338-375 Ruger build

[Woodycreek]

Funny how the 338-375 Ruger idea started for me as a rechamber job. It's turned into a full blown custom with more than twice as much money.

Scotty and me are thinking the same as you for this rifle. Kind of a do all elk hammer from 0-600ish yards.

 

[SJB358]

Jake, I ran through the same thing with my 338. I figured I am still keeping it 338 in size, just a little faster. My old man took a Brown Bear, elk and some other nice animals with it, so I didn't wanna change it completely, but I think with a little massaging, it will be just as good. Plus, like you, I want it to be a good rifle from 0-600. I don't think it'll fall short at all.

Glass, well, that is pretty far down the road for me. I think I will have some time.

 

[IdahoCTD]

Thanks for the words of encouragement :mrgreen: Currently thinking of what stock will go with this build. A good McMillan, Manners, and now High Tech stocks?

High Tech stocks weren't in the same league years ago, prior to selling out to Basner, as the other two. They are nice and light but not as nicely finished or as sturdy. If this project is a ways out you can check out a High Tech, a HS, and a Greybull when you come through Idaho elk hunting. I don't have a McMillan or a Manners. I have a hard time with the concept of spending as much or more for a stock as a action or a barrel and a action.

 

[jmad_81]

I'm with you Scotty on the glass being a ways out. I really think that this 338/375R is going to be a pretty cool round. If we can get 3050 with a 225 AB I should have about 440 ft/lbs more @ 600 yards, and about 200 fps more than my 338 wm is doing now.

Another reason for my going with a new action is I just got a heck of a deal on a 24 gun safe. My old 14 gun was over flowing. Now I have lots more room to fill it up. You should have seen the look on my wifes face when I showed her all the extra room that needed filled :mrgreen:

 

[SJB358]

I'm with you Scotty on the glass being a ways out. I really think that this 338/375R is going to be a pretty cool round. If we can get 3050 with a 225 AB I should have about 440 ft/lbs more @ 600 yards, and about 200 fps more than my 338 wm is doing now.

Another reason for my going with a new action is I just got a heck of a deal on a 24 gun safe. My old 14 gun was over flowing. Now I have lots more room to fill it up. You should have seen the look on my wifes face when I showed her all the extra room that needed filled :mrgreen:

I think 3050 should be very easy from the cartridge Jake. Actually, talking with Nathan, it seems very easy to put the Wyatt's extended mag box in the M70 and that would allow us to seat them long 225-250's out pretty far as to not intrude in the precious powder room. He seems to think it shouldn't be very difficult to mill the bolt stop a little and the surrounding area to make it fit. The Mag box from Wyatt was about 28.00 or so, so I have a feeling I will put it in there. My goal is to run 2900 with the 250's and call it a day. I am sure I will monkey with others, but that is my standard right now. Not sure why I am so stuck on 250's, but I just like them.

I can only imagine the look on your wife's face! I have about 20 rifles stuffed into a 14 gun safe as well, so I am due for a new one, but I am hoping to wait till I retire to my next home. Not a big fan of moving safes. All in all, I am really looking forward to the rifle though. Brian helped me take the first step with ordering the barrel's and has done alot of leg work looking for the gunsmith who will put this together. It is good to have great friends.

The only problem is I might have to deploy again just to pay for everything! It is an neverending ugly cycle! :lol:

 

[SJB358]

Thanks for the words of encouragement :mrgreen: Currently thinking of what stock will go with this build. A good McMillan, Manners, and now High Tech stocks?

High Tech stocks weren't in the same league years ago, prior to selling out to Basner, as the other two. They are nice and light but not as nicely finished or as sturdy. If this project is a ways out you can check out a High Tech, a HS, and a Greybull when you come through Idaho elk hunting. I don't have a McMillan or a Manners. I have a hard time with the concept of spending as much or more for a stock as a action or a barrel and a action.

Nathan, we will for sure swing through your place on our way to or from elk hunting.. You can count on that...

 

[DrMike]

I just got a heck of a deal on a 24 gun safe. My old 14 gun was over flowing. Now I have lots more room to fill it up.

Oh, the folly of imagining that you have "lots more room." Room in the gun safe never remains unoccupied. In the dark confines of the safe, those rifles and handguns reproduce, filling the interior to capacity and beyond before you know you.

 

[jmad_81]

I just got a heck of a deal on a 24 gun safe. My old 14 gun was over flowing. Now I have lots more room to fill it up.

Oh, the folly of imagining that you have "lots more room." Room in the gun safe never remains unoccupied. In the dark confines of the safe, those rifles and handguns reproduce, filling the interior to capacity and beyond before you know you.

Kind of what I was hoping would happen. Besides, deep down, my wife knew that I would just fill a bigger safe anyways. She's a pretty good sport about it.

 

[DrMike]

She sounds like a jewel. You'd better buy her a safe as well. :grin:

 

[IdahoCTD]

I have two 38-40 gun safes and they are over flowing. I was hoping to build a house with a vault rather than buy another safe but with another kid now that might have to wait a bit. I actually want to make my whole gun room a vault. Short of the door it's all reinforced concrete anyway. I might be better off not doing that though in case the wife get's mad and tries to lock me in it because I spend too much time in there.

