What caliber do I want.338-350

[J_V_Berry]

So currently I have a Winchester m70 Classic in 338 Win Mag. I have decided that I want a shorter barrel rifle like 18-20". Also I would like to stay 338 or 35 caliber because of the 360 Alaskan that will be on it. Living in Alaska I want something with some penetration. I am not expecting to shoot over 500 yards with this rifle. My main question is going so short it there better calibers. I don't mind the 338 win mag. I feel I can shoot it a little further than my 35 Whelen. I still haven't made up my mind on the 325 wsn but there are not a lot of bullet choices out there for them. And I do roll my own

I feel like a lady in a shoe store I can't make up my mind

 

[adk hunter]

For the 325 Hammer makes 10 different flavors. Take a look if you really like the 325. I am currently having a fling with the .338 RCM. Thumps and feeds slick as snot!! Terrible brass availability!!!

With your action I'd probably stay with the win mag or look hard at a 338 PRC/Sherman if you have enough mag length?? Sherman short .338 has built enough data to also be considered.

@ Cody Adams has a thread a mile long here documenting his goals and journey with a short fire breathing magnum. Worth the read or reach out to him.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

For the 325 Hammer makes 10 different flavors. Take a look if you really like the 325. I am currently having a fling with the .338 RCM. Thumps and feeds slick as snot!! Terrible brass availability!!!

With your action I'd probably stay with the win mag or look hard at a 338 PRC/Sherman if you have enough mag length?? Sherman short .338 has built enough data to also be considered.

@ Cody Adams has a thread a mile long here documenting his goals and journey with a short fire breathing magnum. Worth the read or reach out to him.

I read on here you could form 338 RCM brass out of 6.5 PRC, but I do not know anything about it. I had considered that as well. 338 SS is sort of calling too.

I shoot a 338 Sherman with 175 Hammer Hunters at about 3207 FPS and the 213 Hammer Hunters at 2763 FPS. A 338 WM with a little more capacity would move them even faster.

 

[FEENIX]

So currently I have a Winchester m70 Classic in 338 Win Mag. I have decided that I want a shorter barrel rifle like 18-20". Also I would like to stay 338 or 35 caliber because of the 360 Alaskan that will be on it. Living in Alaska I want something with some penetration. I am not expecting to shoot over 500 yards with this rifle. My main question is going so short it there better calibers. I don't mind the 338 win mag. I feel I can shoot it a little further than my 35 Whelen. I still haven't made up my mind on the 325 wsn but there are not a lot of bullet choices out there for them. And I do roll my own

I feel like a lady in a shoe store I can't make up my mind

I think your 360 Alaskan should be fine, but when in doubt, call them.

@HandgunHTR

 

[HandgunHTR]

Your suppressor will be just fine with a shorter barrel. I have the same one on a 21.5" barrelled 338 Sherman Mega. I am pushing a 225 grain Nosler AB at 2925 with that chambering. The Alaskan doesn't suppress as well as some of the others due to its smaller volume, but it does get rid of the muzzle blast that the larger bore magnums create in a short barrel.
Just shortening up your .338 WM will work just fine too. You may not want to do that on a Win Classic, but I have a 20" barreled 300 WM that works just fine for what I am doing with it (400 yards and in with heavy bullets). It suppresses very well with my Dead Air Nomad.

Either way, based on your criteria, you won't be giving up much by shortening your barrel to 20" regardless of the chambering you decide to go with.

 

[dogz]

why not just cut your 338 WM down to the size you want it?

 

[Berrnard]

go to a 338 federal and then ill have some lapua brass to sell you

 

[adk hunter]

go to a 338 federal and then ill have some lapua brass to sell you

Great little .338 but standard bolt face...

 

[J_V_Berry]

why not just cut your 338 WM down to the size you want it?

I am leaning towards cutting or rebarreling it to 338wm. Just don't want to miss something. I do that enough when shooting

 

[Poor_choices]

Do you have a performance range you'd like to be in? A short barreled 338 Win Mag is still a killing machine, but it puts you in 338/06 performance territory. I prefer to go up in case capacity anytime I shorten a barrel; maybe something like a 33 Nosler in an 18-20" barrel.

 

[FEENIX]

I am leaning towards cutting or rebarreling it to 338wm. Just don't want to miss something. I do that enough when shooting

This is the easiest and most cost-effective route unless your barrel is shut. Depending on your area, it ~ would cost $150-200 to cut the barrel, crown, and thread the muzzle. My .338 WM has a 24" barrel with MB. I considered cutting it shorter a few years ago for suppressed hunting. But now that I have a .338 Thor (NMI) 24" barrel suppressed, I might re-barrel it to either .375R or .416R instead.

Do you have a performance range you'd like to be in? A short barreled 338 Win Mag is still a killing machine, but it puts you in 338/06 performance territory. I prefer to go up in case capacity anytime I shorten a barrel; maybe something like a 33 Nosler in an 18-20" barrel.

I am not sure how you derived from that, but if you load .338 WM (86g H20) and 338-06 (-06 68g H20) with any bullet, esp., the heavies out of 18-20", I do not think the performance level is close.

 

[Poor_choices]

I am not sure how you derived from that, but if you load .338 WM (86g H20) and 338-06 (-06 68g H20) with any bullet, esp., the heavies out of 18-20", I do not think the performance level is close.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. A short barreled (18-20") 338 Win Mag would be in the same performance range as a standard length (24") 338/06 with similar weight bullets. That's just based on my experience with both chamberings. I found those two to only be about 150 fps apart from each other, which is about the loss I'd expect after taking 4" off of a barrel.

I should clarify that I'd personally take a short barrel over the longer one, regardless of the velocity loss.

 

[Calvin45]

I'm biased. If you roll your own the .358 Norma has an intangible cool factor. . And not everyone has one . Out of a short barrel at close range there will be a small, but nonetheless real, advantage over the 338 win mag. Goes away with any real distance I know but just….do a .358 Norma with a 12 twist and I bet you'll love it.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

So currently I have a Winchester m70 Classic in 338 Win Mag. I have decided that I want a shorter barrel rifle like 18-20". Also I would like to stay 338 or 35 caliber because of the 360 Alaskan that will be on it. Living in Alaska I want something with some penetration. I am not expecting to shoot over 500 yards with this rifle. My main question is going so short it there better calibers. I don't mind the 338 win mag. I feel I can shoot it a little further than my 35 Whelen. I still haven't made up my mind on the 325 wsn but there are not a lot of bullet choices out there for them. And I do roll my own

I feel like a lady in a shoe store I can't make up my mind

There is a good choice of bullets in 8mm .323 for the .325WSM. I bought a .325 WSM when it was first introduced and had it in a Winchester Model 70 SS Ultimate Shadow in Camo. Great cartridge and rifle. shot Moose on NF and then Kudu, Gemsbuck, Zebra in SA. Ballistics are close to a .338 Win mag depending on the bullet choice.