It's going to be a long week of waiting. After quite a bit of reading searching web surfing etc etc, I finally pulled the trigger on a pre 64 338. All original, stock looks like it was rode hard and put away wet a time or two, all cosmetic. Can't wait for it to arrive and see what it needs as far as TLC. Elk season is only 11 months away!

Congrats! I wonder if this is the one from Cabelas that I saw?

Eric

Cabela's is a great source. 79s was telling me about one he saw in Anchorage when he was down there. Congrats on the 338 Alaskan purchase. You'll have to let us know what you think of the ol girl after you get it and shoot it. That's damn near the perfect elk rifle/cartridge combo. I'm wondering how beretzs did down here this elk season? Haven't heard from him in a while.

Razz, post some pics and did you get a killer deal on it??? EricM has been on the lookout for one for a while...

They had a couple of them at the anchorage store.

I saw one of them and it was a very nice rifle. Of course, it may have looked different in person... You know, the pre 64 Winchester model 70 is the Alaskan state rifle.

Yep they been trying to pass something like that for awhile and they finally did.

I'm so close to doing what beretzs did to his: Throw it in a Mcmillan. Probably a hunters compact or a pre 64 montecarlo pattern. blackdog1 had a 300H&H in a micky and that rifle was the chit. I almost took it home with me. Now I'm kicking myself in the azz for not!!!

Got it from the Tulalip store. Think I got a pretty good deal, and yes they came off the price posted a nice amount. Will know for sure when it shows up.Like I said, it needs some cosmetic woodwork, if I decide to go that far. Certainly not looking at collector status, this will be hunted for certain and when I reside inside a coffee can on the fireplace mantle be something my sons can fight over.

Here's a shot, will put up more when it comes home.

Awesome Razz. Nice score! I'll bet it will shoot great too. From the picture, it looks all original. Any extra holes drilled in the receiver? Check it to see if it has "458" stamped on the underside of the recoil lug when you get it too.

Sweet rifle, congrats!! I'm on the hunt for one as well. You couldn't make a better elk gun.

Eric

These have very good handling characteristics. Nice find.

Welcome to the club! I have a 1959 that is currently getting a new stock made for it ( by me). It is a sweet rifle and will be an elk slayer.

If I didn't already have a 300 H&H I would have scooped that one up as well BSA. That rifle is all business.

I communicate with Beretzs on a daily basis so he won't mind me saying that I gave him a ton of Chit for putting that Alaskan in the Micky. I am trying to convince him to let me make a nice walnut stock for him, pillared and bedded completely ( top and bottom). The Micky's pretty much make the rifle bullet proof for sure, I just prefer wood thats all.

I am currently in the middle of restocking my Alaskan. It is pillared, bedded top and bottom and ready for final sanding. When I am done I plan on doing some moisture testing on the stock to see if it will as weather proof as I hope. There won't be any exposed wood at all, everything will be coated on the inside with epoxy and the outside with 15-20 coats of finish.

we shall see.

You do great work on those stocks. Seems like a gift you have. You are also right about Bob's 300 H&H, that one was top notch and ready to work. It felt so svelte and nice too. It was truly calling to me, but I already had 2 300 magnums in the safe at the time and working on getting my 338 at the time. Sometimes things just don't work out. I think for Scotty's style of hunting and his love for his 338, he's probably better off with that Alaskan in a McMillan like it is right now. There were times this year when I wished mine was stocked that way. The original stock got soaked and I had to let it dry out for a couple days. That's the reason I switched to the blue McMillan stocked 300 WSM EW and ended up shooting my bull with that instead of the trusty 338 . I will say this: The 300 WSM and 180gr. Nosler partition did short work of putting that bull down. 1 shot thru the heart, bull went down and did a nose dive into the snow and slid for a good 20 feet. I was pretty impressed with the little short mag..

Thanks all. My love is for wood stocks, always has been. Yet my current go to rifle is my 338 Remmy in SS and plastic. It just plain shoots lights out. Once this new gun is set up my intent is to part with the Remmy. Of course one of my boys is also lobbying for me to send it his way.

