I was thinking .338-06?

T

taylorce1

New member
I was thinking of building a new .338-06, now I'm not so sure. I love the .338-06 and think it is a great cartridge to shoot. I'm down to the point of ordering a barrel for my build and I keep thinking maybe I should selecet a .270 or .30-06 over the .338.

My build is a M670 push feed action, McMillian Edge stock, PT&G bottom metal that I've already collected. I'm thinking possibly as well of doing the Tubb's speed lock kit for the M70. Barrel maker is up in the air right now but it will probably be Shilen, Pac-Nor, or other maker of comparable quality. I figure I'll top it off with Talleys holding a 2.5-8X36 Leupold VX3.

The closer I get to having all the parts on hand for my build the more I'm having second thoughts on the chambering I wanted. The main purpose I have for this rifle is hunting here in Colorado on game up to elk size. I've killed all my elk in the past with either a .270 or .30-06 and I keep thinking that might be the better route to go vs. the .338-06?

I presently have a Parker Hale 1200 in .270, JC Higgins FN .30-06, and 1903 sporter in .338-06. So I'm familiar with all three cartridges but probably the most familiar with the .270 as it was my only rifle for several years. The .338-06 has been the rifle I've used the least hunting because it is heavier than my other rifles and have only taken a pronghorn with it.
 
Well since you already have guns in each of the cartridges why not go with like a 25-06 or a 35 whelen. What the point of having multiple guns that are the same thing. Or go with the 338-06 to replace the heavy one you have now.
 
I'd probably sell my current .338-06 after I built this one. I already own a few 06 based cartridges. I've got the .25-06, 6.5-06, .270, .30-06, 8mm-06, and .35 Whelen as well as a .375 Ruger if I need anything bigger.
 
It's never bother me having two deer/elk rifles in the same calibers as long as chambers cut from the same reamer that way back-up rifle use the same case.

Right now have two 30-338mag,300WSM,280AI,30-06.

Always hard looking at calibers seeing what fits. Well good luck
 
Hey taylor, sell me the 6.5-06, (you know the one with the funky stock),and that'll give you some extra dough.
the 338-06 sounds like a killer rifle but exactly are you lookin for?????

Me: 1. 270 win. for deer and occaisonal pronghorn or coyote or caribou.
2. 7mm Rem Mag for bigger species like elk, and Moose.
3. .223 rem just for coyotes and bobcats.

And now I have this insatiable desire for a bad--s tack driver that I can handload for and have some fun with.
You could use the extra dough for your build,,,, herhehe:D;)
 
Since Colorado deer are considerably bigger than Texas deer, I'd say go with the .338-06, especially since you will be hunting elk as well.
If I hadn't gone with a .35 Whelen barrel on my 1909 Argentine, I'd have picked the .338... better choices of bullets, marginally better sectional density, and, now, IIRC, it's been made a legitimate cartridge? No brainer for me.
 
I would like to have a 30-06AI as well as a 6.5-06. Im a huge fan of the 30-06 family of cartridges although I just currently own a 270 and 2 30-06's.
 
I had a 338/06 built and then elk hunting got out of my price range so I haven't had the chance to use that one. The places I hunted didn't really demand the range of the 300 Win mag I was using and I wanted the crunch of the 338 bullet w/o the recoil of the magnum.
Son asked me this fall if I had ammo for the 338/06 as he might like to shoot it. I found 12 rounds from the 40 I had initially loaded to sight it in. Guess I didn't need it so much after all. Maybe things will turn around before I get too gimpy/old to hunt elk again.
 
Man Mobuck sorry to hear about that, I would love to hear about your .338-06 build. Anyway there are some cow elk hunts that don't cost a fourtune out there. I hope you get your elk someday.
 
well since you already own most of the 30-06 family i would say go with a 338-06 so replace your other one or find something odd ball to build it in. 257 Roberts AI maybe or some maybe something based on the .284, 338-284?? If you can't tell i like being the guy at the range that makes everybody else say *** is that your shooting.
 
The places I hunted didn't really demand the range of the 300 Win mag I was using and I wanted the crunch of the 338 bullet w/o the recoil of the magnum.
Click to expand...

