opinion 338-06 ?
- Thread starter k in AR
- Start date
I had Shilen install a 26" match grade, hand lapped .338x06 barrel on a Rem. 700 action in '97. The barreled action was glass bedded into an old Rem. stock that I had lying around just to try it out. I had intended to put it into an H-S Precision fiberglass stock but it shot so good in the Rem. stock that it has been that way since.
It is one of the best shooting rifles that I have.
The caliber is not that much slower than the .338WM.
The recoil is somewhere between a heavy bullet load in a .30-06 and the .338WM.
I favor the 210gr. Nosler PAR bullet @ 2700-2800 fps but the 225gr. PAR's work well also when shot at 2600-2700 fps. The ballistics on the 250gr. bullets are also impressive and I have a load that pushes it to 2569 fps and it will stay under 1" @ 100 yds.
The 210 and 225 PAR's will shoot into 1" or better @ 100 yds. all day long.
The Nosler 200gr. BT is also a good bullet @ 2800 fps or a little better and shoots under 1".
I use Federal Gold Medal brass and Federal 210M rpimers in my rifle along with H414 powder for the best results.
It is one of the best shooting rifles that I have.
The caliber is not that much slower than the .338WM.
The recoil is somewhere between a heavy bullet load in a .30-06 and the .338WM.
I favor the 210gr. Nosler PAR bullet @ 2700-2800 fps but the 225gr. PAR's work well also when shot at 2600-2700 fps. The ballistics on the 250gr. bullets are also impressive and I have a load that pushes it to 2569 fps and it will stay under 1" @ 100 yds.
The 210 and 225 PAR's will shoot into 1" or better @ 100 yds. all day long.
The Nosler 200gr. BT is also a good bullet @ 2800 fps or a little better and shoots under 1".
I use Federal Gold Medal brass and Federal 210M rpimers in my rifle along with H414 powder for the best results.
k in AR,
Upon further investigation by myself into the Weatherby offering of the .338x06 cartridge, I found that it IS NOT the standard .338x06 but the "improved" .338x06 A-Square which is a different round from what I can tell from the available info on it.
Personally, I would not buy anything with the A-Square name on it due to a very bad experience several years back with the owner, Art Alphin, and the then new 7mm STW ammunition that they were offering.
This most likely has nothing to do with the Weatherby offering in .338x06 AS but I personally wouldn't buy into that for my use.
And, at the $1300+ price tage on the Weathery rifle chambered in .338x06 AS, I would find a suitable action, .30-06 length, and have a .338x06 built for less.
Upon further investigation by myself into the Weatherby offering of the .338x06 cartridge, I found that it IS NOT the standard .338x06 but the "improved" .338x06 A-Square which is a different round from what I can tell from the available info on it.
Personally, I would not buy anything with the A-Square name on it due to a very bad experience several years back with the owner, Art Alphin, and the then new 7mm STW ammunition that they were offering.
This most likely has nothing to do with the Weatherby offering in .338x06 AS but I personally wouldn't buy into that for my use.
And, at the $1300+ price tage on the Weathery rifle chambered in .338x06 AS, I would find a suitable action, .30-06 length, and have a .338x06 built for less.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Jim, are those chronograph numbers for velocities, that you give? For the bullet weights, they seem a bit high.
Guess I'm gonna have to put some money in Mr. Oehler's pocket, meownself.
, Art
Guess I'm gonna have to put some money in Mr. Oehler's pocket, meownself.
, ArtI dinked around with a .338/06 that a friend of mine was building about six years ago. He seemed to feel that it was going to be the best all round rifle with moderate recoil, Blah, Blah, ...etc.
We ran it head to head with a field proven .35 Whelen (.358-06) and a vintage 30/06. All weapons had 26" barrels with twist rates optimized for bullet weights. All actions were pre 64 model 70 Winchester types.
Although capable of 1 MOA, the .338 rifle was noisier than the Whelen, and had more felt recoil than the 30-06. Ammo was more difficult to procure than the .35 Whelen, as the Whelen was by then a factory cartridge.
The rifle did not shoot as flat as the 30-06, and had no great advantage over either the .35 Whelen or the 30-06, so far as I could tell.
