# .338 ultra-mag



## Buckshot

I've been looking at purchasing a new deer rifle for the upcoming season, but I already have a few quality calibers for taking deer. None of which are a .243!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: 
I'd like a reason to go elk hunting, so I figured why not get a .338 ultra-mag, but I think I'd also try it deer hunting.
Any comments or suggestions on this caliber?


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## rickygdogg

Ive got the 300 ultra mag. I wouldnt shoot any other rifle. Accurate, fast an hits hard. I would look at buying one of those instead,just my opinion though. look at the ballestics charts


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## Plainsman

Buckshot

I have been thinking about a Remington 338 Ultra Mag for about a year. I shoot a 300 Win Mag now, but wanted more energy at longer range for elk. Everyone has a different story. I talked to a salesman at Scheels in Great Falls, Montana, and he said they kick worse than any other caliber on the market. I said how about a 460 Weatherby? He said it kicked worse than that. Another fellow says that with a muzzle break they kick like a 30-06. Go figure. Anyway, on the internet I found information on recoil expressed in foot pounds of recoil. A 243 has about 11 lb of recoil, a 308 Winchester about 17 lb, a 30-06 about 19 lb, a 300 Win Mag about 34 lb and a 338 Remington Ultra Mag has 94 lb of recoil. So I guess if you are familiar with a 30-06 the 338 Umag has about 4.5 times the recoil. I enjoy shooting, and think nothing of the recoil from my 300 Mag but at 56 years old I don't want to mess things up. Things are beginning to come apart more than when I was a young man. Keep this in mind, a 300 Winchester Mag with a good handload retains enough energy for elk to 700 yards. That is at 1500 ft above sea level where I live. When I hunt at 9000ft above sea level I have enough energy for elk to 950 yards. I doubt you will shoot that far. Many people think they can have more energy to 500 yards with a 338 Winchester Mag instead of a 300 Mag. Not true, the better ballistic coefficient of the 30 caliber bullet lets it overtake the 338 Win Mag at about 475 yards. Sorry, Have to watch Bush speak now. Later.


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## Buckshot

You beat me to it Plainsman, doing too many things at once, watching the Twins, Bush, and surfing the web

I know the 300 u.m. is a great gun. I have a few reasons for the 338 u.m. 
1) My buddy already has a 300 um and I had better darn sure get a bigger caliber
2)If I buy the gun, I must plan a trip or vise-versa, if I plan a trip I must buy the gun. I love how those two go together. Its a win-win situation.
3)The SSE (Sore Shoulder Effect) I imagine would be higher   

4.5 times the recoil of an 30.06   That ought to be enough snort to knock a lung loose.


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## Plainsman

Buckshot

On that number two point you make. I like the way you think, just like me.
I think a good muzzle brake would reduce recoil by at least half. Get a good one and if you shoot from a bipod use a piece of canvase under the muzzle or get the sniper model. If you don't the dust signature will block your vision and blow enough dirt in your face to plant a garden.

Still listening to Bush and typing.


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## Whelen35

I think your 300um would be a better choice. At 56 you and all of us for that matter are not getting older. I am by no means a small bore shooter, my favorite deer rifles are a 358 win and a custom 35 Whelen improved. I also have been known to hunt deer with a 375 H&H, 416 Taylor, and 458 win mags. But, the 338um is a fast big bore. And the smack is much harder. I really do think larger bullets hit harder, and that more power is nice, but a 338 win mag will do this, but then again the 300um with 200gr nosler partition will lay down any elk that the 338 will. I went the way of ultra fast and now I like big and moderate, I just can't go big and real slow yet, but 250gr chuncks of lead or more seem to do a lot more than energy figures let on. I think the 375 H&H or if you must the 375 rum would be better than the 338 for my thinking. The H&H is a pussycat in recoil, and does offer a bit more slap than most anything smaller. Foot pounds of energy don't make up the differance in body mass, large holes and shot placement make stuff quit working right now.


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## Sasha and Abby

Look at the price difference in shells  The .300 Win Mag is available at every country store. The 338UM is not. In 10 years, you WILL still bae able to find the .300 Win Mag shells... the other caliber-du-jour... maybe not.