As for the welcome to the club, I have, or maybe should say had, a P64 70 in '06 that is on permanent loan to one of our boys. He said I am welcome to shoot it anytime I come up to Wyoming.

BSA Thanks for the tip on the recoil lug, will check it when the gun arrives.

300 mag anything and the 180 gr Partition is one baddass combo.

I here you on the weather conditions. Now that I am New Mexico Resident ( as of Monday last week)I hope to do some late season cow hunts in the snow. That will get me some good field testing

And thank you for the kind words. I am a novice but learning all the time.

LOL. You'll fit in just fine. Your boys are pretty smart too

Good luck on your cow hunts. I look forward to seeing pics and hearing stories!!

For a shooter you can just refinish the stock, yourself, to seal the wood.

Legend.....thank me later.

Agreed, in spades. Although I must say that my much customized 1917 in essentially a supercharged 338 is right in there, too...

Congratulations to the new owner of this fantastic rifle.

I hate to say it, but when I'm out hunting, I'm still looking for the push forward safety of my M1917. I miss that ol girl...

The old adage holds true. There'll never be another one like your first!!!!



I know I shouldn't have posted that since this is a Winchester forum....Hey, maybe mine was manufactured by Winchester

If I had not already ordered the McM, I would have gone with the Legend. Alot of benefits on a 338 Win Mag. Can't think of any con's.

Still thinking of putting one on my 35 Newton.

Congrats on your Alaskan.. I wouldn't wanna hunt without mine.. Makes the rest of my rifles pointless.

Scotty, I'm thinking about building one that you'd really like!!!! Did you take any elk down???

Blasphemy. Straight up Blasphemy. One can never have too many rifles.

Hey, I can see beretzs point.... . However, I don't know what I'd do without my 30-06...

And I without my .270's !

I don't like my 270. It makes my 30-06 fwt look bad. The 2 30-06's gang up on it in the safe. Trust me...

Don't worry BSA. That has been happening inside gunsafe's since 1925.

Ha ha...

I am all ears. I'd love to hear what your thinking of building.

PM inbound. Scotty

Yeah, I have some others in the safe, but when it comes to actual hunting for keeps, the 338 seems to always be my go to.. At least in the west.

Happy Birthday, Scotty!

Eric

Thanks Eric. Appreciate it.

Yes, happy birthday Scotty. Hope you have a good one!!!

It's a secret...

All this talk is killing me. My 338 is not here and I'm thinking 270 or how to reclaim the '06 my son has. As for my 338, looks like Cabelas finally hit my CC last night so it should be moving my way. :-)!!

Nice rifle BSA. I like the 1917s a lot.

Thanks buddy. I wish I still had that one. It was one of my favorites, but I got rid of it in favor of my pre 64's. Sometimes I wonder why the heck I do that. Looks like it's your birthday today. Have a great day!!

Damn those guys at Cabela's. Seems like they are dragging their feet. . I might be running off to Cabela's to pick one up in person tomorrow..

[/quote]

Damn those guys at Cabela's. Seems like they are dragging their feet. . I might be running off to Cabela's to pick one up in person tomorrow.. [/quote]

Just stay away from the Tulalip Washington store!

Just talked to the Mr. Bickle at the post falls store and they are all out of the 7x57 limited edition supergrades that are selling for $899.99...I'll be hitting the Tulalip store next...

Razz, good luck with your new 338. I'll bet you are going to love it. I just bought another one. When I'm done with it, I'll post a few pics...

Those have good handling characteristics. Good luck with the face basher, amigo.

Thanks BSA, no before pictures? I plan on running some before and after for my photo "archives", did that with the flinters I've built (and am building) for fun.

Slavek, not worried about face bashing. As a scrawny kid I grew up shooting 1oz slugs from my shotgun, graduated to rifles and large cal muzzleloaders, currently working on a 62 cal. My current 338 came with a removable brake, first rime I touched it off hunting was enough, off it came and the cap protecting the threads has been there ever since. Lots of rounds downrange leads to a few when hunting, no recoil issues here. Plus, I'm not so scrawny anymore.;-)

This waiting on Cabelas is frustrating, lets just say I'm not impressed with their lack of communication and reply.

