338 Allen Magnum

[Mike Matteson]

Thank you Mike, it's funny you have a 308 norma. I say that because it's the first rifle I used growing up. I come from a poor family and I had to use my dad's rifle for several years before I was able to get one of my own. Well I have the rifle now and will never get rid of it. I've been thinking about reconditioning it and using it this year on a cow hunt in remembrance of my father. He built it from a rifle that my grandfather brought back from WWll. It's been many years since I've even shot it. I'm sure I'll have to do load work up on it do to more powders out now then we had back then.

Another trick on 308 NM. You can use a 300 WM neck sizing die instead of having to order out a 308NM neck sizing die. It doesn't size the complete neck. I found that was better for alining the case in the chamber. That where I stop the case separation base. I lost my cases after that do to primer pocket got to big in 10 to 12 firing. My loads are hot. flatten primers, no creatoring of primers. That's where I stop at for powder loads. Becareful on using IMR powder, Temp sensitive! That was one of the reasons I use H powders. The 300 WM can more velocity than the 308 NM. Generally 100fps.

 

[Bghunter338]

Mine, and my 2 boys have one on Mauser 98 actions. It was the forerunner of the 300WM. I had 7.65 Mauser starting out and moved into a 300 H&H Mag. at age 14 with reload equipment. That started me into reloading. Couldn't afford factory ammo at the time. It was so much cheaper the factory ammo.

Believe it or not my grandmother used a 300 h&h when she hunted. But that was before my time. Here's a picture of my mom next to grandma with a deer she shot with it.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Your mon is something to handle a 300 H&H, My farther didn't hunt deer. I did as early as I became legal to hunt deer. Thanks for sending the pictures. I find that very interesting. It's make me happy when people past it down to the next generation. My sons are doing the same. The boys I when to school with only 1 or 2 carried the hunting forward. Most didn't hand it down either. SAD!
Couple more thing on that 308NM. After resizing 300WM cases to 308NM. Anneal them at least onces. At the time I was shooting my 308NM I was loosing cases do to neck splits after fire-forming the case. The 300 WM case after being resized to 308NM cases will need to be trim to length. Anneal one time afterward would stop it.

 

[Bghunter338]

Your mon is something to handle a 300 H&H, My farther didn't hunt deer. I did as early as I became legal to hunt deer. Thanks for sending the pictures. I find that very interesting. It's make me happy when people past it down to the next generation. My sons are doing the same. The boys I when to school with only 1 or 2 carried the hunting forward. Most didn't hand it down either. SAD!
Couple more thing on that 308NM. After resizing 300WM cases to 308NM. Anneal them at least onces. At the time I was shooting my 308NM I was loosing cases do to neck splits after fire-forming the case. The 300 WM case after being resized to 308NM cases will need to be trim to length. Anneal one time afterward would stop it.

My mom is the little girl in that picture, standing by my grandma. Grandpa wasn't very lucky as a hunter. He told me once they just take him for an extra tag lol . My dad was either out driving truck or gone in the military somewhere so I grew up hunting with my best friend and his dad. Later as I grew up and dad became retired is when we got to hunt together.

Thank you for the advice on the brass it's much appreciated.

 

[Bghunter338]

Well I ended up settling on 140grs of H50bmg with the 275gr SBD2s. Here it is at 920 yards.

 

[steviebby]

Awesome thread and great cartridge!, you know your in the right crowd when you start talking about wether your rifle is man portable or not

 

[JAYgs8163]

You must have been waiting for your new Garmin Xero to come in so you could tease us all again? Cheese n Rice.

 

[Bravo 4]

Well I ended up settling on 140grs of H50bmg with the 275gr SBD2s. Here it is at 920 yards.

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It's funny how we use the word "settle" when it comes to that kind of performance!
I have some of those 275's sitting on a shelf in my shop. Might have to see what they'll do in my hunting weight 33XC.

 

[Will.284]

That's a sexy rig, looking forward to seeing results

 

[COBrad]

My 300 Norma Improved shoots 245 EOL's at 3057 fps accurately, but your 338 AM is on a whole different level! It would be the logical next step up if the Norma proves not to be an adequate long range elk rifle

 

[esshup]

When I was out visiting Kirby and trying to decide on what caliber to get I shot the 7mm AM, 338 AM and 375 AM. The 375 AM had 10,000 FPE at the muzzle is what Kirby said. He builds amazingly accurate rifles, and the wait is worth it. I settled on the 7mm AM and the longest kill to date is a coyote from a clean cold barrel at 867 Yds. I have shot rocks with it out to 1,400 yds. My rifle is one of the ones pictured on his custom build picture page.

 

[kaseyfied]

Love it!!!

 

[Jared Ray]

Ok I see other threads on calibers that guys are building and I love that they do. I have learned more by ready posts on here in the last two years than I have shooting all my life. Yes I'm not perfect or claim to be. I'm still learning and finding out about new stuff all the time. I know there's a bunch of 338 guys on here and come to be really good friends with some off you all. Well I started out 16 years old with my dad's 308 norma mag. Shortly after that I had enough pig money to buy my first rifle a 30-06. As I got in to loading about the same time I ended up getting a 338 win mag around 19. That became my favorite rifle and we have taken many game together from mule deer to antelope. Years go by and I venture in the 270 and 7mm realm where I'm still at. Some of you ive had a lot of conversations with about them. Well two years ago I decided to venture back in the 338 realm and ordered a 338am. I know there's not alot of information on them so I decided to start this thread on it and my finds with it. So follow along and I'll post my progress as it happens. Thanks for reading along with me and sorry it turned out a little winded.

Shawn. Carlock built me a 338 Allen Mag about 17 years ago right after Kirby developed it. It was long before Shawn had his own actions so it was built on a BAT action with a Broughten 5C barrel and one of Shawn's awesome brakes. Shot like a dream and we took it out to over 2k which was insane way back then. I ended up selling it as someone offer some more than it cost me to build and had to have it right then so I let it go thinking I would just build another, but my edge perform exceptionally well and will shoot farther than I would take an animal so no real reason to bump it up other than for fun. If I were to do anything, I would get with Shawn and build out one of his +P variants these days. Shawn and Kirby have done more to help pioneer long range shooting than any one I am aware and both of them produce fantastic rifles. Enjoy your 338AM. It should treat you very well.

 

[Bghunter338]

Shawn. Carlock built me a 338 Allen Mag about 17 years ago right after Kirby developed it. It was long before Shawn had his own actions so it was built on a BAT action with a Broughten 5C barrel and one of Shawn's awesome brakes. Shot like a dream and we took it out to over 2k which was insane way back then. I ended up selling it as someone offer some more than it cost me to build and had to have it right then so I let it go thinking I would just build another, but my edge perform exceptionally well and will shoot farther than I would take an animal so no real reason to bump it up other than for fun. If I were to do anything, I would get with Shawn and build out one of his +P variants these days. Shawn and Kirby have done more to help pioneer long range shooting than any one I am aware and both of them produce fantastic rifles. Enjoy your 338AM. It should treat you very well.

Thank you, I am having an edge put together this year as well. Just waiting on the barrel. After seen how these 275s are working I'm planning on using there 250gr for it. What weight of bullet do you like in your edge?