Don't try and reinvent the wheel. A .300 Win Mag is probably the best all around elk medicine made. :sniper:


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## Buckshot

S&A,
If I was looking for practicality, I would own a .22, a 12ga, and an .06 and nothing more, but that doesn't make for a very interesting collection. I do appreciate your opinion though.

I think the 375's seem to lose enegry at mid-range distance.


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## Whelen35

Energy is a hard thing to measure when talking about hunting. Take a bow and arrow for example, The more tissue and cuts that have a hard time "sealing" the faster the game goes down. Energy in bullets unless very small game is being hunted, is hard to define. A 22-250 has more "energy" in foot pounds than a 45-70. This is one way of measuring energy. Take the Talor knock out figures on energy, and you will see that the 45-70 being much better as a stopper than the 22-250. I shoot all types of guns chambered in everything from 17 rem up to 458 win mag and much in between. When hunting, I will take what I can shoot well and leave the largest hole that I can to a point. For example, shoot your 300 mag from prone, and then shoot someones 338ultra mag from the same position. (wear eye protection) Now, try the 357 H&H. The 375 is much more shooter friendly, and will put a large hole in stuff. The 338 ultra mag may have more "power", but you will have a harder time shooting the 338 accurately, and from less than stable shooting positions. I say this because I have hunted with a few guns that did not permit me to take the shot offered because my mind said HEY WAIT< THIS WILL HURT, and the shot not taken due to this. Large holes in barrels are great fun, but it has to be shootable for the hunting to be encountered.


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## Buckshot

Point taken on the shootability of the rifle. I've shot a 375 rum before, and haven't had problems developing the dreaded trigger flinch, but this gun also had a muzzle break on it.
With the 338 rum, why is this so much harder on the shoulder. I'm not sure I'd want a muzzle break on it. I've heard stories of people blowing their eardrums out with a muzzle break. I would have no problem with this shooting at the range because of ear protection, but when I'm in the stand hunting, I'm not wearing any ear protection (minus a stocking cap if its cold out). And then, the adrenaline is pumping and the last thing I usually feel is the kick of the gun.


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## sdeprie

Buckshot said:


> S&A,
> If I was looking for practicality, I would own a .22, a 12ga, and an .06 and nothing more, but that doesn't make for a very interesting collection.
> 
> Buckshot, I, too like the way you think. I must admit that I'm probably mildly recoil shy. My biggest gun so far is a 358 Win, which does not hurt near as much as I thought it would. I have a 45-70 on the way, but haven't shot it much. I hope, someday, to have a 50 BMG, just for the halibut. Don't know if I will even be able to shoot it, but I can reasonably bet, the next guy won't have a bigger gun. :lol:
> 
> In my opinion, and I have already qualified it, the 375, either H&H or RUM, will give you more options in the future, like when you get to Africa, and you have to have a 375, minimum bore. I think the retained energy issue will be more significant on paper than on game, eh? More significant will be the trajectory, and I bet you can handle that.


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## goatboy

I have a friend that has a 375 ulta mag along with a 300 ultra and a weatherby 30-378. He says that the 375 ultra mag kicks far worse than any of them. He wears a life vest when sighting it in,yikes!

Why not go with the 338 win mag and a 210 grain pill, not to many elk are going to like that combo! The 300 ulta with 180 gr is a nice round also as are many many more. But the 338 win has been doing it for years and doing it very well.

Good luck

gb


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## SniperPride

There's so much to take into consideration when picking out the right caliber for you, game you will hunt of course, location you are hunting, distance, etc etc. imho .300 will work nicely for all north american big game, heck its all about shot placement. You shoot an elk in the head with a .300 win mag or .300 ultra mag, the animal will not be able to tell you which round you used  .300 ultra mag is somewhat more expensive round to shoot, depending whether you are a reloader or buy from the store, also .300 ultra mag will have more wear on your barrel, and shorten its life, now whether you shoot the gun 5 times a year or 100 that I dont know so its all about the shooters preferences, what fits best, what they shoot the best. Personally I would stick with the 300 win mag.
:sniper: 
Good luck


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## southdakbearfan

I have read several articles in reasearching the newer ultra mags and the 30-378 and 338-378 mags and the one thing that has scared me away from them, besides wanting to be able to throw a baseball to my kids is that in 4 or 5 articles, they noted that after 50 shots, noticeable barrel erosion had started near the chamber. Which actually makes some sense with the amount of powder in these cases, a lot more of it is burnt in the barrel. Dont know if it is true or not, but might be something to look into.

