MarkCO
12-07-2004, 16:03
I first became enamored of the .338-06 about 5 years ago. By most accounts, it is one of the best large game cartridges for North American game. However, no one chambered this cartridge in an off the shelf rifle. I explored all of the various options like a complete custom, re-barreling a .30-06, building up a Mauser, etc. The Weatherby came out with the .338-06 in a factory chambered rifle. I was excited, but the $1600 price tag for the Ultra Lightweight or the Super Big Game Master quickly drowned out my enthusiasm. I decided I wanted one however and started to save a few dollars which identifying which guns I could sell off. I was still a bit away from taking the plunge when Weatherby unceremoniously discontinued the rifle. Undeterred, I bought a Savage 110 with the intent of re-barreling it. After a few trips to the range, I decided the refinements and class I wanted for my “signature” rifle were just not there in a Savage. So I sold it off and bought the parts to build up a custom Mauser. Just as I was getting ready to start putting all the parts together, a Weatherby Ultra-Lightweight showed up at my local gundealer. He had called the Weatherby rep and had got one for me at a great price. Even though they were discontinued, a few were bouncing around and no-one wanted to stock them. I am literally driving up the mountain to go hunting when I get the call on my cell-phone! When I got back, I picked it up, and after a few snags, got a scope on the rifle. Now I am used to hunting with rifles that do not shoot as good as I can. I’ve shot numerous sub ¼” 100 yards groups with highly accurrized bench rest rifles and plenty of 1” 100 yards groups in hunter rifle style competitions, 5 out of 5 eggs several times at 200 yards, sub 5” groups at 600 yards, etc. to be able to prove that I am a very accomplished rifleman.
So I would have been happy with 1-2” at 100 yards. My longtime ..30-06 shoots about 1.2” with hunting ammo at 100 yards. Last evening, I went to the range. Altitude was 8500 feet, temperature was 30 degrees F, wind was variable 10-15 mph at about 20 degrees to direction of shooting. After a few shots at 25 yards to get on paper, I sighted it in at 100 yards. All I can say is WOW! I shot a cold group of 3 (15 minutes cooling between rounds) that measured 0.5” and a 4 shot hot group of 4 (4 rounds in about 12 seconds) that measured 0.4”. This is an Ultra-Light folks! I am so impressed and excited for my elk hunting trip in a few days. Just had to share.
So I would have been happy with 1-2” at 100 yards. My longtime ..30-06 shoots about 1.2” with hunting ammo at 100 yards. Last evening, I went to the range. Altitude was 8500 feet, temperature was 30 degrees F, wind was variable 10-15 mph at about 20 degrees to direction of shooting. After a few shots at 25 yards to get on paper, I sighted it in at 100 yards. All I can say is WOW! I shot a cold group of 3 (15 minutes cooling between rounds) that measured 0.5” and a 4 shot hot group of 4 (4 rounds in about 12 seconds) that measured 0.4”. This is an Ultra-Light folks! I am so impressed and excited for my elk hunting trip in a few days. Just had to share.