Which is Better?

[Dixie Dude]

Which cartridge is better for all-round Alaska hunting for bear, moose, caribou?  .300 WM or 338 WM?

[corbanzo]

The 300WM, and the reason being: it shoots smaller bullets.  Wierd, I know, but let me explain.

The .338WM is a great cartridge, and it does give you the ability to use bigger bullets, but the 300WM is going to let you use smaller bullets which is better, for a couple of reasons.

One reason is that it is in a smaller package, making it more packable.

The second reason is that with the .300, you can get smaller loads for use on smaller game.  You never know when you are going to take a 200lb black bear, and you aren't going to want more than a .300WM, or you are going to start destroying more than killing them.

I do know a lot of people who do hunting with the .338WM and love it, but you don't need more than the .300WM.  I mean really, this is something that comes down to preference, but what if on your southeast bear hunting, you are running into 400lb black bears, and then take some 130lb blacktail deer?  That .338 is gonna do more damage than the .300 on those blacktails. 

In all reality, unless you are hunting bison... the .30-06 is all you really need, but you can't go wrong with a good .308 caliber. 

[Sourdough]

.300WM is nothing but a souped up 30-06.  I've seen a lot of Moose lost with them, not enough energy.  Never seen a Moose lost to a .338WM.  Last year I left my .338 lying on the porch as we left for Caribou hunting.  One of the guys loaned me his .300 after he shot his bou.  I shot a nice bull, 80 yards, with a center of the shoulder shot.  Caribou ran off, I had only broken the near shoulder.  My second shot hit it in the spine as it was running away.  That first shot with my .338 would have put him on the ground with both shoulders broke.  As for too big?  There is a lot to be said for the Frontal area in bullet impact.  The larger the frontal area the more rapid the transfer of energy to the animal.  (More Shock).  Can't tell much differance in the size of the cartridge, just the bullets.  Also since all my hunting is done in Grizzly Country, I want that extra that the .338 gives me.  It takes a lot to stop a charging Grizzly. 

Personally I think the .300WM is one of the most overrated cartridges out there.  I don't own one, don't want one.  I do own three .338WMs.  Two Rugers, and a TCR.  As for bullet weight, I can load from 160gr, all the way to 300gr, in my .338s.  And by carring a few of the solids in my pocket, if I do shoot a fur bearer it don't tear them up.  Just one hole in and one hole out.  The TCR which I carry most of my .338s is hammerless, therefore I don't carry one in the chamber.  So I have to reach into my pockets for ammo anyway, so it's easy to use the approperate ammo for the appropriate game.

Sorry CORBANZO, don't mean to start an argument.  Just my personal openion.  Rog

[Dixie Dude]

Sourdough, Don't you own a .35 Whelen also?  I am considering buying one.  Commercial Mauser action. 

[Winter Hawk]

Eph Wheeler, formerly my father-in-law many years ago, was a bear hunter.  For those who remember, he managed Brook's Camp when it belonged to Wien Airlines.  Anyway, he always used a .300 mag.  He told me once that he had been convinced by some clients that he really needed something larger since he was going after griz and brownies (I know, they are now the same critter, but this was in the early '70s).  He got a .338, shot it to sight it in, then promptly took it back to the store.  He felt the recoil wasn't worth whatever advantage the bigger cartridge gave him.

He sure had some nice looking hides scattered around the house, and a wolf as big as a good sized black bear!

-Winter Hawk-

[Silvertp]

Up front I'll say, that in the hands of a competent rifleman either caliber would do.  However, to me there is only one "better" choice, and that is the .338.  With the larger bullets it is a whole different league than the 300 win mag.  The 338 is a legitimate moose and brown bear / grizzly caliber and I would always defer my choice to carry for the largest game that I intend to hunt or that I am likely to encounter, not the smallest.  Ive shot a lot of 338 and 300 winchester mag. and I personally don't perceive that much difference to recoil.  The only part about a 300 Win mag that is better is.....?  Sorry...couldn't think of a single advantage in the situation youve described.

Silvertp

[Sourdough]

Silvertp:  100% agree.

Dixie Dude:  Yes, I own two .35 Whelens.  One is a Mauser action with an 18" barrel in a synthetic stock with peep sites.  The other is a NEF Handi Rifle.  Both are totally adiquate for Brown Bears.  With proper loading they can be loaded up to come pretty close to .338WM ballistics.  Those .35 cal bullets are devastating on Black Bears at close range from a tree stand.

[Daveinthebush]

Since you mentioned bear without saying black or brown, and "better", the answer is the .338.  Probably the most popular round in AK when browns are included in the menu.  If you just said moose and caribou the .300 could fit the bill.

The .35 Whelen can give the .338 a run for the money seated long. I have never felt undergunned with mine.

[deltecs]

The 300WM, and the reason being: it shoots smaller bullets.  Wierd, I know, but let me explain.

The .338WM is a great cartridge, and it does give you the ability to use bigger bullets, but the 300WM is going to let you use smaller bullets which is better, for a couple of reasons.

One reason is that it is in a smaller package, making it more packable.

The second reason is that with the .300, you can get smaller loads for use on smaller game.  You never know when you are going to take a 200lb black bear, and you aren't going to want more than a .300WM, or you are going to start destroying more than killing them.

