Con is absolutely correct!!

"Pockets of popularity are also dependant on what game is hunted."

In the states there is deer hunting in the south you can get by with a 243. In the Northeast folks feel they must have the blast of a 338 Mag for elk/moose/bear et al. The truth is most would be better off shooting out to 250 yds with a heavier pill with 338.06/9.3x57 or a 35 Whelen by far than a 210 gr 338 at 3000 fps.Problem is most folks don't shoot 338 mags well due to the recoil/blast.

So what happens?? A better cartridge for most hunters gets ignored for the flashy "mighty" magnum.

I love my 338's but I won't say this caliber is required to hunt elk/bear/moose et al!! A 250-280 gr bullet at moderate velocities can get the job done just as well!!