Does anyone know if there is enough barrel with a factory-made Winchester Model 70 Featherweight Stainless in .308 Win to re-bore to .338 Federal? If so, who might be a candidate to do the work?
If not, what would it take to do up the same rifle originally chambered in .325 WSM? Would that be more feasible?
Thanks.
What could be a sadder way to end a life than to die having never hunted with great dogs, good friends and your family?
The .308 doesn't do anything my 6.5 Creedmoor can't do. I'd run 130 or, at most, 150 TTSX in .308 Win. That .338 bullet does make some mighty big holes, though. :-)
It could probably be argued that the Featherweight was already "ruined" by being chambered in .325 WSM. I couldn't imagine shooting a cartridge that powerful in a Featherweight.
What could be a sadder way to end a life than to die having never hunted with great dogs, good friends and your family?
JES has always been good with reboring. They are reasonable and fast. I would still vote not to have a stainless featherweight rebored especially if its a 5 or 6 dig it classic. Sell it (to me if you want) and build what you want. Save the classics, but good luck in whatever you decide.
JES has always been good with reboring. They are reasonable and fast. I would still vote not to have a stainless featherweight rebored especially if its a 5 or 6 dig it classic. Sell it (to me if you want) and build what you want. Save the classics, but good luck in whatever you decide.
Craig
It would be a new Portuguese-made rifle.
What could be a sadder way to end a life than to die having never hunted with great dogs, good friends and your family?
JES has always been good with reboring. They are reasonable and fast. I would still vote not to have a stainless featherweight rebored especially if its a 5 or 6 dig it classic. Sell it (to me if you want) and build what you want. Save the classics, but good luck in whatever you decide.
Craig
It would be a new Portuguese-made rifle.
In that case, have at it!
Though if you load heavy bullets in the 308, you'll have the same rifle as far as usefulness in the field.
An important distinction which you may or may not be aware of is the classic 308 fw had a different barrel profile (true Winchester fw) than the short mags, even those called “featherweights.” The short mags have a standard (sporter) profile ... I am not sure about the 2018 guns as I have not seen them.
I am not taking any new work, because I have too long of a back log now, but when I was about 15 months ago I charged $300 to rebarrel such a gun. That's the new barrel, the labor and the bluing, out the door.
Seattle Setters I would not consider any firearm with a muzzle diameter less than .600 to be suitable for 338 Federal .330 bore and .338 grooves and there is not much barrel left pretty whippy. Most of the factory ulw rifles are in the .550 range at the muzzle. The rifle may be lacking in the balance department as well I/E light in the fore end as well.
Ultimately it would be your rifle and you're the only one who needs to be happy with it. I own a Sako 85 in 338F muzzle diameter .630 and I think that is a little light but my personal tastes like a little extra weight in a firearm. I really like the caliber but its not like 308 or 30-06 where you might own 2. If I were to build a 338F it would probably be 22" and as close to .700 muzzle diameter as I could get.
Give JES a call and see what they think Jesse Ocumpaugh 541-942-1342
if it were me, having had a 338 federal, id go 338x284. the 338 federal is good for factory ammo but you cant reload it anywhere close to factory ammo ballistics. the 338x284 is a powerhouse. I have a nula pushing a 200gr speer hot core right around 3000 fps from a 22 inch barrel. if a rebore is what you want and don't mind reloading id vote 338x284, just be sure to use Winchester brand 284 brass, the necks are thicker and more consistant than norma or nosler
I wouldn't re-bore. Too much for little return and the barrel marking is an issue. Ruger chambers 338 fed and here is a fine deal if you don't mind a single shot. Put this auction number in GunBroker in the search window. 752652791 Great price.
if it were me, having had a 338 federal, id go 338x284. the 338 federal is good for factory ammo but you cant reload it anywhere close to factory ammo ballistics. the 338x284 is a powerhouse. I have a nula pushing a 200gr speer hot core right around 3000 fps from a 22 inch barrel. if a rebore is what you want and don't mind reloading id vote 338x284, just be sure to use Winchester brand 284 brass, the necks are thicker and more consistant than norma or nosler
With a 24” barrel you can come very close to, if not match, factory specs. Just takes the right powders.
I just had a stainless classic rebored from 22-250 to 7-08. It has enough metal but it now needs a rest between shots to shoot really good. With a 5 minute wait between shots it puts 3 into less than 1/4".