I do know a lot of people who do hunting with the .338WM and love it, but you don't need more than the .300WM.  I mean really, this is something that comes down to preference, but what if on your southeast bear hunting, you are running into 400lb black bears, and then take some 130lb blacktail deer?  That .338 is gonna do more damage than the .300 on those blacktails. 

In all reality, unless you are hunting bison... the .30-06 is all you really need, but you can't go wrong with a good .308 caliber. 

I cannot believe this comment about the .300 Win Mag being a smaller package.  The physical dimensions of the .300 Win Mag and .338 Win Mag cartridge cases are so similar as to be identical.  Rifles chambered for these rounds by the same manufacturer and model are identical in weight, balance and barrel length.  If one needs more punch than the 30-06, it only stands to reason to use a .338 Win Mag over the .300.  There is substantially more KO with the .338 Win Mag over the .300.  I agree with Sourdough that the .300 is overrated on larger NA game, as indicated by field results and game shot under hunting conditions when compared to the 30-06.  Yes, there is a minor increase in velocity, but not enough to indicate substantially better killing power.  There is when the .300 is compared to .338 Win Mag.  Hands down, pick the .338 for all of Alaska's hunting and use appropriate bullets for the game sought or likely to encounter. 

[Thebear_78]

This question gets kicked around and around time and again. The answer is that they are both fine cartridges, so is the 30/06 for that matter and are fully cabable to take any alaskan game.  I have seen the 300 win mag with 180gr partitions cleanly kill EVERYTHING that walks this fine state.  By that I mean, moose, carabou, deer, bear (black and brown), buffalo, and muskox.  Well I didn't see the muskox but I'll take the guys word for it and I saw the pictures.   The 300 shines over the 30/06 when the heavier bullets come into play, namely 200-220grs.   I really don't see any noticable difference in killing power between the 300 win with 200gr bullets and 338 with 210-225gr bullets.  They both tend to act about the same on the moose I've seen shot with them.   I also strongly doubt that any brown bear could notice the difference between a 220gr or 250gr partition either. 


The 338 get a small edge over the 300 when heavier bullets come into play for big game, and the 300 beats out the 338 with lighter bullets at longer range 150-168gr for smaller stuff.  There is also no carabou or moose that could take a 165-168gr TSX in the boiler room and walk away from it.  Sourdough I dont' know what bullet you were shooting out of that 300 but I find it hard to believe that any decent bullet wouldn't have punched thru any carabou shoulders.  It must have been a light bullet that just couldn't handle the velosity that close, that the cartridge's fault that poor bullet selection.     

I will say that more poeple can handle the recoil of a 180-200gr out of a 300 win better than they can a 250gr 338.    Ballisticly they are VERY similar and will work equally in the same situation with quality bullets.  I have been shooting a 325 WSM a lot lately  mostly because I really like the handling characterisics of the kimber montana.  Ballisticly sitting right in between the 300 and 338 it is in fine company and perfetly adequate for anything I might want to shoot up here.   


Find a rifle that fits you well and you can shoot good, the cartridge choice is of lesser importance.   The whelen is a fine old cartridge too.  Beleive me the animals won't know any difference.   

[corbanzo]

The 300WM, and the reason being: it shoots smaller bullets.  Wierd, I know, but let me explain.

The .338WM is a great cartridge, and it does give you the ability to use bigger bullets, but the 300WM is going to let you use smaller bullets which is better, for a couple of reasons.

One reason is that it is in a smaller package, making it more packable.

The second reason is that with the .300, you can get smaller loads for use on smaller game.  You never know when you are going to take a 200lb black bear, and you aren't going to want more than a .300WM, or you are going to start destroying more than killing them.

I do know a lot of people who do hunting with the .338WM and love it, but you don't need more than the .300WM.  I mean really, this is something that comes down to preference, but what if on your southeast bear hunting, you are running into 400lb black bears, and then take some 130lb blacktail deer?  That .338 is gonna do more damage than the .300 on those blacktails. 

In all reality, unless you are hunting bison... the .30-06 is all you really need, but you can't go wrong with a good .308 caliber. 

I cannot believe this comment about the .300 Win Mag being a smaller package.  The physical dimensions of the .300 Win Mag and .338 Win Mag cartridge cases are so similar as to be identical.  Rifles chambered for these rounds by the same manufacturer and model are identical in weight, balance and barrel length.  If one needs more punch than the 30-06, it only stands to reason to use a .338 Win Mag over the .300.  There is substantially more KO with the .338 Win Mag over the .300.  I agree with Sourdough that the .300 is overrated on larger NA game, as indicated by field results and game shot under hunting conditions when compared to the 30-06.  Yes, there is a minor increase in velocity, but not enough to indicate substantially better killing power.  There is when the .300 is compared to .338 Win Mag.  Hands down, pick the .338 for all of Alaska's hunting and use appropriate bullets for the game sought or likely to encounter. 

Alright, alright, so I shouldn't have said packable.  Put the package is smaller.  The 300 WM is a hard hitter, as the 338WM is, but when talking about the total package, the 300 is going to seem smaller.  I have had good scope head one time in my life, and that is from a 338WM. 

And I always hated that KO crap, keep that in Africa.

If I can't kill it with a .308 caliber in Alaska, let it eat me.