Just a quick question, can you give me the order of cheapest to deerest of factory ammo for these 3 cals. I am trying to decide which of these 3 cals i will get for my big game gun and the price of ammo really effects my decision since i dont reload. Any opinions on these cals is also welcome.

What and ware are you planning on hunting?

Without looking, I can most likely say the 375 is going to be the most expensive. I can't say between the Win Mags...go to a site such as Midwayusa.com and look at their ammo prices...it should give you an idea for comparrison.

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Wal-Mart will have Remington ammo in .300 WM on the shelf, but many gunshops won't have .375H&H. Many shops won't have .338 ammo, depending on where you are. And these days the .375 stuff will NOT be cheap. If you've never fired a .375 or .338, in a rifle you could carry all day in elk country, you will not like it.

If you're buying a rifle for an Alaskan bear hunt, price is irrelevant, if you're buying a rifle for everything, you will be happier, longer, with the .300.

my father has a rugar markII in 300winmag me and my mom got it for him for X-mas I bought it used but it had a trigger job done so its a 1-1/2lb tpull. and has only been shot like 20 times so its brand new not a scratch on it. ammo is 24$ - 50$ we usually get the 30 dollar 180gr stuff

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I cant Stop killing squirrels with my 17hmr. Iv tryed many times. I NEED HELP Iv been to HMRs anonymous meetings and Iv been in and out of Rehab ever since i got my gun.

You will need to be a bit6 concerned about the availability of some calibers......that's very true. In this month's Natchez flyer .300 Win Mag is in the $27 range, .338 Win in the $33 dollar range and .375 H&H is $35. Not a whole lot of difference, really.

I disagree. With a proper fit and a good recoil pad these two can be VERY tolerable to shoot repeatedly in the 8 lb. range.

You might even be perfectly happy with the .300 for an Alaskan bear hunt. but it'll definitely make you the best "all-around" N.A. big game rifle if you do not reload.

The 300 and 338 are very simular in price, the 375 more. Price also depends if you want premiem bullets also.

Like Zapzoo I'd ask what are you planning on hunting? Usually when folks start talking about a 375 their thinking about an African or Alaskan hunt for Dangerous game.

You'd be much better served looking here on the forum for specific caliber and load recommendations for hunting specific game rather than looking for a catalog of prices that you can find by looking at any of the shooting catalogs on the net. Try Midway or Cabela's for that kind of information, were really not equipped here to do that sort of thing.

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Bob from Idaho

If you start handloading all of them would be in reach. The price of the 300 would probably be less as there are a lot of 30 cal bullets and their prices vary greatly. You dont have to spend a fortune in equipment in order to handload. With the magnums, you can work up a light and cheap practice load. When I had a 375 H&H, I used the Speer 235 gr bullet and a mininum powder load. Cast bullets can also be used and are cheaper than the jacketed. Ammo is so expensive now that handloading is about the only way for the working guy to shoot centerfire. Just my .02.

Did a quick check at Cheaper Than Dirt: 300 WM: 17.00 to 58.00. 338WM: 36.00 to 60.00. 375H&H: 33.00 to 98.00. Thats for 20 rds.

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Like Zapzoo I'd ask what are you planning on hunting? Usually when folks start talking about a 375 their thinking about an African or Alaskan hunt for Dangerous game.

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Well im in Australia and it is going to be my buffalo caliber. I think i want to decide between the .338 and the .375 dont worry about the .300

Yup for Buffalo your on the right track with the 375. It's proven to be a great buffalo gun. If the CZ's are marketed over there they are a dandy controlled round feed Mauser action and available in 375. I've got a friend looking at them for a trip to Africa, but he's going for the 416 Rigby. He's planning on Buffalo also.

I spent several years in Alaska and though lots of folks use the 338 up there the 375 is, in my opinion, a much better DG gun for Grizzly and Kodiak bear. I built my hunting partner a 375 Weatherby for his hunting in Alaska.

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Bob from Idaho

Mag, you are a MAN , my 375 was a super shooter, but VERY tolerable, not.

I dumped my .375, a beautiful Win M70 Synthetic, 8 1/2 lbs loaded, after a session of elk loads at the bench. Had a headache, and a "fuzzy" section in my visual field. Detached retina. Happens to guys over 50 .

