Hunting Forum

I LOVE my .338 Win!!!!!

I like my 338 Win mags too, but a 300 Win mag is best all around IMHO. I recently acquired a 300 WMag Browning X Bolt at a RMEF banquet, a sponsors firearm, with gingerbread grip caps and action engraving. I took it out immediately ans shot some 308 caliber Tubbs Final Finish to fire lap the barrel. The X bolt is a nice rifle, 26 inch barrel, and decent trigger to. The scope mount is real solid with four screws and Leupold has made mounts and rings that work well with the X Bolt. I also got a Browning scope (Bushnell Elite) in 30 MM tube with the Rain guard feature, The stock on the X Bolt is a little radical, but I found it to be very functional, nearly a flat fore end allows solid but relaxed contact. My hand loads have Hornady Interlocks in 190 grain, develop just shy of 3000 FPS and are pretty accurate from the bench and in a supported position with my Harris bipod. The recoil is pretty mild in my experience with Mags and can say that now after shooting about 100 rounds with this rifle. The super soft pad and stock design probably have something to do with that. I also own a 300 WSM and like the round ,but case size seems to limit bullet selection to lower weight 308 bullets. Taht is the only real downfall that i have experienced with the short mags. If you do not mind handloading, I would also recommend a Remington Model 7 in the 7 MM RSAUM. You can find them for under $500 and they are solid rifles in a great round too.

DLH,

You really like your .338 Win huh ?!?!

DARN, and I don't have one!
I jump all the way from 7mmMag to .375RUM.....good news is that gives me lotsa calibers to aquire in between......don't need them but what has that to do with it?

I did not like my .338 WM, but I LOVE my new .325 WSM!

.270 win all the way!!!

With all the animals on your list, I side with the .338 Win Mag.

I don't have one because I carry a .338-06, but that is a choice only if you handload. You give up 50 to 100 yards of range to the .338 Win Mag, but you only get the recoil of a .30-06.

To hell with the arm cannons the 7mm's and the 300's if your good w/ a shot placement a .270 will do ya perfect. Easier on the wallet and the shoulder IMO! BUT If your looking for something in the .300 range I would go w/ a .308 same kick as the .30-06 BUT a hell of a lot more accurate (Being that it was used for years as a military sniper rifle load for years, and still is by most services) .270 and the .308 good flat shooters, the .30-06 is a volkswagon dropping SOB after shooting this gun for years I'll never own another one in my lifetime !

This is just my opinion take it for what it is worth and do the research yourself and see just how close to the mark I REALLY AM !

i've shot a whole whack of moose and elk and bears in alberta and most were with one or two shots. as i practice a lot in the off season i find any of the magnums rifles wallet emptying and shoulder pounding pain in the butts. my .270 does any job i ask of it out to 300 metres(yards). i don't shoot anything farther than that. the optimum round for a .270 is the 140gr. and i am partial to the boat tail. the only other calibre i'd use is the 30'06 with a 165gr bullet again in boat tail. the .270 is a necked down 30'06 so thier recoil is about the same and they are both great calibres. there must be way bigger moose elk and bears than i've been shooting to justify the magnum cannons being touted. but to each his own. bullet placement beats calibre for consistant killing. good hunting to all. 4 months to bear season. patience patience.

i've shot a whole whack of moose and elk and bears in alberta and most were with one or two shots. as i practice a lot in the off season i find any of the magnums rifles wallet emptying and shoulder pounding pain in the butts. my .270 does any job i ask of it out to 300 metres(yards). i don't shoot anything farther than that. the optimum round for a .270 is the 140gr. and i am partial to the boat tail. the only other calibre i'd use is the 30'06 with a 165gr bullet again in boat tail. the .270 is a necked down 30'06 so thier recoil is about the same and they are both great calibres. there must be way bigger moose elk and bears than i've been shooting to justify the magnum cannons being touted. but to each his own. bullet placement beats calibre for consistant killing. good hunting to all. 4 months to bear season. patience patience.

jpool, or any one else that cares to respond for that matter. I noticed you mentioned "fire lapping", Sense most of my guns were bought second hand please excuse my ignorance but is that the same as "proper beak in" I am asking because I am about to purchase a new 270 and if barrel break in is necessary I'd like to do it properly. I would appreciate some input from any/all of you.

YO JLOWE hay just take it easy on any guy I say don't go out to see if you can melt a barrel down! I'd go through a box a day at the most at a range, Anyways just remember the more rounds ya pump through any piece of metal you will notice bullet drop over time ( meaning at one sitting not over the course of years LOL) fluted barrels and bull barrels are better at holding up to abuse on the range but THIS is just my opinion !

dkern1, Ok, so IYO as long as I don't start right out with some kind of "hopped up" handloads, or over heat the barrel, its not that big of a deal? I've only bought two new rifles a NEF handi-rifle in 243 with a bull barrel, and a Wetherby Vanguard 243 in stainless, that I sold the NEF to buy. Neither got any special break in and both still shoot well (I sold the NEF to a family member he still loves it). I was just wondering if I got lucky or common sense was a good nuff process. Thanks for the answer.

IMO the only thing you must do to the average hunting rifle.  Before you shoot it clean it good. Shoot a half dozen rounds. clean again. Than shoot more 20 or so clean good. Than clean good after every hunting or range trip.
Shooting well with a hunting rifle is mostly practice, practice, practice. 

TLM, Thanks, I planned on the clean first, then I would normally clean after initial sight in, Usually 6 to 10 rounds, So far I've allways had good luck with my (cheapo) barska boresighter. Then of course I always clean after season at least. I really like bore snakes and since they make it so quick and easy I have found that they help me to clean more often. before I put the gun away I use a string with an oil soaked patch to protect the metal as well (then boresnake before shooting). I was just a little worried cause I've read a few articles lately about "seasoning" and "breaking in" barrels and a new rifle is a BIG investment for me, so I got kinda nervous. Again thanks for the input.

For what it's worth...................   
             


http://www.rifle-accuracy-reports.com/barrel-break-in.html

Or maybe this is what you prefer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRRahHX9Zkg



Do whatever you want with your NEW gun ! 

SDOWLING Ok.... I think I will probably stay away from the second technique. lol I did notice that on the second one there was a link to a Larry Potterfield vid and I think that sounded pretty reasonable (and he wasn't trying to pitch Midway USA products). I knew that you can do allot of damage with a cleaning rod and thats why I have been using a string to pull patches with either solvent or oil through, do you have any opinions or vids with opinions on why bore-snakes are either good or bad. Thanks for the help by the way.

I have two (2) snakes for each gun I own;

One is for solvents (including copper solvent).

One is for oil (light).

Because I clean my guns regularly with snakes, I only need a through cleaning once a year.
 
Cleaning after each use with a snake makes the "whole process" easy !!!

Somethimes, I'll give one or two of the guns I have shot a lot to my smith for their annual cleaning.




More barrels are ruined by cleaning rods than any thing else.

Only way to clean your barrel "safely" with a rod ! 

http://hunting.about.com/library/weekly/aa000729.htm

Cool, thanks. I only have one per caliber but soak them in dish soap (cuts grease) every now and then to clean em up. One thing I noticed on the "speedy Gonzales" vid was they say to pull the brush both ways, I thought that was a no-no when I do use a rod and brush I only go from breach to crown,I drop the rod in from the crown end then screw the brush on at the breach, and use a tapered guide to protect the crown from the rod.

Oh, one more possibly dumb question. If you buy a T.C. or Vanguard That has been factory shot to confirm accuracy, does that mean its already broke in?