The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting Does the 318 WR have a place in Africa anymore (or anyplace else)?Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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| One of Us |
Gents: Will be getting onboard the LH Zastava buy here in the last couple days before the deadline arrives for a rifle. Have considered the 7x57, the 3006 and the 318 WR. Does the latter have a place anymore or has time passed it by? I plan to replace the barrel and hardware first with a LW 5130 pattern barrel before moving on to the stock. Thanks for the input. Jeff | ||
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Age old question. I would love a 318 but that is knowing full well that sourcing bullets can be problematic. That is the only downside. There is no problem at all with the 318 otherwise and it really should have never been supplanted with more modern cartridges which promise more but deliver less. Depends wholly on whether you feel the nostalgia outweighs the hassle. | |||
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does'nt woodleigh make these bullets? | |||
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318 is old school...go with 338. | |||
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The .318 may be old school, but it's newer than your other two choices. If you want to hunt with a classic cartridge, with a ton of African history, go with the .318. Otherwise, there are a lot of newer cartridges that will do pretty much the same thing. | |||
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| Moderator |
If nostalgia is your goal, go with the .318WR but obtain a large supply of brass, and monolithic softs and solids. You're going to need them if you ever decide to sell the rifle. If nostalgia is not a factor, the .338-06 and .35 Whelen might work for you. George  | |||
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The .318 WR is my dream rifle, if anything else, just for the nostalgia factor. Plus it is just sexy  "...Them, they were Giants!" J.A. Hunter describing the early explorers and settlers of East Africa hunting is not about the killing but about the chase of the hunt.... Ortega Y Gasset | |||
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There certainly is room for the .318 WR, and not just for nostalgia. I wussed out and went with a .338-06 instead of fussing with the bullets needed for a .318. Never regretted using a cartridge with that level of performance. If you do end up with a .318 or one of its ballistic twins, watch out for overpenetration. Dean ...I say that hunters go into Paradise when they die, and live in this world more joyfully than any other men. -Edward, Duke of York | |||
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French friend and I meet in Namibia in early August to hunt. He invariably brings a .318 Westley Richard bolt action rifle (they did make them as a double, too). He uses, I believe, Kynamco ammunition as he does not reload. Must say he can shoot with it, as any number of gemsbok can attest. Having cycled the action, I can confirm it is as smooth as, mayber smoother than, my Dakota 76 that has had some serious gunsmiths working on it. Looks as good as it handles, too. Regards, Tim | |||
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I'm far more practical than nostalgic about such things, but even I would someday like to own a .318 Westley Richards.  Mike Wilderness is my cathedral, and hunting is my prayer. | |||
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Yes, Woodleigh make 250 grain RNSP and FMJ projectiles. Lothar Walther make barrels. There are no flys on the .318WR. | |||
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As said Woodleigh makes 250 gr FMJ and Weldcores of premium quality. Bertram also make 180 gr and 250 gr projectiles of cheaper design. Bertram also makes brass of the correct headstamp. .30-06 brass can be modified to use. GS also makes HV projectiles in .330 for the .318. | |||
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In the day of yesterday I had some .318's including a WR DR double. It's just as effective as a 100+ years ago, it's just that there are easier ways to get there today as there was back in the '70's when I had them, so I sold them and moved on, but I sure liked that cartridge. Better components today than then, so if you like it, don't back away. | |||
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A year ago I purchassed a WR .318 droplock  . Purchassed dies, Woodleigh bullets, 40 pcs. of Bertram brass and 100 pcs. Rem. .35 Whelen brass (bulk and cheep). Full length size the .35 Whelen brass, trim to length and bang away. When I take the gun to Zim. I'll use the properly headstamped Bertram brass.Deo Vindice, Don Sons of Confederate Veterans Black Horse Camp #780 | |||
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Don, nice piece! | |||
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Nothing wrong with a .318WR in an original rifle. However, in a new rifle a 30/06 with 220gr bullets, or a 338/06 with 250gr bullets is ballistically equal. Truth is a 9,3x62, with 286gr bullets just might be best of all, IMHO of course. DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY | |||
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Lots of "modern" cartridges are merely counterfeits of the older original ones which kill just as well as they did a hundred years ago. Maybe even better so, as the .318 WR was a known and respected buffalo killer yet today we all need a minimum of a .375 ...  .... or maybe they could shoot better back then as well.  | |||
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NitroX: Too true! | |||
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I would almost bet that if enough folks whispered in the ears of North fork and/or CEB, wonderful things would happen for .318 shooters. Talk about penetration! There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t. – John Green, author | |||
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out of curiosity, how would you guys set one up? i am ordering my LH Zastava mauser today in 3006 and would be interested to acquire components as I already have a good piece of walnut. is rusty marlin still producing diopters? | |||
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JSL, the one in the picture that Mike linked to would be my ideal -- ready to accept a scope, and with the bolt head peep. There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t. – John Green, author | |||
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A client of mine has a WR and a C & H in 318. He's be reloading without any problem Gray Ghost Hunting Safaris http://grayghostsafaris.com Phone: 615-860-4333 Email: hunts@grayghostsafaris.com NRA Benefactor DSC Professional Member SCI Member RMEF Life Member NWTF Guardian Life Sponsor NAHC Life Member Rowland Ward - SCI Scorer Took the wife the Eastern Cape for her first hunt: http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6881000262 Hunting in the Stormberg, Winterberg and Hankey Mountains of the Eastern Cape 2018 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/4801073142 Hunting the Eastern Cape, RSA May 22nd - June 15th 2007 http://forums.accuratereloadin...=810104007#810104007 16 Days in Zimbabwe: Leopard, plains game, fowl and more: http://forums.accuratereloadin...=212108409#212108409 Natal: Rhino, Croc, Nyala, Bushbuck and more http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6341092311 Recent hunt in the Eastern Cape, August 2010: Pics added http://forums.accuratereloadin...261039941#9261039941 10 days in the Stormberg Mountains http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/7781081322 Back in the Stormberg Mountains with friends: May-June 2017 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/6001078232 "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading" - Thomas Jefferson Every morning the Zebra wakes up knowing it must outrun the fastest Lion if it wants to stay alive. Every morning the Lion wakes up knowing it must outrun the slowest Zebra or it will starve. It makes no difference if you are a Zebra or a Lion; when the Sun comes up in Africa, you must wake up running...... "If you're being chased by a Lion, you don't have to be faster than the Lion, you just have to be faster than the person next to you." | |||
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I used my Vickers .318 Express on plains game a few years ago, Woodleigh 250 softs at 2450. On my Zebra, there was not much expansion on broadside shots at 50 to 125 yds. Pass thru's with dime sized exits on three shots. But one shot performance on Hartebeest and Impala. I love the .318 and am building a custom on the lines of the Heym "Martini". DRSS(We Band of Bubba's Div.) N.R.A (Life) T.S.R.A (Life) D.S.C. | |||
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I'm having a 318 built for me as soon as I have the damned money. We handloaded my buddy's 338 down to 2400 fps with 250's and the performance was awesome. 318 screams Africa to me! Phil Massaro President, Massaro Ballistic Laboratories, LLC NRA Life Member B&C Member www.mblammo.com Hunt Reports- Zambia 2011 http://forums.accuratereloadin...6321043/m/1481089261 "Two kinds of people in this world, those of us with loaded guns, and those of us who dig. You dig." | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Hunting African Big Game Hunting Does the 318 WR have a place in Africa anymore (or anyplace else)?
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