338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

If I build another custom rifle it will be with this cartridge. Any pro's or con's? :D

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

Wow, kinda surprised you would pick this caliber. Never shot one, but figured you would pick a 338Win Mag first.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

Well I have had 2 338's so far but 4 if you want to include a 338/378 and a 340 weatherby..just a change of pace and a lighter rifle ..use a Remington action and a 24" #3 barrel in a high tech stock and probably put a Leupold(can you believe that?) 4x in Talley Rings. If I were to buy another factory 338 it would be the Weatherby sub .99

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

ok excuse my ignorance here....but I have a question. Why would you want to put that big ol bullet in a lil ol casing like an 06? I mean is there even one advantage that this gun has over a 338 win mag?

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

Well first off the 1. gun can be built lighter...2. look at handloads for it and tell me how much difference there is?

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

Its a great caliber, very similar to the 35 whelen. It would make a great medium range elk thumper.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

I would feed it 210 or 225 grain bullets ...chronograph a 338 win and tell me how much difference 100 fps will make.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

It would be a hell of a rifle. And you are right there is not much performance difference between that and the 338 Win Mag. Of course its not a Magnum so you would not want to carry it through the BIG GAME forum. You may be eaten by a saber tooth elk.;)

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

James your so right it sits on that grey line between MAGNUM and Standard Caliber doesn't it ? Maybe we can get some clarification on this. Good thing about it since its a Wildcat I don't have to worry about finding ammo for it in Walmart.;)

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

Are yout talking about the standard 338/06 or the improved version. The improved version does come within 100fps of factory 338 WM velosities but the standard is a little slower yet. Heavy loads in the 338 WM can out pefrom it but probably not enough to make a practical difference on game. I wouldn't be surprised to see some factory ammo out soon, weatherby already loads in and Nosler in thier new line of ammo. We might see a federal loading coming out someday soon.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

Maybe its the name, but I seem to like the idea of a 35 whelen better. Performance isn't bad, and it is a commercial round somewhat.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

The whelen is another great round. Almost no practical diffeerence between the 338/06 and the whelen, in all thier versions. The 338/06, 35 whelen, and the 9.3x62 are all very similar rounds with the 9.3x62 holding the edge in larger bullets. The 338/06 holds the endge in 160-210gr bullets, the whelen in the 225-250, and the 9.3x62 in 250-310. They are all great rounds. The 338 also holds the edge in BC which should help trajectory and wind drift a little on paper, but again hardly any practical application. I have a whelen, and wouldn't think twice about getting the 338/06, great round no question if I lived back in the lower 48. Now that I live in alaska, the 9.3x62 gets a more serious look, 286gr bullet at 2500fps is pretty impressive, thats starting to give the 375 a run for its money.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

I am just going from memory here but while both are fine big game cartridges, the 338-06 has a bit better ballistics than the Whelen. The Whelen would hold a little edge in bullet size but the 338-06 would have a bit better sectional density. As a performer on Big game, the 338-06 is drastically underated. Having never really been a factory proposion, it will remain that way. I quess it is chambered in one of the Weatherby rifles. I have LONG wanted to rebarrel the 7600 Remington pump to that caliber. I have not however been able to find anyone to do the job for me. Anyone know of an outfit that would do the job?

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

As I have been researching this cartridge another thing always sticks out..they shoot extremely well. Another good feature is any bullet 200 grains or over will automatically be an Elk bullet. Tired of carrying around big guns and this will be lighter but not too light.
James there are any number of quality reborers around the country who would take that barrel and rebore to 338.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

Go for it! 338/06 is one dang fine cartridge. As noted, Weatherby chambers a rifle for
it (or did). A-Square standardized it, so it's technically no longer a "wildcat", and I think
Nosler now loads for it. Federal will probably be next.
I've often read that an ideal two gun battery for hunting in North America would be a
270Win., and a 338Win.Mag. I disagree. Personally, if you feel the need for a magnum,
then move up to the 375H&H. Anything less is just adding velocity to what's already out there.
A good pair, IMHO, would be a 270Win. (or 280Rem.), teamed up with eihter a 338/06 or the 35Whelen.
I sure wish one of the majors would come out with a 338/06 (Ruger, Rem. or Win., etc.).
Well, I guess Winchester wouldn't do it as it comes too close to their 338mag.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

I own or have owned one or more .338-06, .338-06 imp, 350 Rem. mag. (same V as the Whelen) , 9.3x74R, 9.3x74R imp...

I hunted and killed big game with most of them too, but to me the REAL difference between them is the bullets!!!

I settled on the .338-06 imp. for my (at that time) one gun for life and took 13 big game animials with it the first 3 years after it was finished. Includeing, brown bear, moose, caribou, deer ect....

For me i like the .338 cal. better than the 35 cal. but that's on "bigger" game not deer! All of them are WAAAAAAAY over kill for deer, elk sized game.

I see guys posting big velocities out of there .338-06's and i was never able to get them with the 3 i've owned to date!! I chronograph my loads, no guessing here so maybe that's the difference?????

Another thing, all of mine performed better with 250 grain and heavier bullets!! I don't mean accuracy wise, i'm talking efficiency here! For the powder burned the heavier bullets went almost as fast as the 200/210's at what appeared the same pressures!! Also, the heavier bullets give a lot better penetration!!

One experiment i tried was to load 33 Winchester bullets in my .338-06 at max V, and i shot about 10 sitka blk. tailed deer with them!! WOW what bombs!! I head shot a few, and rib shot the rest!!! MAN, those things blow, and did a LOT of damage!!! They work like a "super powered" 270 Win. with 130's!!!

