[Guest]

I've run across a used Browning semi-auto. rifle in .338 WM. The owner has what appears to be a reasonable price, according to local experts.

Anyone have experience with a rifle such as this?

How about reloads, or only factory ammo.?

TIA

 

[Johngoboom]

Kodiak, my Dad and I have one that we share for hunting trips...

It's in 7mm Mag...

The pluses...The box Magazine changes out fast. The semi auto design softens up some of the recoil. And I personally like how they look, most of them have come with very nice wood on them. I have never had the gun fail to work...Granted it's in 7mm Mag, and is a hunting gun, so I never run more than a box or two of shells through it a year, but still I have never had a problem.

The Minuses...They are LOUD...for whatever reason they are louder than any other high power rifle I have shot. And, they will never be a bench rest target gun. While the accuracy is plenty good enough for hunting, you will never look at the groups it throws and think they are coming from a slicked up Winchester 70. They are strictly built to be hunting rifles. And while I've seen my dad drop a cow elk on a dead run at 275 yards with it, I would never take it to the range and expect it to throw MOA groups. Maybe if you really played with the handloads you could get it better...but...I don't know to many guys that want to target shoot with a .338.

Let us know if you get it, and if you do we want pics!

 

[deputy125]

never owned one but have had some range time with an old one in 30-06.

Will agree that they are plenty accurate for hunting and one of the more enjoyable aspects was the reduced felt recoil of the semi-auto action-----which to me was one of the biggest advantages.

on the down side, the reloads the owner had tried gummed up the works as he did not from memory have them properly sized------but with factory ammo she was a champ.........

 

[Guest]

The current owner would not let me fire the rifle, but he did agreed that these rifles are "loud".

So, I have decided to stick with my old Remington 700 in 30/06 for another 50 years or so .

Let's see, I'm 72 now and that'll make me 120 or so then ....... that oughta do it .