The 338-06 is still a waste of time, the 338 Win Mag does everything the 338-06 does, at a fraction of the cost, and it's not a wildcat.

The 338-06 might as well be a wildcat, no factory rifles chambered for it that I know of.

Weatherby chambered rifles for the .338-06(asquare) and produced ammunition.

35 Whelen

Now come on JB, what have you got against this great ole cartridge? If we are going to bash a big game cart. how about the .243 , a nice varmint round.

Nosler sells four or five different 338-06 loads in their ammo line; from 180gr through 250gr. Check their website.

FYI they also sell a couple of 35 Whelan loads too.

JPK

I know Weatherby chambered their Ultra Light for it, but I think they discontinued it. Probably because most hunters who want that bullet weight want a bit more velocity.

Someone posted the comparison between the 338-06 with a 210 grain bullet, and the 30-06 with a 200 grain bullet. I'd choose the 30-06 with the 200 grain Nosler...

Your right, the 243 is a great long range varmit round. Deer cartridges start with the 257 Roberts...

That will start another war...

Sorry no 338/06 bashing. The 338/06 does everthing the 30/06 will do on medium -heavy game with the option of going to 250,275,300gn bullets for close in heavy work,and has better SD values than the 35 Whelen, as well as a good variety of slugs available. A Fast swinging 338/06 would be a great unit.Even the 300gn at its moderate velocity is agreat performer,not convinced?then look at what the 9.3x74r.9.3x62, with 300gn has done on beasts.

Yep, agreed.

But my 338 Win Mag will do the same thing! Better! Cheaper! And, I can get ammo anywhere!

Bash, bash, bash...

JB just curious, when was the last time you bought 338mag factory ammo for a hunt?

If one wasn't careful when reading your post he'd think we should get rid of all the other cartridges and just go with the 338mag.

quote:

Originally posted by JBabcock:
the 338 Win Mag does everything the 338-06 does

Makes it a good reason to own one of each

quote:

Originally posted by JBabcock:
Yep, agreed.

But my 338 Win Mag will do the same thing! Better! Cheaper! And, I can get ammo anywhere!

Bash, bash, bash...

Bullshit. Farther maybe but not better.

Ah...I love the smell of shit-stirring in the morning.

Elkslayer,

Last year I killed all of my animals with handloaded 210 Noslers, bang, flop. Year before, with my 270 and factory Federal ammo. Year before that with a 30-06, year before that with a 300 Weatherby...

I like lots of different cartridges, just don't see the magic that the 338-06 supposedly has. I could get along fine with just a 30-06, but what fun would that be? The 338 Win Mag certainly isn't for everybody. I bought one because I was hunting Alaska every year. Now, I just like it, you can own a 338-06, and I'll ask why?

What's the matter tiggertate? Angry cause you can't get your hands on that pretty little thing you've posted under your name?

I think better...

Bash away....My 338-06 barrel showed up today..and that is what I was waiting for...have everything else I need...when I get done it will be a 338-06AI... So...bash away, I won't hear a word..I will be in the shop tinkering on my new toy all weekend..

When it is finished, I bet it will be every bit as worthless as my 35 Whelen...but it will probably stomp everything I shoot with it flat as a fritter....just like that no account Whelen...

Did I mention that I am a little hard of hearing?

Zeeriverrat1

Most guys can't really use the extra poop form the magnum anyway. Besides, when was the last time you bought factory ammo for that .257Bob?
No the .338-06 is more a rifle guys round. You have to handload for it, to do that you have to shoot it a bit, not like all those 06 shooters that buy a box of ammo & shoot it up over 4-5 seasons.

