you under $1,000. But you should expect to spend no less than $2,000 for a rifle chambered in 338 Lapua.

The third and final reason, is terminal ballistics.

Fans of the 338 Lapua will be at the ready to tell me that the 338 has better terminal ballistics than the Win Mag, and they are correct in this.

But will that big game animal be able to tell the difference? I highly doubt it.

The 338 Lapua is simply more than you need for large game across North American.

Now if you fancy flying across the pond to take on The Big 5 in Africa, then the 338 Lapua would be the better option. For those extra-large dangerous game animals, you’ll want as much stopping power as you can get and the 338 Lapua can deliver that for you.

For North America, 338 Win Mag is more than enough. For the dangerous game of Africa, 338 Lapua is a suitable choice (though most will use 375 H&H Magnum, 416 Rem Mag, or 458 Lott).

Ammo and Rifle Availability/Cost

As mentioned previously in the Hunting section, the 338 Win Mag is the better option when it comes to cost for both rifles and ammo.

Ammo for the 338 Win Mag runs around $4-6/round depending on the manufacturer and grade. Match ammo and premium hunting ammo will typically garner a higher price than bulk practice ammo.

For 338 Lapua, you should expect to generally pay around $5/round for the cheap stuff and upwards of $10/round for hunting and match grade ammo.

In terms of availability, as the 338 Lapua is a military round, it is a bit more plentiful than 338 Win Mag. However, all of the major manufacturers like Hornady, Federal, Remington, and Nosler make ammo for both calibers.

Although ammo might be a bit easier to find for 338 Lapua, there are considerably more varieties and affordable rifle options for 338 Win Mag since it is a hunting round. Weatherby, Remington, Savage, Ruger, and Sako all make bolt-action rifles for 338 Win Mag that can be had for under $1,000.

Good luck finding a 338 Lapua rifle for less than $2000 out the door!

As the 338 Lapua is a more powerful round, it required reinforcement in the action to handle the pressures and recoil that the cartridge can produce. This requires more material and therefore increases cost. Furthermore, most Lapua rifles are accurized by a gunsmith as the round is designed to be shot at long range. This also drives up the price.

There are fewer manufactures who offer rifles in 338 Lapua but that number is growing. The major players in terms of 338 Lapua rifles would be Barrett, Accuracy International, GA Precision, Ruger, and Savage.

Reloading

Reloading is one way to reduce the overall cost per round of your ammo. Furthermore, reloading allows you to tailor your ammo to your individual rifle, allowing you to achieve sub-MOA results without eating the cost that match grade ammo commands.

Both of these 338 rifle cartridges will devour powder, so make sure that you’re ordering in bulk to ensure you get the best price.

Although the 338 Lapua and 338 Win Mag fire the same caliber bullets, there isn’t as much overlap in the grain weights that they use when compared to other cartridges like the 308 Winchester and 300 Win Mag. The 338 Lapua typically fires bullets between 250 and 300 grains while 338 Win Mag can fire between 200 and 275 grains, with 225 grain bullets being the most popular.

Ballistics: 338 Win Mag vs 338 Lapua

Our team here at Ammo.com has spent countless hours scouring the Internet to bring you extremely comprehensive ballistics tables for both calibers. These tables will compare bullet weight to muzzle velocity, muzzle energy, and trajectory.

338 Win Mag Ballistics

338 Lapua Ballistics

A Brief History of 338 Winchester Magnum

The 338 Winchester Magnum was introduced in 1958 by the Winchester Repeating Arms company.

The 338 Win Mag is a belted magnum cartridge that draws its heritage from the 375 H&H Magnum round that was also used in the development of the 264 and 458 Winchester Magnum cartridges released in the same year.

The introduction of the 338 Win Mag sparked the “Magnum Era” in terms of cartridge design, and the other bullet manufacturers were not about to let Winchester go unchallenged. Weatherby was quick to introduce the 340 Weatherby Magnum as a direct competitor to the 338 Win Mag, but it was Remington’s release of the 7mm Rem Mag that made the biggest splash and prompted the development of the 300 Win Mag in 1962.

Although the 338 Win Mag was marketed to big game hunters as a medium bore cartridge capable of taking on grizzlies, it was not immediately a commercial success. However, as time passed it has become the top choice for Alaskan hunting guides working in bear country.

Capable of pushing a 225-grain bullet at 2,800 fps with 3,918 ft-lbs of energy, the 338 Win Mag is a heavy hitting cartridge capable of taking down any game animal on the planet.

A Brief History of 338 Lapua Magnum: The 50 BMG Lite

Development of the 338 Lapua Mag began in 1983 by US-based company, Research Armament Industries (RAI). Their goal was to create a cartridge that bridged the gap between the 300 Winchester Magnum and the 50 BMG.

