340 vs 338-378 please help!!

[Ldsh_Tanker]

Not a valid %s URLI currently am waiting for my older japan 340 to show up. Got a good deal on it and couldn't say no 875 cdn shipped.  Now i find a range certified 338-378 accumark brand new 1700 cdn. Now my question, is there that much of an improvement over the 340? Or is it just a small change with ammo and brass being 5x the price?
I need some serious help on this bc im torn on what to do!
Sorry itll be a play gun and a hunting gun.

[mikemileski]

If you look at the ballistics chart you will see that you gain about 150-200 fps on both the 225 grain and 250 grain bullets in the 338-378 compared to the 340. A moose will never know the difference.

Mike Mileski
Tucson, AZ

[BB340]

Yes I tend to agree with mikemileski. I don't think the small increase in speed and ftlb of energy would make much of a difference to a critter when using 225-250 grain projectiles.
However if you stepped up to the heavier 300gr ones it may make a difference.
Also if this a play gun as you say then you would burn the barrel out of the 338-378 much quicker than you would a .340.
In saying all this I will admit that I have never used a 338-378, I have however used my .340 on a fair bit of game and I believe it is a great balance between power, tranjectory and recoil. Simply put I really do love the .340 Wby lol.
I know Chris338378 will have a different view though haha. 

[rockville]

Even with my .338 Win I don’t think a moose would know the difference

[GrandeJuan]

Agree with BB340. I get 3050fps with 250gr Nosler Partitions in mine. It did flip a Canadian moose over backwards and impaled his antlers in the muskeg, made a much easier task of field dressing. What other cartridge does that for you.😁 GJ

[Blackbear3]

Even with my .338 Win I don’t think a moose would know the difference

The difference is in the muzzle blast Chris, when you pull the trigger on a 340 you hear a distinctive "WEATHERBY"!!! While the muzzle blast from the 338 says "What the hell", LOL!!!

[GrandeJuan]

+1,2,3, Black bear 3. GJ

[rockville]

Even with my .338 Win I don’t think a moose would know the difference

The difference is in the muzzle blast Chris, when you pull the trigger on a 340 you hear a distinctive "WEATHERBY"!!! While the muzzle blast from the 338 says "What the hell", LOL!!!

Yeah that is very true. My neighbors always know when I shoot a Weatherby in my yard. I have heard tales of people spilling a drink or two on them over the years.

[tdbru]

Ldsh_Tanker,
i am a new owner of a used Japan 340 Weatherby too.  welcome.  i am still getting use to it, dialing in loads, etc.  wish it was going quicker but too much work, not enough play.  anyway, i am finding that my 340 Wby is about as much gun as i have learned to shoot well yet, as far as recoil level.  it's got a 26" tube and is not braked.  i believe all 338-378s were braked  but could be wrong.  i dislike brakes tremendously as i've suffered enough hearing loss due to my ignorance as a youth.  even with plugs and muffs, you cannot get the muzzle blast dB level down enough to prevent hearing damage every time you pull the trigger.   So i won't use a muzzle brake.  now whether or not the 338-378 is "shootable" without the brake i don't think i've seen much on the forum in that regards.  my 340 is near my upper end for being able to shoot with any kind of precision, for the given recoil.  of course i'm sure there are those that could shoot a 338-378 with precision and without the brake.  as BB340 said, though, you'll likely have enough gun with the 340 for moose.  i'm thinking out to 400m if you can shoot with precision that far.  not sure if you're neck of the woods would accommodate shots that far.  i suspect the 338-378 might add 100m to that.  those ranges being estimates with assumed bullet impact velocity.  you need to hit with enough speed to ensure good bullet expansion.  if you're likely to see 500m shots available for moose in your part of the woods, than the 338-378 will have good bullet velocity at that range, given that you can shoot it well enough to make use of that power and range.  if the ranges will be closer, then the 340 will likely suffice just fine, will have less barrel wear (mostly less throat erosion) per shot, and will be easier on your hearing.  both are likely great.  i am getting quite impressed with my 340.  i've not shot a 338-378 however, so can't give you an apples to apples comparison.  i'm sure you'll like either one, just don't underestimate hearing loss.  you will have regrets.  i do.
-tdbru

[HuskyMusky]

IMO, the 340 Wby is One of, if not their best cartridge in the lineup!

340 > .338-378 IMO.

If you need more speed from a 340, shoot 180-200gr bullets,

hard to beat a 225-250 @ 3000-3100 fps IMO.