guns and whitales
#11
#13
Seems like you'll be giving up quite a bit of velocity and sacrificing a lot of powder to useless muzzle blast, only for the benefit of about 3oz of barrel (2" of .338" bore standard weight barrel) compared to "guide length" .338WM's - typically 20", with 23 and 24" being "standard length".
Can't capitalize on that much case capacity out of an 18" tube, even the 20" Guide Gun's in the WM have quite a bit of blast. Might as well save yourself some powder and run a smaller case, like a .338Federal (.308win based case) or a .338 A Square or even .35 Whelen (both '06 based cases). The Fed and A-square both run roughly the same max pressure as the Win Mag, but have significantly lower powder volumes. The difference being they'll have less flame out front, and about the same velocity out of an 18" tube as the WM. The Fed might run a touch slower, but I'd be surprised to see much difference in an 18" barrel without some fancy reloading footwork between the A-square and the WM in such a short tube.
I went through this same work up about 18mos ago in planning a 16" 3 cartridge switch barrel rig (22cal, 6.5mm-30cal, and 338" all from one receiver). The big 338 bore cases just have too much volume to get used up in short barrels. I know a couple guys that have 14-16" 338Edge and 338AX bolt action pistols, the flames out front are huge, and the velocities are a LONG ways behind rifle loads. Sure, it's cool, and it's straight forward, but there are more logical options. For me, it came down to a choice between a 20" barrel instead of 16" in the .338WM, or a 16" tube in 338-06. (Won't get into discussing the hurdles of magazines/feeding/boltfaces to match it all up).
#15
[QUOTE=Nomercy448;4126354]Not really thinking of it being "stout" or "handy", more curious as to how you arrived at a 338win mag with only an 18" tube?
Seems like you'll be giving up quite a bit of velocity and sacrificing a lot of powder to useless muzzle blast, only for the benefit of about 3oz of barrel (2" of .338" bore standard weight barrel) compared to "guide length" .338WM's - typically 20", with 23 and 24" being "standard length".
Can't capitalize on that much case capacity out of an 18" tube, even the 20" Guide Gun's in the WM have quite a bit of blast. Might as well save yourself some powder and run a smaller case, like a .338Federal (.308win based case) or a .338 A Square or even .35 Whelen (both '06 based cases). The Fed and A-square both run roughly the same max pressure as the Win Mag, but have significantly lower powder volumes. The difference being they'll have less flame out front, and about the same velocity out of an 18" tube as the WM. The Fed might run a touch slower, but I'd be surprised to see much difference in an 18" barrel without some fancy reloading footwork between the A-square and the WM in such a short tube.
I went through this same work up about 18mos ago in planning a 16" 3 cartridge switch barrel rig (22cal, 6.5mm-30cal, and 338" all from one receiver). The big 338 bore cases just have too much volume to get used up in short barrels. I know a couple guys that have 14-16" 338Edge and 338AX bolt action pistols, the flames out front are huge, and the velocities are a LONG ways behind rifle loads. Sure, it's cool, and it's straight forward, but there are more logical options. For me, it came down to a choice between a 20" barrel instead of 16" in the .338WM, or a 16" tube in 338-06. (Won't get into discussing the hurdles of magazines/feeding/boltfaces to match it all up).[/QUOTE
i guess your right i think i will change over to the 338 06 i dont reload and really didint know if the cartridge would actully suffer that much in an 18 inch barrel
Seems like you'll be giving up quite a bit of velocity and sacrificing a lot of powder to useless muzzle blast, only for the benefit of about 3oz of barrel (2" of .338" bore standard weight barrel) compared to "guide length" .338WM's - typically 20", with 23 and 24" being "standard length".
Can't capitalize on that much case capacity out of an 18" tube, even the 20" Guide Gun's in the WM have quite a bit of blast. Might as well save yourself some powder and run a smaller case, like a .338Federal (.308win based case) or a .338 A Square or even .35 Whelen (both '06 based cases). The Fed and A-square both run roughly the same max pressure as the Win Mag, but have significantly lower powder volumes. The difference being they'll have less flame out front, and about the same velocity out of an 18" tube as the WM. The Fed might run a touch slower, but I'd be surprised to see much difference in an 18" barrel without some fancy reloading footwork between the A-square and the WM in such a short tube.
I went through this same work up about 18mos ago in planning a 16" 3 cartridge switch barrel rig (22cal, 6.5mm-30cal, and 338" all from one receiver). The big 338 bore cases just have too much volume to get used up in short barrels. I know a couple guys that have 14-16" 338Edge and 338AX bolt action pistols, the flames out front are huge, and the velocities are a LONG ways behind rifle loads. Sure, it's cool, and it's straight forward, but there are more logical options. For me, it came down to a choice between a 20" barrel instead of 16" in the .338WM, or a 16" tube in 338-06. (Won't get into discussing the hurdles of magazines/feeding/boltfaces to match it all up).[/QUOTE
i guess your right i think i will change over to the 338 06 i dont reload and really didint know if the cartridge would actully suffer that much in an 18 inch barrel
#17
If you do not reload you may want to rethink the 338-06 and pick a cartridge for which you can actually find ammunition.
#18
[QUOTE=Big Uncle;4126850]If you do not reload you may want to rethink the 338-06 and pick a cartridge for which you can actually find
ammunition.[/QUO
true but i know a guy who reloads so if i don't get into it i could just pay him to reload them for me.i want to reload but the startup cost to do so puts me off
ammunition.[/QUO
true but i know a guy who reloads so if i don't get into it i could just pay him to reload them for me.i want to reload but the startup cost to do so puts me off
#19
true but i know a guy who reloads so if i don't get into it i could just pay him to reload them for me.i want to reload but the startup cost to do so puts me off
The best you can do is buy the supplies for him to reload for you. He can't accept compensation for producing ammunition. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
Having someone hand roll them for you would be your best bet for ANY of the 338 rounds, to be honest, but as Big Uncle mentioned, especially so for the 338 A Square ('06).
If you're wanting to play with the big calibers, it really does start paying back to reload for them. You should be able to get into a reloading set up for comfortably under $500 to be WELL equipped. There just aren't that many offerings in bigger cals, and pretty rare to find many of them on the shelf at any given store.
#20
Federal offense if ya do...
The best you can do is buy the supplies for him to reload for you. He can't accept compensation for producing ammunition. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
Having someone hand roll them for you would be your best bet for ANY of the 338 rounds, to be honest, but as Big Uncle mentioned, especially so for the 338 A Square ('06).
If you're wanting to play with the big calibers, it really does start paying back to reload for them. You should be able to get into a reloading set up for comfortably under $500 to be WELL equipped. There just aren't that many offerings in bigger cals, and pretty rare to find many of them on the shelf at any given store.
The best you can do is buy the supplies for him to reload for you. He can't accept compensation for producing ammunition. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
Having someone hand roll them for you would be your best bet for ANY of the 338 rounds, to be honest, but as Big Uncle mentioned, especially so for the 338 A Square ('06).
If you're wanting to play with the big calibers, it really does start paying back to reload for them. You should be able to get into a reloading set up for comfortably under $500 to be WELL equipped. There just aren't that many offerings in bigger cals, and pretty rare to find many of them on the shelf at any given store.
Now personally I think a 338WM in a 18" barrel is kinda like pullin 2 spark plugs off the 8cyl in a vette... WHY? If you are wanting a short, quick, hard hitting med bore boltgun then consider a 35 Whelen! The 338WM is a GREAT cartridge but the 18" tube is really just not what that type of cart needs to shine.
Last edited by HatchieLuvr; 03-11-2014 at 07:41 AM.