Razz, are you having it shipped from one store to another closer to you? I have been waiting almost a month for one to get here. The receiving store doesn't have information till it hits their door and the store where it came from only knows they sent it. Customer service doesn't have anything to do with firearms. Frustrating.


***Update to above. Called my local store today, again, and talked to the firearms manager. He said he would try to trace it down. Called me back and said it's been in their vault for over 2 weeks! I'd like to tell them to shove it, but.............I want it.
So if you don't hear anything about your .338 soon, call and bug them.

Thanks Tmitch, mine is coming to my local FFL holder, nearest Cabelas is up in Denver. Will keep after them

You should be good then. Supposedly the Cabelas that shipped mine didn't send any paperwork to tell my local store why they were getting it. Good luck with your .338!

Damn, it sounds like I did the right thing in driving 300 miles to the Cabelas yesterday to pick mine up. I also bought a couple other things I needed and luckily it was on sale. Damn sure don't like paying sales tax, but at least the rifle is here at home!!


As to slavek. Does he ever make any sense? I kind of like the bigger calibers. Started out on a 30-06 when I was 12 and have been using a 338 win mag for elk hunting for the last 20 years. They shoot just fine if you know how to handle them. I also love my 9.3x62mm:



338:

What did you pick up BSA? You been talking about so many, I lost track! The H&H? 52B? LH Win mag?
I don't find my .338 M70 very punishing either. I've had lesser calibers hurt more, but mostly due to their stock design.

Yes, yes, yes...What was the question again.. . I went with my gut and what I thought was the best deal. I also have a love for 338 win mag so that seemed like the logical choice..

If you discount the fliers they're pretty good groups.

Well got a call from my smith yesterday, the gun has arrived. True to form, while I am out of town! He said she checks out well, headspace and mechanically all good. Can't wait to lay hands on it and start playing. What bothers me is some of you run off and buy one off the rack, pull it apart and show us pictures of your plans and progress while I'm off earning a living! ;-)

It's all in fun. I'm also "earning a living"....

Cool rifle, 338's seem to be the hot ticket around here lately

Yeah, seems like some of us got the bug for some reason. Who know's why??? The name "Alaskan" makes it sound cool. Personally I really like the cartridge. When you say elk rifle around here, guys just automatically think you said "338"...

Oh I know, just pokin fun while waitin to get home and pick mine up.

I hope you like yours as much as I like mine.... . Lets talk ammo, what are you going to run in it? Do you handload???

My current 338 likes 210 Partitions pushed by RL19, need to check my records but 79 grains is in my head. 2 elk, 1 mulie and a couple whitetais didn't like the load much though. Was going to go over my other loads and targets to see what else looked promising. My load development for the gun was back about 12 years ago so I need to look over my data. Have some 225's I'll try too. What so you like in yours?

I have 338 wsm on a stainless classic featherweight you be surprised how the recoil is no face slapping as you put it. I getting over 2800 fps with a 225gr accubond out of a 22 1/2in barrel

Can't see anything wrong with that...

That's my favorite load as well, I use a little less RL19, but still run up a touch over 3000. Awesome load!

Back in the day, I tried RL 19 and some 225gr. Hornady interlocks. All I can say is OUCH!!!!! . I'd be willing to try that powder again with the 210 partitions though...

Pussy.

Shooting the .460 WBY Mag just once made me develop a flinch.

In fact the .416 Rigby was decidedly pleasant by comparison.

Shooting 210gr or 225gr bullets out of .338 magnum makes about as much sense as shooting 150s out of .300 magnum. It appears some of you should have chosen .300 magnum instead and use 200 grain projectiles of good shape and ballistic coefficient. Unless one likes 250s I don't see much use for .338 magnum.

I flinch, just thinking about that one...

That is really good shooting just like Russian sniper using 9.3x64 with match grade ammo.

I don't understand? Why doesn't it make sense? Is there any negative to it? If your not reaching out to 600 yard plus sorta range, I haven't found any downfalls to the 210 PT being ran fast outta a 338 Win Mag. While it may give up a little BC to a 200 PT out of a 300 Win Mag, there isn't much difference. Plus, that 210 PT will penetrate as well as any regular cup and core 250 I've seen. 225's just make it more better'er..

