James B

If I had to own a 338 it would be a Browning. Then I would trade it for a Remington 270., Or a Browning 270. Or a Savage 270. Or any of the above in 7MM-08.

Solitary Man

I have not owned a Tikka, but I have owned Browning A-Bolts and Sako 75's. By a large margin I wouldsuggest the Sako over the Browning.

Rammer

I'd say get something thats not just a lil peanut popper and go for a 375 H&H..........Then again, I can suggest that because it isn't my shoulder.....

GRIZZLYMAN

I would vote for the Sako even though I have an old one (13 years old...L691) and don't know much about the new ones.

doubleA

Rammer...... my trusty M75 in the 375 isnt bad at all on recoil. Either 270gr TSX's or 260 Accubonds behind 4350 and R-19 shoot very good. A great gun and caliber. If I had to leave anytime, any place for anything it's a "go to" gun for sure.

Rammer

doubleA - Now that is a good paper shooting rig there! I've never shot a 375 yet, I have shot a 300 H&H, that was the closest I've come to the big boy. I've also shot a ton of full power 45/70 handloads out of a Ruger #1. How would that compare to the 375? Good shooting BTW!

doubleA

Rammer, the 375 H&H is going to fall in between the two, more than the belted 30 and less than stout 45-70 loads in recoil.It really suprised me when I first started shooting it. I even have a bud that's recoil sensitive shoot it a few times and he didnt complain.......well not that much anyways

skeeter 7MM

As Terry eluded to the T3 Tikka would not be on my short list, IMO to light for the likes of 338wm. In fact a guy I know just traded his 300wm T3 off on sako 75 in the same 300wm on the account of the boot he received on the bench. I had the opportunity to shoot that rifle last year as well as a couple 300wsm in the same flavor they were not terrible butyou knew they were theirand the muzzle jump was plenty off the bags.

Of the list without hesitation the Sako. I have owned a couple browning abolts including the SS Stalker and it just isn't my favorite rifle to shoot. Reason cheap stock, not great SS finish IME for the asking price.A couple of personal fo's -fit isn't perfect for me so I feel the recoil with abolt stalker more then others, mag system (DM and hinged floor plate-just silly...why???),tang safety and bolt take down is fairly complex! That said they all have shot good out of the box and served the purpose.

RDJ

Skeeter - Could you clarify what you mean about the difficulty of the tang safety. This is in fact one of the reasons I like the Browning. It is nice and low where it can't be bumped and is in a natural position for my thumb. Or are you referring to difficulty when you are dismantling the rifle?

In my research, I read an article by Chuck Hawks who recommended the Browning Stainless Sythetic and referred to it as one of the best out there. Did you have some rust issues with your Browning? I tried to find the link to the article, but am coming up short right now.

I agree with many of the comments that the Tikka is too light for the.338. But I am still trying to decide between the Browning and Sako 85.

skeeter 7MM

RDJ, I don't like tang safety, personal nothing more. As far as the difficulty it is in regards to the bolt disassembly.

As I said the finish of SS just isn't spectacular for the prices they fetch up here, but I did have a problem on the underside of the barrel/action on a damp moose hunt.I have hunted the same conditions withother rifles(blue and SS)and never had this happen. I guess with price tag of close to a G note I expect more.

All just personal, much like Chuck Hawks opinion of the SS Stalker being one of the best to buy.