338-06 A square vs 338-06 AI

[Treetopnonstop]

Howdy all, I have a rem 700 long action and a 1-10" twist 338 blank I'm planning on getting put together before this fall. Jus curious what some of your thoughts/ideas regarding which to go with… resizing A square from 30-06 brass just seems easier. Any benefits of the AI that would come into play on a hunting rifle that would realistically see under 40 shots a year?

Any feedback would be appreciated, thanks

 

[Baker Alvin]

Tagging in

 

[FEENIX]

Howdy all, I have a rem 700 long action and a 1-10" twist 338 blank I'm planning on getting put together before this fall. Jus curious what some of your thoughts/ideas regarding which to go with… resizing A square from 30-06 brass just seems easier. Any benefits of the AI that would come into play on a hunting rifle that would realistically see under 40 shots a year?

Any feedback would be appreciated, thanks

This boils down to personal preference/intended purpose and what you are willing and able to do regarding time, effort, and money.

 

[Deputy819]

Yep….what @FEENIX said! There might be a couple grains worth of powder increase with the AI version and slightly better brass life…..but at your stated number of shots per year I doubt you'll really notice either of those benefits. Having said that there's always the "cool factor" of having an AI cartridge, though.
I had a standard .338-06 several years ago (Savage, of course ) and loved it, but ended up selling it on this forum. Oops….
Good luck with your decision and have fun either way.

 

[VLD Pilot]

I think the "slightly better" brass life statement is 100% true in fact there is IMO based on 6 Ackley cartridges I use, MUCH better brass life. It's mostly why I still build Ackley cartridge rifles.

 

[txaggie1]

I bought a used a-squared in mark v lwt just sighted it in for her last weekend shoots very well, pleased with the decision. Have not hunted with it just yet, the goal was to give her a LW hunting rifle for plains game type animals without too much recoil. Seems all my research showed the people that owned one still love it or regret selling it so i found one and purchased it with enough ammo and components for our lifetime. Just happened to be the deal i found so worked out for me.

 

[Swinehunt74]

I think the "slightly better" brass life statement is 100% true in fact there is IMO based on 6 Ackley cartridges I use, MUCH better brass life. It's mostly why I still build Ackley cartridge rifles.

I call BS Mike. You are always looking for bragging rights/cool factor. If I remember correctly, u hate reloading.....

 

[Flatbow]

Tagging in

 

[Shane Lindsey]

I did a 338 Sherman...for all the hassle and the ACTUAL ranges this or any variant of this cartridge will be used for. To do it all over I would just go with the standard 338-06. If you are willing to wait for it, you can get 338-06 brass too.

 

[baldhunter]

My rifle is a Remington Long Range 30-06 26" barrel JES rebored to 338-06 A-Square.I cannot say how it compares to the AI version,but one can do a lot with barrel length,different powders and bullets.How much will you gain with the AI version really depends on what you load in it.I know making brass for the A-Square is an easy one pass through the die and that's worth a lot to me.
I use the WLRM Primer and resized Winchester 30-06 once fired cases necked up on all of them.Here is my load data.
180gr Accubond 58.0grs Varget 3010fps
180gr Accubond 60.0grs Big Game 2940fps
200gr Accubond 60.0grs 760 This load grouped good just never got a velocity on it
200gr Accubond 62.0grs H4350 2740fps
200gr Accubond 63.0grs Hunter 2730fps
200gr Accubond 59.5grs BLC-2 2830fps
200gr Accubond 56.0grs Varget 2849fps
210gr Partition 54.0grs Varget 2721fps
200gr Accubond 59.0grs CFE223 2807fps
200gr Accubond 59.0grs Big Game 2812fps
200gr Accubond 61.0grs Accurate 4350 2661fps
210gr Partition 59.0grs Accurate 4350 2777fps

 

[2Old2Care]

I have both the standard and AI. I get 2800 fps with the 180gr Accubond in the standard and the same 2800 fps with the 200gr AB in the AI. No big deal fireforming the AI cases out of some R-P brass I had on hand, just load and shoot; yet to lose a case. However, because of the McMillan Hunter's Edge stock and overall rifle set-up of the standard, I've used it more and taken my best whitetail in MO and a nice 6x6 elk in NM, both one and done. Love the 338-06, even if I am an old Jack O'Connor fan.

 

[2Old2Care]

My rifle is a Remington Long Range 30-06 26" barrel JES rebored to 338-06 A-Square.I cannot say how it compares to the AI version,but one can do a lot with barrel length,different powders and bullets.How much will you gain with the AI version really depends on what you load in it.I know making brass for the A-Square is an easy one pass through the die and that's worth a lot to me.
I use the WLRM Primer and resized Winchester 30-06 once fired cases necked up on all of them.Here is my load data.
180gr Accubond 58.0grs Varget 3010fps
180gr Accubond 60.0grs Big Game 2940fps
200gr Accubond 60.0grs 760 This load grouped good just never got a velocity on it
200gr Accubond 62.0grs H4350 2740fps
200gr Accubond 63.0grs Hunter 2730fps
200gr Accubond 59.5grs BLC-2 2830fps
200gr Accubond 56.0grs Varget 2849fps
210gr Partition 54.0grs Varget 2721fps
200gr Accubond 59.0grs CFE223 2807fps
200gr Accubond 59.0grs Big Game 2812fps
200gr Accubond 61.0grs Accurate 4350 2661fps
210gr Partition 59.0grs Accurate 4350 2777fps

Great info! JES did both of mine as well, about 10 years ago.

 

[VLD Pilot]

I call BS Mike. You are always looking for bragging rights/cool factor. If I remember correctly, u hate reloading.....

I'm not Mike. I love reloading

 

[Randy Tidwell]

One of my absolute favorite rifles is a Ruger No1 chambered in 338 Gibbs! It virtually identical to the 338 Scovill, so that is the loading data I reference. Barnes loading manual lists the Scovill.

The Gibbs moves the shoulder forward about .100" and blows it out to sharper shoulder. Because I'm loading for a No1, forming cases is a little tricky. The false shoulder has to be almost perfect because the No1 doesn't have the cam action like a bolt to seat the case.

With a No1, you can get by with a bit longer barrel without making it cumbersome, I went with a 27" Octagon barrel.

Shooting 225 Barnes TSX pills, I get just shy of 338 Mag performance, without the recoil. It is a sweetheart to shoot.

I form it from 35 Whelen cases, tried 30/06 without allot of success. Too many split necks.

If you are building a custom rig on the 338/06 platform, strongly suggest looking at this round, you would not be disappointed.

Photos attached.