.300 RUM -VS- .338 Win. Mag.

vikingpreacher · 01-31-2008, 07:51 PM

I was looking at bone crunching big game cartridges and found that the .338 is ballisticly inferior to the .300 RUM. I've that the RUM was a powerful BIG game cartridge but, I didn't know it could top the .338. Has anyone shot these at animals and what were the results? How do the 2 compare for recoil?

Midas · 01-31-2008, 08:07 PM

The .300 RUM throws a .308 diameter bullet downrange, while the .338 Win Mag throws a .338 diameter bullet downrange. I have found that the .338 Win Mag, with it's heavier and larger projectiles, breaks down heavy game better than any .30 caliber. Let's look at this from a different perspective, the .375 H&H, which has long been hailed as the minimum cartridge for hunting African dangerous game, generates 4200 Ft lbs of energy at the muzzle with a 300 Grain bullet, while the .300 RUM can generate the same amount of energy with a 180 grain bullet, why isn't the .300 RUM legal for African dangerous game? its just isn't big enough! Energy is theoretical, while penetration and bone breaking ability are observable in the field. As for recoil, they are just about the same. For hunting every species of NA game, I would take the .338 Win mag, because the .300 RUM isn't "street legal" in some grizzly camps, while the .338 is usually the minimum cartridge required for hunting the big fuzzies.

SwedeSteve · 01-31-2008, 08:44 PM

Midas hit the nail on the head! Great info Midas...

300 wsm · 02-01-2008, 09:29 AM

hey don't get the .338 win mag... get the 300 RUM's big bro the 338 RUM with 250 gr bullets it generated approx 4800 ft lbs at the muzzle. I shot an elk with this chambering and it literally picked it up and knocked it down... end of story.

Midas · 02-01-2008, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 300 wsm

I shot an elk with this chambering and it literally picked it up and knocked it down... end of story.

I have seen an awful lot of big game shot in the field, and not one time have I seen a bullet lift an animal off of the ground. It simply defies the laws of physics, for the bullet to do that, the rifle would have to lift the shooter off of the ground as well. How is the .338 RUM anymore effective than a .338 Win Mag? it may hold a slight advantage on paper, but it has a lot of disadvantages. For one, it is very uncommon, and Remington is the only company chambering rifles for the .338 RUM, second, it is very expensive for factory ammo when you do buy it. If a hunter wants to own a .338, Winchester's is the odds on favorite.

MOD 70 · 02-01-2008, 10:54 PM

I agree with midas. The .338 win is within about 100 fps of the 340 Wea. and you can get factory ammo almost anyhwere at a reasonable price.

AKHunter · 02-12-2008, 12:29 AM

I have to agree with Midas as well. I love the performance of my 338 winmag, it puts a hurtin' on critters!

nathangdad · 02-12-2008, 07:54 AM

I really suggest you fire a .338 WM. It is hard to see why
anyone in the North American continent would want more gun.
Now, if you are going to Africa you need to learn the current
regulations as to minimum caliber/bore size allowed in the country
in which you wish to hunt.

But again, I must admit to being lost as why anyone needs
more power than a .338 can deliver as it will drop a moose
dead in its tracks (and has on a number of occassions).

Anyway, good luck, good shooting, and good hunting.

MOD 70 · 02-13-2008, 12:45 AM

A .338 comes close to .375, but in big bear country I`ll carry my .375 everytime. If I only had a .338 for a big gun, I would still feel pretty well armed.

01-31-2008, 07:51 PM	#1
vikingpreacher Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Iowa Posts: 269 Trader Rating: (0)	.300 RUM -VS- .338 Win. Mag. I was looking at bone crunching big game cartridges and found that the .338 is ballisticly inferior to the .300 RUM. I've that the RUM was a powerful BIG game cartridge but, I didn't know it could top the .338. Has anyone shot these at animals and what were the results? How do the 2 compare for recoil? __________________ Join the cartridge comparisons group! http://gunandgame.com/forums/group.php?groupid=3

01-31-2008, 08:07 PM	#2
Midas Troll B' Gone Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Springdale, Arkansas Posts: 3,701 Trader Rating: (0)	The .300 RUM throws a .308 diameter bullet downrange, while the .338 Win Mag throws a .338 diameter bullet downrange. I have found that the .338 Win Mag, with it's heavier and larger projectiles, breaks down heavy game better than any .30 caliber. Let's look at this from a different perspective, the .375 H&H, which has long been hailed as the minimum cartridge for hunting African dangerous game, generates 4200 Ft lbs of energy at the muzzle with a 300 Grain bullet, while the .300 RUM can generate the same amount of energy with a 180 grain bullet, why isn't the .300 RUM legal for African dangerous game? its just isn't big enough! Energy is theoretical, while penetration and bone breaking ability are observable in the field. As for recoil, they are just about the same. For hunting every species of NA game, I would take the .338 Win mag, because the .300 RUM isn't "street legal" in some grizzly camps, while the .338 is usually the minimum cartridge required for hunting the big fuzzies. __________________ "Recoil lasts for a second, gravity lasts forever" Last edited by Midas; 01-31-2008 at 08:35 PM.

01-31-2008, 08:44 PM	#3
SwedeSteve Grumpy Old Fart Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: AnchorTown, Alaska Posts: 9,069 Trader Rating: (0)	Midas hit the nail on the head! Great info Midas... __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

02-01-2008, 09:29 AM	#4
300 wsm Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: cumberland, md Posts: 77 Trader Rating: (0)	hey don't get the .338 win mag... get the 300 RUM's big bro the 338 RUM with 250 gr bullets it generated approx 4800 ft lbs at the muzzle. I shot an elk with this chambering and it literally picked it up and knocked it down... end of story. __________________ "oh bother" said pooh as he chambered another round

02-01-2008, 10:54 PM	#6
MOD 70 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Southern B.C. Posts: 159 Trader Rating: (0)	I agree with midas. The .338 win is within about 100 fps of the 340 Wea. and you can get factory ammo almost anyhwere at a reasonable price. __________________ If God didn`t intend for man to eat animals he wouldn`t have made them out of meat

02-12-2008, 12:29 AM	#7
AKHunter Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Alaska Posts: 904 Trader Rating: (0)	I have to agree with Midas as well. I love the performance of my 338 winmag, it puts a hurtin' on critters!

02-12-2008, 07:54 AM	#8
nathangdad Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2,245 Trader Rating: (0)	.338 WM I really suggest you fire a .338 WM. It is hard to see why anyone in the North American continent would want more gun. Now, if you are going to Africa you need to learn the current regulations as to minimum caliber/bore size allowed in the country in which you wish to hunt. But again, I must admit to being lost as why anyone needs more power than a .338 can deliver as it will drop a moose dead in its tracks (and has on a number of occassions). Anyway, good luck, good shooting, and good hunting. Last edited by nathangdad; 02-12-2008 at 08:17 AM. Reason: addition

02-13-2008, 12:45 AM	#9
MOD 70 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Southern B.C. Posts: 159 Trader Rating: (0)	A .338 comes close to .375, but in big bear country I`ll carry my .375 everytime. If I only had a .338 for a big gun, I would still feel pretty well armed. __________________ If God didn`t intend for man to eat animals he wouldn`t have made them out of meat