RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

nope......not for me......Ill take the .30-378 Simon materializer!!!!!

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

Someone been sippin that 151 proof rum agian

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

sippin??? how bout shootin!!!! (this is the guns section ya know!!):D

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

I stand (?) corrected! ]

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

I've hunted with the .338-06 Improved for five years. Then 3 years ago had Fred Zeglen put a stainless match grade 22" chambered for his .338 Hawk on my Win Classic action. The Hawk version case making (from .35 Whelen brass) is a little more complicated that the improved version, but moves the neck significantly forward, and then reduces the taper to give 9% more powder capacity. The 17.5 degree shoulder is kept for ease of chambering. My current mammoth slayer load is the 225 gr Barnes 3S at 2770 ft/sec. Four elk have dropped in their tracks (well, reasonably close to where they were shot and with no time or need for a follw-up shot). This year I hit a 2000 lb 10 year old bison thru the lungs and aorta quartering away from me at 180 yards. He piled up 15 yards from where he was hit. I am totally satisfied with the round. I'm not sure there is that much difference in performance on game between the standard .338-06 and the Improved. I wasn't able to milk much more velocity out of the improved version than most manuals were reporting for the standard version. Even then, with the Nosler 210 gr, two elk went down without a second shot.

Bansner made the stock and it sports a simple Leupold M8 4X for a trim 7 1/4 lbs. The design of Bansner's stock plus the reduced powder charge makes the recoil tolerable. I say thumbs up on your plan, and whatever version of the 'ought 6 case you use with your .338 you'll be satisfied with the caliber.

The fun for me is messing around making the brass and working up the charge. If that is labor to you, pick up a .338 Winchester and live happily ever after.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

There's only two wildcats that interest me anymore.....strangely enough both are on the .30-06 case.
One is the 6.5-06 and the other is the .338-06.
IMO the big value in the .338-06 is extreme power (nearing the .338 Win Mag) and in a standard Mauser action.....such as a 1909 Argentine or a VZ-24.....no bolt face alteration and no rail tweaking.
If you can find the right guy to rebore your barrel it then can be had in a featherweight rifle. Whereas a .338 win mag will require a heavier barrel.
I think the .338-06 should be standard from the big guys!! Weatherby didn't make it go but they don't get the cookie crunched.