I also like to be able to go out and shoot my rifles once in a while to make sure I can shoot them well, and that much recoil, even though I have shot them and handled it, is anything but fun.

That being said, boy, when you hit a prarie dog with a 338 rum, they are vaporized.


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## sdeprie

You didn't actually hit 'em. They just ran away really fast.


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## mr.trooper

I agree with youon the Hig velocity big-bores Whellen. i personaly tend to think that "Big heavy bulets wandering around at moderate velocities, tend to get a critters attention" the best.


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## GMAN338

Buy the .338 UM. You will not regret it. I have a Rem 700 with a muzzle brake and love it. About like my 30.06 recoil...more of a push than a jolt. Best deer/elk rifle cal. available in my opinion.


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## NDTerminator

I had a 300 RUM with a brake) and now have a 7MM RUM (no brake). Both had the trigger set to 3.5 lbs and barrel floated but were not glass bedded.

Both have substantial non-braked recoil. The 7MM RUM is much more comfortable to shoot. Felt recoil is subjective, so I would describe the recoil as a stiff push, rather than the jab of a belted magnum. With a KDF brake, the 300 RUM's felt recoil was about like a 25-06. It was extremely loud and the muzzle blast was like a hard slap in the face.

Both turned in MOA or better accuracy with handloads. With the handloaad I worked up in the 7MM RUM (93.0 Retumbo, CCI 250 primer, 160 grain Accubond), average accuracy is .860 and velocity is 3350FPS!
This is deer and elk medicine! The 7MM RUM is the rifle I will use on deer this season.

Needless to say, I would recommend the 7MM RUM over the 338 RUM, unless you see an African dangerous game hunt on the horizon.

BTW, I also have a 338 Winchester Magnum. Using 180 or 200 grain bullets, this is a darn good deer caliber that will easily handle elk & big bears at a fraction of the cost & much longer barrel life than the 338 RUM.
Mine is braked, and with the 225 grain load I used on a recent elk hunt, recoil was about the same as an 06' with 180 grain loads...


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## People

If you are looking for an easy way to go I would say get a 300 Win Mag. Ammo and components are available every where. I am surprised that no one has suggested the 338 Laupa. You can get a AR-30 in that cal. If you reload it is not any more expensive than the 338RUM. Both rounds are very close to each other. If you do not reload do not look at this round as the factory ammo is way to expensive. If you do why not get a cool looking gun that will not beat you to death every time you pull the trigger.


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## caribukiller

if i were you i'd just buy a .280 for elk, nobady needs a 338 rum or a 375 h&h for elk, heck i use a .223 remington for caribu and it works just fine.

remember it's not the size of the bullet it's the way you use it.


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## sdeprie

I'm kinda with caribukiller. I plan on using a 280 Rem for Moose. I do think a 223 is light for caribou, but I'm not going to argue with apparent success. I have a hard time agreeing with anyone needing something like the 338 RUM for elk, even for long distance. There is a frequent contributor to these pages who is completely comfortable with 1000 yards for deer and he uses the 300 Win Mag. Now, if you just want the 338 RUM for its own sake, I can buy that. For myself, I'm trying to justify a 50 BMG. Do I need one? Heck, no. Do I want one? Sure. If you want it, get it, use it, enjoy it.


