What kind of accuracy should we look for in a 338 semi custom build?

[Hunterjones]

.4's to .6's EVERY TIME you take it out shooting and hitting center of where you are aiming is very good IMHO. If the rifle is that consistent it's a possibility that some other shooter MIGHT be able to shave 30% off of those group sizes but I'd be very happy with that accuracy CONSISTENTLY.
My favorite rifles that I own are not the ones that shoot bugholes once in awhile but the ones that I can take out, dial to a distance and make an accurate shot the first time and follow up with a couple more shots that make a tight group

 

[Thunder17]

If only it were that simple..
It is not
An accuracy system and load can be (and often is) entirely different from a precision sys/load.

It kinda is that simple, seems like it to me anyways, especially with a rifle with a scope or adjustable sights. Find your high precision load, adjust your scope to hit where you want, now you have a precise and accurate rifle. If the rifle isn't shooting precise enough, do more load development until it fits yours standards. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's just my opinion

 

[Rum Man]

Couple of questions.
Barrel length and profile ?
I have Excellent results with both the 338 Edge and the 338 Rum .
I run the 300 gr berger Elite hunters in both with H-1000. All three of my 338 Edges have 30 " barrels. Only one 338 Rum has a 30" barrel.
I cant find any difference in the two I built I identical. The 338 Rum 2883 ft.per.sec the 338 Edge 2884 ft.per.sec. other with Carbon barrels.
I have some 26" barrels and a 24" coming soon for more testing .
I will try Nv570, Rl-26 , H-1000 , Rl-33 with cci 250 mag primers .

My personal best with one of the 338 Edges is three innthe same hole at 100 yards and a 26 3/4" three shot group at 3027 yards . (1.72 miles )

 

[Rum Man]

Ok here is a Factory Remington Bdl deluxe 338 Rum with a radial brake .
5 shot group at 100 yards . 285 Eldm's and H-1000.
Yes they Shoot !
I'm ready for more testing !
I found some 250 gr bergers Elite hunters! I'm excited to see what happens!
My go to is the 300 gr bergers Elite Hunter for game .
My best to date is 1244 yards on a Elk !
Its devastating on Spring Black Bear too !

 

[Mikecr]

It kinda is that simple, seems like it to me anyways, especially with a rifle with a scope or adjustable sights. Find your high precision load, adjust your scope to hit where you want, now you have a precise and accurate rifle. If the rifle isn't shooting precise enough, do more load development until it fits yours standards. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's just my opinion

When you group shoot, do you let the barrel cool between each shot?
Can you pull a cold gun from it's case, set it on a field rest and put a shot into your mark?
Can you do this at every distance that you consider your capability?

I've seen horrible grouping guns that were very accurate.
I've seen great grouping guns(at distance), high dollar guns, that could not be relied on to hit groundhogs at same distance.
Every cold bore development I've done so far, for accuracy, has taken me away from tightest hot bore grouping.

This is not 100yd wallet group dot com.
Do this:
Walk out there some distance around 500yds & set a target with a ~5" dot.
Walk back to your gun, range the target, set your elevation & decide on wind hold-off.
Set the gun on your field rest, check your level, fire 1 shot into the dot.

Regardless of whatever PRECISION you've worked on, you really needed to hit that dot.
If you missed it, then apparently it's not within your ACCURACY capability yet.

Another truly simple test: 1"dot at 200. Put a cold shot into it -with no preconditioning.
Wait 10mins and put another into the dot. Repeat for a group.
If you hit the dot every time, is it a good group? Probably not,, but does it matter?
If you missed with one or two shots, does it matter? IMO, as long as it wasn't the first couple that missed, it doesn't matter.

My point is, you can find with this testing that hot bore grouping means nothing at all.

 

[WildBillG]

RUM MAN my barrel length is 30 inches in a Remington Varmint contour. I put on a Cadex brake I had on hand. I am very happy with this rifle so far. My smith sold me a B&C Weatherby stock he had on hand for 100 dollars. The stock has the aluminum bedding block in it and I epoxied it for a tighter fit. The worst thing of this setup is that a pound of powder doesn't go very far. I am really liking RL33 but I may have to switch to N570 because I have more of it.

 

[WildBillG]

Mikecr are you telling us that if a rifle shoots a 2.0 inh group at one hundred yards cold bore. You would trust this rifle to kill a deer at 500yds. But if my cold bore shot was an inch away from a warm bore group you would not call that rifle accurate.

 

[Zen Archery]

If you reload your expectations are much higher than those who don't.
I'll just leave it at that.

 

[Mikecr]

Mikecr are you telling us that if a rifle shoots a 2.0 inh group at one hundred yards cold bore. You would trust this rifle to kill a deer at 500yds. But if my cold bore shot was an inch away from a warm bore group you would not call that rifle accurate.

I didn't say anything like either

 

[Hunterjones]

If you reload your expectations are much higher than those who don't.
I'll just leave it at that.

Amen. And if you've ever had a rifle that just flat out won't shoot consistently, and there doesn't seem to be a good mechanical reason for it, it will keep you up at night, thinking that you can "solve" it....

 

[WildBillG]

I under stand our very first shot to hit where it is intended as it should. You know I'm not sure that I own a rifle that moves more than a half inch after 3 shots. A person seldom gets 3 shots at a game animal that is not down or really hurt. I was just a little confused by your logic was all Mikecr but I know what you mean by the first cold bore shot. It is the most critical shot we get.
Zen Archery we do get a lot picky when we reload. That is why we started reloading to make the best ammunition for our rifle.

 

[judgebill]

If you are a hunter, you want a rifle you can carry in the field, in hot weather and cold, at altitude and possibly in a desert, and KNOW that when you see your target, at any measurable range you are willing to shoot, your FIRST SHOT will strike the target where you have aimed. Whether or not your rifle shoots 2 or more shots into 1/2 inch at any range is helpful but really irrelevant. With todays bullets a hit in a vital area will result in a quick kill. But the gun and shooter have to place that first shot accurately.

 

[dieseldoc]

My Kirby Allen 338 EDGE lights out shooter 1/4MOA- Berger 300's- H1000, Nightforce eyes.
So many one shot kills out to 880 yards. , great shooter.

 

[Timber338]

Yup. The big 338's can shoot. Whether it's factory or full custom, it all comes down to the barrel and how well it's installed to the action.

My custom 338 RUM is the most accurate rifle I've ever owned/shot. It shoots to the .1's and .2's at 100 yards, and holds 1/4 moa out to 1000.

I've also owned a semi custom 338wsm that had an ultralight contour pac-nor barrel on a Winchester M70 short action. That little gun kicked like mule on crack but would shoot 1/2 moa all day long.