I believe the choices made by these hunters, the pair of .338's is a good one. The bloke with the WTBY needs to be careful on his choice of bullets, of course, but any Nosler or better will suffice just fine.
: The .338 is plenty for big bears. There are many hunters out there who cannot handle the recoil of a little 7mm mag, let alone a real big game rifle. The .340 WTBY kicks enough more and 'looks' enough bigger than the .338WM that many guys with them cannot shoot them accurately. This is merely an observation of my own, from watching such people at the range. Many guys think the little .338 WM kicks, and with some stock designs, it does. With a good stock, it seems to kick about the same as a lightweight .30/06 factory rifle.
: The fact that many guides choose .375's and .458's reflects needs which are driven from a different perspective. The guide only shoots animals that have been hit poorly and thus requires a rifle with more clout than the hunting rifle possesses.
: I do not trust any oil finish. They let water in, period. The only two finishes that come close to paint, is Spar Varnish or one of the epoxy finishes, properly applied. Nice thing about paint is that it can be removed afterwards if desired.
: The Savage Weather Warrior in .338 is a great hunting rifle for tough weather and game - perhaps the best all-round & probably the most accurate rifle you can buy for less than $1,000 and they're only 1/2 that + a bit. A few years back, it came out in .375H&H - slightly better, power wise than the .338 but probaby not noticable by the game. My buddies .375H&H Savage WW puts 3, 270gr. Horandy's at an easy shooting 2,550fps, into 3/8" groups EVERY time. At that velocity, they slay moose and drop bears dead, giving excellent penetration. He is the best game shot I've ever seen. There is no need for more velocity in descent sized bores.