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## Hostia

I bought a .338 Ultra mag a few years back with hope of going to Alaska as well as getting a big elk one day. I never shot it before I made some modifications. 1st a muzzle break and 2nd a mercury recoil suppressor. As a result I can shoot my rifle one handed from the prone position with a bipod. It is loud but the sound is dispersed, which comes in handy as you'll see. The muzzle break also takes away muzzle jump so I can watch my target fall. Ammunition runs about $75 per box so I reload premium rounds for about $20 per box. I shoot both 180 gr and 225 gr nosler accubond bullets. The advantage of the .333 over the .300 is both velocity and the fact that you can use a wider array of bullet weights. As for the B.C. the 225 gr accubond sports .55 giving up .03 to the .300, I can deal with that.
So this past fall I took my .338 ultra to Alaska and shot 2 bull caribou. I used the 180 gr and they where flying around 3300 fps. While hunting I shot a total of two shots. Both animals were killed at 300 yds and never moved an inch.
My 66 yr old father drew out for a trophy bull elk in Utah. After shooting my .338 at the range and discovering that my add ons had indeed tamed the beast he left his beloved 270 at home. He saw a 340 bull elk at 200 yds and in his excitement touched the hair trigger sending off a stray round. Another advantage to the muzzle break is that it disperses the sound blast and makes it harder for the animals to pinpoint you. Well the elk never flinched and the second shot hit him right behind the shoulder.

The bullet impact has literally picked up each of the animals off all 4 legs and threw them to the ground. The best part is you can watch it happen through the scope! This summer I want to experiment with some loads and see how it preforms out to 1000 yds. If you get a .338 invest a bit in it buy getting a muzzle break, recoil suppressor and lighten the trigger pull. It will be the best $150 you'll spend and will greatly increase accuracy both in the field and on the bench. Once you get used to the rifle and with bullet weights ranging from 180 gr-250 gr you'll have a magnum capable of about anything you could want.


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## sdeprie

Heck, that all sounds so great, and I'm such a wimp, I think I'll put all that stuff on my 25-06.


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## KurtR

I would look into the .338 edge if i was goingn to go that route. Go to snipers Hide there is all kind of info on that rifle there. Looks like it is a 1000 yd plus gun with proper equipment and practice.
Here are the specs on the two guns in the pictures.

Remington 700's w/consecutive serial numbers blueprinted
Wyatt's mag box
Broughton custom contour - 1.2"=4" tapers to .950" at 32" 3/8" fluting
Manners T-2 with carbon fiber shell
Defensive Edge brake
Fluted bolt
Jewell trigger
Holland lug
NF 40 moa rails
NF ultralite rings
NF 5.5-22x50 with NP-R1
Gun coat OD and black flutes
Duracoat Digi-cam stock

Weight: 13.5lbs with bipod ready to go.


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## mr.trooper

and here i though 338 Winchester mag was enough for anything. Silly me. :lol:


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## mrb

I have had a rem 700 SS in .338 ultra mag now for about 6 years now and love it, but the recoil is nasty, two shots, and I stopped shooting it, had Hart rifles, install one of there screw on muzzle break, and drop the trigger down to 2.5 lbs, with factory ammo it shoots under an inch at 100 yards, got lucky there, but the I had the barrel lapped and re crowned after the brack was put on, so maybe that helped!
I the installed a mcmilllan hunter stock, nicer stock and gave the gun a better feel and look, plus about as good a stock as there is, love em, have a few guns with them ans never a problem!! I also installed a Leupold mark 4, 4.5-14-50 tactial scope, this gun is about as big as I would want, in size and power, feel it would kill anything out there, and shoot super accurate!
However, that being said, I also have a .300 ultra mag, built from a remington action,26 ' bbl and fitted as above, I think the .300 ultra mag is a better long ranger shooter, and a much wider range of load data for it, but both are great calibers, the .300 doesn't have the recoil of the .338 either, so keep that in mind, about to have my .338 dura coated! for my final process to it! But I love remington rifles! great as is, but so much out there to built better if you want!!


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## Goon

Seems like an awfully big rifle for Hunting white Tail, must be for the bigger big game?