He had a devil of a time getting his des set up to expand the 30-06 brass necks without crushing the shoulders, but after I polished the expander button, the problem went away.
For my money, I would have gone with the .35 Whelen if I were after an -06 bigger bore wildcat. Bigger holes, you know... which is why I am doing up a .358 Norma Mag.
My friend was happy with his .338-06 though, and has taken several elk with it since then.
We ran it head to head with a field proven .35 Whelen (.358-06) and a vintage 30/06. All weapons had 26" barrels with twist rates optimized for bullet weights. All actions were pre 64 model 70 Winchester types.
Although capable of 1 MOA, the .338 rifle was noisier than the Whelen, and had more felt recoil than the 30-06. Ammo was more difficult to procure than the .35 Whelen, as the Whelen was by then a factory cartridge.
The rifle did not shoot as flat as the 30-06, and had no great advantage over either the .35 Whelen or the 30-06, so far as I could tell.
He had a devil of a time getting his des set up to expand the 30-06 brass necks without crushing the shoulders, but after I polished the expander button, the problem went away.
For my money, I would have gone with the .35 Whelen if I were after an -06 bigger bore wildcat. Bigger holes, you know... which is why I am doing up a .358 Norma Mag.
My friend was happy with his .338-06 though, and has taken several elk with it since then.
>>Jim, are those chronograph numbers for velocities, that you give? For the bullet weights, they seem a bit high.<<
Art, yes they are rounded off velocities taken from my rifle, 26" bbl., using a PACT chronograph. If your interested, e-mail me and I can give you more specific data.
MAD DOG, there has ALWAYS been debate, heated at times, between .33 and .35 dia. shooters. It will never go away, never!If you like .33's that's a good thing and if you like .35's that also a good thing. There's enough to go around for each. I happen to like the available bullets for the .33's and I have always had a .338WM and I also shoot a .340 Wby. Mag. so the bullets work for me in all three calibers.
I like my .338x06 and find it a very good all around caliber. I've never had trouble making the brass from either Fed. of Win. '06 brass. The trick is to use a q-tip and some Dillon liquid case lube and lube the inside of the case neck before running it into the die to expand the neck.
Long live the .338x06!
Art, yes they are rounded off velocities taken from my rifle, 26" bbl., using a PACT chronograph. If your interested, e-mail me and I can give you more specific data.
MAD DOG, there has ALWAYS been debate, heated at times, between .33 and .35 dia. shooters. It will never go away, never!
If you like .33's that's a good thing and if you like .35's that also a good thing. There's enough to go around for each. I happen to like the available bullets for the .33's and I have always had a .338WM and I also shoot a .340 Wby. Mag. so the bullets work for me in all three calibers.I like my .338x06 and find it a very good all around caliber. I've never had trouble making the brass from either Fed. of Win. '06 brass. The trick is to use a q-tip and some Dillon liquid case lube and lube the inside of the case neck before running it into the die to expand the neck.
Long live the .338x06!
JMC, thanks for the good information. I have been interested in the 338-06 for a couple of years but never serious enough to take care of business.
I'm sorry to hear that this 338-06 is a different breed. I already have a Weatherby Ultra lightweight in 30-06 & even though it is back at Weatherby right now getting a couple of things straightened out, I still think it is an "almost" perfect hunting rifle. When I got the new catalog with the "new" 338-06 added to the ultra lightline, I thought that it was the "standard 338-06" that I have been reading about for a couple of years and started drooling. OH well....
Anyone know what the difference between the 338-06 & the 338-06 A-Square actually is???
Thanks, k
I'm sorry to hear that this 338-06 is a different breed. I already have a Weatherby Ultra lightweight in 30-06 & even though it is back at Weatherby right now getting a couple of things straightened out, I still think it is an "almost" perfect hunting rifle. When I got the new catalog with the "new" 338-06 added to the ultra lightline, I thought that it was the "standard 338-06" that I have been reading about for a couple of years and started drooling. OH well....
Anyone know what the difference between the 338-06 & the 338-06 A-Square actually is???
Thanks, k