So a few years ago I bought a lh Ruger here on AR re bparrelled to 330 Dakota. Nice rifle, look great, never did anything with it. I don't have any particular attraction to the rifle and I've got a nephew whose left handed and I thought he'd like to have it.

What would the crowd here recommend we re barrel the rifle to?

Well mission drive equipment, so what kinds of hunting plans does he have for the future??

If it’s DG I love anything in a 416.

If he wants bigger I have a very nice unthreaded .458 barrel I’ll make you a deal on.

I’d hea more into Elk and other NA big game that 330 Dakota is a darn hard cartridge to beat.

Leave it as is and tell him to load down for deer, etc.

If the nephew also lives in Alaska then a 375 H&H would be a good choice since you have Moose and Bears.

I agree with you both, but I haven't been able to find reloading compliments for this cartridge and I don't think he reloads.

He's in college in Montana, im guessing his resources will be limited for a little while.

The bolt face has been opened up to 404 Jeffery right? Id prefer he had something half that size.

It’s a .404 Jeffery bolt face.

I’ve got one, and like the cartridge. Killed a bunch of stuff including brown bear and moose with mine.

That said until Parkwest or whoever decides to make more brass, it’s a bit hard to feed.

It’s a standard length round (3.340 max OAL) but who knows what it was set up for (was it a magnum rifle before being barreled to the .330?)

The simplest route would be rebarrel to one of the WSM rounds. Same parent case, and if it’s a bit longer in the action, no major issues…

Another option would be one of the Nosler rounds. I don’t know if a straight rechamber would be doable for .33 Nosler, but again that’s same base case and OAL.

I have been told you can make .330 Dakota out of the nosler round, but they are not identical. When Dakota was going tits up, I got enough brass to last me for a few more hunts with the rifle, so I haven’t really been paying attention to that…

Kind of a hard problem to solve. .404 Jeffery head diameter and short magnum plus or minus length case. Not much that is more "standard" and common matches those dimensions. In fact, I can't think of anything off the top of my head that would be ideal.

Scott,


I think a lot of this is going to come down to what components you have available and can you keep him supplied over the next few years.


Brass is going to be the key component here.


Quick loads should be able to give you data for loading it down.

Ruger #1s do not have bolt faces; you guys know that.....
Ok, he's a college kid and does not reload;
30-06 or 7mm Rem mag; the top two rounds.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Ruger #1s do not have bolt faces; you guys know that.....
Ok, he's a college kid and does not reload;
30-06 or 7mm Rem mag; the top two rounds.

Its a left hand 77, not a number 1.
I guess I like the idea of a nosler cartridge. I personally wouldn't want one but my nephew is barely 20 I think so he'll probably think it's neato.

quote:

Originally posted by Hasher:
Scott,


I think a lot of this is going to come down to what components you have available and can you keep him supplied over the next few years.


Brass is going to be the key component here.


Quick loads should be able to give you data for loading it down.

Id resist a little the idea of keeping him supplied. I can't send him loads ammo from here and I wouldn't want t be in the position of him telling me to send him another 50 rounds and be quick about it.

if it has the bigger bolt face already, I'd have to research the 300 WSM, or the 270 version.
they are still kicking along.

The uncommon bolt face/parent cartridge makes it a bit of a challenge.

Perhaps rebarrel to one of the Noslers and then gift him the old barrel when he graduates?

It’s a tough logistical question.

You said it was a 1H in your opening sentence. If it was a 77, that might have been germane.

I read his lh to mean Left hand.

338 Win. or 300 Win would be my personal choice.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
338 Win. or 300 Win would be my personal choice.

Wrong boltface I think.

Yes, lh is left hand, sorry for the confusion.

Not that it matters, but the background is that i purchased the rifle as a knee jerk reaction to it being left handed. Since then I've been able to buy some of the Zastava left handed bolt guns I already had some Remingtons and another Ruger lh, so this one quickly because superfluous.

It seems to me like the Nosler cartridges and especially the 28 Nosler is the best idea and a good fit for this scenario. He can have it rebarreled in Montana for just a little bit of money and have factory ammo delivered right to his door. I looked at the manual last night and you can deliver a 168 grain bullet at more than 3000fps. If think delivering a tsx at that speed would give the target an ouchie.

My nephews a full grown man, it'll be his choice, but unless somebody here says otherwise I think that'll be my advice.

That is an about the best of choices in this scenario.


That should hammer just about anything in his area.

If that won’t kill it then he needs a bigger gun.

Scott,

Too bad about the lack of brass. I had a 330 Dakota and it was a hammer. Might try quality cartridge to see if they have brass.

My guy in the UK has a 28 Nosler. He's found it to be ideal for everything he's hunted which is a lot.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Scott,

Too bad about the lack of brass. I had a 330 Dakota and it was a hammer. Might try quality cartridge to see if they have brass.

My guy in the UK has a 28 Nosler. He's found it to be ideal for everything he's hunted which is a lot.

Mark

I'm sure it is a hammer, but I'm not sure that's how'd id like to see him start off.

He says he has a 270 and I suppose needs nothing else. I sure like the 7mm's and would just as soon give him the old 7Rem mag, but wrong bolt face. I can see him using this thing in a Nosler on deer and antelope, sure any amount of Montana elk if he can find them.

Available,but pricey at $8 a shot. Might be more prudent to sell/trade it for a 7 Mag or 30-06.

https://hendershots.net/produc...extreme-custom-ammo/

quote:

Originally posted by Scott King:

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
Scott,

Too bad about the lack of brass. I had a 330 Dakota and it was a hammer. Might try quality cartridge to see if they have brass.

My guy in the UK has a 28 Nosler. He's found it to be ideal for everything he's hunted which is a lot.

Mark

I'm sure it is a hammer, but I'm not sure that's how'd id like to see him start off.

He says he has a 270 and I suppose needs nothing else. I sure like the 7mm's and would just as soon give him the old 7Rem mag, but wrong bolt face. I can see him using this thing in a Nosler on deer and antelope, sure any amount of Montana elk if he can find them.

If he has a 279 that takes care of everything below elk and with the new 160 gr and 165 gr from Bosler it would likely do for elk as well. This would take care of costly ammo for the interim.

Give him the 330 Dakota as is with all the ammo you can and let him work his way up to the big gun. He won’t shoot it much it it’s reserved for elk and moose.