I've had a bull Elephant ball sack full of 338 cal 250gr Swift A frames forever, noticed not long ago Hodgdon's website load for AA-4350 powder under 250's was 2500 + fps at only 52K psi, have wondered what i could do loading the 250gr A frames up with a bit more of the powder, well today i found out.

Loaded 62gr under the 250 SAF's with a COL of 3.380 inch, five rode in the belly of the pre-64 Model 70 JES rebore with one in the pipe, six 250gr SAF's at 2605 fps is some serious power on tap, best part was 4 rounds went into less than a half inch at 100 yards today, two in the same hole with South winds firing dew North, i used two of the 6 loaded rounds to pull the group down to 3 inches high at 100 yards from a previous zero with 210gr npt's at 2800 fps over H-380.

Rifle came to me as a rusted bore 270 out of Oregon, had JES find the new steel, bought a Pacific Research stock from Jorge, had JohnBoy here at the fire paint it, 'Smith bedded everything and installed a stainless steel Winchester trigger along with black matte cerakote on everything else.

Bucks to bulls to big boar bear this rifle and load is ready for most any animal in any weather condition.

That'll do!

Thanks, and i hope it dang sure should Teeder, .591" center to center minus .338" will be closer to a quarter inch group, our old buddy JWP475 has some pics for posting in a bit.

Sounds like a shooter! FW or std contour?

Hello AKW, Thanks and yessir, it sure stacked that new load in tight, it's a standard rifle, 24 inch barrel.

Keep thinking big Eland bull, may take that thing to Africa someday.

Sounds like the project turned out nice! Congrats

I've been talking with JES rebore a bit and still haven't decided whether I'm going to punch an old 270 out to 338 or 35 Whelen. I've heard nothing but good about JES

Trystan

Picture fir Gunner500

Sweet!

Thanks Trystan, i've had that rifle for several years, just recently had a quarter inch spacer and new 1 inch Decelerator pad added to get the LOP to 13.75 inches then a new paint job, thought i'd better see what these 250 SAF's would do ; ]

I'd be sending that 270 to JES ASAP, you'll be glad you did.

Thanks for posting the pics JWP, i appreciate it greatly Sir, looks like 6 pics didnt make it to you, i'll resend.

Thanks again Teeder.

Here are the other 6

Looks like you got a fine hunting stick, brother Gunner.

I’ll take it!

Oh wait. This isn’t the classifieds.
Shucks.

That’s a one gun for everything right there.
Nice build Gunner.

Fine looking rifle

Another picture of the 4 shot group

Many Thanks JWP, one pic of the target right side up sent LOL

Thank you too Brother Tide, you'd love this rifle, LOP would fit you like a glove and it weighs a skosh over 8lbs all up.

Funny stuff M Stevenson, and Thank You Sir, if old CRS doesnt want her i'll send it to You ; ]

There's that damn target pic, first round was low and center, second hit left, third hit left with a bigger hole, fourth went right, i'll damn sure be thankful to take that for a rebore job.

Thanks hanco and JWP.

That is a a great pre 64!

Yeah, it sure is. I like everything about it.

Thanks for the reply gunner. Great shooting!

Many Thanks 1911 and AKW, i'm most thankful for guys like JES that can bring rusted bore rifles back to life, if not, i guess we'd all be standing in the Pac-Nor line waiting for a factory contour dupe!

Gunner I've always liked the concept of the .338-06...figured it would be a near perfect plains game rifle. Can you post a pic of this bad boy?

Sweet!

What scope is on the pea shooter, Gunner?

Nice rifle & load, Gunner!

That's a great package. Appears eager to please too.

For ingwe!

"jwp475"

Picture fir Gunner500

Yessir Poobs, shoulder punching Zebra, Sable, Wildebeest and big bull Eland would be perfect, load the whole thread, JWP posted lots of nice pics.

Looks like a VX3 3.5-10x40 in the pictures.

Thanks Elk, that's an old 3.5-10x40 Leupold

Craft, thank you Sir.

SKane, you bet, man i'd love to slam one of those big Kansas whitetails with that rig, would verify of course, but off the top of my head:

+3 at 100
zero around 220
-7 or 8 at 300
-24 at 400 with around 1850 fps velocity left

Not to bad for an '06 hulled rig chunking 250's.

