Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles I want a .338 win mag...

Does anyone currently offer a 338-06? I've never owned either, but the 338-06 seems to make more sense in that it gives up only 100 fps for 10 fewer grains of powder.

I'm not really for, or against Savage's - being a Winchester fan . I am however a fan of the 338wm. I built one a few years ago on a New Haven Classic action and have never looked back.

Mine is:
- Model 70 New Haven Classic SS action.
- 26" Pacnor SS super match grade barrel
- action was blueprinted
- Williams extractor
- Williams one piece bottom metal
- MacMillan, hunter stock
- Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x32 scope

If the Savage is calling to you then you should buy it. You will not regret the 338wm. I cannot state that it kills any faster than a 3006 but it has dispatched critters steady with generally one shot since the start.

The first critter that it killed was a bull moose. I was breathing hard and actually screwed up on the shot snapping the spine at about 100 yards. That moose went down like a sack of potatoes! Since then all kills have been double lung and, with the exception of one large ill natured black bear, they generally run between 20 to 50 feet and pile up stone dead.

I shoot 250 or 275 grain bullets. These seem to fly well at distance and give great penetration and expansion. As well, I can generally eat the meat right up to the hole on either side.

The only cautionary note I would offer is recoil. Personally I don't experience it as noteworthy and can sit at a bench and shoot 50 - 100 rounds without issue. However, recoil is individually experienced and some will say the 338wm is tough to shoot. If you find the recoil of a 3006 stout you may not want to buy a 338wm.

Good luck with your purchase.

Some like the barrels on their 338's a little longer than necessary ( 21 - 23") to keep the blast a little further away from their ears.

With a brake, 26" is still painful !

There is a gunshop in Rennselaer, IN called Jerry's Gunshop that has a 1960's Model 70 .338 in mint condition with "factory engraving" all over it, and topped off with a Redfield 3-9 also mint or new condition. The price is $595.



John

If its a pre-64, at that price, I bet his phone will be rining off the hook today

youper - Weatherby used to chamber it but not anymore...not enough interest in the .338-06 to make it profitable. You are spot on in your evaluation but just not enough folks interested in the round.
Apply the same analysis w/.280Rem vs. 7mmRM...the big "7" thrives while the .280 survives in its shadow. Homesteader.

No

you will love the 338WM, I do.

Snake

+1, the 338 win mag is also one of my favorites.

I have always felt the Ruger MKII in 338 is THE 338 to own. Controlled feed, and built like a tank. I have one in stainless, wearing the boat paddle stock. Just had the barrel wacked to 22" to make it more handy in the timber/aspens. Only bang-flop I have ever had on elk was with that gun.

PS, like posted prior, they don't kick as much as they take you for a ride when you touch one off.

I might have to have me a Savage Bear Hunter too. In .338 WM also.

The ruger 338 win mag's I've owned have been geat rifles. Tough as nails and very accurate to boot. Win win situation.

Should be interesting to see how mine performs after having the barrel shortened. I have always thought a 338 does not need a long barrel like other magnums. I also think a 338 trumps a 300, you can shoot 180's, all the way up to 250+.

Now see, I do have a .338-06 already. It's a custom job on a CRF winnie stainless action, Brux #5 fluted @ 24", in a manners MCS-T.



I still haven't finished load development on it, but I actually thought about reaming it out to 338 win mag. Then I thought why do that when I have all the reloading equipment, and it would give me an excuse to buy another gun.

And, not from experience, but I was under the impression that the actual numbers on the 338 vs 338-06, were that real world the win mag had 200 or more fps on the 338-06.

Load development with the 210 partitions and H4350 was dissappointing. I have some 225 accubonds loaded over IMR 4064 and RL15 to test on friday. I'm also going to try the remainder of my partitions with RL15.

The .338 will load upto 300 grain Woodleighs and at that point, you have a real hammer.

John

You'll probably lose 50 fps per every 1" cut off.

You would have to open up the bolt face too......and you wouldn't be able to use .473 cases for a future rebarrel on this action should you decide you didn't care for the .338WM

Echo, I have owned four .338s Sako carbine to full custom M70(s) I now do not own any and do not miss them. None would do 2700fps with 250s. None were better than just OK accurate. I think a 30'06 with 220s @ 2600 is just as good and usually twice as accurate. Now, a 340 WBY pushing 250s @2950fps well under MOA is the only 33 left living with my other guns. Wish I had a dollar for every newby Alaskan with a 338 Ruger and a Tasco 4X12 onboard...

'Kinda like that 33 Whelen picture ya got up there. Best wishes.

Care to explain that?

The 338 mag seems to be the second purchase a newcommer to Alaska buys (after the 44 mag SRH). Just an observation. Seems everyone who wants (.375) performance buys an off the shelf 338 Mag, probably from Walmart.

It looks like alot of care and planning went into your 338/06. Perhaps you (too) would be disappointed with a standard 338WM.

"No brag, Just fact." (credit that quote from about 1967) Bill

That's your experience and from what I've experienced the 338 win mag has been very accurate:




These were shot with 250 gr. bullets too. What's your real agenda with the 338 win mag?