338-06 thoughts??

wisconsinteacher

wisconsinteacher

Handloader
Dec 2, 2010
1,976
290
Having many of the 06 family rounds, I was thinking about a 338-06 but have a few questions about options for the project. I have my dad's 30-06 that I would like to have JES rebore but I don't have permission from him yet. If that option doesn't work, what rifle would you look at buying in a 270/30-06 and sending to JES? A Tikka came to mind as well as a Rem 700. I don't want go crazy on the original rifle but I don't want to start out with junk. If you were to look deeper into this adventure, what rifle would you start out with?
 
I'd stick away from a Tikka because the 338-06 has a longer COAL than the magazine allows. I've also heard that Tikka barrels are a nightmare to rebore.
 
I don't think you could go wrong with either a 338-06 or a Whelen. Full disclosure, I own a Whelen and have used it to much effect, and I have wanted a 338-06 for years and years. All that said, the 33-06 has better flight ballistics and you will almost certainly be able to find a wider variety of projectiles for loading. All that said, you can buy factory ammo for 35 Whelen, and I have not seen a bot of 338-06 factory (in real life) in several years. Maybe you can find some custom stuff for it; don't know.

Doc. Just out of curiosity, if you really are willing to sell, perhaps you could PM me with a price.
 
I started with the Rem 700 (LH) for my 338-06...because I found a donor, and wanted to have a matching action in this cartridge to pair with a planned 280 Rem project. Remington also provides the most available after market options for a custom build.

I went with a 22" King barrel with NECG open sights (front is banded), Leupold QR rings and bases, and a Wenig nutmeg laminated stock with ebony angled fore end tip and grip cap.
The scoped rifle pkg weighs in at 9 lbs 11 oz due to a heavier contour barrel; I asked for the same contour as the factory 338 Win Mag contour, and they finished it with the same as a 375 H&H contoured barrel. Did not catch this until after they had inletted the stock. Have thought about lightening up the barrel by fluting and hogging out the stock, but do not want to mess with the accuracy it is currently delivering, so have left it as is. It does balance well and felt recoil is very manageable, even from the bench.
Not a rifle I carry in tough/steep terrain or long hikes, but is fine for short hikes or sitting looking over mineral licks and fields/meadows. With the VX-3 3.5-10x40 B&C scope, I can reach out to my self imposed distances with ease and comfort. Had planned to take to Africa in 2017...may still take when we go next May. Be fine for the spot and stock hunting or sitting overlooking ravines for kudu, nyala, and bushbuck. Will need to use the factory ammo on this trip.

It shoots the Wby 210 gr Nosler Partition ammo at 2750 fps (matching factory published velocity) producing 1/2" groups at 100 yards. I also have their 225 gr AccuBond ammo, but haven't tried or chronied it as yet. (Can still find this in stores here north of the border if you look around).

Interestingly, those I know who have the 338-06 AI's are only getting the same velocities as I am, so I am happy with the rifle I have!

It's preferred handload is the 215 gr SGK @ 2751 fps with 62.0 gr of H-414 and WLR primers in Wby brass, also producing 1/2" groups @ 100 yards.
Another decent load uses 50.0 gr of IMR-4320 and the 200 gr Ballistic Tip @ 2590 fps producing groups just over 3/4" @ 100 yards.

As much as I like the 35 cal, there is more options available in the 338...and as a couple of friends had 35 Whelen's and I wanted something a little different, also appealed to me.

I have also had the 338 Win Mag and really liked it, but sold it due shoulder issues at the time and built the 338-06. The fact that Weatherby had just legitimized the cartridge and was producing ammo and brass was also a bonus.

I really liked the on-game performance of the 338 Win Mag, and was impressed when I learned that the 338-06 would carry more velocity and energy past 300 yards with the 215 gr SGK than the 338 Win Mag with the 210 gr Partition (higher BC for the SGK), and had a thicker jacket to handle good expansion characteristics.
Less powder burnt, less felt recoil, and good on-game performance with a rifle that could hold 5 rounds in the magazine were additional features that appealed to me. Still need to hunt with this rifle more...but to date it has proven effective and accurate!
 
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I built mine on a Winchester Model 70 Supergrade I got on sale when Gander Mountain went out of business. It is on the heavy side, but the action is smooth as glass and the felt recoil is next to nothing. This would be a great deer stand rifle especially with the heavier deer in Wisconsin. It absolutely hammers whitetails with 180 ABs. I had JES do mine also.
 
I'd start with a Model 70 myself, but I don't remember what the question was WT :cool:

All kidding aside, pick the gun you like and have at it. I have a few 35's and a couple 338's now and they are so much the same it's splitting hairs. But, man, I like splitting hairs..
 
Way back when I had a serious interest in the .318 Westley Richards cartridge. When push came to shove I found that the 338-06 was for all practical purposes a clone of the .318 with a slightly different dimension for the bullet. Bullet weight was 250 gr. Of course the 338-06 could be loaded to a bit higher velocity bit the .318 was considered a good cartridge for almost all African game.

I happed by chance to find a Ruger tang safety rifle chambered to the .35 Whelen and the rest is history. I played with the 200 and 250 gr. bullets and found the 250s were the most accurate so went with those until I came across some's custom Mauser chambered to the .35. The other two pretty much lay dormant these days. I tried the 225 gr. TSX in the custom and hit Nirvana, Good speed and excellent accuracy. Thoughts of a 338-06 have long since been bypassed.

I don't shoot the harder kicking rifle much anymore and that includes the Whelen to some degree. At my age the danger of retinal separation becomes quite real, About the only time I shoot the .35 is just before a hunt to check sights and take game. Frankly, the thought of a day at the range shooting anything above the recoil level of the Whelen and the thought of possibly going blind scares the hell out of me,
Paul B.
 
At the time when I was replacing the barrel on my 30-06 the 338-06 was my top choice. For some reason I decided on keeping it a 30-06. That choice allowed me to purchase a 35 Whelen and then a 338 WM to fill the 338-06 void😁
 
I've thought about the 338-06 and will probably end up with one in the future but at the time I went 8mm-06. Had one of my current 8x57's reamed out in 2021. Restocked, barrel band, banded front sight, and rear irons made up for it. Also re-blued. 23.6" barrel.

Shoots 200gr Accubonds at approx 2800 fps for about 1" groups. I was content with the accuracy and velocity (quickload was spot on). Shot a nice mule deer that year.

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