DO NOT use those bullets on big game at more than 33 Win. V's, you just don't get good enough penetration!!! I'm talking bigger than deer and only then on deer with a rib shot!!!

Anyway, i've shot thousands of .338-06 rounds, i like the package i just don't need that kind of power for my hunting these days... I wouldn't build an imp., i'd go with a std. .338-06.

I noticed the other day i still have a new Douglas premium bbl. chambered for .338-06 imp., and fit for a 700 Rem. action. It's full diameter ready to be countoured.. I guess it's something i never got around to!!!

Anyway, here's a moose i took with my .338-06 imp..

Drilling Man

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

Almost equal in performance with less powder and less recoil. Plus figure in the availability of 06 brass and you end up shooting for less cost.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

I've never owned or even shot a 338/06, but my 35 Whelen is simply INCREDIBLE...... so, I'd assume the 338/06 would be just as nice.... little quicker, little flatter.

Maybe it's just nostalgia or whatever, but I kind of like the necked up '06s. Like I said, I love my whelen. Also, have seen 8mm/06s and thought it was intriguing.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

ok, yall got me a little interested in this after reading all these replies, so some questions.........say I have an old 760 30-06, I get my gunsmith to rebarrel it to .338-06. Can a pump handle the extra pressures needed to get the performance desired outta this round?Or would it be better to use a bolt action for this project? And can the average person take a 30-06 casing and squeeze a 338 bullet into it without modifying the casing any?

oh and another thing, where would i find dies?

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

www.midwayusa.com

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

I built my 338-06 a little over 10 years ago for an elk hunt that never happened. I've killed black bears and deer with mine. What you have is a serious big game round without the recoil or extra noise of a magnum.

I've experimented with a lot of different bullets(X-bullets, Partitions, Ballistic Tips, Sierra, Hornady, Speer) and powders. Almost everything I've tried gives more than enough accuracy for real world hunting conditions. Some were very accurate.

The best combination for my rifle pushes a 210pr Nosler Partition to 2790-2800fps range. That's without any signs of excess pressure. Dropping down to a 200gr bullet doesn't give any real increase. Increasing the weight to 225gr I can safely get in the mid 2600's.
All were chrongraphed when I worked them up, no guessing.
Hunting range will be similar to a 30-06 shooting a 180gr bullet.
They aren't flashy numbers(in an age when everyone wants a magnum) but they do result in a very solid useable hunting rifle.

Someone asked about finding dies, Dies are sold by every company that sells dies. Mine RCBS.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

Hows about a .30-378 Garfunkel Vaporizer? :D

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

Rebarrelling your Rem.760 to 338-06 should not be a problem. The 338-06 is listed
in the Speer reloading manual (#12 that I have), and there noted to be loaded to roughly the same pressures as the 35Whelen, or about 52,000cup. BTW, pressures listed for the 30-06 are 50,000cup. The model 760 should be fine, but if in doubt a quick call to Remington should tell ya' for sure. In any case, start a little low, and work up the loads, watching for pressure signs - as always should be done. As to sizing the case, it's just a matter of necking it up, just as is done when making 35Whelen cases from 30-06 brass. RCBS should have dies for you.

I checked Nosler's website, and they have about a half dozen loads available now for the
338-06. You might also want to check out Hodgen website for some data, and there's
a bunch of loadings listed at Conley Precision.

Links: http://www.cpcartridge.com/338-06-P.htm

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/rifle/33806.php

http://www.nosler.com/index.html

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

A fine cartridge. the 338 sectional density is outstanding. I admire the 35 Whelen, but a good 338/06 is the ticket for a brush-busting medium range game getter. Weatherby chambers for this, that should tell you something.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

The 7600 will handle the round fine. It is chambered in 35 Whelen and still available at Grice Gun shop. They will even lay it away for you.

OEH do you have a name or two of smiths that will rebore the 7600. Or rebarrel it?

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

According to the "Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading Fifth Edition", one can push a 225 gr. SP with a BC: .397 SD: .281 at 2,700 f/s 3,642 ft/lb. That should do a fine job on elk. Good luck.

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

James here is one contact for reboring:
LaBounty Precision Reboring
7968 Silver Lake Dr. P.O. Box 186
Maple Falls, WA 98266
(360) 599-2047

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

Boy that was a meaningful post

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

From my research the 338/06 carries a little better at long range when compared to the 35 whelen. the biggest bonus, if you handload, is the increased selection of bullets vs the 358's. the downside... very scarce factory ammo... i believe weatherby is loading for this or Norma or someone... On the other hand Remington offers 35 Whelen but i am pretty sure neither round is generally "stocked", even cabelas in Dundee, Mi does not carry 35 Whelen ammo.. and a very small selection of .358 bullets...

I did go the 35 whelen improved route in my latest creation because well i figured it'd be easier to find ammunition if i happened to be somewhere and lost of forgot my handloads... and the IMP verion can shoot factory ammo fairly accurately... If need be...

personally my 35 whelen AI.. pushing 250 gr bullets... with 53 gr of Reloader 15 has a MUCH more gentle recoil than my 280 remington loaded middle of the road with 175's...

i do sometimes think i should have gone 338/06 AI... oh well... if i ever really want to go for the gusto i'll turn the 35 Whelen AI into a Brown-Whelen or something ;)

JR

RE: 338-06 Overrated or Underrated
 

Under rated....look at the numbers....go for it! Regards, Rick.

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.