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## mrb

well I would agree that a .338 ulrta mag is a lot of gun for whitetails, but i also take it to alaska from time to time, so it really isn't that big there, and i don't use it for whitetail that much,( unless i'm in canada,300lb plus whitetails, there, are pretty common) but its weight is really not that much more than a good outfitted 30/06, and with the muzzle brake on it recoil is even less!, so its do able for whitetails,
now as for the custom rifle's above, sweet rifles, with all the bells and whisles, but i have custom caliber rilfes/ wildcats, and to me they are just too much work for a rifle, and having a caliber that you can either buy shell over the counter, or brass , makes life so much easier on life!!
and if I was to go custom again, I would look into a .338 hart caliber, from
http://www.rwhart.com/
as bobby has built me several super shooters over the years, and have a .30 hart( an love it) , so a .338 hart would be the route i would go! if i was to go wildcat there, but I have to say I love my .338 ultra mag, factory ammo shoots under an inch, and my loads will do just over a half inch at 100 yards, and a .338 is a big bullet!! so I say if you like it, shoot it!!


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## mike landrich

I have a Model 700 338 RUM w/o a brake and it is shootable; however, it is not pleasant to do so. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who isn't used to serious recoil. I will work with it more when I have a need (going on a hunt, etc). I really liked my 338 win mag, but it had a brake, so I sold it. I will never have another gun with a muzzle brake. The muzzle blast is totally unnecessary and endangers your hearing for no reason. If you cannot handle the recoil, get a rifle shooting a less powerful cartridge. Of course, if you hand load, you could shoot reduced power loads, but we all know none of us do that, do we?


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## People

Mike I am sure you know they make these things call ear plugs or ear muffs. If you want to spend the cash you can get a walkers game ear. I always have in my right plug when I hunt. I carry a reusable plug on the string so I can just pop it in to my left ear.

If you are strictly dealing with a hunting rifle where you probably will not shoot farther than 350 to 400yds then a muzzel break is not needed unless you have a bad shoulder.

When dealing with a rifle where you plan on shooting longer distances then it would be better to have one. Us long range shooters know you must put many rds down range to ensure first round hits. You can also have the animal in the scope the whole time from shot to impact.


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## iwantabuggy

mike landrich said:


> I have a Model 700 338 RUM w/o a brake and it is shootable; however, it is not pleasant to do so. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who isn't used to serious recoil. I will work with it more when I have a need (going on a hunt, etc). I really liked my 338 win mag, but it had a brake, so I sold it. I will never have another gun with a muzzle brake. The muzzle blast is totally unnecessary and endangers your hearing for no reason. If you cannot handle the recoil, get a rifle shooting a less powerful cartridge. Of course, if you hand load, you could shoot reduced power loads, but we all know none of us do that, do we?


I really like Savages AK brake. I use it at the range, then turn it off when I go hunting. I never notice the recoil when hunting, and as far as I can tell, there is no difference in the point of impact either. Having shot the rifle in the field with the brake on, I would never own any other kind. With the brake on, it is way too loud for hunting. (Did you say something? Speak up, I can't hear you). IMO, brakes are for when you have hearing protection only.


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## mike landrich

People said:


> Mike I am sure you know they make these things call ear plugs or ear muffs. If you want to spend the cash you can get a walkers game ear. I always have in my right plug when I hunt. I carry a reusable plug on the string so I can just pop it in to my left ear.
> 
> If you are strictly dealing with a hunting rifle where you probably will not shoot farther than 350 to 400yds then a muzzel break is not needed unless you have a bad shoulder.
> 
> When dealing with a rifle where you plan on shooting longer distances then it would be better to have one. Us long range shooters know you must put many rds down range to ensure first round hits. You can also have the animal in the scope the whole time from shot to impact.


I don't usually wear hearing protection in the field, although I have considered the Walker's game ear. As for long range hunting and it resultant need for putting many rds down range, I live in NY in an area where even 200 yard ranges are few and far between, so I cannot practice long-range and therefore would not shoot long-range.


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## mike landrich

iwantabuggy said:


> I really like Savages AK brake. I use it at the range, then turn it off when I go hunting. I never notice the recoil when hunting, and as far as I can tell, there is no difference in the point of impact either. Having shot the rifle in the field with the brake on, I would never own any other kind. With the brake on, it is way too loud for hunting. (Did you say something? Speak up, I can't hear you). IMO, brakes are for when you have hearing protection only.


Funny you mention savage. My 338 win was a 116 FSK. If it was the FSAK, I'd still have it. Great Guns!


