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Joined: Aug 2010
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OP
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Joined: Aug 2010
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Hey guys, recently had an old Winchester XTR reviews by JES to 338 Federal now I’m considering having on of my 30/06 rebored to 338/06 I have 3 options 1) a Ruger m77 blued walnut 2) Kimber 84l classic blued/ walnut 3) Winchester XTR featherweight with factory McMillan stock
I’m looking to make a nice all around western hunting rifle with a little extra punch than the 06 and without going to a magnum.
Thanks Ryan
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Joined: May 2017
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As bad as we all want it to, the .338-06 doesn’t have any more punch than a 30-06 shooting 200 gr. bullets… kinda been proven the world over. But, the 30-06 is far more boring. Whatever 30-06 you like the least is the one I suggest you send in.
Good luck,
Todd
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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I’d bet the Ruger or Winchester would be feel nice lightened up a bit with the rebore. Any one of them have pros and cons but the Win and Ruger are probably the heaviest and would be comfortable as 338’s.
Semper Fi
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Joined: Apr 2022
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Whichever one has back-up open sights.
I run 225 grain interbonds or 225 grain fusions for winter caribou or in the mountains. These are wide-expanding bullets that have greater killing effect on lighter skin game at longer range.
If i take a sheep, hike out is with the scope dropped, and the gun stoked with 275 grain a-frame handloads sighted to the open sights for the hike out. For that occasional bear that might challenge you for your pack full o bloody sheep meat.
That is the versatility of the 338-06/338rcm ballistics. A great mountain rifle cartridge in big bear country. But ive been saying this since 2008.
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Campfire Ranger
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Ping pong balls for the win. Once you've wrestled everything else in life is easy. Dan Gable I keep my circle small, I’d rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies.
Ain’t easy havin pals.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I took a 270, brand new in the box, which I paid $250 on pre tax season close out....
Model 70, and had it bored out to 338/06.....
that was 20 years ago... even if it is not suppose to be an upgrade from an 06.... I didn't let my barrel know that...
so it thinks Its an upgrade from a 30/06....
definitely hits with what seems like more punch... yet you notice the lesser recoil than a 338 Mag gives ya....
"Minus the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the Country" Marion Barry, Mayor of Wash DC
“Owning guns is not a right. If it were a right, it would be in the Constitution.” ~Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
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Joined: May 2008
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2008
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I took a 270, brand new in the box, which I paid $250 on pre tax season close out....
Model 70, and had it bored out to 338/06.....
that was 20 years ago... even if it is not suppose to be an upgrade from an 06.... I didn't let my barrel know that...
so it thinks Its an upgrade from a 30/06....
definitely hits with what seems like more punch... yet you notice the lesser recoil than a 338 Mag gives ya.... That’s the absolute perfect use for a .270….I wish more people would do that. 😉
�Politicians are the lowest form of life on earth. Liberal Democrats are the lowest form of politician.� �General George S. Patton, Jr.
--------------------------------------------------------- ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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As bad as we all want it to, the .338-06 doesn’t have any more punch than a 30-06 shooting 200 gr. bullets… kinda been proven the world over. But, the 30-06 is far more boring. Whatever 30-06 you like the least is the one I suggest you send in.
Good luck,
Todd How big of sample of big game animals shot with both does your information come from? Have you compared them yourself?
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Campfire Outfitter
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I rebarreled a kimber 84L to 338-06. I would do it again.
Pitter Patter!
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I vote the XTR as well...
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New Member
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New Member
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What ever you decide, you have picked the right man for the job. JES does beautiful work. I have a Browning BAR and it would not shoot better than softball sized groups and some were bigger than that. Now it is a 338/06 and I have to use RN bullets because of the super short magazine but it will easily do an inch on a good day. I called several shops that specalize in reboring and they all told be that the Browning had a lot of chrome it the barrel and bla, bla, bla. They wouldn't touch it. When I got it back from JES the bore looked like a mirror.
Last edited by dmurf205; 04/12/22.
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Joined: May 2004
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Using the featherweight barrel and reboring to .338 will be getting awfully skinny with a muzzle diameter of .550 or thereabouts! FWIW the two winlite fwts I have had have both been very accurate and I am loath to tear apart a good shooting gun. (a lesson learned the hard way)
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Joined: Jan 2008
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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I have a .338-06, love it. However, I probably wouldn't build another. With bullets and powder we have today allowing smaller rifles to punch above their weight class, I find myself reaching for other rifles in my safe. I would probably bypass the rebore and just build a full custom, but that's just me.
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,253 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 17,253 Likes: 1 |
Hey guys, recently had an old Winchester XTR reviews by JES to 338 Federal now I’m considering having on of my 30/06 rebored to 338/06 I have 3 options 1) a Ruger m77 blued walnut 2) Kimber 84l classic blued/ walnut 3) Winchester XTR featherweight with factory McMillan stock
I’m looking to make a nice all around western hunting rifle with a little extra punch than the 06 and without going to a magnum.
Thanks Ryan I'd likely do the Ruger, as it has more barrel contour to work with. The other option would be to swap somebody for a .338WinMag sporter of comparable value and load it down a bit. That's what I did when I wanted a .338cal rifle. Powders in the 4895/Varget/RL15 class can work well with 185-210gr stuff. Accuracy can be fine.
Now with even more aplomb
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15,365 Likes: 13
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15,365 Likes: 13 |
Hey guys, recently had an old Winchester XTR reviews by JES to 338 Federal now I’m considering having on of my 30/06 rebored to 338/06 I have 3 options 1) a Ruger m77 blued walnut 2) Kimber 84l classic blued/ walnut 3) Winchester XTR featherweight with factory McMillan stock
I’m looking to make a nice all around western hunting rifle with a little extra punch than the 06 and without going to a magnum.
Thanks Ryan I'd likely do the Ruger, as it has more barrel contour to work with. The other option would be to swap somebody for a .338WinMag sporter of comparable value and load it down a bit. That's what I did when I wanted a .338cal rifle. Powders in the 4895/Varget/RL15 class can work well with 185-210gr stuff. Accuracy can be fine. Dream crusher
Semper Fi
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Joined: Dec 2004
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Rifle loonies and car guys live in a world where logic is subjective. lol
Now with even more aplomb
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Apr 2011
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Rifle loonies and car guys live in a world where logic is subjective. lol Agreed.. It is pretty fun though. I do like the JES option of freshening up a rifle I would otherwise not use or have much interest in. Pretty inexpensive to take a cartridge for a test drive. They usually shoot quite well too.
Semper Fi
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