338 WinMag vs 30-06....?

[troy fairweather]

Well I shot my 338 this morning. 185gr GMX Superformance. Recoil is lighter than my 30-06 with 180’s. First shot was with ear plugs. No problem. So I thought I’d try it once without just to see how loud it really is with the brake.....OUCH. Won’t be doing that again.

Did you get that brass in.

 

[BigBore44]

I sure did! Got it tumbling as we speak. Thank you!

Gotta love those muzzle brakes....the one on my 16" 308 Win. Savage Scout survived two trips to the range (until I forgot to pull down my ear muffs before the fateful shot!). It now wears a thread protector.

Felt recoil has a lot to do with rifle weight and fit. I've noticed that my 375 h&h has less "felt" recoil than my .338 WM. The 375 is more of a push, the 338 a sharper (quicker) recoil (338 & 300 WMs are both a sharper recoil, it seems, but there may be more at play than bore dia.??

I'd guess your 185 gr 338 will be a very flat shooting round; a lot flatter than the 180 in the '06 and the '06 is near the top of bullet weight where the 338 is just beginning.

Regards,
hps

See and my 338 weighs 7lbs. My 375 I’m not sure but it’s considerably heavier. I’d guess at least 9. And with 300’s it’s a mule. With 250’s it’s not that bad. I thought I was being a pansy so I let a friend of mine shoot it who is considerably bigger (and tougher) than me. And after he shot the 3rd round he slumped forward and grabbed his shoulder. Told me it was awesome said he didn’t want to shoot it anymore.

I won’t be loading 185’s. Just what my friend had left over after he sold his Tikka in 338. I’ve got 150 Fusion 225’s on the way. So I’m sure felt recoil will go up. But it really wasn’t bad at all. It felt more like a push. Funny how people perceive things differently.

 

[LoonWulf]

cant fault brakes for recoil reduction, even relatively "bad" performers make a noticeable difference.

 

[BigBore44]

cant fault brakes for recoil reduction, even relatively "bad" performers make a noticeable difference.

Well with all the replies about more energy than 30-06 but at a price of recoil, I expected it to be much worse. It was actually quite enjoyable other that the big poof of exhaust that blew back in my face because I was facing into the wind. It doesn’t taste very good.

 

[Skylerbone]

American's are more likely to be killed by gang bangers than lions on the North American continent.

While true...there’s more than one kind of “lion”.




@Big Bore 44 with a pair of Walker in-ear electronic plugs there should be only pluses to your .338/brake combo while hunting. If I could go back in time I’d have begged my dad to buy me a .338 Lapua instead of an 30-06, the recoil from which has never much bothered me.

 

[BigBore44]

While true...there’s more than one kind of “lion”.

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@Big Bore 44 with a pair of Walker in-ear electronic plugs there should be only pluses to your .338/brake combo while hunting. If I could go back in time I’d have begged my dad to buy me a .338 Lapua instead of an 30-06, the recoil from which has never much bothered me.

I will have to look them up. That certainly isn’t the cat the jogger in Colorado killed with his bare hands. lol.