Thanks Taylorce1

BTW, had a nice text a bit ago, had been thinking about this project for a couple weeks, knew the WW '06 brass was getting tired, has at least 5 reloads on it, lost two of the six cases yesterday due to splits in the neck, found an old High-Power shooter with a brand new box of Lapua '06 brass, he texted this morning and said your new box of brass will have been opened and re taped, i found 7 new cases and threw them in LOL! man i like that stuff.

107 new sticks of Lapua '06 for 110 bucks shipped is a great deal, i'll load the same 62gr AA-4350 and hit the chrono, i know that Lapua brass will handle it, primers looked great on the loads from yesterday, dont think i'm leaning on it very hard at all.

That is great looking rifle and even better looking grouping! I bet those "elephant ball sacks" are pretty hard to get!

Gunner,

Fantastic!

You know how much of a 338-06 slut I am. First Stop in Rapid City has a Cooper 338-06 with the same red splash stock paint job that I just can not talk myself into.
I have been waiting to get some of the 275gr A-Frames, just for kicks and giggles of course.

With Varget being available again (have a bunch coming), I plan to shoot my 338-06's a bunch in the coming off season. Something very satisfying about the thwack of a 338 bullet on steel.

Next time I go to Africa my 338-06 is going with!

LOL, Thanks Jim, quick story about that sack, one night a frantic bud showed up with his 338 WM, seems a last minute spot opened up at elk camp, someone got sick, broke a leg or something and couldn't go, cant remember, he needed ammo, i opened that bag and yanked out a double handful of the 250gr SAF's out and set them down on 70gr IMR-4350, parked ATV with headlights shining on target at 100 yards, got him hitting 3 inches high from my pasture bench, he went on the hunt and got a nice 4x5 public land bull.

Long story short, i had forgot about that open bag for several months, well, the dirt daubers moved in, that and the general humidity and shop dust all the bullets tarnished badly, i dumped all them in a bucket of water to dissolve the dirt bee's work, let dry, then dumped in the Frankford Arsenal tumbler, that's where the tiny lead tips went on the A-Frames, guess that's some pretty good tumbling media ; ]

LOL, glad you showed up here CRS, yes, i remember you love the 338-06, also remember you saying you want first shot at this rifle should i ever sell ; ]

AA-4350 is a great powder in this case, and iirc it's a bit slower burning than RL-17, saying, it should be a world star with those 275 SAF's, man what a hammer they would be, i should take this one for plains game too, particularly if those guys inform of some early rainy weather.

Absolutely, IF you ever decide to sell. But I will be the first one to tell you that you need to keep that rifle! What a dandy.

Let's go to Africa with our 338-06's.

LOL, thanks, not a bad idea, 338-06's for everything but Buffalo, i have doubles in 500-450, 500 and 577 Nitro, if you'd want to hammer a buff up close!

dang, an Ele and Lion and i'd be banged out on the Big 5.

Man, that’s a dandy Gunner…. I may have to get on this. CRS already provided me with a donor.

Yours is a great blueprint. Damn….

Thanks Gunner!

Was also thinking, 700 Remington, Wyatts box, throated for 250 Scenars at 3.6, more AA-4350, good tracking glass, great possibilities.

Thanks Big B, it's a hell of a fun and accurate rifle, even the little 210 npt's at 2800 punch pretty hard.

You're most welcome Elk.

I took 8 head of game in Africa with my Cooper .338-06 and 185 gr Barnes TTSX over Re15 from springbok at 400yds to Eland at 359yds

Great pics DVD. Might go home and box that sucker up and send it off!

Gunner, you’re damn right, Scenars getting kicked out like that would be a helluva thumper. Mines got a grey laminate right now but I do have a McM EDGE Hunters Compact that would work too.

Gunner,

I put my 338-06 together in 1993. A Walmart M700 synthetic 30-06. I sent it to Cliff LaBounty for a rebore and bedded in a McM KS Mountain Rifle take-off stock. In 1995 I took it to Leadville Colorado loaded with the 210 gr Partition. The first shot at a critter below. It has since taken grizzly, black bear, more elk, mule deer and hogs. A great round no doubt. I have used the 225 gr Accubond and the 185 gr TSX as well.