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## mrb

Mike, I too don't really care for muzzle brakes, but the one i have I DO LIKE, as I can install it for work at the range, and take it off for hunting( to keep the gun shorter) But I shot my .338 ultra mag with out it, and really didn't care for that much recoil at the bench, and I like to shoot alot, not just hunt with it! so it makes perfect since to have a brake!!, NOW< as for the noise, muzzle brakes do not make any more noise than non muzzle braked rifles, it only re direct the sound, so you think it is louder!! plus a brake will make for faster follow up shots too!, but I agree you shouldn't have to install a brake on a gun you want to hunt with/shoot alot, but they do work, and if you like to shoot alot, it will save your body tons of abuse, thus allowing you to enjoy the sport a lot longer!!, so don't beat up on brakes, they work, but are not for everyone!!


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## dog gone

I am a big bore nut, shooting 338UM, 300UM both in Sendero, 30-378, 7.82 Lazzaroni Warbird, 300 Win, 7mm Win. The 338UM is by far the worst as far as recoil. I live in Wyoming and hunt mule deer and elk all of the time. I practice at a range from 100 to 1000 yards. Many times my shots at animals are 1000 yds. The 338 UM will do no good if you are not comfortable. MY best shooter 7mm Rem Mag with numerous dead animals includeing bull elk at the 800 to 1000 yard range. Any of my mentioned rifles will do the job if I do mine. I just do it more consistantly with the 7mm. :sniper:


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## mike landrich

mrb said:


> Mike, I too don't really care for muzzle brakes, but the one i have I DO LIKE, as I can install it for work at the range, and take it off for hunting.........but they do work, and if you like to shoot alot, it will save your body tons of abuse, thus allowing you to enjoy the sport a lot longer!!, so don't beat up on brakes, they work, but are not for everyone!!


A removable muzzle brake would be fine. I agree they are great for bench work and make shooting so much more enjoyable. I just think double ear protection in the field ruins the hunting experience.

One of my rifles still has a brake, an A-bolt in 300 winmag with the BOSS system, so I can't say I never use one. My point was simply that sometimes less gun will still do the job and there will be no need for a brake.


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## TheWildman

I really like both the 300 Ultra mag and the 338 Ultra Mag. I have the 338 Ultra and it does have fairly stout recoil. I have a couple of things going for me in that department that make it a bit more manageable. First, It has a bull barrel and I also added a Pachmyr slip on recoil pad. IT also have a nice heavy Kevlar stock. My wife can shoot this thing and hit a bullseye at 100 yards. I would be less inclined to shoot it one of the light mountain rifle configuration and without the recoil pad. I think it offers some very excellent ballistics. I use Nosler ballistic tips, 200 grain and Reloader 22 powder, 93 grains and Federal 215 match primers. I typically see .75 moa results with this. The book suggests this should make almost 3300 fps with nearly 4500 ftlbs of energy at the muzzle and about 2500 ftlbs at 500 yards. I would like to get a chronograph and put these numbers to the test. I have sat at the range and fired 25+ rounds in a day and not be sore.


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## shane thomas

Me and my dad have a '338 rum' this gun is unbalevable you dont evan start aiming up till about 450 yards, it shoots the 250 grain bullet the best.
this gun does push hard not a plinker awesome elk gun..

i HAVE SHOT DEER WITH THIS GUN NOT RECOMENDED IT DOES A LOT OF DAMAGE I HAVE LOST ALOT OF MEET BECAUSE OF THIS GUN,UNLESS YOU ARE SHOOTING OVER 400 YARDS THEN IT WILL WORK GOOD


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## KurtR

450 yds you are about 28 inches down with 100 yd zero. Must have it zeroed at 300 yds?

About the recoil check out the knox comp stock. Shot a freinds 300 rum yesterday and it had less reccoil than my .308 i was impressed.


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## Rogerx

Just bought a 338 ultra mag remmington I dont know what all the fuss is about this gun's recoil is all about the first time I fired it I was expecting to be picking myself off the ground, not so, I did'nt think it kicked much harder than a 30-06 considering i didn;t even have a scope mounted to it yet so it was pretty lite. I weigh 120lbs A'm I missing somthing? 
I was also told that lighter people handle recoil better ,has anyone else heard that before?


