338/06 or 338 Fed.

[shortgrass]

Nothing wrong with wanting something different..I have a 338-06 and I think its great..

As for your idea,rather than rebarreling,have it rebored ..A lot cheaper and in your application just as good.gun)

The rebore folks aren't into reboring factory, hammer forged barrels. The chances of success aren't with you. "Apparently he never heard of jet travel". If you can afford to travel to Africa or any other continent to hunt big game (or plains game) you can afford to aquire the appropriot rife for the planned hunt. Have you bothered to check the cost of a guided hunt in any of the Western U.S. states? I'd call your logic 'flawed'. A 225g .338 bullet should make for a lot of ground meat!

 

[waspocrew]

The .338/06 is best with 225 thru 250 grain bullets. Forget the light weight stuff as it's a waste of time. Loading manuals more often than not are a joke unless you find a pre-lawyer one. Still if your serious, look no further than a .338/06 improved. 125fps with the bullet weight is serious energy.
gary

The 338-06 AI would be a serious game getter with a 225 Accubond. I'm just trying to decide components for a build.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Why not just buy or build a 338win and get it over with? If you want to go with an '06 based cartridge I suggest the 35whelen.
Both are pretty much the standard bearers in their caliber and most of the bullets made in these calibers had these cartridges in mind when they were developed.

 

[waspocrew]

Why not just buy or build a 338win and get it over with? If you want to go with an '06 based cartridge I suggest the 35whelen.
Both are pretty much the standard bearers in their caliber and most of the bullets made in these calibers had these cartridges in mind when they were developed.

Nothing wrong at all with the 338 WM, I guess I just want to have something a little different that I can mess around with. That's the exact reason why I went had a 6.5 Sherman built recently. I don't mind forming brass.

I know the 338-06 AI won't totally match the ballistics of the 338 WM, but they seem close enough with the 210 and 225 grain pills that I would likely use.

PS - the 35 Whelen is definitely a cool round!

 

[.30US]

Waynzee,
Where in PA do you hunt? I've hunted NEPA some.

I really got hot on the idea of the .338-06 or .338-06 AI a few years ago, but it just didn't make enough sense to me. It's cool having something different, but it just seemed like it had nearly all the recoil without all the performance of my .338 Win Mag. The .338 WM was pleasant enough to shoot, and dies were cheaper, though it has gone in favor of just using my .375 H&H more often.

Now, the .338 Federal made a lot of sense to me. I mostly hunt in Texas, where the .338 Fed isn't "needed" for anything, but will do a great job for many things. What I recall was that out to about 400 yards, it had all of the energy of the 7mm Rem Mag; that's most hunters' (this forum's members excepted) needs met, with a lot less powder than the 7mm. I don't have a .338 Fed, but a buddy got one on my recommendation, and it's still his only bolt rifle. He carried it on a black bear hunt with me in NEPA a few years back. I don't have any need for the .338 Fed, but I will have one, eventually.

Lots of other great calibers that will do everything in PA, as well. I don't think you could go wrong with either the .338-06 or .338 Fed.

 

[WyoHunter]

My pre64 Win M70 started as a .30-06 but was rebored to .338 caliber hence it became a .338-06. My favorite bullet is a 210 Nosler Partition. It's been very effective on elk and moose.

 

[AZShooter]

I would vote for the 338/06.

Seeing the 338 win mag was mentioned, there is another candidate, the 338 RCM.

I have a 22" 338 RCM on a tang safety Ruger which weighs 7.5 lbs. It gets 2750 fps with the 225 Accubond using RL-17. The beauty of this cartridge is that it fits a short action and will pass unaltered feed rails on all rifles, something that the WSM cannot do. It has more power than the 338 Federal. It is at least the equal of the 338/06.



Some may say brass is an issue. It IS available:

Hornady Unprimed Brass - 338 Rcm (50): Bruno Shooters Supply

Hornady 338 Rcm Unprimed Brass /50 86831 | Brass | Reloading | www.www.baileysonline.com.com

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003IT86BK/?tag=lrhmag19-20

 

[Waynzee]

Thanks guys, so, I made a deal on a older Savage Mod.111 30/06 from my local gunsmith. He is going to get a 24 inch 338/06 Hart barrel, true the action and Timney trigger. Maybe a new stock but I like the way the Savage stock fits. Haven't decided on optics yet.

 

[gerpwaller]

Nothing wrong at all with the 338 WM, I guess I just want to have something a little different that I can mess around with. That's the exact reason why I went had a 6.5 Sherman built recently. I don't mind forming brass.

I know the 338-06 AI won't totally match the ballistics of the 338 WM, but they seem close enough with the 210 and 225 grain pills that I would likely use.

PS - the 35 Whelen is definitely a cool round!

If you've already dealt with Sherman rounds why not consider the 338 Sherman?

 

[RevJim]

338 Sherman looks like the winner in that Savage! I have owned many 338 caliber rifles and cartridges. My latest foray is going to be the Mod 77 338 RCM in the 20" version. Depending upon the load, it can run right alongside the 338/06AI. I used a 35 Whelan AI for 20ys, but want to "try something different myself", ha. But the 338/06, the AI or Sherman version run right with the 35 WAI, good company all! I got 3007fps/160TTSX from my last 338 Federal. Its a very popular bullet out here, even in the magnums. Let us know how it works out for you and "tip", forget the Timney (wonderful as they are), go with a Trigger Tech Primary, you will love it!

 

[waspocrew]

If you've already dealt with Sherman rounds why not consider the 338 Sherman?

Rich didn't have the reamer for the 338 Sherman back in 2016

I have since stepped up to a 338 RUM. Figured I might as well go really big.

 

[elkaholic]

338 Sherman looks like the winner in that Savage! I have owned many 338 caliber rifles and cartridges. My latest foray is going to be the Mod 77 338 RCM in the 20" version. Depending upon the load, it can run right alongside the 338/06AI. I used a 35 Whelan AI for 20ys, but want to "try something different myself", ha. But the 338/06, the AI or Sherman version run right with the 35 WAI, good company all! I got 3007fps/160TTSX from my last 338 Federal. Its a very popular bullet out here, even in the magnums. Let us know how it works out for you and "tip", forget the Timney (wonderful as they are), go with a Trigger Tech Primary, you will love it!

My 338 Sherman ran 200 AB at 3100' from a 24" barrel

 

[RevJim]

Dang Rich! That's s suhweet, 3100 fps. I got 2970/200x in the Whelen, but it had a 22" barrel. I just know it penetrated as far as the 250X and was much flatter shooting!

 

[elkaholic]

Dang Rich! That's s suhweet, 3100 fps. I got 2970/200x in the Whelen, but it had a 22" barrel. I just know it penetrated as far as the 250X and was much flatter shooting!

Its a hammer. 250 Berger st 2800+