338Win Mag or 375H&H Mag
 

Iam toying with the idea of buying another magnum in the 338Win Mag or the 375 H&H Mag. The make of rifle is going to be either Browning
or Savage or Winchester. Savage and Winchester makes a 375 H&H AND Browning and the other 2 make 338 WinMag. I all ready have a 300 Win Mag Browning A-BOLT composit stalker. I live and hunt in British Columbia Canada. While hunting in northern BC, I feel under gunned when I see some of the grizzlies and some offly large moose. Some of the places I hunt, when you shoot.It's like ringing the dinner bell on a ranch. Bears come a running. Can you give me some advise.

RE: 338Win Mag or 375H&H Mag
 

Hunter40, if you truly believe that your .300 Mag is inadequate.....I'd vote for the .375 H&H.

Both the .338 and the .375 H&H are blessed with a good bullet selection and both are immensely powerful and both have a wide range of bullets to handle things like deer, elk, and really big stuff.

A few years back Remington made their classic in .375 H&H and at about 7 pounds. This thing is one of my favorite guns.....immense power and little weight.....recoil is a serious problem at the bench sighting it in......after that it's not bad at all.....and for that matter the .338 mag is no sweetheart at the shooting bench either!!!!!

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RE: 338Win Mag or 375H&H Mag
 

The jump from 300 mag to 338 mag is not a big step. I would Go to the 375 H&H. They shoot pretty flat and hit plenty hard. The old 375 is as close as you can get to the perfect all around rifle if you are looking at hunting world wide. A friend of mine killed a big Grizzly in Alaska with a 338 win Mag but he was getting nervous as it took six shots before the old bear gave up the ghost. However as a rule I would feel pretty good armed with a 338 Mag. I have had two of them both were Savage one had a laminated stock and one a composite. The composite one kicked worse that Murphys mule. For big bears or moose, you might also want to look at the 416 Rem mag. I had one of those as well. This one was in a Ruger No. one single shot. A great Bear gun although if I ever got another it would be a bolt gun,



Edited by - James B on 01/12/2003 00:34:06

RE: 338Win Mag or 375H&H Mag
 

Hunter40,
Both the 338Mag and the 375HH are an appropriate step up from your 300Win if you're looking for more "slap down" power for big game that can bite back or animals larger than plain jane deer. I have both the 338Mag (2) and a 375HH and love them all three, but favor the 375HH.

The 338Mag runs a real close second to the 375HH in the paper ballistics/velocity/energy arguments and is a real "easy going" gun to shoot. On the other hand, you learn quick that you've stepped up a notch from the 338Mag when you sight in a 375HH. Seems that for the 375HH with only 50gr more bullet weight (300 up from 250), that it is definitely more of a handful in terms of recoil and barrel jump - not nasty, just more - easily mastered with some forethought.

I was thoroughly impressed with the 375HH in last years elk hunt - two shots and two elk down at one opportunity and these weren't the perfect "snipe their heart out shots" that it seems almost everyone on this forum but me makes, both elk laid within 30 yards of each other. (Had two licenses). There is something "intangible" about the 375HH, it may not show so much on paper, but it really performs when its "showtime." I've really come to appreciate why the old (1912) 375HH has remained so popular over all this time.

If the bears come running when you shoot, then I'd definitely go with the 375HH and make sure you stay at the top of the food chain. Here's to welcoming you, in advance, to the "big bore" club!

EKM

Good judgment comes from bad experience! Half of elk hunting is knowing what NOT to do!

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RE: 338Win Mag or 375H&H Mag
 

Both are good rounds ,but I find the .338 a bit snotty for what you get. I own both but enjoy shooting the 375 which I can't say for the .338. The .338 get shot basicly to check zero every now and then ,but I'll shoot the H&H 3-4 3 shot groups everytime I shoot it. I
've know a couple of people who lived in the Alaskan bush and they've told me the 375 H&H caliber used more times than not by those who spend alot of time in the woods ,especially if they are out on their own.

RE: 338Win Mag or 375H&H Mag
 

I shoot the 338 now, after graduating from a 308. Yeah, the recoil will get you at first, but you learn how to master it and then its just great.

Looking at bear thugh, and generally shooting under 200 yeds, I would go with a 375. Around 200 yds the 338 starts to crowd the 375 and becomes a more general over all weapon, with slightly better trajectory and it also has better foot pounds at the long range.

RE: 338Win Mag or 375H&H Mag
 

Its not that I feel the 300win mag is inadequate.I find the 300win mag
an exellent cartridge. When you are standing less than 75yrds away from some grizzly thats snuck in on you while feild dressing game.And happens to be the largest youve seen.You would probably feel the same. I use 180 gr federals. As for moose I havent had one walk away after being shot. The problem I have is that I mostly hunt by myself.
only been using the 300 win mag for 2yrs, before that I used a 270win.
Nobody to talk about what adaquate or inadaquate. I also do some reloading for my other guns, but not for the 300 win mag as of yet.
thanks for the info Guys

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