338-375 Ruger build

WOW! David you better got to a Doc, FAST! You can't bee feeling well if you just admitted that :lol:
 
nvbroncrider":3284gu4v said:
jmad_81":3284gu4v said:
WOW! David you better got to a Doc, FAST! You can't bee feeling well if you just admitted that :lol:


A 6mm covers everything! :wink:
:lol: Aim small miss small. :p Speed is fine but accuracy is final. :grin:

I must be a little under the weather Jake.
 
IdahoCTD":2zmlmgnf said:
If you plan on rechambering you better make sure the reamer has the same or larger neck diameter. If it doesn't you'll have a stepped neck if the barrel isn't set back. The Ruger case is 2.58" and the .338 Win. is 2.50". So if the neck of the reamer is under the factory size it will step down .080" early. The safest bet is to set it back 2-3 turns so it will clean the whole chamber up.

The .375 Ruger, 8mm Mag, and .300 Weatherby are all about equal case capacity. The difference in velocity can be a certain barrel as much as it is case capacity difference. My .338 Baer's (a blown out 8mm case) does 2900-2950 with 250's.
I owned a 308 Baer two years ago great round also like the 264 Baer I'm sure the 338 is a monster in a single shot. platform.
 
IdahoCTD":2xbso5ar said:
If you plan on rechambering you better make sure the reamer has the same or larger neck diameter. If it doesn't you'll have a stepped neck if the barrel isn't set back. The Ruger case is 2.58" and the .338 Win. is 2.50". So if the neck of the reamer is under the factory size it will step down .080" early. The safest bet is to set it back 2-3 turns so it will clean the whole chamber up.

The .375 Ruger, 8mm Mag, and .300 Weatherby are all about equal case capacity. The difference in velocity can be a certain barrel as much as it is case capacity difference. My .338 Baer's (a blown out 8mm case) does 2900-2950 with 250's.

Nathan, I am pretty sure I would be going with an entirely new barrel on mine, so I am not sweating it too much. I wouldn't mind have a 25-26" barrel on it anyhow. Be the same length as it is now with the BOSS.

jimbires":2xbso5ar said:
Scotty , I'm not sure if you saw this thread on the long range hunting forum . Rich did a 30-375 ruger , and seems very pleased so far .I thought there could be a little info in this thread to help your figuring . Jim


http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/ ... cat-80853/

I saw that. Still reading through it a little. I think we are well on our way now. Brian has taken the lead on assembling the smithing things like reamers and headspace gauges.. I am not in any real big hurry so I have some time.
 
I owned a 308 Baer two years ago great round also like the 264 Baer I'm sure the 338 is a monster in a single shot. platform.[/quote]

I still have one of the original .308 Baer's Bruce Baer did for me 22 years ago before I started doing my own gunsmithing (he built me 2). Both of my .338 Baer's shoot in the .3's and .4's with about any bullet you put in them. With 250gr Sierra's and 250gr Scenar's they are closer to .25". One has a Schneider barrel and the other has a Accumax I barrel (cut rifled K&P prior to polishing).
 
IdahoCTD":y39t8jhc said:
I owned a 308 Baer two years ago great round also like the 264 Baer I'm sure the 338 is a monster in a single shot. platform.

I still have one of the original .308 Baer's Bruce Baer did for me 22 years ago before I started doing my own gunsmithing (he built me 2). Both of my .338 Baer's shoot in the .3's and .4's with about any bullet you put in them. With 250gr Sierra's and 250gr Scenar's they are closer to .25". One has a Schneider barrel and the other has a Accumax I barrel (cut rifled K&P prior to polishing).[/quote]what kind of velocity are you getting out of the 250's? maybe you should do a .338 big bear and talk me into one?
 
I am contemplating reaming out a 300 win mag to a 30/375R. There are some similarities so here is what I have learned.

First of all the case capacities being used for quickload is not what is general knowledge. Perhaps "useable" capacity is different. I get most of mine here

http://kwk.us/cases.html

which shows

338 win mag 86
340 Wtby 98

and the reamer that 4-D rents for the 30/375R shows a case capacity of 93.6 gr. The 338/375R would be slightly larger because of the increased neck ID so call it 94 gr.

