Building a 338 win mag for Plains Game
- Thread starter idahohunter8
- Start date
IdahoCTD":3sp1851l said:
+ 1------IF I were just a tad younger and could see, but the shooting distances in Africa are, on average, not that far.
Jamila, thank you. I know your traveling right now but always appreciate your input.
Some of us know a fellow in Colorado who has hunted Elk successfully for many years with a 270 and swears by it. although Eland and Zebra, IMHO, are a bit tougher, I would not use anything less than a 30-06, with a larger bullet weight. If you are taking your 270 for smaller plains game, it honestly is not necessary. If I took two rifles on a dedicated plains game hunt, they would be a 300 H & H and a 9.3 x 62. But your 338 will handle everything you hunt on your plains game hunt and whatever you want to hunt in North America, when you return home. Excellent caliber and a nice build. best of luck to you in Africa
Dr. Vette
Handloader
- Apr 16, 2012
- 1,480
- 365
I gentleman I know has gone to Africa 20+ times. His rifle is now a 338 Win Mag, Barnes TTSX, RL-19.
Read an article by him here; you can easily find more that he's written.
http://www.kalahari-trophy-hunting.com/ammo-info.html
Read an article by him here; you can easily find more that he's written.
http://www.kalahari-trophy-hunting.com/ammo-info.html
Dr. Vette":3nf3aerm said:
nice article, thanks for the link
we speak of bullet "placement" a lot, and nobody understood bullet placement better than Bell. 1000 elephants mostly with a 275 Rigby and some with a 6.5 x 54. With the right bullet placement your 338 will be just fine for Eland and Zebra, as would your 270 for that matter, if you decide to take it.
Jamila, I never had a desire to hunt giraffe, does anyone here have a desire to hunt giraffe ?
hunternyny
Handloader
- Feb 6, 2012
- 362
- 0
interesting article and thread
congratulations to you on the rifle build and the hunt, they will both be magnificent
Yes, I would hunt Giraffe or anything else in Africa, I would even be willing to photograph a giraffe in the wilds in Africa. Would love to hunt Africa!
congratulations to you on the rifle build and the hunt, they will both be magnificent
Yes, I would hunt Giraffe or anything else in Africa, I would even be willing to photograph a giraffe in the wilds in Africa. Would love to hunt Africa!
truck driver
Ammo Smith
- Mar 11, 2013
- 7,342
- 923
I don't know about #2 since they use that long neck and I guess horns or what ever they are on their head to pommel their attackers ,Saw a video where one beat the heck out of a lion and hit it hard enough to roll it. Raised in captivity they may be okay to pet.
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,789
- 6,035
idahohunter8":1k7yymvy said:
I am really looking forward to seeing the completed rifle. It should be terrific! Noted that with the McMillan stock, and the metal cerakoted, this will indeed be a superb all-weather rifle. One I'm sure you'll put to use on elk in Idaho, and perhaps take to Alaska or Canada someday as well.
Should be a wonderful rifle!
Guy
- Thread starter
- #32
idahohunter8
Beginner
- May 7, 2015
- 119
- 0
Wanted to give everyone an update as I picked up a few more parts, changed a couple things, and will be sending everything off end of this coming week to be put together.
1. I picked up the scope...Found a LNIB Swarovski AV 3-10X42, and got a great price on Ebay so that is the route I went. Never had a Swaro Scope so as far as performance, your guess is as good as mine, but I think it will be just fine.
2. Williams Obendorf BM was back ordered with no fulfillment date in site so I canceled the order and picked up a brand new OEM, Steel Win 70 Super Grade 1pc Bottom Metal from Midwest Gun Works. No concerns here - excellent quality piece.
3. I decided on a #3 contour instead of the #4 to save some weight, so I changed my order with Brownells and got a Shilen Match #3. Still will be finished with factory contour shank and 24".
All other parts are the same as originally planned. I am changing the cerakote from SS to Graphite Black. To me Simple is more and Graphite Black offers less flash, more simple.
Receiver, Barrel, Bottom Metal, Bolt Handle, and Shroud will be black. Bolt Body jeweled metal, and extractor left the factory matte stainless finish (break up the black a bit) The Super Grade Engraving on the bottom of the floor plate will be filled in with Silver Fill and 338 Winchester mag in script lettering will be engraved in the barrel and filled in with Silver fill as well.
All this will be bedded in a Black Winchester 70 Super Grade McMillan Standard Fill Stock.
The finished project should be a long term, no nonsense, undeniable reliability, rifle that can be passed down to my kids. Almost a "poor mans" heirloom rifle.
I also have a wild hair to test some 250 grain loads...a 250 Partition at 27-2750 FPS is no Joke!
1. I picked up the scope...Found a LNIB Swarovski AV 3-10X42, and got a great price on Ebay so that is the route I went. Never had a Swaro Scope so as far as performance, your guess is as good as mine, but I think it will be just fine.
2. Williams Obendorf BM was back ordered with no fulfillment date in site so I canceled the order and picked up a brand new OEM, Steel Win 70 Super Grade 1pc Bottom Metal from Midwest Gun Works. No concerns here - excellent quality piece.
3. I decided on a #3 contour instead of the #4 to save some weight, so I changed my order with Brownells and got a Shilen Match #3. Still will be finished with factory contour shank and 24".
All other parts are the same as originally planned. I am changing the cerakote from SS to Graphite Black. To me Simple is more and Graphite Black offers less flash, more simple.
Receiver, Barrel, Bottom Metal, Bolt Handle, and Shroud will be black. Bolt Body jeweled metal, and extractor left the factory matte stainless finish (break up the black a bit) The Super Grade Engraving on the bottom of the floor plate will be filled in with Silver Fill and 338 Winchester mag in script lettering will be engraved in the barrel and filled in with Silver fill as well.
All this will be bedded in a Black Winchester 70 Super Grade McMillan Standard Fill Stock.
The finished project should be a long term, no nonsense, undeniable reliability, rifle that can be passed down to my kids. Almost a "poor mans" heirloom rifle.
I also have a wild hair to test some 250 grain loads...a 250 Partition at 27-2750 FPS is no Joke!
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,402
- 6,208
Still sounds like a great rifle. I believe you are correct that it will become a "poor man's" heirloom rifle that your children/grandchildren will be proud to own one day.
salmonchaser
Ammo Smith
- Dec 13, 2013
- 5,058
- 5,232
I've always wondered why .338s are not more popular.
I've seen elk killed with just about everything from a 250/3000 on up. Packed the quarters from a bragging size number of elk cleanly taken with 7 mags or 06.
The effectiveness of a 300 Winchester goes without saying.
In the last three years I've been involved in one fashion or another with 40 dead elk. Certainly not an absolute study but the 338 sure looks good.
I think it's a great cartridge for Africa, but I've never been there, never shot anything from there and if I keep giving all my money to the vet, I'll never get there. Funny, my vet has been there twice.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've seen elk killed with just about everything from a 250/3000 on up. Packed the quarters from a bragging size number of elk cleanly taken with 7 mags or 06.
The effectiveness of a 300 Winchester goes without saying.
In the last three years I've been involved in one fashion or another with 40 dead elk. Certainly not an absolute study but the 338 sure looks good.
I think it's a great cartridge for Africa, but I've never been there, never shot anything from there and if I keep giving all my money to the vet, I'll never get there. Funny, my vet has been there twice.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
