Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 338/06 donor ?

Welp, I am holding my breath.. I am scheduled to hunt in Namibia in August.. I don't think I am going.. I am taking my 30/06.. Now that I am home and a I.G. buddy told my about the 338/06... Got to thinking; Winchester Model 70 FWT SS Dark Maple 30-06 as a donor.. I know it will kick because it's not heavy.. Any thoughts ??

Lots like in a 338-06

Recoil can be substantial, a Gentry Quiet muzzle break can mitigate 50% of the recoil and it throws a lot of the sound down range.

The bigger question is time frame to get a barrel, chambered, load development.

Better off to look for a used rifle in this caliber.

Best of luck!

A model 70 FW in .338-06 would be awesome; like HD says a lot to live in that cartridge.

Nice thing is you can just send it to JES for rebore for less than a rebarrel and not have to mess with the stock or anything.

Seems difficult to imagine needing more than a 210 GR Partition at 2600 or a 225 Accubond at 2500 in NA!

I see good buys all the time on .338Win Mag sporters. No thing at all to load it to .338-06 levels, and these rifles are generally not flyweights anyway. Makes for an easy-shooting rifle without much expense. Push a 210gr TTSX or Partition at 2,700-2,800 and call it good. Varget or RL15 would be good picks.

I don't think I'd use a top of the line rifle for a donor.

I'd find an older M-70, maybe even pre-64, with a shot out barrel. That would make more sense to me.

DF

Cigar,

What weight bullet are you planning to use? I have a 25" bbl. 338-06 Ackley Imp. built on a Browning stainless stalker that weighs 7 3/4# complete with a Leupold 1.5-5x that's a joy to shoot. I used a reamer short-throated for 210 Partitions seated to the base of the case neck, so I've only ever shot 200 or 210s up to around 2850 fps out of it. With the long bbl. it's a tad nose heavy, but was an experiment & can be shortened if I dont like the balance. I dont know your recoil sensitivity. Think a tad less than 35 Whelen/200gr. recoil. With a proper stock it is noticeably less punishing than a standard weight 308 Win BDL in that ugly old '80s Remington stock.

The 160 TTSX over Varget moves at around 3K and is very accurate in my 338-06.

The 180 NAB is a great bullet and works very well with H-380.

The 210 NPT over H-380 is another great load, all three of these are sub MOA, at least in my rifle.

Not much big game in NA that those loads won't put a crimp in. No bouncing off.....

DF

Unless you just want to do it for the hell of it, I would take it as a 30-06. There's nothing down there that needs anything bigger than a 180gr at around 2750fps. Real good chance there will be ammo in camp and for sure at any gun store if your bag with ammo doesn't show up.

Careful now.

Don't get too logical...

But you are right...

DF

Buy one already put together and sell it after the hunt.

I was with you until the word "sell". What is this thing called "sell'?

I am also considering having JES boring an '06 to 338-06. Mine will be a 700 though. I've sold my last 338 Win Mag because I have more rifles in that power category than I'll use.

Why 338-06? I have bullets and a mold and linotype. A 338-06 is a cartridge I never had.

Having said that, "Why not just use 200 grain Nosler Partitions in your '06?"

I’ve had a 340 Wby, a 338 WM and now have a 338-06 FN Mauser.

The latter only remains and maybe a keeper.

I recently had a chance to pick up a MkV 340 Wby with Euro stock plus a bunch of ammo. Even at a really good price, just didn’t want it.

DF

You better check on taking to Africa ! Your brass head stamp must say .338-06. To match your Barrel. Been there done that! Good luck to you!

Some countries are pickier than others and some don't seem to care at all. Had an airline ticket agent count every 308 for my wife's rifle in Dar es Salaam once but never asked about my 375 which was lucky because I gave all of my ammo to my PH. You just never know.

Load up some 200 gr npt's for the 30-06 and quit f**king around. Hey you asked. MB

I like Winchester brass, make my 338-06 cases with one easy pass thru my Lee FL sizer with nicely tapered expander, using some Imperial Die Wax, of course

If you want the headstamp to match, you could go from less than 50 cents a round to nearly three times as much with Norma, if and when you can get it..

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1021712222?pid=245060

I'm not planning an African trip, but matching headstamp brass is available.

DF

If I make it to Africa this year, that is a BIG IF, I am using the 06 with 180s Barns or Partition,that will be worked out in the next few weeks. My buddy thinks it's a 20% chance we are going as of now..

As for the 338/06 not a clue on the bullet weight i will be using, thinking the rifle will dictate what it likes..

I always thought if will ever have a chance to go out of the country take a caliber that I can get anywhere just encase my ammo ends up in Wuhan China.. I was figuring on JES for rebore...

Honestly, I don't think I am going to Africa this year... I will never use the money that I have set aside for anything other then my funeral.. If I remember right I have wiped out 3 bank accounts ear marked for Africa over the years...
So I have my next ToDo project.. One of those cool projects that won't let me alone...

Thanks guys..

My thoughts exactly...maybe even some 220 gr NPT, hear tell they pretty much can't be stopped!

I have a nice 338-06, but if I eve get back to Africa to hunt plains game again, I'm planning to take a 7x57 and a 9.3x62. I could easily substitute a 270, 280, 30-06, or 8x57 for the 7x57 Last time I took a 6.5x55 and a 375 H&H.

And if I ever go back to Africa, my 338-06 is going with. Have plenty of properly head stamped brass for a trip.

In the case of the OP though, take the 30-06. Shoot the holy crap out of it in preparation and have the trip of a lifetime. IF you go..