Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 338-06 and Elk

Thats great!!

Nice rifles there gentlemen.

I can say my custom 700 was heavy, but shot darned well, if doing another, it would be on a diet...7 vs 8 lbs. Nothing I would not drop the hammer on a 338/06 clear out to 400 yds in NA. Just me....oh, and I crunched alof of numbers and came up with like 1-2" more drop at 400 yds (I can't hold w/in that in the field) using the 15 grain heavier 225 partition....at 2670 fps, so that was my 'go to' load for chasing elk as it hit harder and I figured more BC/SD why not, despite the legendary history of the 210 PT. The 200 btip at 2909 in that 23" bbl was indeed a hammer on deer, flattened a few Don't let anyone suggest this is a short range round, unless it means under 400 yds. Most all my kills have been half that and less.

Never warmed up to the smarter kicking Win mag I had, but am thinking 9.3 for the future......always trying new....sensible cartridges that won't beat me up in the process.

I can see where JB is coming from, the public masses just don't get some rounds, hear Sako is disc. the 338 Federal. If so, perhaps they would...well SHOULD consider the 338/06....in the value priced Tikka, they might sell decent/better. Would never hold my breath it would replace a round that has been around a century.....it's father...'06. But the 338/06 performance is not the limited factor as to why that may never happen IMHO.

IMO, 7.5-8 lbs is about right for the .338-06. Anything less would probably ride the line of being not fun to shoot.

Teeder,...You must understand that I did not put this rifle together for the sake of bench shooting it and burning up several boxes of ammo at the range. No sir, it is for shooting of big game and the first two shots are smack dab on top of each other before the bullets start to go walking off a bit.

This rifle is not for anyone who is shy on recoil to the upper torso! However, the first shot out the gate 95% of the time is spot on and that is what counts in hunting. This rifle is a joy to carry up in the mountains amoung all that thin air. No it will not shoot MOA after 3 shots but I have never needed 3 consecutive shots to kill any animals.

Even though it does have a bit more recoil because of lack of weight to the rifle, it is not something that an experienced hunter could not use. You might want to check out Mrs. Brooks from Barnes Bullet Company, she also has a lightweight .338 caliber she uses with 180 grn. bullets.

Teeder, MY gun was 8lb, pre-mounts/scope....scoped at 8lb would have been much better.

Tonk,

If you look back, you'll see I was replying to this statement by 65BR:



My comment was based on actually owning a .338-06 that, through stock swaps, has ranged from 7.5 to 8lbs, and shot and carried up and down hills extensively through that weight range. I'm not a big macho guy that can shoot a 416 in a 6lb rifle and have no interest in it. For me a 7.5lb .338-06 shooting 225's @ 2700 fps is my maximum. Anything more than that, and I wouldn't put the trigger time in with it. Also, a 7-7.5lb rifle with perfect balance is also what I like to carry and shoot well under field conditions.
This works for me and I couldn't give a rats arse what you or Mrs Brooks use.

I'm sure that would be a pussycat to shoot though.

Teeder, it was nice, a decelerator pad allowed me plenty trigger time per range session, combined with 1/2MOA accuracy, I was stoked, yes, S T O K E D ...lol.

No doubt I'd appreciated a weight reduction toting it in hand for a hike lasting a few hours, happened several times on that hunt, as if the opportunity presents, I want to get on target, while I can.....w/o any wasted time from fatigue. Total gun wt. with the then 1.5-6 4200 would have been surely 9+ lbs, loaded up, sling et. al.

Future use of pure hunting rifles in big game calibers will see me choosing lighter rifles. I am not into 5lb flyweights, but a lighter rifle can be appreciated, and as said before by others, your not typically needing accuracy/groups on par for a 5 shot bench set up, usually getting the job done on round one, if not a second shot. Used a 700 MR in 270 win, years back ....around '88/89 IIRC when just out, nice to tote, but I would have liked more bbl weight for holdability. Depends on target size, for a deer I shot it was fine...elk are just larger but I think a rifle can get too light and then take longer to get a proper sight pic and slow you down. Those thin bbls heated up and started walking after 3 shots (I floated bbl and bedded action/tang, adj. trigger), and that does nothing for confidence, but now after years of learning, I usually have confidence in 3 shot groups and save my bbl and ammo expense by not seeing what #4 and 5 do, as that would not simulate field conditions, in a big game rifle...typically.

well, she ain't light, and she ain't exhibition grade, but she feels fine, and lighter now with the walnut stock instead of the laminated.


and for some bling....


i have a 338-06, because i like to tinker. is there really an advantage over a 30-06 or undergunned by a 35 whelen ?
i don't care, i like this thing called a mauser.
it shoots well, and i think if ever given the chance will put some meat in my freezer.
ya'll can dicker about this and that, but without choices the world of guns and calibers would be a very boring place.

guess my next tinker toy is gonna be a 7mm-08.

