30-338 How does it compare to a 30-06?

R

R&H

New member
I recently talked to a gentleman who had just got a new rifle. It was a 30-338 that had been custom made. It was a very nice rifle. However he told me that it could generate about 4 times the energy that my 30-O6 could. Now I have never seen the balistics info on the 30-338 but 4 times my 06 seems to be around 12500 ft-lbs at the muzzle. Now that sounds like 50 BMG class to me. I estimated that it would have to generate a muzzle velocity of around 5600 ft/s with a 180 grain bullet to accomplish his claimed energy. I am also guessing that his rifle weighed about 8.5 lbs. If he or anyone can shoot a cannon like that he is a tougher man that I.

Anyway I was just wondering what the balistics of the 30-338 really are.
 
SFAIK, 3,400 ft/sec, 3,500 ft/sec, something like that with a 180-grain bullet. Roughly 70% more "Oomph" or Kinetic Energy. (I'm assuming 35 squared divided by 27 squared.)

Folks believe stuff. I had a guy tell me that with his Ackley Improved '06 zeroed at 200 yards, he only held 6" over a deer's back at 600 yards. He seemed to believe it, so I left him alone in his dreamworld of range mis-estimation. What the heck, some folks are sincere Democrats, too.

Regards, Art
 
FWIW, Barnes' "Cartridges of the World" 8th Ed. at p. 181 lists muzzle velocity for the 30-338 in a 180 gr Sierra MK bullet at 2964 and muzzle energy at 3510 -- both for powder loads of 72.5 grs. The nearest comparable data for 30-06 180 Speer bullet at p. 57 lists mv at 2750 and me at 3023 -- both on powder loads of 57 grs.

I looked it up for the same reason I read the post -- curiosity. Which is another way of saying,I've got no experience whatsoever with the 30-338 and just got my 30-06 yesterday.
 
It's a near-twin to the .308 Norma, both in dimensions and ballistics (which means it's also a near-twin to the .300 Winchester).
 
So far everyones said everything I know about it....cept historically it was the favorite 1000yd cartridge of the army at one time, In the old manual I have they also discussed the .284/7mm mag as cartridge that showed good potential for distance....fubsy. shooting.
 
The 300 Win Mag has more case capacity than the 30-338 & I can barely shove a 180 gr bullet along at 3100 fps. The 300 Weatherby is bigger yet. The 30-338 uses the same case as the .264 win mag, the 7mm Rem mag, & the 338 win mag. Max case capacity is in the neighborhood of 70 grs. of water at the neck. The 300 win mag is around 80 grs of water. (water is used as a benchmark because its the same no matter what whereas powder does have density differences.)

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Guard Freedom from those that "want to do it for the Children."
 
Gipperdog: What do you get with a 150-grain bullet, from the .300 WinMag? I'd swear I've read a claim of some 3,400 ft/sec from one of these Big 30s, with a 180-grain bullet. (I'm away from all my loading books, which is frustrating at times.)

I got an email from one guy who says he has chronographed just over 3,100 from an '06, using Federal's High Energy Ammo with a 165-grain bullet. Have you tried any of this ammo?

Anyway, thanks for the info...

Art
 
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