I’d take a bet on that

It looks like I inadvertently found the dumbass by asking a legitimate question. I mean, we were already 100% sure who was the dumbass, but now we're 110% sure. We should host a THF Face-2-Face Extravaganza!!! so some of these morons have a chance to stand behind their internet persona. I'll contribute right away.

Why aren't we focusing this thread more on this statement? Is he even recognizable? Does he look over 30? Or did the handlebars make him look younger? Does he look over 60?

Where's the selfie for proof?

I probably hate the 338 Win Mag more than any other rifle cartridge on earth. I know there is nothing wrong with it but every 338 Win Mag I have ever owned beat the living crap out of me! The recoil is flat out violent! In all fairness to the 338 all of the ones I have owned were standard sporter weight rifles so that didn't help.

I know you like to shoot a lot so I bet you wont enjoy the 338 Win Mag much unless you build it heavy. If I were going to take a beating I would just step up to the 375H&H. I expect a 375 to beat the crap out of me, I don't expect the kind of beatings the 338 Win Mag dishes out.

He looks like a 15 year old, but the 15 year old that wants to kick everyone’s [censored].

The 375 is a pussycat compared to the 338 Win. I just had this conversation with Jeremy. The 338 is violent where as the 375 is like a shove. I would rather shoot my 375 than my Marlin 45/70 with Leverevolution factory rounds, much less my handloaded 405 hard cast at 2000fps.

I had a 375 H&H and loved it. About 20 rounds at the bench was my limit though. Dang thing was accurate though with 270 grain Sierras. Tractored on here has one he’s been trying to sell for 4 years in and off. Left handed Sako A7.

338 win is tough to beat, it's been proving itself for decades. Me being a Weatherby guy I'd go with their 340 but I'd love to have a good 375 H&H laying around. Capstick called it the little 375 but I noticed he always had one around camp.

Who we gonna get to give you a duece and a half show down?

Since you have to be 338 or bigger, and since I don't like comps on hunting rifles or heavy hunting rifles, and I don't like getting beat up too bad by recoil, I would start by looking at the 35 Whelen and see if there was anything you needed done that it wouldn't do. Have fun on your nilgai hunt oh, that's something I always thought would be fun to do

If you do look into the Whelen look into the 338-06 as well. It’s what I built after researching the two. Both are impressive without the punishment of the big magnums.

That's the reason I built an AR10 in 338 Federal. Nilgai is on the list one day, and as the OP stated lots of places have a minimum requirement of 338.

I I was going to hunt Nilgai and the outfit said "338 minimum" I would make darn sure they meant any 338 cartridge. Most people who say 338 are referring to the Winchester Mag and have not heard of the Federal.

338-06 with 200 gr boolits if you want to stay mainstream. 338 Sherman with 250 gr if you want to get fancy, although tony would prob never talk to either one of us again.




But.... A 33 Nos with 285 ELD-M would be big medicine. Switch barrel 33N/28N would be sick!

Regardless, get a good muzzle break

Question, how big are these nilgai ? My 300wsm has taken everything up to cow bison, shiras moose too. Why do they need a .338?
Not looking for a fight but just want to know why the need for such a large caliber ?

Yep, 338-06 tops out 225g. Bigger than that and you’re going backwards.

I've never hunted Nilgai, nor have I ever seen one in person, but I have read about them on the interweb, so, I am an expert. They are big animals with tough skin and they have a reputation for not going down easily. Would a .30 cal magnum take one down? I would guess the answer is yes. But the outfitter has stipulated .338 or bigger.

Man, I bet in a encore framed rifle anything over 338 is gonna be pretty stiff recoil.. I have a whitworth in 375 h&h mag that was bought for around $400 and it shoots moa at 100 yards with a 250-270 gr bullet stacks them in there nicely weighs just over 9 pounds so not super terrible to carry around. I would think that you can probably pick up a whole rifle for less or around a barrel setup for the pro hunter.
Some of these other wild cats like the 338-06 look pretty dang nice too, but I bet they come at a cost and long wait times.

Lots of folks buy these big safari calibers and can’t manage them so they sell them fairly cheap with little wear and tear. Just an idea..

Good muzzle brake and ear pro.

Then load a big ole pullet with a compressed powder charge, and let it eat.

Nilgai bulls are around 500 - 600 lbs. Tough thicker skinned antelope from India.

The reason outfitters use a bigger gun ( although ive never met one with a .338 min, many do have .300 minimums) is a lot of times they are hunted out of a top drive and they don’t stand still very long which equals to a lot of running shots. Not to mention there vitals are between their shoulders not behind so a typical lung shot will send them running.

A .300 mag of any flavor, will crush any Nilgai walking. I know guys who kill the hell outta them with .30-06’s and stout 180 grain bullets. If they are standing still unaware and you put the bullet right a person will be fine. Lots are killed down in the RGV by guys shooting .270’s and 7mm’s with regular soft points when they stumble into their deer setups

On my list would be 338-06, 350 rem mag, 9.3x62, 45-70.

Out of them my first pick would likely be the 45-70, full power loads for whatever you think you need them for and cowboy/mid grade loads and it makes a fun effective short range hunter.

I do think I would probably just take my 300 wby and find a different outfitter unless you specifically want to build a big bore for another purpose.

This is the route I'd go for just one hunt but if you want to build one it's not like we have to "justify" it, right? I'd pay to watch you shoot the 338 Win Mag in an Encore with no break.

A-Square got the 338-06 standardized so dies are readily available. It’s also a fairly common chamber for a savage prefit, usually in stock because it’s a little known cartridge.

Buddy of mine built a 338 Ultramag coming in at 6 pounds. I don’t even want to stand by it much less shoot it.