The deal was too good to pass up for a Stainless A-bolt no boss. Being a lefty plays a lot into my Bolt gun buying impluses. I plan on using it for Elk hunting and possibly mule deer. Do you folks have any advice on loads? I'm not quite set up for reloading so retail is my go to at the moment. What is the effective range with this rifle? Hunting mostly in Washington state. I'm planning on sighting in at 200 yards. I've put zeiss conquest glass with the duplex sight. I'd like to hear folks real world takes on this cartridge. Someday a Moose or Caribou hunt might be in the cards? Thanks.

This.....put a brake on it

You can roll some smoking 180 grain Barnes Triple shocks with a .338 win mag. I'd look at those.

Sold my rifle off (just use 7mm mag now works fine on elk and deer), have some .338 reloading dies I'd sell you for a good deal if interested.

Had one years back.. muzzle break it.. for ones and 2 shot days it would nt be needed
But it made my range days alot better...
ammo was cheap back then 10 years ago or so...
wish i still had it but i found it over kill for my application

Browning A-Bolt Medallion - bought in 1994 - KDF brake - with 235's I can shoot five into one hole at 110 meters - free floated barrel and changed trigger springs - I love the .338!

So do I sight in at 200? I'm a decent enough marksman to shoot out to 350 yards with my .30-06. I've taken mule deer out to that distance. I'll use the .338 primarily for Elk hunting. I sighted this rifle in on Sunday and it shot a small group using Federal 225gr Fusions at 100 yards.about 3inches high. It will be a few weeks before I get to a longer range facility.

I'm not interested in .375 H&H as I'll most likely never go to Africa.

Agreed.

I will not hunt with anyone who has a muzzle break on their firearm as they are brutal on hearing. My good friend had a Browning A-bolt with the BOSS in .243Win and that thing hurt my ears to no end while we were out coyote hunting. Hunting rifles just don't need them. Target rifles are a different story.

I had the same rifle several years ago. I dropped an elk in its tracks with one round. I had to sell it because I couldn't handle the recoil anymore. It felt like someone hitting me in the shoulder with a baseball bat. My recommendation is to use the lightest grain bullet you can find until you get get a brake put on the rifle.

My first centerfire rifle, was a .338 Win Mag, and I shot it as often as possible. I was not even a teenager, when I received it. I have shot most of the available loads though it, without a muzzle brake, and experienced good accuracy.. I understand some desire muzzle devices to aid in recoil reduction, but for hunting applications, I prefer not to have any such devices. For me, the recoil does not slow me down too much for repetitive follow-up shots, even though a brake might speed them up further.

For hunting, my and my hunting buddies ability to hear, is far more important than the diminutive recoil of the .338. It is NOT that bad, and even now with many injuries, surgeries, and whatnot, the recoil still is not bad. Proper shooting technique is the key. Of course, my .338 is also one of my mild recoiling weapons, since I mainly shoot big-bores, and dangerous game rifles. Beyond a Win Mag, and stepping up into a Lapua, a muzzle brake becomes more necessary. If it is to be used for hunting, I do not recommend a brake, but for shooting from a bench, it may allow you to shoot more comfortably. I do not know the specs of the rifle in question, but many of the Browning rifles are reasonably light-weight, so only you can be the judge of your experience, tolerance, ability and perhaps most importantly:Your personal preference.

Zeiss is a good optic, and 200 yards is a normal/ popular distance for zeroing the setup. If you prefer something more specific: Input your load information into a decent ballistic calculator program, and set the +/- MPBR (Maximum Point Blank Range) for whatever the vitals radius of the game you wish to pursue. Many hunters go with a 3 to 4" vital radius, which yields a decently long zero, that should be well over 200 yards. However, for simplicity, 200 yards is a good distance.

In terms of game,........Anything in North America it will be more than sufficient for. Even the great bears are routinely hunted with 338 WM. In Africa, it is a great cartridge for plains game up to Eland. Some areas allow it for lion, others do not. It is a great round for leopard. The larger thick-skinned members of the big-five have been taken with it, with proper bullet selection, but it is no longer legal in most areas for use on elephant, cape buffalo, and rhinoceros. For thin-skinned dangerous game (large predators) it is an excellent cartridge. In the North woods of the US, in pursuit of the aforementioned moose and bison, as long as you do your part, it will smack them with good authority. Most guides will suggest a preferred minimum caliber, but had rather a person shoot a lesser cartridge well, than a larger cartridge poorly. So if you become fluent and proficient with the .338, there is nothing you will not be able to take, if necessary.

Hope this helps,
-PC-

I have had a .338 Ruger 77 for 20 years or so. It is primarily my elk rifle but I have taken many deer with it. I shoot 250 grain noslers and have never lost an animal. The recoil is stiff but not unmanageable and I still have the factory red pad on it. I do not think a hunting rifle should ever have a break or ports. One shot without hearing protection and you could have lifelong hearing damage.

Well, I've started working up some loads with 215gr Sierra Gamekings using H4350. I've yet to see which ones gr/COAL shoot the best, but I was on another reloading forum and for some reason the 215's called for me to buy them. I sighted my rifle in 3inches high at 100 yards with the Federal Fusions 225gr, but at >$50/box, I didn't want to keep that up too long. I'm going to pick up some Hornady 200gr SST to try out as well. I hope to have some pictures of the groups to share.