.338-06

Zombie Steve · 08-17-2011, 09:54

I'm not sure how serious I am about it, but I'm at least entertaining the notion of re-barrelling my 700 and stepping up to the .338 world. I think it would be more effective for the elusive waipiti we have here, and in general would be fun to tinker with and reload for.

I know a few of you have these

. As I read more, I'm a tad confused - is the .338-06 A-Square just the legitimized version of the old wildcat .338-06, or is there some difference in shoulder angle? Should just be .30-06 necked up, right?

I'm more interested in hearing about the cartridge (hence caliber corner), but if you have any favorite reloading recipes for it I'd like to see those too.

GIockGuy24 · 08-18-2011, 10:54

It's exactly the same as the wildcat 338-06.

GIockGuy24 · 08-18-2011, 11:00

I use slower powder than I use in 35 Whelen. I haven't loaded it in a while but I'll check my load data. I worked up loads from two old magazine articles. One had loads that were fairly hot. One article was about loading several different 338 caliber cartridges and the other was about 338-06 and 35 Whelen. Those have been the best source of info I've found so far.

CBumpkin · 08-18-2011, 13:00

I inherited something similar to that many years ago. Back then and maybe still today, it was called a .30 belted Newton, basically a .338 Win Mag. necked down to .308. Parker O. Ackley as I recall, listed some loads for it in that sixties vintage reloading manual. Recoil is similar to your 7mm Mag. as you can imagine. Best thing about it is, I can load from 110gr bullets all the way up to 220gr. depending on the need.

Zombie Steve · 08-18-2011, 13:01

There's data in the current Speer and Hornady manuals. Looks like a normal range of powders from the 4895's to Varget would work well. I guess I'm trying to figure out if it's worth messing with just for giggles. Seems a significant step up from the .30-06, but I'm curious about recoil (my gun is already a bit on the light side) and how big of a difference there would be in smackdown on heavy boned animals like elk. I have to say the idea of hitting a bison with a bonded 250 would be fun too.

Just appealing to have most of the power of the .338 win mag in a non-belted case. The .35 whelen is in that category too, but I would think finding good .338 bullets would be easier than .358's.

I appreciate the input.

fredj338 · 08-18-2011, 13:17

Steve, that is my fav hunting cartridge; fredj338 is because of my love for the 34bore & 338-06 in particular. I have hunted a bunch w/ my semi custom Ruger M77, from little African Duiker (about the size of a fox), deer to elk, Kudu & Zebra. I find it very effective for larger game & just puts big holes in things smaller too. This is the only bullet I have ever recovered. L bullet is wetpack R is from a big kudu bull @ about 100yds.

I started w/ the 210grNP, tried many other bullets, but the 210grNP is just made for this round. In a 22"-23" bbl, you can easily push it along @ 2750fps, about like a 180gr 06 load, so shoots just as flat to 300yds, about the effective range for large game like elk IMO. After that, vel drops off the bullet doesn't want to expand much. It runs well w/ 250gr under 250yds too, but I keep going back to the 210grNP. The other bullet that I am playing w/ is the Barnes TTSX 200gr.
I started w/ medium powders like RL15 & IMR4064, but have moved slower to H4350. It is a compressed load but very, very accurate & still gives me 2750fps in my 22 1/2" bbl. Is it better than an 06, maybe in close, just a bit, the 06 a bit better beyond 300yds, but a good cartridge for anything in NA.
The 338-06A SQ is the same as the std 338-06. I have some Wby brass still, but it is easily made by necking up 06 brass or necking down 35Whelen & trimming to length. Speer & Hornady have data. If you put it together, PM me for more load data, I have a ton. Better yet, invite me up for some elk hunting, I never get tired of it, but it does get harder to do right every year.

After hunting we can go over to Jack's & harass him a bit.

