Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 338-06 as an all-around rifle? Other options?

Just as "FYI"...

If any of you are considering a 338-06 A-Square build, I have a reamer that will be for sale shortly after the first of the year. It'll be "once" used (to build my custom) and then for sale. It's a Manson's solid pilot finishing reamer and I'll make you a fair priced deal on it.

That name is already reserved for the 340 Wby... wouldn't want an ammo mix up

We could call it the "338 Middle Sky."

Or as an homage to all the Zen Buddhists in Montana, "338 Middle Way"...

My pre 64 FWT was an '06 in its first life but is now a fantastic 338-06 coming all in at just 8 lbs with leo 6X42 and mickey stock.

For good reason it has followed me to NWT (bou/moose) w/225 Nosler Partition, S.E. Alaska (brownie)w/250 A Frame and most recently to Zim (zebra, waterbuck, bushbuck, sable,bushpig, wildebeast) w/210 barnes TTSX. Yes, I have two '06's and they have a place but this rifle has just taken over the roost. I have another standard pre 64 barrel already bored out to 338 sitting in the wings awaiting a donor pre 64 action. Gotta luv the 338-06 for versatility and campfire talk as well.

I could see Kimber doing a 338-06 on the new 84L frame... that'd be cool.

muygrande, your pre-64 sounds fantastic.

Brad, yes it is "one of" the favorites. Confidence gained in taking game with a rifle seems to make the hunter want to take it out of the rifle case first when new trips are planned. The FWT '06 barrel was almost too small to do the 338 but it has been a very pleasant surprise and is so easy to carry. Shoots way less than an inch with the 250 A Fr and both the 210 TSX/TTSX so it is hard not to be pleased.

I also went with a .338-06 as my big gun to go along with the 7mm-08 I had at the time. No regrets!

65BR,
I always wondered why Remington came out with the .280 when we already had the 7x64 Brenneke?
whelennut (9x63)

Lots of great advice here....mucho appreciato!

I pretty much have to flip a coin between the 280AI/30-06/338-06 and just deal with how it lands! Now if I could only find a 3 sided coin.....

Just FYI

The 280 AI has its cool factor working. Saying that, I use to have one. It shot real nice, killed deer just fine.

It now has a different barrel on the action. It is stamped 338-06. I am much happy with this change.

Wish you luck.

Here is a picture of mine.

I'm up a size with the .308 and .340 but I actually had a conversation not that long ago where starting from scratch and not feeling a need for magnums the 7-08 and 338-06 would be tough to beat for a North American combo. (.308/.30-06 & 35 Whelen were the runners up)

I just bought a .338-06. Help me scope it. (No, Im not taking this to optics.) It will be a Leupold VX-III. But I haven't decided 1.5-5, 1.75-6 or 2.5-8. I am inclined to go with the 1.5-5. What do you think?

Power of scopes are personal preference as to what you feel comfortable shooting with. If it were me, I'd go with a 2.5-8x36mm... Very versatile scope and has plenty of low power and high power for whatever you see the need for at the time...

I went through the same dilema over the same 3 scopes a couple yrs ago when looking to buy a light weight low power variable. I went with the 1.75-6x32 w/hvy plex because of it's slightly larger exit pupil over the other two. Tried it on my .300 and liked it ALOT. It's now on my 9.3x62 for the first time this yr. But honestly I don't believe you could go wrong with any of them. Not much help,huh?

I've owned all three and liked them all. Which ever I choose will be heavy duplex too. I love that reticle at dark-thirty! I suppose I like the 1.5-5 because I can use extra-low rings.

That'll work!
I've found that the hvy plex works VERY WELL in standing out against the thick cover I hunt although I did choose it for low light situations.

I went with the Leupold VX3 2.5-8 with the B&C reticle. Still waiting to shoot it. On paper, it matches 338-06 ballistics very well.

Great lookin rifle no doubt!!

Being a guy who went from 280AI to 338-06, what main difference do you see between the two? What made you go that way vs the 280AI?

That's exactly what I'm using along with similar loads to what Brad's running. Mine happens to be a 23" Lilja but I have another with a 22" #4 Shilen and a Lupy 3.5X10 that works pretty well too.

Using the leupold B&C reticle, if you sight it in 1" high at 200 using ballistics of the 210 Scirocco IIs, 2700fps, 9000' (lowest place where I elk hunt)it is less than an inch off at the other tick marks (300, 400, 450, 500) out to 500yds. It leaves you 2.2 inches high at 100, but I can live with that. Also, that is using the larger triangle setting which gives you the full 8x. I thought I would have to use the small triangle setting, but that does not allow you to use the full 8x with the reticle. If I am using the reticle for anything beyond 200yds I want the full 8x. 2700 is easy to get, 2750 allows you to be dead on at 200 and match the rest of the way out. Can't wait to get the 338-06 out into the field.

Edit: The windage marks work out to be closer to 15mph full value wind vice 10 for the Scirocco II at 9k elevation.