I took my new BAR .338 out today to see how it shot. I don't have a scope for it yet so I slapped on an el cheapo tasco off my 10/22 and off we went to the desert.

The first shot hammered me pretty hard, I was sitting down with the gun resting on a stump. I was on the paper but 8 inches low, adjusted and shot, 4 inches low. Adjusted again and asked my wife if she wanted to try. She said that by my cussing after every shot she would shoot it just once. After shooting and hammering the bullseye she laughed at me and wanted to know what the big deal was. FYI she's only 120 lbs. sopping wet, this "little girl" actually liked shooting it and shot it another 5 or 6 times.

In our hurry to go out their we forgot one pair of hearing protection so we shared, well she handed me back the gun and I forgot to get the muffs to put on. Well my head is still ringing, I was using an old washer as a rest and when that browning boss expelled it's sound and gasses into the open top of the clothes washer I though my gun had blown up. I then realized that I didn't have hearing protection on and my head felt like a hand grenade has gone off.

My impression is that the .338 is a heck of a cartridge, the browning name is still top quality and the tasco scope held a zero (i'm still amazed at that one).

idaho-ar15

Hey! I've got a BAR/B.O.S.S. in 7MM and it's a doozy!  Do yourself a big favor and get a BOSS/CR(Conventional Recoil) replacement for the muzzle brake unit.  They're interchangeable and the CR doesn't have holes in it.  It's a LOT quieter.  The position you were shooting from sounds like the cause of your pain.  Your wife is small enough to roll with the punch, it sounds like.  Not to mention women are simply creatures that can handle pain a little better than us macho dudes.  Notice how we grit our teeth and wince in pain silently until some woman comes along to comfort us and treat our wounds, at which point we let out a subdued cry of discomfort...I think it's the MommasBoy in us!
You've got a damn good gun there, and there are a couple of devices to help tame the gas-operated recoil.  The CR; Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad; strap-on (don't laugh...) shoulder pads.  OR, lighter bullets.
Have fun.

thanks for the tips, I hadn't planned on buying one until fall but at $599 for the safari II model I had to go for it.

now if I can just luck out and get a moose tag to use this baby on!!

idaho-ar15

You may want to factor in a serious scope for that .338 and use the pre-zeroed Tasco for back-up.
Look into a Weaver mount and two sets of rings for the ability to change scopes (your BAR doesn't have sights either, I'd guess, although the Euro models can be had with BOSS & Sights...).
I'd suggest a Leupold 6X42 matte (there's even a Tactical model with target turrets...) for a real "point and click" Elk-Moose-Bear gun.  Lots of power; no messing with power dials on the scope.  Did you know Browning is making a Stalker version this year?  They have synthetic stocks and a matte finish.  Also, Bell&Carlson have synthetic stocks for the BAR, which is what mine wears.  Check out the Browning sites, both the USA and European.  

When I picked up the gun they threw in a set of leupold rings and a scope base, pretty nice setup. My wife has a leupold tactical on her v-match bushy that works pretty well. Do you know if the leupold scope that takes cams has a .338 cam to drop into the scope?? Mine doesn't have sights but would have been nice as a back up. I am thinking about changing the furniture to synthetic, the wood is just to nice to bang around with out in the sticks. That's pretty cool that they are doing a stalker model this year. Last month I picked up their stalker model BPS 3.5" shotgun with the mossy grass cammo scheme, top quality job like all my other brownings.

idaho-ar15

I second that on the BOSS CR.  My A-bolt did not come with it.  I called Browning customer service, they asked for all my info and sent it to me at no cost.  

Browning parts info:
(363) 287-6800 8am-4:30pm Mtn time
or try 1-800-333-3288

.338 win is a very good round, the 250 gr. bullets having the optimum ft.lbs to velocity. Sierra just came out with 250gr bthpm bullets with a .587 bc, great for long range.

Yeah, it's a mule! I had to take the pistol grip off of mine after a few thousand rounds and put a rifle stock on in it's place. It slows me down on skeet and I can't wear it in a holster anymore but hey, thats what my Barret did too so WTF?

I have a Rem 700LSS in 300 Rem Ultra Mag and was thinking of getting the 338 Rem Ultra Mag but it isn't hunting season now so I'll wait a little while. I am still waiting for the 270 Rem Ultra Mag to come out for my varmint hunting!
I have been waiting for the 300 WSM to be offered in the White Gold Medallion! Ooohh! Sorry about the drool!
Let us know how that Tasco holds up to that 338!
Lynn   [sniper]