Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 338-06

That's nice Chip, what's your build?

Thx
Dober

sorry mark but what is short shank

Barrel contour would certainly matter to both weight and balance. I am not sure that I would go .60" muzzle; that is only .131" wall thickness. I would feel better with .15" walls, so that would get me more to .65". I would go no longer than 22." The barrel weight program on Lilja's webiste is a big help in doing a weight projection. The MRC bottom metal is heavy, so if you were willing to go blind magazine, there is a significant savings there (net about 6 oz.).

I don't have any preferences re the EDGE for this build. It all comes down the balance, which I think is more important than hitting some pre-determined and arbitrary goal for overall weight.

I am a big 338-06 fan in a handy rifle, so am enthusiastic about the build. The MRC is just a tough place to start if light is the goal.

im with Mark on the sub 8 pounds....that 1917 is 9.5 ready to hunt.....love the rifle though as it fits me perfectly and balances like a dream in my hands......course you can also shoot the damn thing all day and not hurt after packing a Kimber 84M Montana in 260 for the last 2 years though i would really prefer a lighter package for the 338-06....

Rattler-turn that Enfield into a 416 Rigby, to my way of thinking that's the best round for that beasty of an action.

Then, build yourself a lightweight OKH. As for a Lil Sky .260, that's one rig that really perks my fancy! Your a lucky perro to have one of those.

Dober

EDGE stock, 23" sporter contour, talley's, and a VXII 3-9x40 should get you there...

actually been thinking of going to a 416 Taylor or Ruger for it to make use of the weight.....Rigby is a damn fine round but the other two are cheaper to feed brass and powder wise....have Taylor dies sitting on the shelf downstairs already.....would need to find someone to build me a duplicate stock though.....that ones fore end is to thin for a thicker barrel.....love that stock though.....need to find someone that could make one with a thicker fore end

Rattler,

I at one time carried a Taylor as my yote rifle, it did a darn fine job. It is one hella cool round and I'd endorse you doing that one in a hearbeat!

What's the barrel you have in the stock mic at the mzl now?

Thx
Dober

will have to check that tonight...had the thing built 5 or 6 years ago and dont remember the details off the top of my head.....

I know some of you guys really like super light rifles and that's great but it should be noted that with light rifles in medium bores comes recoil and here's how it plays out with some basic 338-06 figures so "JS" can make a decision on weight if recoil is a consideration;

Using Hornady Loading data, 225 gr. Interlock, 54.2 grs of RL-15 with a specified muzzle velocity of 2700 fps (stout, max load)

Rifle @:

7lbs = 30.76 ft/lbs recoil
7.5 lbs = 28.71 ft/lbs recoil
8 lbs = 26.92 ft/lbs recoil
8.5 lbs = 25.33 ft/lbs recoil
9 lbs = 23.92 ft/lbs recoil
9.5 lbs = 22.67 ft/lbs recoil

Using basic loading data and a basis gun weight of 8lbs here's how other chamberings stack up;

270 Win: 16.00 ft/lbs recoil
300 Win Mag: 24.93 ft/lbs recoil
.375 H&H Mag: 40.19 ft/lbs recoil

wouldnt go super light....wouldnt want a 7 pound ready to hunt one but 8-8.25 is nicer to pack than 9.5.....my Kimber is just under 7 ready to hunt with 4 down, scope and sling.....a pound heavier for the 338-06 sounds bout right to me and shouldnt kick yah an ungodly amount.....i dont particularly care for high amounts of recoil but even given your chart it would seem in bout the right area.....rather knock a pound off the rifle and carry an extra pound of water and cover more ground...

Recoil is something to consider no doubt and we all handle it differently. Barrel torque is another thing to consider.

4 me, a 338/06 just doesn't bounce around much. Maybe it's too many years of working with a 340 or 375 Wby. My first 340 went 8.25 lbs with a 3-10 Leo on it.

IMO if one can handle an 06 at sub 8 then one can handle a OKH sub 8.

Balance is a big thing for me and to have a 338/06 with a barrel of less than .6" is not something I'd wish for. But, in the .6-.625" range I am fine with it.

As well, I do not wish to have a stock that goes more than 28 0z on it. But then again that's just me.

A couple of last things, I do not consider sub 8 to be super light and I do not consider anything off an 06 case to be a medium. But dats just me...

Dober

personally the 375 doesn't bother me; would a 338-06 come with the same "shove" type recoild as the 375?

IMO it's kind of a mini me shove of the 375, really quite easy to deal with as long as the rifle is well configured.

I think my OKH weighs 7 lbs 13 oz and my wife who is petite handles it with no problemo.

Dober

I recall my 7.5# 338-06 as being briskish, but not brutal by any means.

With common factory style loadings in a 8lb gun;

The 338-06 has a recoil velocity of 13.98 fps compared to the sharper 18.12 fps of the .375 H&H and the .375 H&H has 16.5 ft/lbs more recoil.

So if the .375 H&H doesn't ring your bell too bad the .338-06 should be a cake walk.

Bottom line, it aint no bigga deal. If you can handle a sub eight 12 gauge you can handle a sub 8 OKH.

Dober

No feeding issues with mine, smith did have to shorten my mag box de to the stock used, it was rocking on it by being bottomed out.

Recoil is largely a fnction of stock choice, I chose a Mtn Rifle pattern with a slender little recoil pad and not a thick stock so recoil is felt but certainly not bad with the slow 2,300 fps loads I used for fully forming brass, haven't loaded any further yet.

Mike

My 338-06 comes in at 7lbs. 10oz. This works just fine. FYI

Have a good day.

Hammer-that OKH of yours is one of the nicer ones I've seen. Very cool rifle for sure.

Dober