New old Ruger and the Price of Ammo

[Deepfork]

I had a great experience on my first African plains game hunt last year, nine trophies in seven days of hunting. Seven with my .308 and two with a compound bow. Waterbuck, Wildebeest and A Gemsbuck were the largest animals I took.

On our next trip Zebra, Kudu and Eland will be on the list so I decided a little more fire power was in order. Yesterday I headed to the gun show in search of a 30-06 or .300 Win Mag. After I had touched every rifle in the building I found just what I was looking for....Beautiful Ruger M77 (tang safety made in 1979). The rifle is perfect, does not appear to have ever been shot. And if a 30-06 or .300 Win Mag was good enough then a .338 Win Mag is even better, right!?

So now I am getting to the point of this post. At that point I am very happy with my purchase of the Ruger .338, and start searching the show for ammo. After a while figure out only one vendor has .338 WM ammo, there are exactly 6 boxes in the building. Its Winchester Expedition Big Game 225 gr AccuBonds. I buy all six boxes and realize I just paid slightly more for 120 rounds than I did for the rifle.....OUCH!! If I only had room in my safe for the rifle OR the ammo, I guess the ammo would go in!

 

[JimP]

Congrats on the new addition to the safe, and I feel your pain on the ammo. I have a friend who is looking for Barnes Vortex 338 in the 225 grain TTSX. We found one dealer but have reservations on buying from them, no reviews and or anything else.

You'll love that .338, I have a .340 Weatherby and it is my go to rifle for elk and above and has been to Africa twice now.

What I would suggest that you do is to go to the major catalog stores and get on their "Notify Me" list for the ammo that you want. Then check those stores every day before you even might get a email. I was on a notify me list one time and as soon as I got the email I checked their inventory for what I wanted and it was sold out. I then started checking their web site every morning and afternoon, I soon saw what I wanted and snapped it up. Later that day I got their email that it was back in stock, but when I went and checked it was back out of stock, but I had it on the way to my home.

 

[ActionBob]

My Ruger Mark II Express 338 win mag loves Barnes Vortex 225 grain TTSX! Fortunately I still have a couple boxes

 

[Rubberhead]

I killed a zebra without any drama using a .30-06 and 180 grain Accubonds...I think you're good...

 

[Deepfork]

I killed a zebra without any drama using a .30-06 and 180 grain Accubonds...I think you're good...

I agree, 30-06 with the right bullet is plenty. The .338 was an impulse buy but I'm infatuated with it now! My main goal with this post was to whine about the price of ammo!

 

[ActionBob]

I had a great experience on my first African plains game hunt last year, nine trophies in seven days of hunting. Seven with my .308 and two with a compound bow. Waterbuck, Wildebeest and A Gemsbuck were the largest animals I took.

On our next trip Zebra, Kudu and Eland will be on the list so I decided a little more fire power was in order. Yesterday I headed to the gun show in search of a 30-06 or .300 Win Mag. After I had touched every rifle in the building I found just what I was looking for....Beautiful Ruger M77 (tang safety made in 1979). The rifle is perfect, does not appear to have ever been shot. And if a 30-06 or .300 Win Mag was good enough then a .338 Win Mag is even better, right!?

So now I am getting to the point of this post. At that point I am very happy with my purchase of the Ruger .338, and start searching the show for ammo. After a while figure out only one vendor has .338 WM ammo, there are exactly 6 boxes in the building. Its Winchester Expedition Big Game 225 gr AccuBonds. I buy all six boxes and realize I just paid slightly more for 120 rounds than I did for the rifle.....OUCH!! If I only had room in my safe for the rifle OR the ammo, I guess the ammo would go in!

Congratulations on the great find! And the move to a 338 Win Mag! You're going to love it, especially on that next hunt

 

[John1989]

I have a mk II express and a mk II skeleton stock rs and both of them shoot the Barnes very well. I have several boxes of it if you’d like to send me a message privately.

 

[Rubberhead]

I agree, 30-06 with the right bullet is plenty. The .338 was an impulse buy but I'm infatuated with it now! My main goal with this post was to whine about the price of ammo!

Oh, I got it. I got it enough, I've started pricing all things gun and hunting related in terms of boxes of ammo...My wife asked about a light/laser on a picatinny rail that just showed up at the door and I told her it cost less than 100 rounds of ammo...your post was life altering...haha

 

[shotgungibbs]

The .338 Winchester is a fine round. My Ruger shoots 210 grain Nosler Partitions great!

 

[AZDAVE]

338 WM is a very good round and will serve you quite well.

 

[MTA]

I am so excited about my future impulse buy of a 338 wm that I bought a partial box of factory rounds at a pawn shop last week sounds like its going to end up being an awesome rifle for you

 

[zephyr]

Great Caliber Congrats....
Take a look at Ammo Seek lots of 338 available

.338 Win Mag Ammo

In-stock best prices for 338 Win Mag Ammo | Bulk 338 Win Mag Ammunition - AmmoSeek.com

ammoseek.com

Or if you have a friend that reloads he might be able to givre you some bench time and learn to reload your own

 

[Hunt anything]

I had a great experience on my first African plains game hunt last year, nine trophies in seven days of hunting. Seven with my .308 and two with a compound bow. Waterbuck, Wildebeest and A Gemsbuck were the largest animals I took.

On our next trip Zebra, Kudu and Eland will be on the list so I decided a little more fire power was in order. Yesterday I headed to the gun show in search of a 30-06 or .300 Win Mag. After I had touched every rifle in the building I found just what I was looking for....Beautiful Ruger M77 (tang safety made in 1979). The rifle is perfect, does not appear to have ever been shot. And if a 30-06 or .300 Win Mag was good enough then a .338 Win Mag is even better, right!?

So now I am getting to the point of this post. At that point I am very happy with my purchase of the Ruger .338, and start searching the show for ammo. After a while figure out only one vendor has .338 WM ammo, there are exactly 6 boxes in the building. Its Winchester Expedition Big Game 225 gr AccuBonds. I buy all six boxes and realize I just paid slightly more for 120 rounds than I did for the rifle.....OUCH!! If I only had room in my safe for the rifle OR the ammo, I guess the ammo would go in!

Midway USA has a limited supply of .338 win mag, just ordered some Friday

 

[Deepfork]

They still have some, one box limit dangit!

 

[Deepfork]

Great Caliber Congrats....
Take a look at Ammo Seek lots of 338 available

.338 Win Mag Ammo

In-stock best prices for 338 Win Mag Ammo | Bulk 338 Win Mag Ammunition - AmmoSeek.com

ammoseek.com

Or if you have a friend that reloads he might be able to givre you some bench time and learn to reload your own

I reload just not set up for .338 WM. I should have plenty of once fired brass by the time I can track down some components.