30_375_Ruger.jpg


When I was contemplating doing this project the first thing I did was make sure I could find dies to neck the 375R case down. Discovered I needed to do this in a couple of steps

1. Size neck of 375R case with 375R full length die with expander removed - brought it down to ~.364"
2. Size neck with a 338 Ruger Compact Magnum full length die without the expander - down to ~.334"
3. Size neck with a 300 Ruger Compact Magnum neck sizing die with expander

Here is the result

DSCN1855.jpg

DSCN1856.jpg


The case capacities I can find are

338 win mag - 86 gr
338/375R - 94 gr
340 Wtby - 98 gr
338RUM - 113 gr

So essentially you would have an unbelted 338 that was a little smaller than a 340 Wtby with cases a lot cheaper (if you can find them)

For sizing I would think you would need a 375R full length die (for sizing the case body and pushing the shoulder back), a 338 RCM full length die (the neck die does not have a gradual slope on the forcing cone and will collapse the case) and a 338 RCM neck die. Seating I haven't worked out yet.
 
Woods, that is great intel. Thanks for taking the time to post all of that.
 
Kind words indeed

My problem is that the 300 win mag I plan to make into a 30/375R is a real nice Beretta Mato and I just haven't been able to bring myself to do it. On the one hand the Matos have Lothar Walther barrels which would be worth saving and it is a controlled round feed Dakota action which would make a great platform for the build. But it is all original now.

If I were going to build a wildcat, rather than using the factory barrel then I would think about putting an aftermarket better barrel on it.

On either the 30/375R or the 338/375R it would be a good idea for the smith to set the barrel back. Like IdahoCTD said, on the 338 you would have to avoid have a step in the chamber neck and on the 30 caliber it would be very close to the reamer not totally cleaning up the chamber. Also it would be beneficial if reaming a factory chamber to get rid of all that freebore they put in them nowadays.

But a 200 gr AccuBond at an honest 3000 fps without the necessity for a muzzle brake is calling my name in my dreams :roll:

Just need to get a

roundtuit.png
 
Scott the 338 big bear is based on the 505 Gibbs case or the chey tac as its currently known. get ahold of me if tour interested in an action and a Smith to get this together you guys and I will are what I can do for you.
 
Woods,

Thanks for the info! That 30-375 Ruger should be a fun one also. I'm thinking about giving up on the rechamber of the 338 Win Mag. Currently looking for an Stainless M70 action. Bartlein 5R barrels are looking like a real winner for this build.

Jeff,

Let me know if you find an M70 action for a decent price. Smith? Don't know what to do about that! Talked to Dave Tooley and he can turn key for roughly $750. Bartlein can get me the barrel for $310 and screw it on for $270. I still gotta send Bartlein the reamer for $130 and headspace gauges for I don't know how much.
 
Thanks Jeff. I need as much info from you experts as I can get to be honest. I wished I had a local smith to lean on, but they seem scarce in my parts. I was looking at Joel's guy, thought about yours as well. Brian has some good leads...

That 338 BEAR sounds like a darned monster! Holy crap, a 338 on a 505 Gibb's! Stand by for heavy rolls with that blaster!
 
Why is it that rainy days and downed hay always seem to cost me money in the gun department, not just the hay quality department!

That's why we're here, Jake. We aim to please. Glad the boys were able to help. :grin:
 
usmc 89":3pxoh7x2 said:
IdahoCTD":3pxoh7x2 said:
I owned a 308 Baer two years ago great round also like the 264 Baer I'm sure the 338 is a monster in a single shot. platform.

I still have one of the original .308 Baer's Bruce Baer did for me 22 years ago before I started doing my own gunsmithing (he built me 2). Both of my .338 Baer's shoot in the .3's and .4's with about any bullet you put in them. With 250gr Sierra's and 250gr Scenar's they are closer to .25". One has a Schneider barrel and the other has a Accumax I barrel (cut rifled K&P prior to polishing).
what kind of velocity are you getting out of the 250's? maybe you should do a .338 big bear and talk me into one?[/quote]

The .338 Baer's both get about 2900-2950 out of 250's just like a Weatherby.
 
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