I have 416 that would get the buffalo nod. I would not be afraid to hammer one with the 338-06 and 250 or 275gr bullets. Not allowed in most places though.

These two rifles......


Did this a couple months ago.



And this a few years ago.



And a year before.


sexy


My African 338-06 is at the smith's getting a cerakote job right now.

I’m taking my Dakota 338-06 to Africa in 2023 for it’s first hunt, along with my 404 Jeffery for my 2-rifle battery. I’ve ordered another one (ParkWest Arms) in 338-06 which should be ready to go early 2023. I’m really excited to use it. I took the Dakota Elk hunting a week ago, but saw no Elk, so I guess Africa will have to be it’s first blood. Will be hunting Tsessebe, Black Lechwe, & Cookson Wildebeest with it, plus any other targets of opportunity.

Very nice!

What does your rig weigh?

I have an 06 laying around that doesn't get much use........

Awesome pics CRS!

I have an old sako, would be a good to rebarrel, maybe rebored.

Been carrying mine all year trying to bloody it. Loaded with 225 gr Interlocks.

Mike

Thank you

Patiently waiting for you to show me a 338-06 with a pepper laminate stock.

Great thread fellas! Nice to see some fresh 338-06 appreciation!

This fall was 20 years since I put my faux KS Mnt rifle .338-06 together.
Awesome cartridge and I love this rifle. I struggle with the recoil now after my car accident. The thought of rebarreling to something smaller has crossed my mind, but I haven't had the heart to do it yet.

Man, I’d have to try a nice brake on it. Hard to give up a good rifle you like and while some folks hate em, they have their place in such circumstances.


It’s boxed up. Just need to drop it off….

I have considered a magna-port. I guess if I don't like it, I could just rebarrel then.

Lotsa good brakes out there now that might get you where you wanna be again. Hope you’re able to keep the old girl and keep using it.

I need to dig my .338-06 out of the safe and take it to the range and then hunt it. I have a M70 SS that comes in about 8.5 lbs all up. I've been so busy letting the kid do all the fun hunts and playing with suppressed rifles that my old .338-06 has been neglected.

I have a bunch of 225 and 250 Interlocks I am going to load for my 338-06. If you don't mind, what powder did you use?

I built a 338-06 in 2000 on a stainless M70 action. I dinked around with it and finally sold it. Neat round, but I don't think it really offers anything over the 30-06. If I wanted more than the 30-06 I'd probably go with a 338 WM or 9.3x62. But I do get its appeal, and it is a beautiful cartridge!

225's are getting 56.0 grs of IMR-4350 for 2475 fps out of a 22" barrel.

Not Barn burners but its in a Mtn Rifle stock so did't want to kill myself for <100 yard shots at Ga Whitetails.


Mike

Damn nice rifles and animals men, great hunting and shooting, good to see the young lady getting it done too!

Teeder, i'd brake that rifle, then unscrew, confirm zero, and hunt.

LOL Big B, glad you got her boxed up and ready to be sent off.

I'm going to "start out" with a JES rebore on this old Savage 110E (its in a bedded Ramline) its only 22", but I can use its factory irons and have a pretty light rifle. It will be a foul weather rifle, just having all the metal Duracoated. Not much investment...Later on, if I really like it , I'll find a donor and go with a 26 inch barrel...just for grins!

If you guys go to Africa, try and bring me back either an elephant or Buffalo Ball sack?

LOL, sounds like a great first step JK, i for some reason have 55lbs minimum on my mind for Ele, that should make you a right hefty sack!

Sometimes a beautiful cartridge is all a fella needs to fall for

Thanks for the info. Have plenty of 4350.

You are very welcome!

I've got one.... built by one of the last guys who trained under P.O. Ackley.. bored out an unshot Model 70 Classic...

He recommended H 380, and the data was pretty simple... for 200 grainer 65 grains of H 380 with a crimp.

for a 225 grainer, 62.5 grains of H 380.... for a 250 grainer... 60 grains of H 380... all three need a crimp...

only ever used Hornady SPs in it...

never failed me, and its only a 100 fps with each of those bullet weights behind a 338 Win Mag.. which mine are a Model 70 Classic and a Browning A Bolt.

