Short- er 338 edge

Woody26 · Nov 22, 2024

I'm typing this while holding a screaming 2 yr old so bare with me.

I was wondering how short you guys have ran a 338 edge barrel. I have one already that has a 30 inch tube on it but it is heavy and doesn't get packed very far. I'm thinking of putting together one that is carbon fiber around 26 inches. Could I possibly go shorter than that? I'd be interested in some real world experience if you have done it. I would be shooting the berger 300 OTMs.
Also should I go 9 or 10 twist.

I've done quite a bit of reading on it but the articles were several years old.

Thanks
Woody26

huntinfool18 · Nov 22, 2024

I've done several 338 rums with 26" barrels. I run 250s at 2950 no problem. I would think 300s would be in the 2800-2850 range. The rum is only about 50fps behind the edge.

fseaman · Nov 23, 2024

I too am a 338 Edge shooter. 28"

I would not go shorter than 26"

Doc88 · Nov 23, 2024

Thread 'My mission to find the best short barreled big 338!!!' https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/my-mission-to-find-the-best-short-barreled-big-338.330760/

FEENIX · Nov 23, 2024

Woody26 said:
I'm typing this while holding a screaming 2 yr old so bare with me.

I was wondering how short you guys have ran a 338 edge barrel. I have one already that has a 30 inch tube on it but it is heavy and doesn't get packed very far. I'm thinking of putting together one that is carbon fiber around 26 inches. Could I possibly go shorter than that? I'd be interested in some real world experience if you have done it. I would be shooting the berger 300 OTMs.
Also should I go 9 or 10 twist.

I've done quite a bit of reading on it but the articles were several years old.

Thanks
Woody26

If I understand you correctly, you want a shorter barrel version of your 30" .338 Edge. Whatever velocity you get from your 30", subtract ~25+/- FPS to attain your desired velocity goal with the shorter barrel and go with that. As with anything else, YMMV. The 300 OTM recommended twist is 1:10" or faster, and between your two choices, I would go with 1:9".

I have a .338 Thor (NMI) with a 24" 1:8" barrel CarbonSix and a .860" at the muzzle for suppressed shooting and hunting. I will be shooting Berger 250s/300s and Chichaga 350 STs. Good luck!

sable tireur · Nov 23, 2024

Woody26 said:
I'm typing this while holding a screaming 2 yr old so bare with me.

Show him/her pictures of rifles and ammunition. They'll calm down instantly. I'm here to testify!

sable tireur · Nov 23, 2024

Woody26 said:
Could I possibly go shorter than that? I'd be interested in some real world experience if you have done it. I would be shooting the berger 300 OTMs.

The above link is a good compendium on short barrel .338 (large cartridge) rifles complete with photographs.

I was sort of dragged into a project such as this by a client who wanted to hunt with a 20" .338 Edge and his suppressor (9"). I convinced him to use the .338 Norma Mag. Improved using the same suppressor.

Yes, you lose velocity but the performance was still high enough to satisfy him for those 700-800 yard potential shots.

I'm not a fan of the 300 grain any bullet in .338 but we loaded a few for him to test. We wound up using the 250 gr. Berger Hybrid OTM and the Norma GTX bullets. Both harvested his elk, total of four.

Read the above link and ask any questions you might have for the members.

Earnhardt · Nov 23, 2024

27" 338 Edge barrel here (steel barrel with flutes)…

Shoots great with H1000 and N570. I'm using 250's and 300's

Feels very balanced with a 4 lb, McM A5 stock.

Shane Lindsey · Nov 23, 2024

FWIW, not the Edge or Rum, but a 338 Lapua. Similar case capacity.

22" tube

213gr Hammer Hunter 3098 FPS
270gr ELDX 2687 FPS
250gr Berger EH 2701 FPS

blueprairiedog · Nov 23, 2024

huntinfool18 said:
I've done several 338 rums with 26" barrels. I run 250s at 2950 no problem. I would think 300s would be in the 2800-2850 range. The rum is only about 50fps behind the edge.

Do you have a good starting load for 338 rum

koja · Nov 23, 2024

Just for comparision, 7Fingers here and Shooters Forum/accurateshooters.com. 33 Nosler 16" Handgun
Used a case full of RL26 with 255 Badlands.
2710 fps,SD of 6, 4 moa flatter at 3000 yds than his 338 LM rifle with 300gr Bergers.
He won several ELR matches against the rifles.

TheFishBox · Nov 23, 2024

There are guys that shoot them in pistols so pick a barrel length take 25 fps per inch off your load and decide what barrel length/ velocity you can live with. Real short does get loud though.

Willys · Nov 23, 2024

I copied Broz's solution for a packable 338 pushing 300 gr Bergers at 3000 fps and it works very well. 338 Terminator (Defensive Edge Lapua Improved) with 27" barrel. 1.2" SRS Ti 5 port Brake . We both used Hart steel Sendero fluted barrels. Shoots 1/2 moa at 1000 and handles much better than 30".

From scratch I would go 26" Carbon Barrel, Vesper Action, Manners Pro Hunter Stock, same brake, top with Atacr 5-25.

Woody26 · Nov 23, 2024

Doc88 said:
Thread 'My mission to find the best short barreled big 338!!!' https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/my-mission-to-find-the-best-short-barreled-big-338.330760/

That is some great information, not sure how I missed that one.

Short- er 338 edge

Woody26

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huntinfool18

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fseaman

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Doc88

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FEENIX

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sable tireur

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sable tireur

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Earnhardt

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Shane Lindsey

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blueprairiedog

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koja

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TheFishBox

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Willys

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Woody26

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