Going to send my Remington 700 that is now a 30-06 to JES Re-boring and have him do it up to .338-06.

Will order RCBS dies from Midway. Questions are as follows for you 338-06 shooters. I know some things depend on what your gun likes or game you intend to hunt. Go with this. Whitetail deer and bear.

Favorite bullet weights and brand. I am thinking 210-225 grain and I like Nosler and Barnes.

Powders, I have IMR 4895,4064,4350, H4831,Retumbo, Benchmark
R22 On hand to choose from. Not afraid to buy something else if it has proven to be a go to for this cartridge.

Brass I have hundreds of rounds of once fired 30-06 I could weight sort by head stamp and use. Or do I just order some Nosler custom brass properly sized and ready to go. Costs more but saves fire forming.

Hoping for some good discussion as I am awaiting getting the project underway.

23" Pac-Nor barrel, 225 gr. Swift A-Frames, RL19.

I've had great luck with mine using Nosler AB and Nothfork 200gr,IMR 4064,CCI primers,and Lapua brass. This setup has taken deer,hogs and 4 elk-2 bulls and 2 cows. Have also had good results with Nosler 210/225 and H4350.Good luck you'll love that rifle.

I have used a number of bullets (Partition's, TSX's, standard Hornady's) on game including mule deer, hogs, elk, grizzly and black bear. Never had a problem. If I were starting fresh today with deer and black bear on the menu I would go with the 200 gr Accubond. They are reasonably priced and the 2nd most accurate bullet I have shot in my rifle (the 225 gr AB is tops). I use Win 30-06 brass and VV-N550 powder exclusively though H414 did very well too. By the way, my rifle is a rebore too. Cliff Labounty did it in '95.

What is the advantage in reboring in this case over rebarreling? Seeems like cost would be about equal. And if there are no sights to deal with, it would be a quite simple barrel job.

quote:

Originally posted by Ken Cline:
What is the advantage in reboring in this case over rebarreling? Seeems like cost would be about equal. And if there are no sights to deal with, it would be a quite simple barrel job.

The advantage is the rebore is only $225 and no need to reblue. I don't think I know a smith who will put even a cheap barrel on and chamber and blue for close to that. Plus turn around is much faster.

Jesse is just 15 miles down the road from our shop. He does a great job at a reasonable price. Mine has a Krieger barrel and is the AI version, and is probably my all time favorite rifle catridge.
Your .338-06 will do a fine job on about any game you will encounter here along the west coast, with any of the bullets. A standard Hornady or Sierra will work great, as the velocities from the .06 case will not over stress most .338 bullets.
The key is to find what shoots well in your rifle and your set.
Although the Accubonds perform in game extremely well, I have not been able to get exceptable accuracy with them from my rifles of any caliber. I shoot both Hornady and Sierra in 250 gr. with IMR4350. 1/2" groups have been the norm.

Great caliber, and good luck.

Have you given any consideration to teh AI version? You really to get a LOT of performance improvement out of it.

I bought 100 rounds of A-square brass,don't like the idea of grabbing the wrong cartridges,with different head stamps,I always shoot Sierras 215gr,IMR4350,61 grains I believe....this is my carry gun,it will drop anything it hits! BB34

An excellent choice. I am presuming that you know it is the grand child of the great .318 Westley Richards and that cartridge made its fame with 250 gr. bullets. It was so well thought of in pre-WWII Africa that it was even used on dangerous game. Normally this worked but today it would be considered both foolhardy and illegal in most countries. What to use it on? Anything short of grizzly and polar bear in North America. The .318 is considered the bee's knees for moose in some parts of Canada and no animal could tell the difference from the receiving end.

I would be happy to use mine on both Grizzly and Brown bear.

If anyone wants to jump into the 338-06 world, I've got 2 customs I'm moving; one in 338-06 and one in 338-06 AI 40 degree. I have ammo for the 338-06 (A-Square) and dies for the 338-06 AI (RCBS) as well.

Your're rifle will be much lighter if you go 35 Whelen or...9.3x62.

Great responses so far guys thanks. As for the AI version I don't think I need the added performance if I did I would just go .338 WM.

As for the .35 Whelen I would love to have that great classic caliber some day but not now. I have it bad for a .338-06 thanks to this forum.

I used norma brass correct heaqd stamp, RL-15, CCI LR primer, and 210gr Barnes TTSX. I get .5 groups and about 2700fps with not pressure signs,

You'll love this cartridge. I have the AI version and use H4350 with 225gr Interbonds and IMR4320 with 200gr Nosler BT. Great accuracy and terminal performance from both loads. I have some Swift 210gr Scirocco's on order that you might want to try also and they are not as expensive as everyone thinks. Good luck and have fun.

BigBird34, how do those Sierra 215gr hold together on animals? Thanks.

I have used 200gr Hornady SP, 210gr TSX, 210gr NP on various deer, antelope, elk, and bear.
I have not found any reason to use heavier for hunting.

I have played with 225, 250 and even some old 275gr Speers at the range.

I curently have some 200gr AB to try in my new and 3rd 338-06.

I have used Rel 15, Varget and 4064. But powder choice is not that critical for this cartridge. Seems to be very forgiving cartridge.

Been my favorite for over 15 years now. Mine likes 180 noslers, norma resized brass and VV_N150.

I've used 30/06 brass from both Nosler and Dakota (I think this is manufactured by Norma) and have never found a reason to fireform. A simple pass through the sizing die and you're ready to load.

quote:

Originally posted by Donald Nelson:
Great responses so far guys thanks. As for the AI version I don't think I need the added performance if I did I would just go .338 WM.

My 338-06 AI is being converted to 338wm right now. I know I worked up loads for 225's but they are stuck on a zip disk. I settled on light and heavy bullet loads. I always wanted to try the 180 NBT's on deer. Never had the luck though. Below is the loads I settled on.

