short barreled 338

[Jamie6.5]

On a 18-20" platform I think I'd shorten/fatten up the cartridge. Something like the .338-284KCG or a .338-300WSM.
What you lose in MV you'll probably gain back in recoil and hearing loss.

 

[liltank]

I have a Sako L691 in .338 win mag that has a 24.5" barrel.
I have been looking at reaming it out to .338RUM as I don't want to mess with the bolt face like I would have to with a .338 Norma mag.

The 338 WM and the RUM use two different bolt faces. The RUM is larger than the 338 WM.

Tank

 

[novaman64]

Arent they both .534 bolt faces?

 

[liltank]

Diameters as follows:

338 Winchester Mag: .513"
338-378 Weatherby Mag: .582"
338 Remington Ultra Mag: .584"

You could probably get away with the Weatherby for a RUM, but if you already have the Weatherby you would be going backwards ballistically. I thought I was right about them not matching, but had to look to make sure.

Tank

 

[novaman64]

Diameters as follows:

338 Winchester Mag: .513"
338-378 Weatherby Mag: .582"
338 Remington Ultra Mag: .584"

You could probably get away with the Weatherby for a RUM, but if you already have the Weatherby you would be going backwards ballistically. I thought I was right about them not matching, but had to look to make sure.

Tank

584 is a lapua botl face size, not RUM I thought....

Long actions with a bolt face .Dia of .540 +/-
264 Win Mag, 270 weatherby Mag, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm Weatherby Mag, 7 STW,
7mm Rem Ultra Mag, 300 H & H, 300 Win Mag, 300 Weatherby Mag, 300 RUM, 303 Brit,
8mm Rem Mag, 338 Win Mag, 340 Weatherby Mag, 338 RUM, 375 H & H, 375 Weatherby,
375 RUM, 416 Rem Mag, 458 Win Mag, and the 458 Lott.


Above info taken from... http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f37/bolt-face-diameters-36661/

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

Liltank, The ultramag works just fine on a 338 win mag action. Done a bunch of those. It is a standard magnum bolt face.

 

[liltank]

584 is a lapua botl face size, not RUM I thought....

Long actions with a bolt face .Dia of .540 +/-
264 Win Mag, 270 weatherby Mag, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm Weatherby Mag, 7 STW,
7mm Rem Ultra Mag, 300 H & H, 300 Win Mag, 300 Weatherby Mag, 300 RUM, 303 Brit,
8mm Rem Mag, 338 Win Mag, 340 Weatherby Mag, 338 RUM, 375 H & H, 375 Weatherby,
375 RUM, 416 Rem Mag, 458 Win Mag, and the 458 Lott.


Above info taken from... http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f37/bolt-face-diameters-36661/

I stand corrected and my apologies. I used Wikipedia because it is a quick reference. When you questioned my info, I looked at my reloading manual this time. You are correct in that at 338 Win Mag bolt face should work for the 338 RUM. There is again about a .002" discrepancy between companies. I'll have to double check with my manual next time.

Tank

 

[ZebDeming]

I've got a .338 edge with a short barrel, It's a savage long action with a 17.75" long barrel and a harrels muzzle brake. Didn't want it to be that short, long story, but that's what I could fit in my lathe and still chamber the barrel. IIRC 250 SMK's were going out the end at 2840 FPS. I still haven't shot any heavier bullets from it as of yet. Muzzle blast is tremendous, and I've been thinking of switching to a different brake design, probably the muscle brake, but it might just be splitting hairs. I haven't shot it in a while as I stole the scope for something else and have been undecided on a scope for this one

Zeb

 

[kellyzier]

I'll have to look into the 338 Norma some more and see what the costs are for components.

It just seems to me that if folks are now using heavy pistols in the 338 cals, why not an handy short/carbine style rifle? An 18"-20" tube would be nice to carry and should provide slightly more or equal velocity as the pistol versions.


Ruger makes an 338 rcm with an 20" tube but I'm not inclined toward Ruger rifle products.

Just one more opinion on the heavy rifles.....I have a 12.5 pound edge and a 14.75 edge. Because of the extra weight, I can spot most of my own longer shots with the 14 pounder. It's more difficult with my lighter edge. Becasue of this reason, the lighter edge stays home collecting dust most of the time.

I would encourage you to back up a bit and define your distance expectation. I hunt with my heavy edge from 900 to 1300 yards, thats why I will pack the extra weight. I want the big gun when Im shooting this far.

If you are inside of 800 yards, you can get away with a much lighter rifle. I have a mulie hunt this year in Wy in the high country. The country is very rugged and I won't bring my 338 tank (sorry shawn).

Instead, Im having Shawn Carlock build me his Grand Slam. This is basically a 7mm short mag in a rifle just under 8 pounds. Shawn ran the numbers on this gun recently and I was surprised to see it was close to that of my edge to 1,000 yards...(not counting energy of course)...

Loaded with the berger 180 gr VLD, this bullet bucks the wind as good as my edge out to 1,000 yards. However, I don't really wish to shoot it much beyond 800 yards because of the smaller bullet.

Hope that helps,
kz

 

[david.bergen]

Barret makes a 20 inch barreld rifle in 338 Lapua Magnum.
So it should be doable to get good ballistics out off it.

 

[mike33]

I went thru the same thing on my new edge build. I wanted say around 26" so it would be like a factory sporter. Wrong way, then your defeating the pratical purpose of the edge. I took my smiths advise went with a 28" little heavier contour than i thought but compete gun is going to come in at 10.5 lbs less scope. This isnt that bad but i didnt want to compromise the perks of why i built an edge. Another route for weight and if you wanted to spend the money try Melvin Forbes at Ultralite Arms. He specializes in light weights. I have a 25x284 i bought used gun, sling, harris bipod, lupy 4.5x14 40 lens 30mm tube all comes in at 7.5 lbs. He builds is own actions which are slimmed down and his own stock. I couldnt believe a douglass barrel wiould shoot but mine does and thats all he uses.
MIke

 

[J E Custom]

There have been a lot of good suggestions and another suggestion would be the 325 WSM.

It is almost the same as a 338 Win balistics and will fit in a short action .

The short action and a 20 to 22'' Barrel will make for a compact rifle Plus the ammo
is available and dies and brass are inexpensive.

Just a though

J E CUSTOM

 

[338 bruce]

I bought a ruger scout 338 federal 16.5" barrel and my best load to date is a 200 grn speer at 2500 fps. I tryed as big as a 250 game king with top velocity of 2050 fps. Its very quiet as rifles go and is elk capable to about 650 yds. It has very lite recoil (no brake) and still hits like a 338 .

 

[novaman64]

If your going to go with a short barrel you would want either a 338 RUM or a Norma, as the Lapua and the EDGE both need longer barrels to see them out perform the prior mentioned cartridges. Peronally I think that 338 Norma is one hot little round and when I go to build my long range 338 that what I want to build around, 25" barrel maybe #6 contour, be light enough to bring packing....