Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Thinking of a .338-06

Hey you keep thinking about it you DA. Your about as bright as black hole.

Bet smokepole’s bright enough to know the difference between “your” and “you’re”...

Build a full bore custom 3o/o6 Springfield, smokepole!

You sound very familiar with black hole.

smokepole,

In the old Campfire tradition of beating a defunct horse, as Brad pointed out the 9,3x62 will indeed fit in a "standard" .30-06 action.

In fact it was specifically developed around 1905 to fit in the standard K98 Mauser action designed around the 8x57, to provide German settlers in Africa with a pretty powerful round in a relatively cheap rifle. It's basically am 8x57 with a shorter neck and longer body; as a result it has about the same case capacity as "improved" .30-06 based rounds.

I have yet to encounter a .30-06-based action that won't feed the 9,3x62 very slickly.

Thanks MD. Now I recall that you've written about it many times, including the fact that it fits a standard LA.

Food for thought.

How does a 35 wheelen compare to a 9.3 x 62?

How does the case capacity of a 35 Remington compare to a 35 wheelen?

The 35 Whelen is .358” - the 9.3x62 is .366”.

A massive difference

But I happen to think the Mauser is a better case design...

Is not a 9.3 X 62 a 3006 case?

They are both 62 MM. A 8 x 57 is well......57 mm

Angus,

The .35 Whelen and 9.3x62 are VERY similar cartridges, but the Whelen is somewhat handicapped by the 1-16 rifling twist traditional in .35 caliber-the twist in most factory .35 Whelens As a result, 1-16 .35 Whelens won't consistently stabilize lead-core spitzers over 250 grains, or monolithics over 225 grains.

The standard twist in the 9,3x62 is 1-14, which may not seem like much of a difference, but there's a ratio relationship between caliber, rifling twist and bullet length. Which is why a much "slower" twist will stabilize a long, large caliber bullet , but a much "faster" twist is required for a smaller caliber bullet of the same length.

The standard twist in the 9.3x62 is 1-14, but because of the slightly larger caliber than .35, it will stabilize spitzers up to 286 grains, whether lead-core or monolithic, or roundnoses up to 320 grains.

Then there's the slightly larger case capacity of the 9.3x62, around 10%. Combined with the larger bullet diameter, the 9.3x62 can start 250-grain bullets around 100 fps faster than the .35 Whelen. That doesn't really mean a lot--but the ability to use bullets heavier than 250 grains can be useful.

In other words, because the 9,3x62 was originally designed around 286-grain bullets, its a more versatile cartridge than the .35 Whelen, and when loaded to modern pressures close to the .375 H&H in field performance. Of course some .35 Whelen fans (and I have owned and hunted with several) point out that the Whelen can be easily loaded down with .357-caliber handgun bullets. Whether that's a big advantage depends on your perspective.

Thank you!

I have a 338-06 and a 30-06 I like them very much. They are on Remington actions, the 338-06 has a #3 barrel and the 30-06 has a #2 . They shoot very well.

The 9.3 x 62 is not based on a 30-06 case. Minor differences I know. but, the 30-06 base is .471 and the rim is .473. The 9.3x62 base is .476 and rim is .470. I cannot tell you the source but remember there were minor changes made by Otto Bock around 1905 when he made the 9.3x62. He made alterations so he did not conflict with the Mauser patents at the time. I am sure any 9.3x62 loaded from 30-06 brass would have a slightly shorter life as there would be brass expansion. It was designed to be the largest cartridge to fit into the 98 mauser size limitations.

The 7x64 (almost an identical twin to my 280 Remington) was also based on the 9.3 x 62 case. It has a base size of .467 which I presume was to not allow 9.3 x 62 cases to be accidentally loaded into the 7x64.

And, as to the difference between the 9.3 and the 35 Whelen. About the same difference in diameter as between the 270 and the 280. For all practical purposes the 35 Whelen is the American equivalent to the 9.3x62. Just as the 7x64 is the European equivalent to the 280 Rem. In both cases the European cartridge designers were many years ahead in their thinking. My opinion, with no practical experience to back it up, is I would really enjoy one of these 9.3 x 62's!

To comment on the subject of the 338-06 in the 80's I asked my gunsmith a question about what rifles would he make and use for all hunting in North America. Without hesitation he said he would use a 250 Savage in a full stock bolt rifle like the Ruger RSI and his other would be a 338-06 for all larger game. I never asked him what action his 338-06 would be but the only full Mannlicher style of stock would be the 250 Savage. He also commented he might just have a red dot sight on the 250 for jump shooting blacktail and leave everything else for the scope sighted 338-06. He felt that pair would be perfect for all of hunting he might be able to do for the rest of his life.

I built my .338-06 back in about 2002 to be the "big gun" compliment to my 7mm-08 at the time, with grand visions of elk and moose hunting every few years. 16 years latter, my vision was long on the "few years" and short on the "elk and moose hunting". I would have been better off just leaving it a .30-06. I'm not sure how much better, if at all, it is than a .30-06 with a good 180.
Don't get me wrong, it's been a great rifle, but for me, completely unnecessary.
These days, I'm completely over recoil and don't really like shooting anything over a 7X57 or .308.

Hogs are "terrific" American/Lower 48 substitutes for elk/moose/big bear! They are even good eating and easily affordable for any serious hunter...you can kill shoats for the grill or the big mean crossbreeds with long nasty tusks, even a big sow can tear your heinie up, so they are very dangerous game, in some forms! So "no reason" not build that "Dream Big Game Rifle" and enjoy this short life! I killed my last hog ( a fine eating 200# sow Eurasian in the UP) with a 310gr Woodleigh/35 Whelen Ackley Improved ( I still like writing all that!) it was "perfect", 40 cal entrance, 70 cal exit, soup in between. I could have done the same on cape buffalo with that round where allowed by Law!

Me too. I really enjoyed mine, but other than elk I had no need of it. These days I stick with the 257 Roberts and 250 Savage for most deer hunting. I've only used the ol 270 once in the last 10 years.

You must love 6 and 6.5's

Probably would, but I'm supply heavy with 7mm stuff having multiple 7-08's and a 7X57.

Not a bad place to end up....

Picked up my latest 338-06 from the smith yesterday.

First impression: I like it! I think I definitely got the blueprint right as it feels very good in the hands.

Will not have a chance to play with it until after the seasons are over. We still have 6 tags left between me and the boys and the next 4 days will be spent hunting, processing the two deer that are in the frig aging, and giving Thanks.