The design specification required that the cartridge be able to penetrate 5 layers of military-grade body armor at 1000 meters and fire a 0.338” diameter bullet for its ideal sectional density and ballistic coefficient. The targeted muzzle velocity to meet these goals was 3,000 fps.

Initial designs for the 338 Lapua Magnum utilized the 416 Rigby as a parent case, simply necking it down to accept a 250 grain Hornady A-MAX bullet. Sadly, the 416 Rigby case was not strong enough to withstand the pressures needed to achieve RAI’s ballistic goals.

By 1984, RAI was under pressure from the military to finish their work and in desperation they reached out to the Finnish ammo company, Lapua, for assistance. Straddled with debt, RAI had to drop out of the program, and this left the fate of the new cartridge in the hands of the engineers at Lapua.

The ballistics team at Lapua joined forces with Sako and Accuracy International to work on redesigning the 416/338 case so that it could handle 60,000 psi of pressure.

The final case design was an extremely pressure resistant that was able to achieve velocities just short of the initial 3,000 fps goal. The decision was also made to depart from Hornady bullets, utilizing a new bullet design instead, the LockBase B408 FMJ.

The finalized 338 Lapua Magnum cartridge submitted and accepted by the CIP (the European version of SAAMI) in 1989 and became a NATO cartridge shortly thereafter.

NATO standard 338 Lapua Mag ammo fires a 250-grain bullet with a muzzle velocity of 3000 fps and muzzle energy of 4892 ft-lbs.

Precision rifle shooters who like to air it out to 1000 yards or more will appreciate the 338’s ability to easily remain supersonic past 1400 yards and maintain MOA levels of accuracy. While the 338 Lapua has a trajectory that would make any 6.5 Creedmoor or 300 Win Mag shooter green with.

The 338 Lapua Mag is a powerhouse of a round and will be competing with the 50 BMG for years to come.

Final Shots: 338 Lapua vs 338 Win Mag

The 338 Lapua and 338 Win Mag are both extremely hard-hitting rifle cartridges that have an insane effective range of over half a mile. They have proven themselves countless times in the woods, the battlefield, and on the firing line at precision rifle competitions.

The 338 Lapua is a round specifically designed with military snipers in mind. It has an incredibly flat trajectory and cut its teeth in the deserts of the Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Although the Lapua has seen most of its action overseas, it is becoming more popular on the civilian market for long range shooting competitors who want to reach out past 1,000 yards.

The 338 Winchester Magnum has proven itself against big game animals for over half a century and is still going strong. It’s the favored cartridge of Alaskan hunting guides for its persuasive power against disgruntled grizzly bears and angry bull moose. Bolt-action rifles for 338 Win Mag are light and maneuverable, making them ideal for long stalks or in a tree stand.

Although the 338 Lapua has superior external ballistics, most civilian shooters will be well served by the 338 Win Mag due to its lower overall cost and an effective range well outside ethical hunting distances. This is not to say that you shouldn’t get a 338 Lapua if you can afford it or if it’s something that you’ve always wanted. The Second Amendment ensures this right, and you should use it every chance you get.

Today the pump shotgun is a pretty utilitarian tool. Most have next to no frills; any accessorizing is usually limited to lights, lasers, magazine extensions or loading ports. There’s nothing wrong with this. One does not need or even want figured wood with hand-cut checkering for defending one’s home, breaching a door or bringing down a duck in a marsh. But a century ago elegance was as much a part of gun design as practicality.

Pump- or slide-action long guns have been around for a long time. Alexander Bain of Britain received the first patent for a pump action in 1854. During the latter part of the 19th century Winchester, which was the recognized leader in lever-action repeating rifles, tasked John Browning with providing the company with its first repeating shotgun, and because Winchester was all about lever actions it wanted its repeater to be a lever-gun as well. Browning responded with what would be known as the Model 1887 shotgun. The Model 1887 enjoyed some success, but it did have some handling and reliability issues.

Winchester eventually ceded to Browning the notion that a pump-action shotgun would be a better, more reliable repeater. In 1893 the company introduced a slide-action shotgun designed by Browning. There were immediate issues with the Model 1893, one of which was the 1893 was designed for black powder shells. Ammo companies were rapidly changing to smokeless powder in their shotshells, and Winchester’s brass were terrified that they would be vulnerable to lawsuits from people injured from shooting smokeless loads in the black-powder Model ’93. Within four years Winchester redesigned the Model ’93 into the Model 1897, replete with a solid-top receiver and 2 3/4″ chambers. Another safety feature was incorporated so that the fore-end had to be pushed forward slightly to unlock the bolt before the action could be operated. It may have been the first instance of a product recall in America; Winchester offered to buy back or exchange a Model ’97 for a Model ’93. The Model ’97 was a solid shotgun with more than a million copies made during its 60-year production run.

