.338 Win Mag Recoil?

Bearcat 74

Bearcat 74

New member
I have a friend who is paralized on the right side and he is always getting me to shoot his guns. He can shoot very well its just easier for me to zero and then adjust if needed. Anyway, I find out that he has been hoarding up a .338 Win Mag for me to zero, it's in an Encore. I am not a nancy when it comes to recoil, but it has a Simmons scope and I am curious if I am going to get scope-eyed or if I need to lead sled this beast. I have shot the .350 Rem from an Encore, .300 Roy, and some 45/70 from the Encore, 405@2000fps, is this thing going to be worse than them? I am not trying to be a sissy, I am just curious because I have heard they are not bad and I have heard they will kick the stupid right out of people.


Thanks
 
Alot depends on the gun and the shape of the stock. My model 70 before the sex change (muzzle brake) would pummel me so bad I was shooting shotgun patterns with it. After the brake was put on, it's much more enjoyable to shoot.
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From the bench i would say get a lead sled or have a break put on. My cousin hunts with a ruger in .338 with a break and it is probably in between a 243 and a 270 in terms of recoil.
 
Real encouraging guys, guess I'll go for the sled. I will have to shoot it once without it, I will stand up though.

Nice groups crapshoot.
 
Only one way to really find out /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Stock fit is key. The Encore is probably a pretty light rifle. That might worry me a bit. If you did fine with the .45/70, you should be fine.

I am not a "tough" guy, but I do appreciate the .338 WM for elk. I have a Sako Finnbear topped with a 3-9 4200 Elite. Everyone that has shot it has a similar response. "Huh, that wasn't bad at all." With practice it is really an enjoyable round to use.

Here's a pic of six consecutive rounds fired yesterday with a new powder I've been playing with. Shows potential

[image]http://www.booneman.com/mybooneman.php#[/image]

Shoot the .338 WM. You'll love it.
 
This is what I use to sight in all scopes and tame those big boy guns. It's called:

Hyskore® Dangerous Game™ Machine Rest

Accurately calibrate guns and ammunition without having to deal with recoil or shooter-induced motion. Produces MOA repeatability and handles most all calibers. No shot or sand bags; compression dampers precisely reset the rest after every shot. Includes 3 nitrogen-filled dampers to absorb recoil and remote trigger release.

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The .338 can be a shoulder full especially in that light gun. A local guy purchased a Tikka T3 Lite at about 6.3 pounds. Less than 1 box of shells and the gun was For Sale! Looking at the eye relief on that scope is smart too. I have seen two guys get clipped by a scope mostly because they weren't prepared.
 
I shoot a Rem 700KS in a .338 WinMag. It's a light rifle under 8lbs and the recoil isn't bad even from a bench. I don't have any experience with an Encore. If you are worried about it shoot the first few shots standing then try it from a bench. Use 200gr bullets. I wouldn't say to shoot it prone the first time. You won't need a Lead Sled. Heck I shoot a .416Rem from a bench with 400gr bullets and don't use any sled but it's a 10lb rifle.
 
Thanks guys, the 45/70 was ok. The weight, or lack of in the Encore and the short eye relief are what I am looking at. If it was a Leupold, Elite or something similar I would not worry, but I swear I think he said a Simmons Blazer, $39.99, it probably has like 1/2" of eye relief and probably no rubber cup. He said we would take it for a spin in the next day or two. I do know it will be 250gr boolits.


Thanks again
 
I've never fired one, though at one time I thought I wanted one. But, a couple years ago at the range, a gent showed up with his 700 Mountain Rifle in .338 Win Mag, saying he'd wanted one for years, finally took the plunge, and this would be his first time to fire it.

After his first 5 shots, he was sporting three scope cuts. He laughed when he offered to sell me the rifle, but there's little doubt in my mind that had I expressed an interest, he'd have made me a decent deal on it. Granted, he was firing from the bench, and his technique may have been all wrong, but it sure took the wind out of my sails regarding getting one of my own.

A .338/06, or the AI version, OTOH, looks managable.

Mike
 
The Encore will not be that bad, the scope will. If it were me I would refuse to shoot it until a decent scope is mounted correctly. I "bumped" myself a while back with an Encore in .405 Win. the scope had plenty of eye relief but I was bag squeezing instead of holding on to the gun like I should have been. No blood but it was no fun either. The Simmons probably won't last three shots anyway!

Bob
 
I've got an older Sako Finnbear LH .338 that I "stole" at an auction a few years ago; has a 3x9 Leupold mounted. I was expecting recoil to be quite severe, but was surprised at the relative mildness! Just as comfortable as my 300 Win. & 300 WSM. Your biggest problem will be the Simmons; although after one hip shot it will probably bust anyway!!!
 
Totch, Who's right is it to question anyone's need for a rifle??

Shoot what you want, and let others do the same.

Clayman



Edited for spelling.
 
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I have never been scope bit by my 338, but I do wind up with a tender shoulder after doing bench work. Some people just don't know how to mount a scope or shoulder a rifle so they don't get bit.
 
Quote:
I've got an older Sako Finnbear LH .338 that I "stole" at an auction a few years ago; has a 3x9 Leupold mounted. I was expecting recoil to be quite severe, but was surprised at the relative mildness! Just as comfortable as my 300 Win. & 300 WSM. Your biggest problem will be the Simmons; although after one hip shot it will probably bust anyway!!!



The biggest problem with Simmons scopes of old(pre-Meade) was that they were terrible on hard kicking rigs. Broken reticles being the culprit......
 
In the hands of one who knows how to use it, the .338 WM is a darling elk cartridge. The target pic I posted above doesn't seem to be coming through, but those are six rounds from Monday that measure 0.8 inch at 100 yards. At 300 it opens up to four inches.

To each his own. It certainly isn't for everyone. But don't discount it completely until you've actually handled one.

Coltchris - my Sako is an old FinnBear too. Those old stocks just seem to plain fit. That's part of the reason they're so enjoyable to shoot. TBH, I'd rather shoot my .338 all day long than my buddie's M70 .300 WM.

My point is that you can't go by caliber alone when evaluating FELT recoil.
 
I'm a good example, I got a "scope eye" from an air rifle. It is an FWB 124 made in 1980. Very embarassing and then someone called the cops about a man with an assault gun. True story.

Best regards,
chalmitch
 
Quote:
Totch, Who's right is it to question anyone's need for a rifle??

Shoot what you want, and let others do the same.

Clayman



Edited for spelling.



Clayman,

I have absolutly no problem with what anyone wants to own, tote a 6 1/2 lb 50 BMG if you want to. I just don't quite understand why someone would want to take that beating if it weren't necessary for the game they were after. I wasn't trying to start an argument, just curious why someone would want to get kicked like a mule just for fun. Just not my idea of a good time, thats all.
 
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