Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats .330 Dakota

I understand that brass is un-worldly painstaking to buy/obtain and that feeding issues would have to be obtained as well as having the bolt face opened slightly. But aside from these negatives, what can the fellas from the 'fire tell me about this cartridge as a possible rebarrel consideration?

a friend of mine has one in an old M70. It gives decent enough 340 weatherby-ish numbers, but nowadays you'd be better off with the 338-375 Ruger, due to cheaper brass, or if you have a 3.650" action just go straight to the 340

I understand it was Don Allen's favorite of the Dakota cartridges...jim

i would do a 338 remington ultra mag if your action is long enough.

My pet hunting rifle is a .330 Dakota. I built it as a handload-only proposition. The price of Dakota loaded ammo is outrageous. Instead, I bought the dies, also over-priced, and 200 cases, at $1.60/case.

I really like the cartridge; sorry it didn't jump to mainstream status; it's a great cartridge for anything in North America, and particularly here in Alaska. I enjoy tinkering with various bullets, and loads ... loaded up to .340 Wby levels or milder than .338 Win levels. My most accurate load to date is with a Barnes 225 grain XLC (blue coated) bullet @ 3015fps .... .55". Personally, I see no need to push a 225/230 grain bullet any faster for general hunting. I'm working up a load, right now, using a Barnes 185 TSX, for hunting caribou on the North Slope this spring. I expect something in excess of 3200fps, with decent accuracy, or so I hope. If the 185 doesn't work well, I'll try the 210 gr TSX.

IMHO, the .330 Dak is a well balanced round (much like the 340 Wby), but not over-bore like the .338 RUM. Recoil with a well designed stock is not very heavy. My rifle is Magnaported to eliminate (virtually) any muzzle jump, and is reasonably pleasant to shoot. Both the 338 RUM and the 340 Wby are on the full length cases; the .330 Dakota is on a standard length .404 case - shorter, and no belt.

I imagine that within a couple years there very well could be a production .338 Ruger Magnum on the full length .375 Ruger case. Besides, the .338 Winchester is the leader of the class - for a good reason .... it's great on anything in N.America, and probably the world, with the right bullet and good shot placement.

Has anyone tried making the 330 Dakota with 338 UM Brass? Would these be interchangeable or would the bolt face have to be for one or the other only? Would this be the same as the 338/375 Ruger?

I have a 330 Dakota,it pushes 200 grain balistic tips over 3200 fps and puts them in tiny clusters.

This is a really cool cartridge,but a guy now is prolly better off with a 338 based on a 375 Ruger if he wants a powerful beltless 338 to use in a 30-06 length action.

could you just open up 7mm Dakota brass? I know my 7mm Dakota was not cheap but don't expect to ever needing more either.

ML

Yep,

I am pretty sure a guy can use the same basic case for the 7mm,300,330,and 375 Dakota,but there are some differences in length and shoulder placement. I have a couple hundred rounds of loaded ammo,should be enough brass for a lifetime of hunting.

I would go 338 ultra,mine is pushing 225 gr accubonds past 3200 fps.Awesome round and brass is easy to get

Thanks John, I have 100 pieces of 7mm Dakota for my Ruger #1, Doubt I'll ever need any more.

ML

That I wouldn't do it in lieu of the 340 Wby or 338 RUM or even the 338 Wm for the very reasons you state.

I should add that I think it's a very good cartridge and a friend really likes his 300 Dakota but I'm just at the point in my life where I'm going for simplicity and practicality - mostly, somewhat - and that's why I'd go for one of the more common .338s.