.338-06

[Jeremy Brown]

Anybody have any info/opinions about this round?

[Roskoe]

Very nice round for hunting large game at medium ranges. Recoil is not too severe, and its performance is only a couple hundred fps shy of the .338 Winchester. Easy case to form - just run a tapered .338 expander ball through a factory 30/06 case. No alterations of bolt face or magazine components needed from the parent caliber.

[Jeremy Brown]

Do you think that an old M1903 Springfield in 30-06 would work? The barrel isn't shot out, but it is pretty damn close. Everything else on the gun are in pretty decent condition.

[Dan in Alaska]

I had one built in '97. I used a Remington 700 ADL and had a Kreiger barrel put on it. I love the gun, and it shoots better than I can. If I do my part, the gun will shoot under an inch at 200 yards. I just put a new scope on it - a 2.5-8X Vari-X III.

I have a set of Redding .338-06 dies, and resizing the cases is easy. In with .30-06; out with .338-06. No fire-forming necessary. I've used both Winchester and Remington brass casings without issue. I don't recommend nickel-plated brass, though. I tried some once-fired nickel casings, just for the heck of it, but I saw lots of cracks in the case necks.

I have found that IMR 4064 power works best with the different bullets I've tried. I have fantastic accuracy with Nosler 200gr Balistic Tips and 250gr Speer Grand Slams. One-hole groups at 100 yards. I am tinkering with Nolser Accubonds now, both 200 and 225 grainers. Results are promising, but not quite as good as the other bullets. Recoil isn't much different than an .30-06.

Unfortunately, I haven't had a lot experience with it on game animals. I whacked a black bear this spring with it, but that's it. I was very satisfied with the performance, though. Two shots with the 250gr Grand Slams - one shot took out both lungs, and the other clipped the top of the heart. The bear didn't make it 15 yards.

[DM]

I built my first one in 1977by reboreinga Ruger 77 in 30-06, and it harvested brown bear, moose and several other big game animials. I then built the one i still have today on a 700 Rem. action and custom stock ect...

The first 3 years i hunted with it iharvested 13 big game animials... includeing brown bear, caribou, sitka blk. tails and many others over the following years includeing the moose in the pict...

It does recoil a bit more than a 30-06 especially with heavier bullets, and heavier bullets is what really makes it shine. "If" i needed the power today i'd dig it out and put it back to work as it's a pretty good round!!

BTW, i've found "fireforming" from 30-06 brass gives truer necks than useing a taper expander ball does.

DM