338-06

Dogger

New member
Thoughts on the 338-06 as the "all purpose big game rifle" for the Eastern hunter?

[Edited by Dogger on 04-20-2001 at 04:36 PM]
 
Yikes!!

I did a TFL search on "338-06" and 338/06" and didn't get a single hit other than my own post! I'm surprised that at least one TFL'er doesn't own one. Maybe we can talk Art into converting his "Ol' Pet"... :)
 
I own a rem 700 chambered in 338-06 and have used it only once for deer, worked well...most of the time I just send lead down range....you can reload for almost any type of hunting or target shooting...when I get home I'll post my pet loads for it
 
Slightly different but...

I have a 7400 Rem in 35 Whelen. Not exactly the .338 but still the '06 case, just a little bigger....still, I look in the reloading manuals and a 250 grain bullet from the Whelen is only appx 150 fps less than a 338 Win Mag. I could easily shoot 100 rounds straight from the Whelen. Doubt if too many guys would want to do that with the 338 Win Mag.
As I get older (and hopefully a little wiser) it looks to me like the guys with the super blast'em ultra magnums that burn a quart of powder with every round cost themselves a lot of money and take a beating for a little velocity. Don't know for sure, but I'm thinking an elk wouldn't really know if the 250 he got hit with was going 2700 or 2575. Looks like the "my dog's bigger than your dog" mentality is really kicking in around shooting circles.
 
.338x06

Several years back, after reading about the .338x06, it became one of those "had to have" calibers.

I began my .33 caliber love affair in the late 60's with a Pre '64 Win. M70 in .338 Win. Mag and have had numerous rifles chambered in .33 since so I guess the .338x06 was a logical extension of that affair.

I located a Remington M700, the old style, in .30-06 and had Shilen install a 24" match grade barrel on the action and the barreled action refinished.

Not wanting to put a ton of money into a stock job, I used a Remington M700 new style magmum length stock I had lying around. I sent it off to Garland Gilbreath of Triple G Gunsmithing in TX on the recommendation of Shilen to be fit and glass bedded.

The rifle has Leupold bases and rings and currently has a Leupold 4.5-14x Vari-X III scope on it. I'm not sure this is the perfect scope for this rifle but it was an extra so I used it. I have also had a Leupold Vari-X III 1.5-5x scope on it. This would make for a nice Eastern rifle combo.

It is one of my favorite rifles but I have not had the opportunity to use it afield. I can't say why not.??

My primary load is the Nosler 210gr. PAR bullet followed by the Nosler 225gr. PAR. This rifle will shoot sub MOA all day long with either load.

The .338x06 has all the power you would need for anything short of the big bears in North America. I'm not sure that in the hands of a good rifleman with Nosler 250gr. PAR bullets, it would not work on them either. It falls just short of .338 Win. Mag velocities.

E-mail me if you are interested in the loads that I use.
 
I wuz readin' one time about the designing of the .308, and the term "volumetric efficiency" was mentioned. The .308 is a good bit shorter than the '06, but its velocities aren't all that far behind, for practical purposes. "They say" this is due to better volumetric efficiency of the .308 as compared to the '06. Okay, I'll accept that as rational...

The '06 case lends itself to being sort of a "Baby .375 H&H", in the sense of a .338 or .35 bullet and the length of the case.

I don't think I'm horribly in error to say that the '06 case has a somewhat better volumetric efficiency in .338 or .35 than it does in .30. Well, "sorta", and "It seems to me."

Consider the larger game animals, where deep penetration, breaking of heavier bones, and probability of exit wounds is more difficult than with the typical white tail deer, the heavier .338 and .35 bullets make sense.

No, I've never had one, but every now and then I've mumbled about the Whelen, anyhow...

:), Art
 
What little research I have done suggests that the 338-06 might have an edge over the 35 Whelen, as the 338 bullets tend to be tougher, designed as they are for use at magnum velocities. From what I have read the 35 Whelen has the larger following...

Art, you should consider some "implants" for your Ol' Pet...

:)
 
.338-06

Dogger,

The .35 Whelen is a fine cartirdge if you are into the .35 caliber thing. I've never been able to warm up to the .358 dia. bullets.

The .35 Whelen has a larger following due to factory ammo being available for it and the .338x06 being a wildcat.
Had the tables been reversed when they legitimized the Whelen, the .338x06 would have most likely had the larger following.

I love my .338x06 and would not trade it for 2 .35 Whelen rifles.
 
Dogger, by the end of a bunch of miles, the implants I need for Ol' Pet would be helium balloons. :)

As for Ol' Pet, hisself, he don' need no Viagra.

As usual, Art
 
Weatherby has "legitimized" the .338-06 this year by offering a production rifle in that caliber. I have been reading a bit about both the .338-06 and the .35 Whelen/Imp
I just have the itch to build another rifle. Don't need it just want to. Cann't make up my mind. Our in house gunsmith built himself a Mauser custom chambered for the .35 Whelen Imp. DO I do the same so I can scrounge his loads or go with the .338-06? I haven't made up my mind yet. Then there is the .338-08. I do like short action rifles. Possibly a sa mountain gun? I love these delimas. Usually I do it all.
Variety is the spice of life unless your married.

Cheers,

ts
 
.338-06

BMWGS80,

Weatherby is calling this loading the .338-'06 A-Square, not just a .338x06.
I have not been able to locate much info on this loading but, it wouldn't surprise me any if A-Square has modified the '06 case neck to create their own version of the .338x06.

Should still be a good round even if this is the case.
 
To my mind, a better choice than either the .338/06 OR the .35 Whelen is the good old .350 Rem Mag.
The case of .350 Rem Mag has greater volume than the 06 case, but it's short and squat enough to fit in a .308 length action. You can save weight, length and cycling time with such an action.
The reloading books are deceptive though because the .350 is usually associated with the old Remington 600 and its 18 inch barrel - the velocities appear slower than these other similar cartridges. Personally though, a loss of 50 or 100 fps is nothing compared to the advantage of having a light and compact rifle. Stick a 22 or 24 inch barrel on and the velocities will surpass either of these other two rifles.

The drawback is that nobody chambers this in a standard offering anymore. You can get one in a Remington Model 7 from the custom shop though, with any barrel length you want. It might make sense to get one in a standard 22 or 24 inch barrel since you are saving weight and length on the action. I'm sure too, that there are lots of .350's sitting (and getting dusty), in the gun and pawn shops of America. If you see one, check it out.

Keith
 
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