Here is some first hand real world recent experience using the 338wm on large tough antelope. This past week, my son and I along with two other hunting buddies went on a Texas Nilgai hunt. Me, my son and one of the other hunters all chose to use our 338 win mags for this hunt and the 4th hunter in our group used the 300wm with 200g TTSX ammo. The 338's used 225g TTSX at 2925fps MV and my son chose the Nosler AB 225g factory load which is running only 2750fps. I chose the faster Barnes load because it shot best in my rifle.
Nilgai are known to be tough. Built like 600-700lb tanks, I would put them in the same toughness class as Blue Wildebeest. My last Blue WB took three rounds of 375HH to put him down from 160-180y distance. The 300g TSX expanded to over 2x diam and did the job well.
In Texas ALL three hunters using the 338wm dropped their Nilgai in their tracks! Guides said that rarely happens. Ranges varied from 155y to 237y and none were shot in the central nervous system. My son's and mine were hit square in the hearts which burst in two from the impacts. We were quite impressed with the results. The one Nilgai in our group shot with the 300wm with 200g TTSX ran 150y and had to be tracked and finished later. Still a successful hunt but not nearly as impressive performance. That hunter is a very experienced marksman and placed his shot well (dbl lung).
I am planning to use the same load and ammo for Canadian Moose this fall and likely will also take it to Namibia for PG hunting next year. Unless, I were hunting a very large, very tough critter that required more than 24" penetration, I would consider the 338wm to be the killing power equivalent to the 375HH in every way and better for longer range shots past 250y. I would consider the 338 to be a ballistic sweet spot for killing larger PG animals. Yes, it kicks a bit but you never feel it in the field and yes a 30-06 or 308 will do nearly as well in 90% of all PG hunting cases.
On that last note: On my first Safari, I took a brace of two old 60's era FN Browning rifles. A Medallion Grade in 308 and a Safari Grade in 375HH. They both performed magnificently but I ended up using the 308 on all of my plains game up to a Gemsbok at the guidance of my PH who said the 308 was all I needed. That little ultra light rifle killed five animals all with one shot kills using Fusion 180g ammo. Testament to the fact that you do not need a big assed magnum to hunt PG in Africa. Use good ammo and shoot well and the 308 is more than adequate. This year, I took a 7mm/08 which one would expect to be little different but for whatever reason, the 7mm performance did drop off somewhat from that of the 308. I killed four PG animals with it but all required extra shots. It may have been the ammo? All copper monos. I had some Fusions but did not get the chance to try them on game. My FN's are on display below.
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