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## KurtR

nope have not heard that. you must have the special one than because i have shot the .338 rum and the .375 rum and they were about the same. they suck *** to shoot more than 3 times.


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## Rogerx

BEEN SIGHTING IN WITH 5 ROUND GROUPS STILL A PIECE OFCAKE Now my defender shotgun that can hurt


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## Pistol Pete

I have a .30-06, a 300 Ultra Mag, and a 338 Ultra Mag. My particular rifle is a Remington 700 BDL with a 3.5-10X (40mm) VX-III Leupold scope. I can tell you without a doubt that the 338 UM with the factory 250 gr Swift A-Frames recoils CONSIDERABLY more than a .30-06. Physics are physics...you're pushing a heavier bullet with more velocity...therefore more recoil.

I have made some modifications to my rifle. I have added a mercury recoil supressor in the stock, added some more weight (for balance), and I have replaced the factory recoil pad with a Decelerator. I do not have a muzzlebrake for the reasons stated earlier (hearing damage). It still comes back with some authority, but not nearly as bad as before.

Unmodified..it is a viscious recoiling caliber and I have several magnum rifles. I think adding some weight and a good recoil pad will make it acceptable for most people. Don't go much lighter than 9 lbs...you'll regret it.

I love the caliber. The only real use is animals around elk size...and it is even a bit overbore for that purpose. I fear no evil if I'm hunting elk in bear country, however. It will erase any animal in North America with great ease, but I wouldn't use it on anything smaller than elk. There are certainly better calibers for mule deer (and below) size animals than the .338 Ultra Mag, but it is great for longer (and I'm saying the realistic 300-400 yard range) shots on elk in open country.

By the way, contrary to what many people say, the vast majority of shots made on elk are well within 300 yards...probably 75% within 200 yards. The biggest 6-point bull I have killed was at less than 100 yards, so don't buy into all of this 1000+ yard stuff.


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## People

I was also told that lighter people handle recoil better, has anyone else heard that before?

I have never heard that before. My little cousin does not like recoil at all. Granted she is not so small any more. She is 18 or 19 and a normal sized women and she can shoot anything she wants. I am positive she has never loaded or bought a round of ammo in her life. I have offered her my 308 to use deer hunting but she does not like the kick on it. Oh well I guess a 243 is good enough.

As for me I will just pop in ear plugs and hammer away at longer distances than she can take. I was out a few years ago and we saw a doe at 400 to 450yds. I did not range it. I keep my AR-30 sighted in at 400 then just aim low for closer shots. The doe was not coming toward us so I told her to put in her plugs and when she was ready I took the shot. This poor deer stood up and went right back down. The look on her face was perfect. It was the look of awe. I know she had thought 400 was way too far too shoot. I tell you those 300gr SMK bullets shoot so well in my rifle it is not even funny. With the 400 setting anything to 500 is almost a give me shot. The wind will have affect but most of the time you can do some Kentucky windage and just call it good. I do prefer to adjust the scope on every shot but some days it is just not needed.

In these heavy hitters a break really makes them nice to shoot. If you do get one make sure it has a closed bottom or get ready to spit out dirt.

Chuck Norris used to play baseball. When Babe Ruth was hailed as the better player, Chuck Norris killed him with a baseball bat to the throat. Lou Gehrig got off easy.


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## Plainsman

> I was also told that lighter people handle recoil better ,has anyone else heard that before?


Yes, I have heard that, and although I am not sure I think the physics is correct. The theory is a light persons moves easier and therefore gets hit less by the recoil. If anyone doubts that get your back up against something that does not move and shoot your rifle. Your going to get the snot kicked out of you.


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## Rogerx

I have finally finished breaking in this gun properly, I have been using 250gr.hornady bullets with 90gr.of RL22 I have groups hole touching hole @100 yds. this is a great gun in my opinion, I'am now going to try hornady 225gr. SST and work my way out to possibly 1000 yds.
Remember keep the gun shouldered tight, then no problem.


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## Rogerx

What are 300gr.smk bullets?


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## People

Rogerx
They are a 300 grain Sierra Match King bullet.

He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword. He who lives by Chuck Norris, dies by the roundhouse kick.


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