Thomas Crossley (TC) Johnson came to work at Winchester as a 23-year-old engineer in 1885. Johnson would eventually be responsible for no less than eight of Winchester’s most iconic firearms. Soon after the turn of the 20th century Johnson began to work on a more modern design than that of the Model ’97. Competition for marketplace share was intense between gunmakers, and all of them invested heavily into keeping themselves ahead of the technological and design curve. The most objectionable feature of the Model ’97 was that damnable exposed hammer. It just seemed offensible to the sensibilities of a refined shooter. The fix that Johnson came up with was to simply hide the hammer inside an enclosed and streamlined receiver.

Johnson also redesigned the internals. Whereas the Model ’97 used a carrier or shell lifter that does double duty to lock the bolt, the Model 1912 locks the bolt directly into the receiver and has a separate bolt release activated by pulling the trigger or pushing a button at the rear of the trigger guard. The carrier is hinged at its rear and under spring tension so that when the bolt is in battery it is more or less flush with the bottom of the receiver. This arrangement is stronger than that of the 1897, though the older shotgun has never been criticized for a lack of strength. Like the Model ’97, the Model 1912 was not originally produced with a disconnector, meaning that a shooter can hold the trigger down and fire the gun by simply operating the slide. This feature seems to mostly impress people who know little about guns or how to use them, as well as the movie going public.

The Model 12—as it became known after 1919—was made from the finest steel alloys of the time. Parts were forged and required extensive, and often complicated, machining to produce them. Winchester’s marketing guys immediately christened it the “Perfect Repeater,” and like a lot of those old Winchester nicknames, it struck a chord with the shooting public and became common in usage. All of this came at a price, of course. The Model 12 was about 40 percent more expensive than the ’97, yet it consistently outsold its older brother during the 45-year-span they shared in the Winchester catalog.

When it was introduced, the Model 12 was only available in 20 gauge, 12- and 16-gauge Model 12s became available in late 1913. A 28-gauge Model 12 was brought out in 1934. Sadly, this is the rarest of Model 12s, probably as a result of The Depression and the fact that the 28 gauge—as wonderful as it is—was the prerogative of those with a fair amount of discretionary cash, something sorely lacking during The Depression and World War II. In 1933 a completely scaled down version of the Model 12—the Model 42—came out in .410 bore.

Like most of the great Winchesters, the Model 12 had its ups and downs. During its heyday it was made in Field, Skeet, Trap, Tournament and Super Pigeon grades, the differences primarily being in grades of walnut and engraving. The Heavy Duck Gun was never marked as such. Rather, it was roll marked with “Super Speed and Super X.” These guns were chambered for 3″ magnum shells and debuted in 1935. Some were made with a solid rib; others had a vent rib, but most were plain barreled. A Featherweight model came out in 1961. Beginning in 1928 some Model 12s came from the factory with a Cutts Compensator, this feature was discontinued in 1954. Some were also equipped with the competing Polychoke.

While the majority of Model 12s were field guns, quite a few saw service in the military and law enforcement. Model 12 Trench Guns were produced on special order to the military in 1919. Riot gun versions—again on special order—came about in 1918 and were produced for the subsequent 45 years. All of these marshal shotguns were available in 12 gauge only.

For much of its production run the Model 12 was the repeating shotgun that all others were judged by. Its smooth operation and reliability remains legendary among knowledgeable shotgunners. The fact that it was more expensive than its competitors meant virtually nothing, but eventually it became the shotgun’s undoing. When Remington brought out its Model 870 in 1950, the Model 12 would start feeling its age. The Remington looked almost as good as the Model 12—aficionados can tell them apart in their sleep—and the upstart was as reliable and fast handling as the older Model 12. Post-war production costs were headed into the stratosphere. The increasing costs combined with market share loss put the Model 12 on the chopping block during the infamous 1964 reorganization of the Winchester product line. Customers and gun writers screamed like a calf being branded, but as a stock broker friend of mine once said, “Never underestimate the power of money.” The Model 12 as a production gun was finished.

A few Model 12s leaked out of the Custom Shop until 1980. Another limited run—more like a trickle—was done from 1993 until 2006 by Miroku for USRAC. But the notion that function is everything and form must conform to function, aesthetics be dammed has shoved aside the notion of elegance being a critical part of a sporting tool. Too, it has become more widely accepted that tools are consumable, and replacement is simply a part of doing business.

More than 2 million Model 12s were made, and that legend of smooth operation and durability has fueled some collector interest. Model 12s can be abused, left out in the elements, dropped, kicked or worse and still keep shooting. Given even minimal care, however, a Model 12 will outlast virtually any other pump-gun. If you can find one, a Model 12 is well worth the investment. I inherited mine from an old family friend who went to his reward about 25 years ago. With it I have shot some geese on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the Mecca of waterfowling. I may not be doing as much waterfowling as I once did, but I can’t imagine being without a Model 12.