I wimped out, bought a .35 Whelen CDL. NO, it ain't no .375 H&H, but it's sweet to shoot, especially with that new spongy pad, and it only weighs < 8lbs loaded with a sling. But I've taken 3 elk, in 3 years with it

Thanks for the advice faucettb, i think the .375 would be a good choice but what about the .338 win mag would it be a good buffalo gun?

I've used my old 8mm Rem mag for a Grizzly and Kodiak bear gun and lots of friends up in Alaska shoot them with the 338 Win mag. I've never shot a Buffalo, but have read and watched several shows on it and most of the folks I've talked to suggest the 375 H&H. At the minimum I'd be looking at the new Ruger 375 or the 375 H&H or the various 416's on the market.

I have no doubt that the 338 would kill a big buffalo, but I'd feel better behind a little more gun given the temperament of those bruisers. I guess I'd plan for worst case situations.

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Bob from Idaho

Awwwwwww...............shucks, TMan!! Now you're gonna go and make me blush.

But, seriously.........I'm not so sure your detached retina wasn't a freak accident (albeit pretty darned serious from where you were standing, no doubt) with an H&H. Generally, from what I understand, it takes a bit more of a prolonged pounding from the really big recoilers to precipitate retinal detachment. And even then, it's nearly always in severely myopic folks. I guess if a guy fits the profile, he'd oughta be shooting a Whelen.

I have a .375 Wby in an A-bolt Stainless Stalker. It weighs just under 8 1/2 lbs. scoped. Don't get me wrong.....it's snappy. But only 1 out of 8 people who've shot it found it to be more than they wished they had. And I told that one guy he was gonna get it before he ever pulled the trigger. Horrible form. He wishes now he'd listened.

In 1977 I built my hunting partner in Alaska a 375 Weatherby on a Sako action with a nice piece of Walnut from Fagen. As far as I know he's still shooting that gun. Nice thing about it is you can shoot standard 375 H&H in it in a pinch.

Shooting one of the big Water buffalo like shooting a Grizzly is not a problem if you don't just happen to stumble on one at ranges where it can eyeball you. From my reading these critters can be nasty and I saw one that had been shot several times charge the hunters and actually run over the top of the PH whom emptied a 4 something double into it along with the hunter whom I belive was shooting a 416 Rigby bolt gun. The photographer got the whole thing and was lucky himself to not get run over. The PH ended up with nothing more than scrapes and bruises and they did kill the Buff. Sure made me respect the power of those big animals. I'll never get to Africa or down to Australia so won't get to shoot one, but I'm pretty happy plopping coyotes.

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Bob from Idaho

Hi .308 HUNTER,
The key is wath you intend to do with the gun, the 3 caliber you mention will kill properly all north american game and like many mention the easy one to find cartridge in small town in the bundocks is the .300. Price wise ammo for the .300 are the cheapest, .338 a little more and .375 double the price. I did owns the 3 and none with muzzle brake.. I reload and at the range I could shoot confortably few boxes of ammo from all 3 the difference is that if I do it with the .375 for the next 3 days I have a very stiff neck and and shoulder. I find the .300 more pleasent to shoot and on a good day I could put trough up to 80 round without disconfort. By the way for buffalo the .375 is the minimum caliber allowed by many african countries.
Regards Roberto

I think you will find that you have a detached vitreous- not a detached retina. I have the same condition in my right eye. My ophthalmologist recommends no impact to the head. I have discontinued shooting my .338, which I dearly love. The last time I shot my .338 I actually felt nauseated and dizzy. I have been shooting .338 for years and have great enjoyment from it.

I agree with some of the others. It depends on what you are planning to do. I have only ever killed a white tail with my 338 win mag, and it made a mess, the deer was only about 70 yards, and the front shoulder was nothing more than mush.

I have to laugh about all the dizziness after pulling the trigger on the 338. I have been shooting 225 grain factory loads out of my m77. I have never put on a recoil pad. it just has a butt plate. Now don't get me wrong, it will get your attention when you pull the trigger and as a friend of mine found out, don't get to close to the end of the scope.

The orginal question about the price of factory loads. Last week a box of 300 win mag 165 grain hornadys was 36 dollars, a box of 200 grain silver tips for a 338 for 51.99. I do not have a 375 so I did not look. It is getting expensive to shoot magnums.

300 win mag for an american rifle 458 lott for african game