[MTMilitiaman]

Assuming you already have the action and stock, a new rifle barrel can cost significantly more than $400, esp if it is to be chambered for a wildcat cartridge and professionally installed. Many gunsmiths make you pay for the custom chamber reamer. And that isn't including the cost of custom resizing dies.

If Ruger does introduce a family of standard length magnums based on the .375 Ruger case, but Hornady opts to load it with powders handloaders can't get their hands on, that would be fine by me. At least you have a factory production rifle and a good source of brass. And based just on case capacity, handloaders should be able to get more performance than the .338 Winchester from existing powders.

As for what I hunt that requires such a big round, nothing, really. My brother wants a hybrid hunting/long range target rifle, like a heavy sporter. He wants to drive a 210 gr VLD @ ~3000 fps for target shooting. I am more of a fan of the .338 caliber, but the long action magnums like the Weatherby and RUM strike me as excessive. Neither is efficient enough to make very good use of a 24 inch tube. My dad put a 30 inch Lilja on his .338 RUM. I mostly just want the option because it would be the first fresh concept on the market in years.