Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles any .338-06 advice?

OK, my intent isnt to start a flame war-resist the urge <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
I'm looking for an elk rifle and it would seem to me that this might be a good start. Any advice/experience? Any factory ammo? good reloading recipies? thanks much!

Yep. Get a 338 mag instead! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Seriously,

Buy a Winchester M-70 super grade and simply rebore or rebarrel. Quick, easy and cheapest way. Maybe add
a Williams one piece bottom metal, or even spring for
a top notch Blackburn.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=40946277

If I didn't have a fully tricked out FN mauser waiting for a
barrel, I do this myself! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

A 338-06 A.I. was the most accurate rifle I ever owned.
Foolishly sold it for an offer I couldn't refuse. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Varget has been working very well in mine with 225 Nosler AB's, very accurate.
Nathan

I love my .338-06. It's a very well balanced cartridge for deer through moose. Mine pounded a bull elk, but with lighter bullets loaded down it really flattens whitetails without a lot of meat damage.
So far everything I've used for bullets (up to 225 grains) have had a definite preference for RL-15.

Good cartridge. Mine were accurate and powerful but didn't do much a 9.3x62 or a 35 Whelen wouldn't except use 210 Partitions. [email]2502[/email],550 in a 24" tube is common in the 17-degree version.


Okie John

I've yet to hear of anyone who owned one that was unhappy with it. Two of them are in my safe and are my choice for Elk, even though though they sit next to a pair of 338s and an '06 along with several other suitable firearms

Yes, do it. Great cartridge. 50 grains varget with a 225 grain Hornady SST. RL 15 also works very well with all bullet weights.

Depending on your OAL, 4350 and 760 will slow down when compressed with 225gr.But the Varget or 4064 don't fill the case.N-550 is about the right,I think Ranshot Biggame? is about the same speed.

Get one...great cartridge.Reasonable recoil and very good ballistics.If it can't be killed with a 338-06 - it don't need killin!

If you can find one, and money is not an issue, get yourself a Weatherby Ultra-Lite or Super Big Game Master in 338-06. It is absolutely the best deal/rifle on the planet. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I have a 338-06 AI, which I got by having my 30-06 Model 70 featherweight rebarreled. It's a great rifle and a great round. Hard-hitting and easy to carry. Propels 225 grain spitzer bullets at around 2650 fps from a 26" barrel using IMR 4350. That's higher velocity than the 30-06 at similar pressures. The reason appears to be that the base of the bullet (against which the pressure is operating) has a greater area. The rifle is extremely accurate (less than one inch at 100 yards), but that's a function of the rifle rather than the specific cartridge. I don't think I get any very noticeable benefit from having the AI version, though. I also agree with the posters who say that the 35 Whelan is just as good.

FYI, I'm getting 2650 with 225's out of a 22 inch barrel using RL-15. Fast barrel?

Have you considered using barnes tsx 185 gn. Barnes manual lists 185 xlc max load with 62 gns 4064 doing 3006 fps. Should smack most Bulls over pronto.
Its what I'd use.
Connie Brooks of Barnes uses 185 gn pills in her 338win for damn near everything. Should be just fine in an 06 case.
I'd rather use this load in a 33806 than a normal 210 grainer in a 338 win.

I just sold a pile fo other 338 bullets because my 338-06 shoots the 185 TSX so well, and it is the hammer of Thor on impact.

Teeder,I am using H-4350 with the 225 accubond in mine and am getting 2780 fps,primer pockets are still tight after 5 firings.

Man, that's gotta' pound stuff! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

After playing around with a number of powders I settled on H4350 as my favorite all-around powder for the 338-06... in my 22" bbl'd M70 225's went at 2,700 fps. 210's went 2,780, 250's 2,550. If I were loading the 338-06 for elk I'd work a load around the 210 TSX and a 200 grainer of some sort for plinking and deer sized game.

My .02

Mine is a little slower than the other guys, with a 24" bbl I get 2650 fps with 210 Partitions. Excellent elk medicine and accurate with Varget or Reloader 15. Also 180 Bal Tips, are great on deer and did a good job on a cow elks off side shoulder. If I'm not shooting at ranges I probably shouldn't be anyway, it's hard to beat.

Yeah,recoil is a little much,700 action,24" Douglas barrel,.620 diameter at the muzzle,Ti stock,2.5x8 Leupy,7.25lbs.

dblnut-that is one nice sounding rig.

If the recoil is a bit much what I would do is next time I rebarreled it I would get that mzl dia to .65 to .67 and I would cut a couple of inches off of the tube as well.

Mark D