Thread: Medium/ Big Bores, What's everyones favourites ?

My biggest Bore in the safe is a 338 Win Mag which would more likely be classed as a Medium Bore. I had my rifle made prior to my Moose Hunt in Alaska in 2002 but due to my paper work not being approved I ended up with a loan rifle from one of the guides, this being a Ruger M77 MKII in 338 W M with the skeleton stock.
My rifle I had built is based on a modified Mauser 98 action, with a MAB Barrel in a Ram line stock. I mounted my oldest Leupold a VX II 2x7x on it which I bought in Australia back in 1981.




The 338 Win Mag is a excellent Big Game rifle well capable of taking the large Moose, Elk and Bear along with most African game although caliber restrictions prohibit the use on animals such as Buffalo and Elephant, the 338 has been successfully used to take these animals. Given the choice a larger caliber would be better.
The load I have mostly used is the 230 gr Winchester Fail Safe with a charge of 69 grains of Winchester 760 for an average velocity of 2800fps, muzzle energy is a bit over 4000Ft Ids so it's pretty lively to shoot. ( reduce this load and work up if using in different rifles)
I have loaded the 210 Noslar Partitions to about 2900 fps and 250gr Sierra's to 2515 fps. Factory 250 gr Lapua ammo was doing 2700fps and packs a fair wallop on the shoulder.
Shooting it prone will leave a bruised shoulder after 8-10 shots, but it is a lot better when shot off hand.




Loaded 338 W M with the 230 gr Win Fail Safe Bullet and several recovered 230 gr Fail Safes taken out of pine stumps.

When I hunted for Moose in Alaska it was nice to carry a rifle with plenty of punch as you never know when you may be confronted with a Big Bear who is intent on making you dinner. Moose are big animals so plenty of power doesn't go a miss. The 338 W M is one of the top rifle carried by guides as a back up rifle for when things go wrong. Here in NZ we don't need the power it provides but dead is dead weather the animal is shot with a 338 or 308.
I have found that meat damage is minimal when using the big heavy bullets compared to the more fragile types common in lighter calibers.
My rifle does around the inch mark at 100 yards which is good for a heavy kicker.
I don't use mine much these days but have shot a few deer with it which puts the animals down very quick.
So that's my biggest bore in the safe so what's yours, add to the post with your pet thumper.