I'll bash. The 30-06 doesn't go as fast as the 338 Mag. And it doesn't shoot as flat as the '06 with same-SD bullets. It doesn't do ANYTHING with a 400g bullet!
While we're at it, let's lose the 35 Whelen for the same reasons. In fact, the 300 Mag outdoes the '06 all around. And the 280 and 270. Who needs 'em? The 416's are really an anachronism, aren't they? And the 45-70? Pa-Leeze!
The shortmags? C'mon guys, what's a half-inch?
Ultramags? Why on earth would you want that much recoil?
Come to think of it, the 338 doesn't do anything the 300 Mag doesn't either. And the 300 Mag doens't do anything the '06 doesn't, 50yds closer. And the '06 doesn't do anything the 280 doesn't do with less recoil. And the 7x57 is just a sleeper game-slayer compared to the 280. And the 6.5 Swede is really just a 7x57 with better SD and more magical powers. And the 260 can be loaded to match the Swede, easy. And the 243 does all that with lighter recoil.
Down with everything but the 243 Winchester!!!

I dont get all the bashing on the .338-06'
I would choose the .338 win personally.

I think we should bash the lil .308 win
when compared to the grand ole .30-06'
I can tell you if a .308 win and a .338-06
were sitting in the corner I would grab the
.338-06'.

I'll never buy another 338/06 in MY Life!

I have one now that is just fine, does anything I ask of it, and always will....

I also have two accurate 338 Win Mags that sit in the gun cabinet come hunting season.. because the 338/06 will do all of the same, and give me two more cartridges in the magazine, downloads easier...

And yeah it can't have store bought ammo....
I like something I have a little control in... ammo I assemble, not buy at Walmart!

Bash the 338/06 all ya want.... Mine will smile, play humble and second fiddle and will do anything anyone's 338Mag will ( except eat as much powder or kick as much).... but I can live with those faults in her!

cheers
seafire

While I wouldn't exactley say I bash the 338-06, I just can't seem to bring myself to think it should be a vital part of my battery anymore. I have had both a 338-06 and a 35 Whelen in the past and I don't feel either is as good a cartridge as the parent 30-06. The biggest reason I say that is because as I posted earlier, it just doesn't show me an improvement or at least enough improvement with the 210 grain bullet over the 30-06 with a 200 grainer. Elmer Keith was perhaps one of the biggest, if not the biggest supporter of the 333-338 caliber cartridges in the United States. He advocated shooting nothing less than 250 grain bullets in the 338, which makes good sense to me, because it is a definite step up from the 30-06. This makes the 338 Win Mag the logical answer. To use other poster's words, "You can make a 338-06 out of a 338 Win Mag but you will never make a 338 Mag out of a 338-06.

As much as many would like to see the 338-06 become a "real" factory round I don't see that ever happening and if the truth be known it won't surprise me that the 35 Whelen has a very tough time keeping that status much longer. By "real" factory I mean a cartridge that you can buy more than one factory rifle chambered for it. Sure, they both provide a certain niche but not to enough people to warrant keeping them around in factory guise. If the 9.3X62 continues to become more popular then their time will be shorter yet I fear. I have nothing against wildcat rounds, I still own a few, but I really think the niche actually served by the 338-06 is very small indeed. However if a person really wants one badly enough that is reason enough to own one I guess. I just think it is a waste of time to compare it to the 338 Win Mag.

LOL, JBab I had the same thought for a thread title as this one!

Actually, despite its "semi wildcat" status, I sorta like the 338-06. I think it's one of the best looking cartridges on the planet (yeah, that's irrelevant). And granted, while the 338 WM can be loaded down to 338-06 levels, I never did it and just dealt with the 338 WM's recoil. The 338-06 will hold five "down" and can be built with a lighter barrel contour and to a lighter overall weight while still offering relatively mild reoil. I actually think the 210 NP was almost designed with the 338-06 in mind. Also, it's a breeze to form brass and load for. Still, the "awful truth" is I doubt the 338-06 offer's anything disernably better on game over a properly stoked 30-06.

quote:

LOL, JBab I had the same thought for a thread title as this one!

Brad, I finally couldn't resist!

The 8mm/06 will do anything the 338/06 will do when loaded to the same pressure and it will shoot "flatter" to boot.

The lack of bullet choices for .323 is a myth when compared to .338.

Hell the old 8X57 ain't far behind when loaded to "adult" ( European) pressure levels!

quote:

Originally posted by JBabcock:
the 338 Win Mag does everything the 338-06 does

ummmm.....can't the same thing be said of the 338 Ultra Mag verses the 338 win mag???? The ultra mag can be loaded down to 338 win mag levels and can be stoked up to run away from it.....

