I always toy with the idea of a .338/06, have dies and dummy rounds to fondle and barrels to bore out but I am very curious in the other direction........
You see, Barnes makes a 265gn LRX bullet and it sits to the 1st pressure groove for an OAL of 3.4" and cycles through a Model 70 standard '06 action. You see the dilemma?
All the loading data out there suggests that 760/H414 would likely hit around 2400fps and that would smack hard for dark timber work, prove adequate for self defense work and still shoot flat over usual hunting ranges for most people. Elk, Moose, Bear and just plain fun. What keep me from making the move is a tack driving .338 and a .340 and .338/378 background. Still, I do seem to be stepping down somewhat in carry rifles?
John
You are not the only one
The only big game rifles I have and use in Alaska are a couple of Ruger .338WMs. One is the stainless M77 MKII that I replaced the stock with a Hogue Rubber-Overmolded, and a Timney trigger. Not a supper accurate rifle, but the first three shots from a cold and clean barrel always hit the right spot +3" at 100 yards. The other is a beautiful Ruger Haweye African. This one I replace the walnut stock with a McMillan Classic stock with a Decelerator recoil pad for a LOP to 12-1/2". This rifle has a 22" barrel, and no muzzle brake. The barrel ends just but the front edge of the front sight, and has a sort of satin-black finish. The bolt has the same finish, and it is smooth as warm butter to load a round in the chamber.