.338-06 AI
24" barrel, Interarms Mark X
Bullet Powder Prim Charge case OAL VEL
180NBT RL12 WLR 59 RP35W 3.3 2950
215SRA H4350 WLR 63.5 RP35W 3.34 2730
250SRA H4350 WLR 62 RP35W 3.34 2560

Mine is pre 64 fwt 30-06 bored out to the great 338-06 and is ready to hunt at just over 7.5 lbs. Have taken moose/caribou 225 Nor Partition, brown beat 250 A Frame and seven African animals with 210 TTSX which is the bullet I recommend for what you desire to hunt. H4350w/250 and RL 15 w/210 works for me.

You will enjoy the caliber and is easy to reload. I use headstamped brass.

I'm fairly new to the 338/06 as well. Mine is a Ruger 77 with a 24” McGowen tube. I've used 30/06 brass from Win, Federal and Remington. No fire forming, just thru the sizer and go. I also have headstamped brass from Weatherby & Norma.

I'll have mine in my hands when the rifle season opens here in GA on Saturday. My deer load is a 200gr. Speer Hot Core over 53.5 gr of RL-15. I’ve tried IMR 4064, 4320 and 4350 as well under this bullet and they all shot acceptable groups but the RL-15 stood out. Surprisingly enough this bullet shoots extremely well from my rifle and being a fast opener I think it will be a perfect deer round. Cheap too!

My work in progress loads are
180 Nosler AB,
185 Hornady GMX
200 Ballistic Silver Tip
210 Nolser Partition

Good luck and enjoy!

Just finished working up whitetail load with the 160 gr TTSX using 63.5 RL 15. Had no pressure signs in my rifle but info on this bullet rather limited so work up to this one as usual.

quote:

Originally posted by Donald Nelson:
Great responses so far guys thanks. As for the AI version I don't think I need the added performance if I did I would just go .338 WM.

If you are fire-forming brass anyway, why not go AI? assuming that you can get the dies...

quote:

Originally posted by JabaliHunter:

quote:

Originally posted by Donald Nelson:
Great responses so far guys thanks. As for the AI version I don't think I need the added performance if I did I would just go .338 WM.

If you are fire-forming brass anyway, why not go AI? assuming that you can get the dies...

Well as seen by responses I won't have to fire form. Even with 30-06 brass it is a one shot step through the sizer die. I have a .257 AI and swore I would never build another AI after this one.

Lagerboy, I have "never" had a problem with Sierra bullets ,they have dropped everything that I have aimed at.....I understand all the other choices that are out there ,BUT shot placement is key ! BB34

My 338-06AI is built with a PacvNor supermatch grade stainless barrel, cut to 24", fluted. Shoots 225gr Accubonds and TTSX's with H414 powder very tight.

I built mine to shoot the heavier bullets.

You can buy factory ammo for the .338-06 can't you?

quote:

Originally posted by postoak:
You can buy factory ammo for the .338-06 can't you?

I believe so but I would never know as I never buy factory ammo except for shotgun or my self defense handguns.

I believe Nosler and Weatherby/Norma make a factory round or they did at one time.

And A-Square

Shoot "premium" bullets if you want, but the velocity window of the .338-06 does not require them. I've had mine - an M7600 rebore - for nearly 25 years and used it extensively when I lived in Alaska. I used two bullets, the 200 Speer for deer, sheep and caribou, and the 210 Nosler for everything else. Never let me down. My best all around loads used W748 powder, often overlooked in this case but an excellent performer.

200 Speer...59.0/W748....2753 fps...sub moa
210 Nosler..58.0/W748...2701 fps...1.2 moa



.

Good call, Nimrod. The premium bullet craze developed from the belted magnum craze. If you avoid the latter, you don't need the former.

quote:

Originally posted by Oldsarge:
Good call, Nimrod. The premium bullet craze developed from the belted magnum craze. If you avoid the latter, you don't need the former.

Well said, I couldnt agree more.

To me the whole point of having a 338-06 or something similar is that you can go after tough game like Elk and such without the need for "Premium" (priced) bullets.. That is the beauty of such a rifle.

Just load up some 225-250 grainers and go Elmer Kieth on them bad boys..

I run a plain 338/06, which was a rebore on a Model 70...

I get more velocity that two friends that have the AI Version...

for velocity and accuracy, it is from old load data, but it works as it did long ago... H 380.. it gave the max velocity with 225 and 250 grain bullets... along with best accuracy...

my other prime powder is IMR 4064...from the Sierra Handbook, 50 grains of Powder gives 2500 fps... with a 200, 225 or 250 grain bullet...

the bullets I use the most are the Hornady 200, 225 SPs and the 250 grain RN...

for max velocity with 200 grainers and 180s, I use IMR 4895 from the Hornady manual...

for milder loads... 30 to 35 grains of SR 4759 and a 180 or 200 grain Ballistic Tip...makes a good 200-250 yd load...

very versatile cartridge...

quote:

Originally posted by postoak:
You can buy factory ammo for the .338-06 can't you?

Weatherby make some...210 Partitions I believe.

I dont have a 338-06 but i do run both a 338WM and a 338 Federal so yours would fit in the middle some where .Ihave had great success loading the WM with 225grn bullets (usualy Hornady) over 76 grns AR2213sc(H4831)And the federal with 200grn bullets over 47 grains AR2206H (H4895)either of these loads pull up sambar and red deer real quick so i think you should have some real fun with your 338-06

Thanks for the continuing responses.

Donald
Know the feeling of having the craving...but mine was for the 35 Whelen. between my 6.5x55 and my Whelen I feel like I have it covered from coyotes to bear. Hope you enjoy your 338 as much as I do my Whelen. good luck.