Since velocity is really the only difference between the 338-06 and the 338 win mag......and you say the 338-06 is junk and the 338 win mag is king.......well, let's just look at FACTS and see who the king really is!

From the Hodgdon website:

210 Nosler Partition bullet at max loads (chosen because this bullet is listed in data for all the following cartridges, however, the larger capacity cases stretch their lead when heavier bullets are used)

338 win mag 2888fps
338 Lapua Mag 3142fps
338 Rem Ultra Mag 3153fps
338-378 Weatherby 3360fps

Your beloved 338 win mag is absolutely SMOKED by the others......so your win mag must be junk!

The win mag's velocity margin over the 338-06 is much smaller than the velocity margin the other 3 have over the win mag...........

Even so, I'd never say the 338 win mag is junk......by the same token, it is silly to claim that the 338-06 is worthless!

Bigger and faster isn't always better and a small margin of velocity is the only thing the 338 win mag has over the 338-06......

I'll take one of each!!!

I don't care for the 338-06, and I'll hang with JBabcock on this one any day of the week. If you want to go 338, you need more case capacity than the 30-06 case offers to get the most out of this bore diameter.

I consider the 30-06 to be possibly the greatest benchmark centerfire rifle cartridge in existence, and I always compare any other hunting cartridge I'm looking at to it. It's level of performance with 150s at 3000 fps., 165s at 2800 or better, 180's a 2700 or better, etc., is the threshold that defines versatility and all-around performance in my estimate.

The 338-06 does not meet my parameters in this regard, however, the 338 Win. Mag. surely does. It fact, it matches 30-06 ballistics perfectly with 200-210 gr. bullets at 3000 fps, 225s at 2800 or better, and 250s at 2700 or better. It parallels the '06 almost exactly and yet, recoil is still reasonable and ammo and brass availability is incomparably better versus the 338-06. It'll do all that the 338-06 will do and much more, but the reverse is hardly true.

If I were only going to hunt some of our more forested areas here in Oregon for the rest of my career, I could justify the 338-06. But Oregon isn't exactly the center of the hunting universe, and in ever case where I've needed or wanted to use a 338, the extra 200-300 fps edge that the 338 Win. Mag. offers was an edge I'd take and run with every time. Not to mention the fact that I consider it to be the height of folly and a logistical brainfart to hunt far from home where the only source of ammunition resupply is on my loading bench back home -- possibly 2,000 or 10,000 miles away.

Jim Carmichel, in 'Outdoor Life' a couple of months ago, pronounced the 338-06 a rather stupidly-conceived wildcat, and I couldn't agree with him more..........

AD

Guys:

I made a BIG MISTAKE! I built a 35 Whelen before I built a 338-06. Now you can take the 338-06 and stir the hog trough with them. Someone talked about the superior ballistic coefficient of cal 338. But in order to get an advantage on the Whelen one has to have a 28" or longer barrel in the 338-06. My 24" 338-06 will shoot a 250 grain bullet @2500 fps. My 35 Whelen with the same barrel length drives a 250 grain bullet @2650fps, with lower pressures. With the Whelen and a 225 grain bullet I am right at 2700fps+, and groups are an inch or less. Some one else talked about a great variety of bullet weights in cal 338, what a crock! Most people find a bullet that their rifle shoots well and they stick with it. If they need another bullet weight, they buy or build a different caliber.

I have a 338-06 sizing die I would like to sell, any takers.

Jerry

PS my 338-06 is about to become a 257 Roberts AI.

Jerry Eden

You forgot to add that 35 caliber can use all the cheap revolver/pistol bullets for plinking. 358 Norma magnum would be my choice.

338 fan's often states that a 35 cal is like a 338, but has given up most of it's sectional density.

338X57 would be an ideal woods cartridge

Cheers
/JOHAN

I think I'll just keep using my 9.3x62 and be happy.

-Bob F.