As far as the statement that .338 is no better than 308 or 308 can do anything that a 6.5 can't do is pure hogwash. It is the same argument that a 338 is no better (assuming very large game here) than a .243. It's just a few hundredths of an inch, Right. You have to draw the line somewhere and a 250 grain bullet makes a bigger splash than a 200, a 200 makes a bigger spash than a 140...
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Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.
Seattle Setters I would not consider any firearm with a muzzle diameter less than .600 to be suitable for 338 Federal .330 bore and .338 grooves and there is not much barrel left pretty whippy. Most of the factory ulw rifles are in the .550 range at the muzzle. The rifle may be lacking in the balance department as well I/E light in the fore end as well.
Ultimately it would be your rifle and you're the only one who needs to be happy with it. I own a Sako 85 in 338F muzzle diameter .630 and I think that is a little light but my personal tastes like a little extra weight in a firearm. I really like the caliber but its not like 308 or 30-06 where you might own 2. If I were to build a 338F it would probably be 22" and as close to .700 muzzle diameter as I could get.
Give JES a call and see what they think Jesse Ocumpaugh 541-942-1342
Good luck and shoot straight
I've had rebores done by JES and by Danny Pedersen. The latter uses 0.100"/side muzzle thickness after reboring as the minimum required. As to prices, reboring is considerably cheaper than rebarreling, unless you use a takeoff or cheap barrel as a replacement.
Pedersen is probably backed up - although his turn around with my last job was pretty quick and the quality of the work outstanding. JES quality was equal and the turn around was less than 3 weeks from shipment from me to return to my door. I'll use either again without hesitation.
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty of give me death! P. Henry
I had a pre 64 FW rebored to a 338/06 by oregunsmthing in Pendleton OR . One hole shooter at 100 with 210 or 225 NP. with Pendleton composite stock fast handling rifle in the timber. Really like it. Also had Jes rebore old 98 sporter to 9.3 x 62 I am reworking now 3 grove rifleing shot at 1 inch group factory ammo no bedding or steel pillar in old wood stock . Both smiths did nice job on these guns. Jes only dos rebore only feeding will be on you if needed As rounds get bigger diameters feeding can be problem I had to do some work on 338/06 feeding was 99% when I got back from smith I would not put on him. I ran lot of rounds though old mauser before I sent to Jes Give him a call real nice guy fast turn around time 2 weeks . The 98 went from 270 win to 9.2 x 62 I new putting new bottom metal in, mag box will be longer so will have to rework ramp any way. I would do rebore again if rifle shoots good it will probly shoot good after rebore. There is always a risk though of hard spots causing problems. On the other hand there is also the theory that rebore can stress relive barrel after rifle has new rifleing cut Barrel will have cut rifleing after rebore. After having done a few of these projects if you can find a complete rifle you would be $ ahead even if you can do all work yourself. But if you enjoy tinkering it is a lot of fun.
When I rebuilt my fathers M70 Featherweight from 257 Roberts to 338-06 I went with a new Lilja barrel. Lilja would not give me the exact same profile as the factory Featherweight as there isn't enough left in the barrel to do the job. I asked for a custom profile, essentially following the contour of the factory Featherweight, but thicker.
It ended up at about .6 at the muzzle for a 22in finished length. A simple inletting job on the stock just got it into the original profile and it is a great handling rifle today.
The Model 70 in question was made in 1981 and is a push feed Model 70.
First photo is as assembled. Second photo is after I Cerakoted the lot, put a dark stain into the wood with an oil finish, fitted a thicker recoil pad and re-cut the checkering.
When I rebuilt my fathers M70 Featherweight from 257 Roberts to 338-06 I went with a new Lilja barrel. Lilja would not give me the exact same profile as the factory Featherweight as there isn't enough left in the barrel to do the job. I asked for a custom profile, essentially following the contour of the factory Featherweight, but thicker.
It ended up at about .6 at the muzzle for a 22in finished length. A simple inletting job on the stock just got it into the original profile and it is a great handling rifle today.
The Model 70 in question was made in 1981 and is a push feed Model 70.
First photo is as assembled. Second photo is after I Cerakoted the lot, put a dark stain into the wood with an oil finish, fitted a thicker recoil pad and re-cut the checkering.
That’s a great-looking rifle. Awesome configuration, as well. You’ve given me ideas. :-)
If I rebarreled, I’d be very tempted to go 23” in the .338 Federal, which would make my rifle very close to yours in terms of OAL and it would give the smaller cartridge at least a few more FPS over the 22” barrel. My goal would be to run the 160 TTSX at 3000.
What could be a sadder way to end a life than to die having never hunted with great dogs, good friends and your family?
