Looking like this is going to be a .338 caliber year!

Thebear_78

Handloader
Sep 30, 2004
3,047
669
It looks like I’ll be hunting with two 338 caliber rifles this year. I had planned on using my 300 win mag as my long range rifle but the scope crapping out on me has forced a change.

Now that I have a good load figured out for my 338/06 it will handle my walk about hunting. At just under 7 pounds it’s nice, handy, and easy to carry. 225gr Partition @ 2565fps should handle anything I need out to 300 yards.

90abb72cfcf2e0e60504348f2b19f585.jpg



My long range rifle will now have to be my Christensen arms MPR in 338 LM. I’ve got a hundred 300 accubonds and a hundred 265 LRAB to play with. I’m hoping to get a good load with the 300gr Accubonds.

b9434220304e2de21eb83ff58fd62c69.jpg




What is everyone else using this year?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hope to do some August alpine hunting with this Tikka Superlite but chances are it’ll be Nov. with the Whelen. Thankful to have work but....[emoji1]
 
I like that Weatherby in particular. Such a nice carrying rifle and enough power to do everything you need at reasonable distances.

I'm revamping some things here so I'm not sure exactly what I'll use. My 35 Whelen and 358 Win are going out for sure for goat, moose and deer.
 
Nice looking rifles you have there. Anything walking around North America is in some serious trouble.

My poor 6mm Remington hasn't been used on game in 3 years because the 280AI sort of hogged the scene just a tad. I'm going to use it fall black bear, mule deer hunting, and I might even think about using it on an elk again. I know after hunting season I'll be excited to get out and try and call a wolf so I think I'll carry it then as well. Works great on coyotes too!
 
Thebear_78":1j05ki17 said:
Sounds like a perfect wolf gun!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Should be just right! A Ruger 1B with a 6x42mm Leupold on it. I sure like that rifle and everyones figured by now the 6mm Remington just a tad as well.
 
Hope to have two new 338's to wring out this fall too!
That new-to-me LH Sako AV Laminate in 338 Win Mag w/ 210gr PT's for elk, and hope to have the new LH Sako 85 Finnlight II rebarreled with the carbon fibre barrel in 338 Federal in time to use w/ 180 or 200gr AB's for deer and caribou.
I would be thinking of packing my LH Rem 700 in 338-06 w/ 215gr SGK's for moose, but still want to break in the LH Sako 85 Hunter in 9.3x62 on a swamp donkey.
But thinking about it now...a 338 trifecta would make for a cool hunting season!
 
Thebear_78 I just had a fellow from Chugiak (Think I got that correct.) that sent me a Buck 103 Skinner that he's had a heck of a time getting a good edge on it. I worked my magic and tomorrow he should be going to the Post Office to pick his knife up as it's there waiting for him. I do believe he's going to be extremely happy with the result because it's scary sharp! You just show the edge to your arm hairs and they voluntarily make a rapid exit! I also included a box of Montana Huckleberry chocolates. Now that's what you call a full service sharpening!
 
I live in Chugiak! Great little place, close to the gun range


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thebear_78":4utfyxq1 said:
I live in Chugiak! Great little place, close to the gun range


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Small world! This guys name is Greg and my phone is upstairs in the bedroom with my wife or I'd be able to provide last name also. Seemed like a really nice person. I told him if he sent the knife I would sharpen it for free and ship it back to him. I guess I like a challenge and wanted to get his knife in good working order!
 
TheBear - looks like you've got a couple of great 338's all set up and ready to go. I'd expect excellent success from either. Gotta tell you - I'm hoping you clobber some game with that 338-06, 'cause the cartridge has always intrigued me.

David - you're going all small-bore 6mm on us again? (y)

Blkram - either way, your 338 or the 9.3, you've got it covered.

I'm trying to make this a single shot season, with my pair of Ruger Number One rifles.

375 Ruger Number One is tried & true, I've got 260 gr Accubonds loaded to about 2650 with the ol' John Barsness & Nosler "accuracy load" of RL-15.
uFpkTwwl.jpg

q9FBjK0l.jpg


With the 7mm Rem Mag Number One, I bowed to logistics. I was going to run 140 gr Accubonds at about 3200 fps, and they shot well. BUT... I kept looking at that stack of boxes with 160 grain Sierras and 160 grain Nosler Partitions... Why go buy 140 gr Accubonds when I have so many good 160 gr bullets on hand? So 160's it is, at 3,000 fps.
xHd7W7dl.jpg


Recently updated the 7mm mag with a 3.5-10x Leupold I picked up used. So far, so good. A big improvement over the 1970's 3-9x I'd started with that rifle.

Quarry is mule deer, antelope and black bear. Ought to work. Hoping to get out for elk too, but that will be with my archery tackle.

Guy
 
160s @ 3k is a time proven effective combination for that 7mm. Pretty hard to beat that 260 AccuBond too. I’m betting you find your #1s are up to any task you find for them.

IMHO there is no more classically elegant rifle than the ruger #1. I almost snapped one up in 450-400 about a month ago. I’m sure one will find it’s way into my safe at some point.

I might wind up with a kimber 84L in 30/06 here shortly. Everyone needs at least one “pretty” rifle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Guy yes it appears the 6mm Remington has shot out of the woodwork to its rightful position. Those 160's in your rifle should work very nicely. My dad loaded only the 160 gr. Partition in his 7mm and that's what he used on everything. Guy you need to take both the 7mm and the 375 on your antelope & deer hunt this fall. I think a 260 gr. AccuBond would be big medicine on an antelope! Nope not kidding, why not use it! One of my buddies one fall used his 45-70 rolling block rifle on a nice antelope buck shooting a 400 gr. bullet if I remember correctly.

Thebear I too feel that you NEED a Ruger #1. I have two and as you state, there is not a more elegant rifle out there. You are correct too that you need a pretty rifle and the Kimber rifles are certainly pretty and what a choice in the 30-06. Perfect!

.
 
I started off this year with the 338 RUM and the 250 gr AB for Crop Damage deer hunting. The RUM barked twice this past weekend and put two does down without a fuss.
Going to use the Marlin 1895G 45-70 for Black Bear. I blew the cob webs off the M700 Classic 35 Whelan. Waiting on a Leupold VX-3i 2.5-8x36mm with PRW rings and Picatiny rail. Going to use this for deer hunting this year.

JD338
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20200725_220126509.jpg
    IMG_20200725_220126509.jpg
    3.6 MB · Views: 725
It’s always a 338 year around my house. I try and use quite a few rifles but when I get cornered in my own brain, my Green Machine (stolen valor from Guy's rifle, but mine is green too :mrgreen: ) is usually pretty close.



I took it out last night and pounded three rounds through it on steel at 400 yards, bang on the money with 210 Swift’s at 2950. It flat points like it was made for me and is a great handling rifle.

My 7 Mashburn is pretty good to me as well. Those two really are my ideal rifles.

 
Back
Top