Hey Steve:
My understanding is the marlin 338 is a fairly new cartridge and not many around yet. I'd check into the availibility of ammo before I purchased it. Also a pretty heavy gun for whitetails around here where most shots are 100 yards or less. More suited to Moose, elk, bear where you need more knockdown power, or for 300 yard shots at deer. I don't take that long of shots though. I like my .308 for deer.
I'd ask to shoot it for sure before I made a decision. But if it shoots a good group, you can get ammo for it, and the price is right it might be worth considering. Especially if you might get into moose etc.
Info i've seen on it says 200-250 grain bullets and about 20 -25 ftlbs of recoil, slightly higher than a 30-06 but not as bad as 300 win mag. Balistics are slighlty lower energy than 30-06 and not as flat shooting. If your partial to a lever it might be your gun, but if you don't care probably better with a 30-06.
Trajectory (inches)
Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
-1.50 3.00 1.20 -7.90 -25.90 54.30
Here is a link to the Marilin site.
http://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/ ... efault.asp_________________
Bruce Ogilvie
"Fish Hard, Hunt Hard, Live Hard"
http://www.muskiescanada.ca/
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