The .338 is way more than needed for deer and pronghorns. However there is an ever growing contingent of shooters using it for elk and bigger animals. They like the comfort of knowing they can defend themselves from Grizz if necessary. It has been used very successfully on Cape Buffalo (although it's not a legal caliber in African countries for that use) and that's a bold statement of it enormous power. Further it is used quite commonly for plains game and some of those animals are tough and big. Eland can run 1500 pounds and zebra are like a horse.....

I have one and also a .375 H&H and cannot tell the difference in recoil. Maybe a bit more in the old H&H cartridge. When I shoot either from a bench I put a sandbag between the gun's stock and my shoulder and that's all it takes to sight it in. When shooting at game the recoil is never noticed with either of these guns.

It's surprising in it's range and flat shooting abilities and carries more energy to 300 yards than the .375 H&H and in general represents the near ultimate in big game hunting.

Have a ball with it.