Jerry E.
What are the SD of your 35 cal bullets compared to the 338's.To match them look at the 225 in 338 compared to the 250 in 35 and there very few if any 35's that will match the 250 in 338.My 338-06 has no problem with a 225 gr at 2700.With 185 TSX I can get a chrono'd 3000 fps.If you going to compare bulllets lets use apples to apples.

gunworld aug 2005:

"great on big game"
"excelent choice for most big game worldwide"
"similar to the 318 westley richards"
"300 ft lbs diff from the 338 win mag"
"suitable for any north american game"
"moose and grizzley wouldnt be safe"
"favored comparably with 9.3x62" finn aagard
"highly efficient"
"easy to assemble accurate loads"
"338 win mag needlessly powerful for most game and nasty on the shooter even from heavy rifles"
"gets the job done without too much weight, barrel length burnt powder or recoil"

quote:

Originally posted by Rob1SG:
Jerry E.
What are the SD of your 35 cal bullets compared to the 338's.To match them look at the 225 in 338 compared to the 250 in 35 and there very few if any 35's that will match the 250 in 338.My 338-06 has no problem with a 225 gr at 2700.With 185 TSX I can get a chrono'd 3000 fps.If you going to compare bulllets lets use apples to apples.

ROB1SG...PLEASE SHARE YOUR LOADS WITH US

Me thinks the whole subject has been over analyzed. This isn't rocket science. You point the gun at the animal and pull the trigger. If you're hunting game that can stand up to a solid hit with a .338-06 you probably need more than a .338Winmag to get the job done.

Never owned a .338-06 and probably never will, but to go on a crusade against the cartridge is just dumb.

Terry

Naw TC1, it was just a bored guy that likes to play on words. Been there done that. How can you not post that when "stop bashing the 338-06" keeps dangling out there in front of you?

I would buy a nice used custom 338-06 if it had a Featherweight barrel about 22" long. The rifle would be far more important and if its personality and price appealed to me it would be fun. The cartridge should be as effective as similar ones that that's in good company.

Awh Hell, I'll join in too. Anybody that would own such a rifle is a philistine and probably suffer's from a small peepee complex.

How's that?

Terry

ROBSG1:

I wanna see your loads as well. I sure wasn't able to get the 338-06 vels up high enough to even match the Whelens trajectory, let alone outperform it.

Since I have both cartridges, a fair comparision by me and my cronograph, DON'T LIE!

Jerry

I just love my 9 x 57 and my 338-06, hell I love them all!!!!!

Now come on guys. Let's look @ some numbers: The darling of the rifle community, the .270, launches a 140gr bullet/.261SD/.432BC @ 2950fps. Drops 7" @ 300 w/ a 200yd zero & gets there w/ 1182fp.
The .338-06 gives a 210grNP/.263SD/.400BC, 2750fps, drops 8.5" & arrives w/ 2072fp. Which would you want to hunt elk w/? Same SD, for all practical purposes, same POI, more energy, more frontal area. You can have the same weight rifle w/ a bit more recoil, a no brainer.

I own both. I like the 338-06 as something to play with as a project but when hunting season rolls around the Magnum gets the nod.

.333 Jeffery!

The 338-06 has the same expansion ratio as the .308 winnie, so its fine out of a 22 inch bbl. It yeilds the same free recoil as the 338 Win Mag from a rifle 1.5 lbs lighter.

So, its all about the heft, length and handeling characteristics of the rifle you want to tote. Given the fact that the extra power if the Win mag is actually quite small...5% more velocity and 10% more energy...there certainly is an arguement for the lighter, more handy combination. It will definitely kill anything that the 338 Win mag will.

quote:

Originally posted by Sabot:
The 338-06 has the same expansion ratio as the .308 winnie, so its fine out of a 22 inch bbl. It yeilds the same free recoil as the 338 Win Mag from a rifle 1.5 lbs lighter.

So, its all about the heft, length and handeling characteristics of the rifle you want to tote. Given the fact that the extra power if the Win mag is actually quite small...5% more velocity and 10% more energy...there certainly is an arguement for the lighter, more handy combination. It will definitely kill anything that the 338 Win mag will.

right on sabot!