.338 for long range

[sable tireur]

Here is an example of the .338 Norma Mag using one of my loads:

https://robrobinette.com/Gun_Recoil_Calculator.html



I've built and shot nearly every .338 cartridge except the .338 Federal which I simply don't need.

The 18" barrel can be made to work with a substantial loss of velocity.

Keeping the rifle light is a mistake in my opinion since you're creating a bunch of recoil. Mine is 9.5lbs as shown above and I certainly do NOT want it any lighter.

The load illustrated above uses the 225 Barnes TTSX so it has 1200 ft/lbs of energy approximately at 800 yards.

Unfortunately, there are no magic sidesteps in our world which is dominated by Physics. Brakes are brakes and even new technology does not help with recoil reduction.

Enjoy the process!

 

[robinsg61le]

Here is an example of the .338 Norma Mag using one of my loads:

View attachment 426865
View attachment 426866

https://robrobinette.com/Gun_Recoil_Calculator.html



I've built and shot nearly every .338 cartridge except the .338 Federal which I simply don't need.

The 18" barrel can be made to work with a substantial loss of velocity.

Keeping the rifle light is a mistake in my opinion since you're creating a bunch of recoil. Mine is 9.5lbs as shown above and I certainly do NOT want it any lighter.

The load illustrated above uses the 225 Barnes TTSX so it has 1200 ft/lbs of energy approximately at 800 yards.

Unfortunately, there are no magic sidesteps in our world which is dominated by Physics. Brakes are brakes and even new technology does not help with recoil reduction.

Enjoy the process!

Thank you. Very helpful response.

 

[budlight]

What is the barrel length on your 30-378? Also how is the accuracy?

I bought it from a guy at a shooting 1000 yard meet because he done with it. It had a 28 inch and later I went to 30 inch. Just the barrels were 8 pounds. The class of shooting was 20 pounds max. I have several of these 18 pound rifles with scopes. They are more accurate than me I take them humping the mountains. The only time I really notice a problem is ducking under a tree branch and I forget that on a sling the 30 inch barrel is way above your head and I get snagged up.

My reasoning is that when you see that trophy way out there you know that you are ready. Just take your time and get across a rock or a tree.


This a 29 inch 8.5 pound barrel deer machine.

 

[BEEMAN]

No experience with a 338 for me yet. But I am in the process of collecting parts for a 338 Sherman Mega. I will be going with a 23" barrel. We can't run suppressors in Canada. I think the Mega with a 225-250 gr bulldozer 2 bullet might get you what you want. Guys are getting decent velocity with 21" barrels. With the added BC of the bulldozer compared to the Barnes example above it might meet your expectations. Would have to plug some numbers to see. Thought I read somewhere that the Mega only loses about 17 FPS per inch.

 

[Earnhardt]

Put a Salmon River Solutions Heavy brake on your heavy recoiling guns...

They are a great brake!

 

[Joefrazell]

Some guys are going 20" on the prc with good results.

 

[DTF370]

The 338 (250 gr and up generally) is a phenomenal bullet for long range and ELR. Once upon a time, my hope was to build a short barrel magnum that was pretty light. The problem is with time my I realized my hopes were contradictory. I totally feel where you are coming from.

Your hopes of building a short 338 that can shoot 1/2 minute? Totally doable. Can you make a mild recoiling version? Of course this is much more dependent on which cartridge. Let's say for instance you are looking at the 338 lapua. I'm not sure you can reduce to 270-like recoil but you might get close.

The contradictory portion of your hopes (again, I was in the same boat) is your performance expectations. Large magnums (or any magnum honestly) will need the extra barrel length to get to "magnum" velocity. Specifically, an 18" 338 lapua will drop under 1800 fps around 600 yards. 1800 fps is generally the minimum impact velocity for proper bullet expansion, which to me is very important to hunting. With this, I think ballistically you wouldn't be gaining much if anything over your PRC. I regularly hunt whitetail with a 338 Lapua AI and although it is an absolutely oversized cartridge for this game, you can not only rely on the sheer size to give you "bang-flop" results.

A general rule with long range shooting (even more so with long range hunting) is longer barrels mean longer distances and short barrels mean shorter distances.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

I had a prefit for the 338 Sherman. That is based off a 270 case. That barrel was 22" and rifle about ten pounds. It was pretty stout without the brake. Not unmanageable, but not fun to shoot with 250s, 175s either for that matter. Anything bigger is going to be worse. I would not do another one of those, but for ease, just do a 338-06. A 338 anything with less case capacity isn't going to be long range any better than somethign smaller in my opinion. Big holes though...

Just like getting in a fight...you gonna get punched in da grill...

 

[yorke-1]

Those performance numbers are easy to hit. I shoot a 338/375 Ruger, very similar to a 33 Nosler, in an 18" barreled specialty pistol. I've been shooting a 250gr SMK at about 2650 fps for years. That load would be right at 1500 fpe at 800 yards. Recoil is very manageable, imo. I have another load shooting a 200gr Apex Afterburner at 3015 fps that wold have very similar numbers at 800 yards, but offer reduced recoil. Any of the other lightweight, high bc bullets from Cutting Edge or Badlands would accomplish the same performance at 800 yards with manageable recoil.