Light kicking 338? Yes sir

quietman · 04-14-2010, 06:04 AM

Went to the range this weekend and took my new 338 with me.

It garnered a lot of interest and some comments from another shooter that shot it.

He'd been sighting in his '06 and after putting 4 rounds through the 338 He told me me was rather surprised. I could tell he was after the first shot. I saw him getting prepped for some big time recoil the first time and the look of surprise on his face when it didn't happen.

He'd just put 12 rounds through his '06, so he had a good comparison. When he was done he told me he couldn't believe how much less it kicked than his '06 shooting 180gr bullets. He was even more surprised when I told him it was pushing a 200gr bullet that was as flat or flatter than his '06 out to 300 yards and only dropped a couple more inches at 400 yds, but hit harder at all distances.

He told me he was going to have to look into one.

Several people came up and talked to me about it. They were telling me they figured it was a big bore the first time it went off. Couldn't talk them into giving it a try because they were assuming it kicked like a mule. But they liked the look and feel of the rifle a lot.

The source of all this interest? The 338 Marlin Express. Marlin definitely has a winner there. If you get a chance, give one a try.

Frank in the Laurel · 04-14-2010, 06:18 AM

I can only say one thing..you can't use the words "light kicking" and ".338" in the same sentence.. I own a .338 WM and even when loaded 200 or 300 fps slower than the upper areas it still kicks like a mule.. Now I don't have any experience with the 338 ME BUT it can't have any velocity because if it did "recoil" must be used in the sentence.. my .338WM is around 2800-3000 fps..sounds to me like the .338Me must be well down in the lower 2000's..

statjunk · 04-14-2010, 06:50 AM

Exactly. There is no free lunch. Heavier bullet at high velocity with x amount of powder....

The only way to soften the blow is to add weight to the rifle or dial down the load.

Tom

popeye2 · 04-14-2010, 10:31 AM

Recoil is a funny animal.
10 people can shoot the exact same rifle and load and you will still get 10 different answers/

A 338ME shooting 200gr bullets could very well have acceptable recoil. Whats the MV on a Marlin Express anyway.

My 338-06 will shoot a 200gr around 2800fps and doesn't it turn my shoulder to mush, to me it's similar to a 180gr 30-06.

Pawildman · 04-14-2010, 12:16 PM

Recoil IS a subjective matter, and felt recoil is one thing to one person, something else to another. It only stands to reason that a .338 WM, 200 gr. ball @ 2800 fps. is PROBABLY going to be complained about more by a shooter of smaller stature than that of a larger person. My Model 70 XTR .338 WM has surprised a lot of shooters with it's "felt" recoil. Not bad at all. Then, on the other hand, my old 725 Rem. in .280 will loosen your fillings..... Design, wt, comb, etc......

rjhans53 · 04-14-2010, 01:42 PM

don't know about the ME however, 338 fed loaded 2500+ pushing a 200 speer (mostly but some hornady) wops as hard as a 06 pushing 180s. But man does it put em down hard

Ridge Runner · 04-14-2010, 02:13 PM

buddy of mine has a model 70 stainless, It kicked hard, I had him put a decent stock on it, a holland QD brake, a pachmeyer decellerator pad and running 250 gr SMK's at 2775 fps, recoil feels like a 243, and its absolutely the best shooting factory rifle I've ever messed with.
RR

Edited to add:
PA, think about this, lil guys roll with the punch, bigger guys absorb it all, I'm 5'10" and 160, I've only been kicked hard once, by a 7.5# NEF 10 ga. SS. almost every recoil sensative guy I know is of large stature, I know it kicks them harder, I've saw the bruises.

podunk kennels · 04-14-2010, 03:31 PM

I think recoil has a lot to do with your shooting form personally, if you know how to not get clobbered then usually you dont.

salukipv1 · 04-14-2010, 05:01 PM

Talked to my cousin this weekend, he has a .338win.mag in a browning BAR semi-auto that has to be a light kicker...

besides the .338win.mag is *****kat

the .340wby however...

Camosteel · 04-15-2010, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by salukipv1

Talked to my cousin this weekend, he has a .338win.mag in a browning BAR semi-auto that has to be a light kicker...

besides the .338win.mag is *****kat

the .340wby however...

I've got a Ruger Mark II 338 wm that had the old boat paddle syn. stock on it. I would not have called that thing a *****cat. Brutal is what it was. Boyd stock, limbsaver pad and a nice brake later it's very tame.