The 338/06 has a 24 inch barrel, the 338 Mags have a 26 inch barrels on them.

The 338/06 has been shot a lot more than the 338 Mags. All three rifles are pretty darn accurate.

One other charge I use with my 338/06, which is pretty handy. At least at 100 yds... 50 grains of 4064... with a 200, 225 or 250 grain bullet, each one has an MV of 2500 fps.. and point of impact at 100 yds is withing 1/2 an inch of each other...

I call that awfully darn convenient....

That sounds like a handy load myself! 2500 with the 225 and 250 is a good all around'er...

2500 with a 200 would be a great deer / black bear load.

Great deer / black bear load indeed, as is a 180-185gr at 2,700 or so. Mild on the shoulder, about like a 180gr 30-06 load with increased frontal diameter.

I could like that as well!

I have used the 338-06 with a 200gr Hornady soft point at approximately 2600fps to kill whitetail deer and used a 210gr Barnes TSX at approximately 2700fps on elk and both worked great.

Bought a priority box(smaller one) with a couple of hundred Partitions when I had a .338 WM going to load 210's next for this gun.

I think this would make a hell of a .338-06
https://www.tylergunworks.com/store/Steyr-MC-Sporting-Rifle-270-Win-w-Scope-p486440684

Bobby also has a readymade .338-06

https://www.tylergunworks.com/store...-06-Rifle-with-Dyes-and-Brass-p407258019

That Mauser 338-06 doesn’t look to shabby.

These rifles would get you in the game, hunting with a 338-06.
I like hunting with mine.

The stock on the .270 has too much drop in the butt for me. Probably kick like a mule in .338-06.
YMMV

Long time lurker but don't say much. I built a 338.06 on a 1917 action with a ported barrel. Custom dies and a box of bullets. Never been fired. I put it in a richards micro fit stock. If one of you guys that appreciates the caliber want it let me know. Its been sitting in the rack for close to six months. I guess I'm not going to use it.

I may know someone interested……can you give more details? Weight, LOP, rifling twist rate, ect., and maybe a photo or two! memtb

I know how to send photos on phones but this website has gotten the best of me up to now. Ill give it a go again soon. I did put the express sights on just because I thought it would look cool. Easily removed.

Great rifles, great shooting, great hunting reports.
I once had a Weatherby Mark V "Ultralightweight" .338-06,
traded it off after finding a 1909 Argentine Mauser .338-06 in what appears to be an MPI stock, ho hum,
done by unknown gunsmith.
It will do, as long as the unknown smith used a properly heat-treated action, I have heard it said.
I do appreciate the load data here to work up to, seeing if I can set the recoil lugs back, heh-heh-heh.

Ok then, as per your note above, in Bold, Bob did quite a bit of work for me as well, Dam Fine Gun Maker, as he called himself, and Corrected me in "QUICK" Fashion, when I referred that he was a Dam Fine Gun Smith, back-in the day,,,,, As he was, One of the Founding Members of the American Gun Makers Guild...
Lj

I haven't forgotten you guys want info but life has gotten in the way . Ill try again later this week. I still don't know how to post pics though.

I am just not tech savvy. I have pics on my phone but cannot get them here. If someone would be kind enough to pm me a cell phone number I'm pretty sure I can send that person the pics. Sorry. I also couldn't find the scales to weigh the rifle. One guy guessed 7#. I am more in the 8-9 range. When or if things get more serious I will go borrow real scales. As I said before, it is a 1917 action with a custom ported barrel. Express sights because I thought they would look cool. Richards micro fit stock..seconds lot. I only built it to see if I could. Custom dies go with the rifle. I would like $800 for it all so I can start another project. Thanks for everyone's time and patience.

Mines built on a FN with a 24" Douglas and a timney trigger. It's glass bedded in a B&C stock. the frt sight looks like one off a 700 no rear barrel sight. Old 1 pc Redfield Jr base with the flip up peep on the.back. yup it is on the money too. All I've loaded for it is 200 gr horn Sp's and SST'S WITH W760. Works on deer and coyotes...mb