GIockGuy24 · 08-18-2011, 13:32

RL-19 and the 4350 powders will usually give the highest velocities with the heavier bullets. The medium range powders are pretty good with the lighter bullets but the slower powders still get higher velocities usually. The 338-06 loads similar to the 30-06. The 35 Whelen seems to do better with the slightly faster medium burning powder, RL-15 and IMR-4064. The 35 Whelen doesn't leave much of a shoulder where the 338-06 has plenty of shoulder. The bullets aren't cheap and I haven't loaded it in a while. Cases are easy enough to form.

fredj338 · 08-18-2011, 13:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by GIockGuy24

RL-19 and the 4350 powders will usually give the highest velocities with the heavier bullets. The medium range powders are pretty good with the lighter bullets but the slower powders still get higher velocities usually. The 338-06 loads similar to the 30-06. The 35 Whelen seems to do better with the slightly faster medium burning powder, RL-15 and IMR-4064. The 35 Whelen doesn't leave much of a shoulder where the 338-06 has plenty of shoulder. The bullets aren't cheap and I haven't loaded it in a while. Cases are easy enough to form.

A good "cheap" bullet for smaller game is the 200gr SpeerHC. It can go 2800fps, expands quite well out to 350yds or so. Inside 100yds, it comes apart as does the 200gr Hornady. It's why I settled on the 210grNP, it works at any range well, never frags but a little "hard" for ranges past 300yds.

CBumpkin · 08-18-2011, 13:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zombie Steve

I'm not sure how serious I am about it, but I'm at least entertaining the notion of re-barrelling my 700 and stepping up to the .338 world. I think it would be more effective for the elusive waipiti we have here, and in general would be fun to tinker with and reload for.

I know a few of you have these

. As I read more, I'm a tad confused - is the .338-06 A-Square just the legitimized version of the old wildcat .338-06, or is there some difference in shoulder angle? Should just be .30-06 necked up, right?

I'm more interested in hearing about the cartridge (hence caliber corner), but if you have any favorite reloading recipes for it I'd like to see those too.

Reread:Misread what you were doing with the cartridge. I'm afraid I can't offer anything constructive on that one.

GIockGuy24 · 08-18-2011, 13:54

The Partition bullets are some of my favorites. It took me a long time to try bonded bullets but they really do work and hold together. I built my rifle before there was the A-Square and commercial ammo available. I've never bought any of the commercial ammo but I think the first load I saw in a shop was the 210 grain Partition.A friend was a big fan of the 35 Whelen and I looked at it and thought that wasn't much shoulder and bullet selection wasn't great in 358 at the time, but even that seems to have improved a lot since then. Before that I had an old 8 mm Mauser reamed for 8 mm-06. The 338 makes much bigger holes.

Zombie Steve · 08-18-2011, 18:11

This might be fun.

Any ideas on barrels?

Fred, I'm working on some access to private land for an elk hunt next year. That would be cool indeed.

We'll have to get you acclimated to altitude first.

WiskyT · 08-18-2011, 19:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zombie Steve

This might be fun.

Any ideas on barrels?

Fred, I'm working on some access to private land for an elk hunt next year. That would be cool indeed.

We'll have to get you acclimated to altitude first.

Keep drinking and you can see zebra and kudu in NA just like Fred

dougader · 08-18-2011, 19:46

I picked up a rebarreled Savage almost 2 years ago and I have yet to load up and try this thing. I have been reading and studying for years and have always thought the 338-06 was just about perfect for hunting in the northwest.

I have a 30-06 and I plan to keep that for deer, but this 338-06 needs to be out on the prowl for elk.

fredj338 · 08-18-2011, 21:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by WiskyT

Keep drinking and you can see zebra and kudu in NA just like Fred

I'v seen my share of deer & elk too Wisky, not sure what that was all about????

Quote:

Any ideas on barrels?
Fred, I'm working on some access to private land for an elk hunt next year. That would be cool indeed. We'll have to get you acclimated to altitude first.

I am a big PacNor fan. My gunsmith used to use nothing but Douglas. When I had him build my only truly custom rifle, I had him go w/ PacNor. He was so impressed w/ the finish & accuarcy that he now does his custom builds w/ PacNor unless his clients specifcy other manuf. Lilja are great as are some others, but you will pay dearly for them.
As to altitude acclimation, give me two days above 5K & I'll be ready. It's whether my rebuilt knee can hold up to all the side hilling.