[SMITTY 300 WSM]

Pick one and tell why

 

[Cold Bore]

338 Win Mag, hands down.

More versatile, more availability of factory ammo, much wider selection of bullets of various weights and construction, and much more manageable to shoot. The 8mm Rem Mag was the nastiest recoiling thing I've ever shot, whereas the 338 is able to be controlled with a little bit of practice and trigger time.

I'll never own another 8mm Rem Mag, but would have no qualms about owning another 338 Win Mag if I was in the market for something in that category.

 

[mfuff]

I'd get the 8mm Mag and use 195gr Hornady Interlocks for deer sized game and 180gr or 200gr Barnes TSX's for bigger animals. Plus I have 100 brand new brass just begging for some attention.

 

[Harrysigafoo]

like Cold Bore said. Votes are in in real world 8mm mag is DEAD.

My 338 has killed 30+ deer, 2 kudu, one record wart hog and lots of other stuff (one moose, 3 caribou). so when I wanted to buy a 8 mag a few years back and couldn't I got the 338 win mag and that was the best decision. I think the 35 Whelen is also better choice than the 8 mag.

Best thing about the 8mag is it is the base round for the 416 Rem Mag, got one of those also and make every range found 8 mag into 416.

 

[mfuff]

There is NO doubt in my mind that the .338 is the better choice of the two for most hunters, especially if they don't reload, and it's record speaks for itself.
I was basing my choice solely on what I would want in my gun safe and what I would like to load for.
Being that the question is What would you(I) pick and Why is Why I answered the way I did. Now if the question is what would you recommend for someone else.....then my answer would change.

 

[*Moose]

.338 WM of course. Like Elmer Keith said about the 8mm RM, " what the heck* good is it anyway"?



*you know Elmer didn't say 'heck'.

 

[Scorpion]

I vote for the 8mm Remington Magnum "Improved", known in some wildcat circles as the 7mm-8mm Remington Mag....

Honestly, I don't know which I'd go with. Probably a 338, even though it's a pretty boring choice. Lots more bullet choices for reloading, as opposed to the 8mm cartridge.

 

[Andy1]

.338 much more common.
most universial mid-bore

 

[kudu58]

I would pick the .338 WM. These two cartridges are pretty similar in performance. But the .338 uses a shorter action which will reduce gun weight a bit. Also many 8mags have a 26" bbl whereas most .338's have a 24" bbl-another weight consideration which if I'm mountain hunting every ounce counts. Mostly though, there are many more bullets choices for the .338 to adapt it to what you're hunting. Finally, I hunt alot of big game and the more I hunt the bigger animals the more I favor bigger bullet diameter and heavier bullet weights, which the .338 has more of on both counts.(Though not by much on the diameter.) Still, this is a no-brainer unless you want to be fashion conscious about what you're carrying.

 

[Harrysigafoo]

When you introduce the 8mm bullet, you really have to also consider the 8x57 and the 325 WSM, both of which I wouold prefer over the 8 mag. The 8 mag is just too overbore to be practical. yes, I know it will kill deer, so does the 243!

 

[kudu58]

When you introduce the 8mm bullet, you really have to also consider the 8x57 which I would prefer over the 8 mag

I agree. I have used the 8x57 with 200 grain bullets on a number of African animals and have consistently been impressed with it.