I'll agree with scotty. However, I do also love me some 250 gr sierra gamekings. They have a decent bc and knock the hell outa elk. I've seen it first hand. For the longest time, that's the only bullet I'd use. I just about tried them all and made the decision to run just 1 bullet in my 338's and the 250 GK was the one I decided on. My elk hunting partner only uses the sierra in his 338 too. Lately, I've been messing with my Alaskan and ran a cross an excellent deal on about 400 Hornady 225gr interlocks and that's what I've been using. The sierra 250's have been damn hard to find for the last couple years, so I'm running the Hornadies until they are gone and the sierra 250's become more available..

Good info BSA and Beretzs, thanks. I settled on the 210's because they were accurate and had performed well for my hunting partner, and saw the same in my use. I've used the Spire Points in a different cal and weight and had great results on deer with them. For my new arrival, yes it is here, I'll be looking at some bullet options but I'll admit that I like partitions. And to me, the mental confidence factor plays a part.
Oh, I verified my load, it is 76.5 gr Rl-19, avg 2955 fps.

BSA, the action checks out and has the 458 inscription just like you noted. Thanks! Will get some pictures this weekend.

Sounds awesome Razz. I look forward to seeing pics and hearing more about it. I'm like Scotty in the fact that the 338 Alaskan is one of my favorites!!!

Well she is here and I got some more pictures before I start into it.
My gunsmith checked it out when he took delivery, headspace, safety and trigger are all good. All the numbers match up, including 458 on the recoil lug. The stock is in good shape, no cracks just some obvious wear to the finish as can be seen in the photos. The bore is great, I ran a few patches to clean out the cobwebs and dust then soaked it for a bit with 2 different cleaners and absolutely no evidence of copper.

Since I do intend this one for hunting I will be refinishing the stock and glass bedding it. I intend to put a Leupold VXIII 2.5x8 on it. After reading some posts and looking at pictures I am thinking about Leupold DD's and low rings, unless you all have a better idea. I also have a Leupold 3x9 40 I could use, but for some reason the 2.5x8 is calling me.

Once the holidays are over it will be time for some stock work and load development, elk season is only 10 months away!







[img]http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd32/bufflerrazz/P1010221_zpsa368b22a.jpg[/img]

There's a lot of cool factor in the Alaskan. It looks like you got a very good one. I like it. On your choice of scope (2.5-8x36), you'll more than likely need a set of extended bases or rings because of its short tube length. The 2.5-8x36 is a scope that calls to me as well, just be mindful of the difficulties you may have in mounting it on a long action like the pre 64. The 3-9x40 is going to be much more flexible in this regard. Keep us posted on your progress, what you end up doing as far as scopes, and how it shoots. Thanks!!





Razz, I looked and found this post by 1911a1 and I really like the looks of the control rings/bases. The same style would fit your 338 and the 2.5-8x36mm very nicely. They offer more lateral adjustment than the Leupold DD's. However, the leupold DD's are less expensive and would look and fit perfectly with the leupold 3-9x40 you mentioned. Take a look at 1911's rifles:

Very nice rifle Razz.. Love them Alaskan's..

Good luck with it and hope it shoots. The load you mentioned is the same one I run with the 200 AB as well. Another great shooting bullet in my Alaskan. I do like the PT though. Seriouly awesome bullet in the 338 Win Mag.

If that rifle could talk.........

It would have a ton of cool stories.

BSA..cool beans, thanks! Will look into the mounts, for a few extra bucks I am not going to cry. After all, my kids intend to inherit them..SOMEDAY! They can get it in $ or in goodies.

Beret. Thanks for the info / confirmation.

pre6422: I'll bet, I have an 1886 in 40/82 from 1890 that I would really love to hear from.I seem to have heard you recently moved to NM and may be going cow hunting? We are a big state, #5 in area, what part are you in? Are you familiar with areas, etc? Shoot me a PM and I can share what I know.