338-06
 

anybody have any info on the 338-06? I was at the local gunshop and they have a used Weatherby Ultra Lightweight 338-06 for $1050.00 looks like a real nice gun I always wanted a Weatherby but know nothing about this caliber any help would be appreciated Is Weatherby worth the money or should I stick with Remingtons?

RE: 338-06
 

as of right now the .338-06 is a handloading only prospect , i' m unaware of any factory produced cartridges for her, the .338-06 is similar to my 8mm-06 , in that they are excellent for use on deer/bear size game . however beings that it' s a handloaded only cartridge , the .338 has more bullet styles and wieghts available to them than the 8mm does but , the .35 whelen will do everything either of those two will , and the whelen is factory loaded :D:D:D

if the weatherby rifle is a mark 5 , then depending on the age of the rifle , the price is possibly a little high beings that it' s used , if it' s a newer weatherby though , then the price sounds pretty good as the new weatherby rifles are fetching 1500.00 dollars for she standard deluxe grade mark 5 :D:D:D

RE: 338-06
 

I was under the impression that Weatherby was selling a factory loaded .338-06....maybe I' m wrong...but it' s an easy case to load.....RCBS has the dies on the shelf and data is available in many places.

I' d far rather bebarrel a used Remington 700 or a Winchester Model 70 than buy a Weatherby rifle. Both the REM and the Win. are better rifles and cost much less than the Weatherby.

It' s my feeling that the .338-06 is a better elk cartridge than a 7MM rem Mag or a .300 Mag.....further using the 180 grain Nosler BT, it' s a splendid deer rifle and custom built can be lighter than a .338 Win Mag.

RE: 338-06
 

338-06 ammo is available from Weatherby. You will not find it in Wally World but you should be able to place an order at the local gun shop. Loading your own will get the most out of the 338-06. It' s not difficult to reach 2800fps or slightly more with 200 gr bullets. Bullets in the 200-225gr range generally will give the best balance between range and power. 250gr are great for medium to short range work but it' s asking alot of a necked up 30-06 case to push a 250gr bullet at the speeds needed for shots over the 200yd mark. It' s not a 338Win Mag but a 30-06 is not a 300 either.

A few months ago there was a very good thread on the 338-06. I have one and my opinion is that it' s a great big game round.

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RE: 338-06
 

I love Weatherby Rifles I own two right now and hope to buy another one very soon. Robert Scott is right it can be found for less. What are your intentions for this rifle as far as game and distance of shots? The .338-06 is capable od taking any game in North America. Good luck.

RE: 338-06
 

srry guys , i didn' t even think about weatherby' s ammunition line , just the other makers , like remington , federal , winchester , umc , norma , hansen , etc.... :)

RE: 338-06
 

I' ve had great luck with Weatherby rifles. All have been very accurate.

The .338-06 is something of a sleeper, but it may well be one of the best all-around cartridges for hunting North American game out to 300 yards. It will take deer, elk, moose, even the great bears. A one gun hunter would be hard-pressed to beat it.

RE: 338-06
 

Heres an article on the weatherby 338-06 [link]http://www.gunsandammomag.com/long_guns/mark_v_lightweight/[/link]

RE: 338-06
 

The .338/' 06 is the modern equivalent of Elmer Keith, Don Hopkins, and Charlie O' Neal' s classic masterpiece, the .333 OKH, which Keith found to be the only modern smokeless powder U.S.-made round which was really adequate for elk, moose, and large bears (Circa 1945 or so). Properly loaded, it will produce velocities within 100-150 FPS of the .338 Win. Mag. In addition, you can use .35 Whelen or .30' 06 brass tp make it, instead of buying Weatherby ammo, which is pretty expensive, even for such a mundane round. I have wanted one of these for years, but will probably never again hunt anything big enough to really need it.... Still don' t understand why any of the major manufacturers besides Weatherby haven' t chambered any rifles for it. I think it is as good as the .35 Whelen!

