338 Win Mag

[Weatherby308]

Another quick question I live in South Australia what is the chances of the firearms branch approving a 338 Win Mag I’m not part of a club I do a lot of deer stalking. I use a 308 but want a 338 to chase Sabah my mates and I go on a deer hunt every year. I’m told they won’t approve it just wanted to know if any one in a similar situation to me has dealt with this before. Thanks

[Rifle realist]

G’Day Weatherby308
I don't know about SA but here in WA no problem, it is a hunting caliber and has never been a "scary" military round. It is my favourite rifle, I use 185 Gn Barnes TSX for pigs & 250 Gn Nosler Accubonds for Camels, Donkeys & Mickey Bulls. Deer are thin on the ground around here (no it is not a conspiracy by WAPOL, we have 2 species of plants which produce 1080 poison and deer being browsers rather than grazers are susceptible to them) I have stumbled upon one up this way once, the 338 stopped it in its tracks. I have access to a cool room, 2 weeks in there fantastic eating.

[AusTac]

Are you sure you're not confusing it with 338 lap.

Uh uh uh! Your not aloud to say the scary military catch world

[Oldbloke]

A 308 is fine for sambar, why bother?

[Weatherby308]

Nah I’m not getting it confused with that lapua I’ll send Sapol firearms branch an email and see how I go. I was looking at the load data for the 338wm and like the numbers for 180gr projectiles. I love my 308 but I load it down to 110gr projectiles for fox shooting. Thanks for the info guys much appreciated.

[pete1]

Let us know how you go id be interested to know.

[Weatherby308]

Pete I received an email from sapol firearms branch back today which I was surprised to get a response so quickly and they said it should all be good which makes me very happy indeed.

[Wobble]

Pete I received an email from sapol firearms branch back today which I was surprised to get a response so quickly and they said it should all be good which makes me very happy indeed.

Good news mate.

Not telling you what to buy though or raining on your parade here, but that is a fair about of gun even for Sambar.

What got you interested in this chambering for hunting?

For me personally it's too much by a long shot.

[pete1]

Pete I received an email from sapol firearms branch back today which I was surprised to get a response so quickly and they said it should all be good which makes me very happy indeed.

Good to hear mate

[juststarting]

Hope you get your 338, because why not right... If you don't, 308 works just fine. I use 165gr on top of 45gr of AR2208. 155gr works just fine too... Any factory ammo works too... They are not magical, animal like any other.

[bigpete]

Piece of cake mate. Good choice too

[Aussier]

I’m told they won’t approve it just wanted to know if any one in a similar situation to me has dealt with this before. Thanks

Don't believe everything you hear mate.

Shooters love bitching about the Police and saying they'll knock us back on everything

[southeast varmiter]

I only hunt Sambar with my 338. 308 will not get you a quarter or angle shot. Hardly ever seen one that gave a text book broadside.
Either that or a 9.3. 338 will get you open plains range though.

[SCJ429]

I have a 338 Win Mag and my advice is to look at a 375 or 416 Ruger. The 338 does not offer much over a 300 Win Mag and the Ruger case is a little more special. I have shot them and they are lots of fun. Just a thought.

[southeast varmiter]

I have a 338 Win Mag and my advice is to look at a 375 or 416 Ruger. The 338 does not offer much over a 300 Win Mag and the Ruger case is a little more special. I have shot them and they are lots of fun. Just a thought.

You might want to consult sectional density. Pisses on 300 win mag.

[Tripod]

I have a 338 Win Mag and my advice is to look at a 375 or 416 Ruger. The 338 does not offer much over a 300 Win Mag and the Ruger case is a little more special. I have shot them and they are lots of fun. Just a thought.

You might want to consult sectional density. Pisses on 300 win mag.

And I will take the long term availability of the Win Mag rounds over the uncertainty of the Ruger rounds.

[MontyShooter]

Barrel life will have to come into the decision here.
Especially if you're like me and will drop 50-100 rounds each range session.

[sungazer]

That many rounds fired by a 338 in an afternoon would probably break your ear drums,shoulder,wallet and the barrel

[cracker]

375h&h a consideration ?

[SCJ429]

I don't understand the sectional density advantage, a 200 grain 308 projectile has a sd of .301 and a 200 grain 338 projectile has a sd of.25. It is not until you move up to a 250 grain projectile that the sd overtakes the 308 and then only to .313. I didn't mean to annoy 338 devotees but I wouldn't feel disadvantaged if I was carrying the 300.

Well done to be able to fire 100 rounds in a single bench session, I would not be up for that amount of punishment. The 338 won't be too hard on a barrel, I have fired over 3000 rounds out of mine over 30 years and my gunsmith told me it wasn't anywhere near being worn out.

[RoginaJack]

Struth, a 308 on foxes? Must be very big foxes over there in S.A. bit like Texas, Eh? I'm looking at a .22 Hornet for 'em here.

[Oldbloke]

Struth, a 308 on foxes? Must be very big foxes over there in S.A. bit like Texas, Eh? I'm looking at a .22 Hornet for 'em here.

I made use of my 30-06 on one a couple of weeks ago.

[RoginaJack]

A 30.06; You live near the S.A. border, Eh OldBloke??

[Oldbloke]

A 30.06; You live near the S.A. border, Eh OldBloke??

No, It was just what I was carrying at the time.

[brett1868]

Struth, a 308 on foxes? Must be very big foxes over there in S.A. bit like Texas, Eh? I'm looking at a .22 Hornet for 'em here.

I've shot feral cats with a 50BMG, it just vaporises them with nothing left apart from a red stain on the ground

[Gwion]

That's one expensive dead feral cat!

[bladeracer]

That's one expensive dead feral cat!

Be far cheaper to load some 3" shot shells up with two-dollar coins I reckon!

[duncan61]

4Kg cat V 50BMG.I would like to see that