65BR,

I love the Mnt rifles. To me they would be perfect with just a little more barrel weight. That's why I've gravitated towards this:
[img][IMG]http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m238/Kevin_Teed/LVSF308.jpg[/img][/img]
LVSF .308 with a TI stock.

Teeder, I am sure glad that you don't give a Hooters Toot, Tinker's Damn or "RATS ARSE" what I shoot. It does make me feel sooooo good to know such a fact savvy.

Nice rifle Teeder.

I'm supposed to be coming into a sporterized 1903A3 and I was just wondering if the action is strong enough to rebarrel to 338-06. I mean, I would assume it's fine to do that but I don't really know what kind of pressure levels exist in the 338-06 and since it's an older gun I thought I'd ask.

I was up scouting my elk unit this past week and I just could not get the thought of the 338-06 out of my head. I started handloading last year and it's so neat to learn about these cool wildcats (even though the 338-06 is standardized now) that are so well balanced and efficient. I really like anything that uses the -06 as the parent case and I'd kind of like to build an entire battery of rifles around -06 derivatives. I shoot a 6.5x55SE now and the thought of a 6.5-06 is really appealing too as well as a 280 Rem AI and others. But I think the 338-06 would fit best for me right now as the largest caliber rifle I currently own is my M1. I like the idea of a 338-06 for a dedicated elk/moose rifle. Maybe someday I'll get a magnum, but for now I love the company of old-timers who extol the virtues of well-balanced, efficient and sensible cartridges. I like long barrel and cartridge life and ease of reloading and shooting. Hence, the 6.5x55SE.

Your 03A3 will work just fine for a .338-06. I have a .338 Win Mag on a Remington-made 03 action and it has worked very well for over ten years, now.

"It is a fine cartridge but never will be a big seller. Several people told Weatherby that before they brought out the rifles and ammo (after A-Square supposedly "introduced" it) but it never sold very well."

I remember Dave Scovill saying in an article how poorly the 338-06 sold after being introduced by Weatherby. The problem as I see it is they, and I believe Winchester for a time, made rifles, but neither was the average mans rifle. The Weatherby was around $1000 and the Winchester came only in their higher end custom rifle, also over a grand (more like $2000). People could get a 338 WM or stick with their 30-06s for half the price.

JS - I have the Weatherby in .338-06 and love it. I've never hunted elk with it, so cannot comment to the rounds efficacy. I have shot more than 25 CA pigs with it and it whacks them! I've used the factory 210gr Partition and loaded 210 gr. TSX bullets shooting in the 2750 FPS range. I would not hesitate to use it on elk with my personal parameters; Reasonable angle and ranges of less than or equal to 300 yards.

I'm looking into a .338-06 as well. I want it to be a project gun. I was looking at the CZ action and having Pac-NOR barrel it for me. I want a light rifle, but doesn't have to be a flyweight.

I shot a buddies custom job on 700. He's short and I'm tall, but with the reduced LOP I still shot 3 rounds touching 100. It was impressive and manageable recoil. I could claim it is for elk or moose, but hell, I just want one.

Any suggestions before I get started? This is my first project gun and I'm pretty new to home gunsmithing.

kevinh1157, I'd prefer not to make this public. Please contact me about the .25-06.

Jim

I've had a 338-06 of one type or another going on ten years now.

I really like the cartridge for a couple reasons.

1. It's not a 338 WM. I am do not like anything that has magnum in it's name. Never felt the magnum did anything but marketing to guys who would be MUCH better off with a standard cartridge.
2. It will do anything the the 35 Whelen will do, but better. If the 338-06 with 250gr bullet won't do it. You need something bigger than a Whelen. The 200gr class of bullets are much better ballistically than than the 35 calibers.

It has worked superbly on elk and deer for me. I prefer 200gr Hornady SP's, 210gr NP's and TSX's. Rel 15 or Varget for powders.

I own two.
A Rem 700 Mountain rifle style and a Rem 7600 pump.

Can anyone point me to the 338-06 article by Dogzapper?