I own both 338-06 and 300 WSM. I like the 338-06 quite a bit, but even though it does not have the "Magnum" name, it actually recoils more than than 300 mags.

http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp

When I entered the data for actual loads I'm running my 338-06 has 27.4 ft lbs of recoil, the 300 mag, 25.1 ft lbs. Both from 8 lb. rifles.

Any will kill what you want to hunt. I really think one of the 300 mags loaded with good 180 gr. bullets is the most efficient tool for the job. But the 338-06 wins on coolness points. Who says we have to always use the most efficient tool to do the job. We are hunting for fun, use the gun and caliber you enjoy using.
 
280AI :)
Click to expand...

Been there done that with the 7mm's got the T-shirt and the hat and tried to drink the Kool-Aid. I've never been enamored with the .284 bore as it has yet to prove to me to be better on anything but ballistics charts. I've owned the 7mm-08, .280, .280 GNR, and two 7mm RM's. I've sold or swaped barrels on everyone, becuase they just do anything better than my .270 or .30-06. In fact my old Parker Hale .270 shoots tighter groups than I could ever achieve with any of the 7mm's that I owned in the past.

Probably the only one I'd still own of the above cartridges would have been the .280. I still reload for it as my brother in law talked me out of the rifle. He really likes it. If you build your loads properly then the .280 AI doesn't improve on the .280 much at all. The real problem with the .280 load data is it is always for lower pressures than it should be in a strong bolt action rifle.
 
Nice tries, but all of those require more work than I want to have done to my action or to find another action at the very least. I want to stick to a round based off of the .30-06 cartridge just to keep it simple. Plus I'm not a big fan of burning more than 70 grains of powder every time I pull a trigger. The .338-06 should get me a usable 400 yard range which is about as far as I'd like to shoot.
 
taylorce1, I don't disagree with you on calibers some I like other won't waste my time.

I find it strange that you like the 06 case and build off that and it's saami spec pressure is 60K same as the 280 case. As you said "The real problem with the .280 load data is it is always for lower pressures than it should be in a strong bolt action rifle."

If you look at Hodgdon data for the 6.5x06/338x06 they load that up to 62/63kPSI and their max for the 280AI is 62kPSI.

Always question on accuracy my favorite story is "guy walks into famous BR gunsmith ask him if he can build a rifle to shoot in in the .0's, gunsmith ask him can you shoot in the .0's".
 
I find it strange that you like the 06 case and build off that and it's saami spec pressure is 60K same as the 280 case.
Click to expand...

Old Roper, I've never built a rifle off of the 06 case except the .25-06 as it was my first custom that I had built. All the other rifles I own were purchased used and, the 6.5-06 is my most recent gun show acquisition. Buying these used odd ball 06 based cartridges has allowed me to play with some unique cartridges. The 8mm-06 was the cheapest, IIRC I paid less than $200 for the rifle but I had to put it back together, but it has still been a cheap rifle.

All my old manuals show the .280 slower than the .270 Win with equal weight bullets. Recently however, I've noticed a lot of the powder manufacturers have been upping the charges and getting the pressure on par with the .270 Win and the velocities are similar. But like I was able to shoot my .270 better than any of the 7mm's that I tried.

Always question on accuracy my favorite story is "guy walks into famous BR gunsmith ask him if he can build a rifle to shoot in in the .0's, gunsmith ask him can you shoot in the .0's".
Click to expand...

I have no dobuts as to my ability to shoot and I know it isn't in the .0's. I am capable of sub 1" groups for three shots with most of my hunting rifles and some of them can hold that for five shots as long as I do my part. I've even got a couple of walking varmints that I can hold down in the .5's for more than five shots.
 
Last edited:
Being an Odd ball myself and a counter culture shooter (when everyone went small and fast I went big and slow), I like unique stuff. 338-06 fits into that catagory.

U can reload for your needs. I have a lot of fun with my 338 Win Mag and 160 grain slugs.

The other benefit is that by using an odd ball cartridge you will not have your buddys bumming ammo off you all the time.

My fantasy rifle is a AR in 257 roberts.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top