Reeder Custom Guns - The .338 Win. for an all round Africa rifle caliber?

Doug has me all caught up in HIS dither. For the next year well will be all caught up doing 200 yd. target shooting with our rifles, likely off sticks!

I want to see what I can do with my .416 Rigby, turning it into a more flat shooting all rounder. This attempt is to use 300 gr. bullets at 2600-1700 fps. I already swapped to a Leupold 3.5-10X scope. The consistent 4" eye relief is fine.

I have shot .338 a bit in both rifles and handguns and really like the extra punch the bullet has over the various .30 cals. with lighter slugs. It seems a 250 gr. .338 at 2700 fps is just as good as a .375 H&H with a 270 at 2650 fps. For most game animals comparing a .300 Mag. to the .338 and both using 200 gr. bullets at 3000 fps I know the animal does not care, but I like the .33 myself.

Do you think a .338 would have any edge over the .300 for non-dangerous game? I've never been to Africa so I'm just armchair quarterbacking, but I'd figure it would do for Buffalo under NON-Close quarters duty as well. Not that I could afford to drop $20k right now on a Trophy Dugga Boy.

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With a good muzzle brake.

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Heavy enough that it was easy to shoot. Would rather shoot it than some of my lightweight .30-06’s! Have a BAR .338 that I’ve yet to shoot but am looking forward to it!

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Makes a HECK of a racket! Recoil is not bad at all, more like a push than a stinging hit. It pushes you back but it's not nearly as jarring as a .300 to me. The BAR gas system and good stock design soaks it up a bunch. I have no issues running a whole box through at the bench.

The trigger is not as good as a tuned bolt gun's but more than usable. It even shoots my reloads just fine using normal FL die set.

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I guess it's an assault rifle?! Four shooter!

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his favorite all around rifle was a 340 Weatherby. He thought the heavier weight and tougher jackets were just the ticket if you have to take a lengthwise shot. Now this was a while back, and bullets are sooo much better nowadays. In practicality there probably is navel lint difference in the overall performance between a 300 and a 338 at <300 yards. But, those Eland are BIG animals and I would prefer a 250+ bullet for taking one of them.

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That may end up at my house.

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carried a .338 Ruger stainless with the boat paddle stock. He had cut the 24" barrel back to 22". He said it just needed 2" less barrel. I asked him why he carried no sidearm and he said there would be no time for it in a charge. I later sort of saw what he meant. I'd want it on me for back up, maybe a Daniel Boone Bowie knife too! My luck the ONE time I laid the rifle against a tree and took two steps...

George said in his personal experiences shooting bears with everything from 7mm, .300's, .375 and .458's that the .338 seemed best above all. It had more "shocking" effect he said that the bears responded to. Not very scientific but I'll take real world experiences over science any day. I've heard the same type of comment about large African cats too.

From what I saw in AK it's "use what you have", basically. But the consensus seemed you would like to be carrying a .300 Mag and up. Two of the four guides we encountered carried .375's and also .44 Mag. S&W 4" 29 variations. The others included .300 Ultra Mag., the .338, the .375's were a Ruger and H&H. The only other Guide's handgun was a .454 Casull Ruger Super Redhawk Custom. They were not really playing around.

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The .338 Win. for an all round Africa rifle caliber?

Honestly, Id love a Custom #1 in 338 Win Mag...

I had a .338 #1 that I gave to my brother.

I have a BAR .338 and it is a pussycat

Unfortunately its a semi auto, so not a choice for SA

Probably can't take it into Canada areas either.

A buddy of mine who went to Africa several times said

Savage is making an interesting Bear Hunter...

Gary's buddy in AK George George Faerber