In a 26" barrel 3050fps should be doable with 225's as long as it's throated long.

 

[SJB358]

In a 26" barrel 3050fps should be doable with 225's as long as it's throated long.

Nathan, should we mock up a case with a 250 AB (Brian and Scotty) and a 225 AB (Jake), seated to where we want for the smith to throat it correctly for us?

Yeah, my next house will have a vault I believe. Safes put too many dents in my stuff!

 

[IdahoCTD]

Throat it for the shortest bullet. So get the dies and neck a case down. Then seat a 225AB with the start of the boattail at the bottom of the neck and send that in when you order the reamer. Tell them how much freebore past that you want (ie .010" or so off the rifling at that length). Then the smith can cut the throat longer for the 250's if you have magazine room for it or you'll have to seat it a bit deeper if not.

A word to the wise on the neck diameter for the reamer. I would only go about .004" max over a loaded case. It works the brass less and they seem to shoot a bit better compared to standard reamers. In my .30-8mm I'm .0025 to .003" and I can actually seat bullets right back into the case after firing without sizing for several firings in a row when I start with new brass.

 

[SJB358]

Good info Nathan. Makes sense to me.

 

[BK]

Well, I'm starting from scratch, so I'm looking for an SS M70 in 7 RM or .300 WM. Glass-wise, I am interested in a Swaro Z3 4-12x50, but I'm not really thrilled about the 50mm objective. I could go 3.5-10x42 Z3, or a Conquest 4.5-14x44 again, but I'm not completely sure I like the one I have on my .257 Weatherby. Probably will end up with a VX3 3.5-10x40, with an M1 elevation turret. For a stock, it'll definitely be McMillan, maybe a Winchester Express, or maybe another Supergrade.

 

[Woodycreek]

Throat it for the shortest bullet. So get the dies and neck a case down. Then seat a 225AB with the start of the boattail at the bottom of the neck and send that in when you order the reamer. Tell them how much freebore past that you want (ie .010" or so off the rifling at that length). Then the smith can cut the throat longer for the 250's if you have magazine room for it or you'll have to seat it a bit deeper if not.

A word to the wise on the neck diameter for the reamer. I would only go about .004" max over a loaded case. It works the brass less and they seem to shoot a bit better compared to standard reamers. In my .30-8mm I'm .0025 to .003" and I can actually seat bullets right back into the case after firing without sizing for several firings in a row when I start with new brass.

Thanks for the info! Guess I need to get on the ball and order some dies. Been watching SPS for some 225-250 AB seconds with no luck as of yet.

 

[woods]

Update

1. Redding makes dies for the 338-375 Ruger! It's listed as the 338-375 R&D. 20 weeks to make them after they are ordered for $180 per set. 5% discount for three sets ordered.

Might I make a suggestion on the dies? Rather than pay $180 and wait 5 months, just get a 338 RCM 2 die set

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/227538 ... magnum-rcm

that will allow you to neck down the the 375R to 338 and you can then seat a bullet with at the length you want. If you wait till you get a set of dies 5 months from now you will have to wait till then to seat a dummy cartridge to send to the smith. The only thing you won't be able to do is push the shoulder back but you could get 3 or 4 firings on the cases before you had to do that.

Also you can shoot the rifle when you get it all put together and send the fire formed cases off for a custom set of dies like bushing dies or a combination Lee Collet/Redding Body Sizer.

It's what I'd do.

 

[jmad_81]

I thought about getting a set of the 338 RCM dies. I have a set of 375R dies that I could use to set the shoulder back. I have read about this on a few other sites as well.

It would be cheaper, then I would have two sets of dies that I would have to use, not a huge deal.

Might have to look around and see if I can find a used set.

 

[SJB358]

So you would use the RCM dies for the resizing down (and seating) to 338 and the 375 Ruger set for bumping the shoulder back? I know it should be cheaper than the Redding's, even if I got Reddings for both.. Might have to look into that.

 

[usmc 89]

spend the money and get the correct dies, i think sinclair is selling redding custom dies for 160 bucks and if they dont have the 338/375 dies call redding they may have them on the shelf so your wait time will be less than you think. your going to want your brass necked down and mic'd out to see how it lines out with the print anyway. you guys are building a custom rifle get what you want built and dont worry about the cost you will have that rifle forever. have been down the road where i should have bought this but wanted to save some money and went cheaper those rifles have been sold at a loss of course and i built what i wanted after that. decide exactly what you want and get it done. i understand the sticker shock of components for a build like this but trust me when you get a rifle built with top tier components you will soon forget about the cost.

 

[SJB358]

Makes sense. Really, looking at the Redding 338RCM dies and a set of 375 Ruger dies, it would only save about 60.00 anyhow. I will have to check Sinclairs for them Jeff. Wouldn't mind getting a case with bullet made up.