RE: 338-06
 

Is there much advantage to the 338/06 over the 8mm/06 when using 200 or 225 grain bullets?? Other than the bigger hole (.015 bigger for the .338) does the 338/06 offer any advantage?
I can see that the 338 CAN be loaded to higher velocities at the 250 grain. AND the 338 has loads listed for up to 275 grain bullets whereas the 8mm/06 only suggests up to 250' s. I' d like to own both, but not if it isn' t worth the extra $$ for a round that will do nearly the same. seems like with the many premium bullets out there I might be able to " get by" with my 8mm/06 and wouldn' t really gain much with the 338/06. All input appreciated.

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RE: 338-06
 

WHAT I WANT TO KNOW....

i hear alot about the 338-06 and the 8mm-06. why don' t they make it in other guns?

RE: 338-06
 

You can get an Adams & Bennett 338-06 barrel to go on a Savage 110. The swap is easy and can be done with minimal effort and expense. All you need is the Savage barrel nut wrench and a set of Go No-Go gauges. You can also get a 35 Whelen barrel.

RE: 338-06
 

8mm-06,
As much as I like the 338-06, I don' t think that you would be gaining much over your 8mm-06. IMO the 338-06 is at it' s best with bullets in the 200-225gr range and that is what you have have with your 8mm-06. There is more bullet selection available in 338 than 8mm but if you already have a bullet or two that works for you then that advantage is a moot point.

Quilly,
The only reason that I can think of that the 338-06 or 8mm-06 is not made by the large companys is due to low sales numbers. The 35 Whelan didn' t do very well when it was offered by Remington a few years ago. The 338-06,8mm-06 and 35 Whelan are normally used by people that have their own opinions, as opposed to the marketing department, as to what works on big game. The ballistic numbers on any of these three rounds are not flashy enough to catch the interest of the hunter who only spends two or three days a years in the field.

RE: 338-06
 

8mm/06 - I would have to agree with popeye. The two rounds are very similar and their performance is nearly equal. It is truly unfortunate that American hunters have never really figured out what the rest of the world has: That 8mm cartridges are about as versatile as it gets and if a mythical " one gun does it all" exists, it may well be one of the various 8mm' s.

RE: 338-06
 

Thanks for the replies popeye and seattlesetters. I' m not a big student of the scientific study of ballistic coefficients and sectional density...but I know they can play and important part in the success of any load. Just thought I would " troll" for some responses. I still wouldn' t mind owning either a 35 Whelen or a 338/06, but I' m not real anxious to absorb the extra coast if it isn' t going to really benefit me in a big way.
what I' ll probably do in the next few years is look for a used Savage 110 in 30/06 with a burnt barrel, buy it at a reduced price, and put on one or the other of the Adams & Bennet barrels ...either the 338/06 or the 35 Whelen. That way I wouldn' t have to modify the bolt face or magazine/follower at all.
Thanks for the opinons. If anybody else has other ideas I' m all ears.

RE: 338-06
 

I think the greatest value realized by the .338-06 becoming commercially available (if American hunters can figure it out) is that we now have a legitimate large game cartridge (elk, moose and even brown bear) that isn' t the shoulder-pounding equivalent of a bazooka.

We don' t really need things like the .300 RUM and .338 Win Mag and .340 Wby Mag to kill an elk. Out to 250 yards or so (where 95% of all game is shot), with 210-230gr bullets, the .338-06 is more than adequate for any elk that has ever walked. [X(]

This may allow enlightened hunters to purchase that smoking-fast, laser beam of a magnum rifle in a caliber, say 25, 26, 27 or 28, that will enable them to comfortably shoot at game that may require the extra reach, such as mule deer and pronghorn and the odd beanfield whitetail. The .270 and 7mm magnums are even terrific for elk to 400 yards or so. [:-]

A guy/gal with a .257 Wby Mag, 270 Wby Mag or .270 WSM and a .338-06 is really very well-equipped to take on any big game that inhabits North America, and they won' t take a beating at the bench, which means more and better practice (practice doesn' t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect) and more accurate shooters all around.

RE: 338-06
 

Take a look at the .338 Gibbs. In a 26" barrel, it will equal the .338 Win. (factory loads, that is!!)

RE: 338-06
 

thanks to everyone for the info yeah robert scott I got your email