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Hello, I am considering getting a rifle built in 338-06. I shoot rifles left handed so have an old rem 700 in 270 that I am cosidering getting rebarreled in 338-06. Another option is The Montana Rifle Company. Use of the rifle would be deer and elk hunting, and just because I think the round would be fun to shoot and reload for. My questions are: Are there more than one 338-06 types? I have read of an AI type. I dont know what the differences are. What is everones opions of Montana Rifel Compay? Any down sides to this over a standard 3006? Not worried about ammo availbity. Thanks in advance | ||
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I have a "standard" 338-06 and think that it is a great cartridge. I use the 210 grain Partition and get consistant 1.25 MOA groups from a light rifle. The 338-06 works nicely, but if you think that you need more velocity, you might as well go to the 338 Win Mag, since the 338-06AI only adds about a 2% increase in velocity potential. Jeff | |||
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The AI you mention is the Ackley Improved. To be honest it's not worth the trouble, if you need more performance you'd be better served by the .338 WM. The most popular loading would be the 210 gr, Nosler Partition giving you the closest you'll get to one gun does all. I'm not familiar with Montana Rifle.  | |||
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The 338-06 AI is the Ackley Improved round which is named after Parker Ackley who made his reputation "improving" factory rounds by giving them a steeper shoulder angle & blowing out the body to give less taper. I think most of the AI rounds run a 40degree shoulder, & they give very little away to the 338 Win Mag. I load for the standard 338-06 & its an easy round to load for with a great variety of bullets. I have tended to go for the lighter end 200/210 grain, the 210 Nosler Partition is an excellent bullet in this case & will load to 2700fps plus in most rifles with a 24" barrel. Win 760/H414 is a favourite powder of many on this forum for this round in all weights up to 250 grains. I'm keen to experiment with some 275 gr Speers I have on the basis that a bullet with its excellent SD at modest velocity should perform reliably & do less meat damage. I'd say go for it, either in AI or Std, there is a heap of info on this site for this caliber. Steve | |||
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I have one, and I really like the cartridge. Probably not as versatile as the 06 but you can always have one of those too. Mine shoots 200 grain Hornady SP very well pushed by RL15. Cases are easy to make from 06 or .35 Whelen brass. I bought the Norma properly head stamped brass for mine. The AI version has a 40 degree shoulder vs the regular shoulder of the 06 parent case. An Improved version of the .338-06 doesn't offer much gains for the trouble IMO. The only real benefit to me would be the fact that you don't have to trim the cases after you get them formed. As far as your action choices go if you are not happy with the .270 then I would use the M700 action and ship it off to Pac-Nor. I have no experience with MRC actions or rifles, but I'm sure they put out a decent product. I have it easy being right handed, I'd just go pick up an old M700 ADL rifle if I were to build another one in this caliber, probably not so easy to find donors being a lefty. | |||
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Its not that I am not satisfied with the 270, but I would just try and keep cost to a minumum. I take it you would recomend Pac-Nor? | |||
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pksman..I have 2 338-06AI's. One with a 24" barrel and one with a 19" barrel...I like them both and they get more use than my 35 Whelen. If I didn't already have access to the 338-06AI reamer, I probably would have went with the standard 338-06 instead of the AI. But...I do like my AI's and even with the fire forming loads accuracy is excellent.. Actually had good luck using fire forming loads and 200gr Hornady interlocks to shoot some deer last fall. The velocity gain on the AI may not be significant...but I don't mind the extra speed, and as mentioned above the case almost never need trimming... AI or not...I don't think you would be disappointed in the 338-06. Z | |||
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I love the round shot one for quite sometime and traded my bother for somthing I thought I had to have. My buddy Tip Burns shoots one too and loves it, good guy to build your custom, give him a shout! www.burnsgunrepair.com Ed DRSS Member | |||
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I've only limited hunting experience with my .338-06 (one trip to Namibia). I had wanted the old .318 WR balistics, but couldn't get my .338-06 to shoot 250 gr. NP's well enough for my liking so went to 225 gr NPs. Remarkable penetration on game and flat enough trajectory for me, even with slightly less than max loads. From admittedly limited experience, I'd have no worries about taking a quartering shot on elk with the 225 gr bullets and would expect every shot on deer to exit, regardless of the angle. I really like the round. No fuss or bother, just an efficient killer. 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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I think you will really like one, but I would add one to your 270, not replace it. If money is an issue, your 270 will work just fine for deer and elk. MRC actions are nice, but they are heavy. The local gunshop had a custom 338-06 with a MRC action. I handled it many times and loved the idea, but not the weight/handling. The 338-06 is such a nice cartridge to shoot, you don't need the extra weight in the rifle. I have owned four of them. Currently own two, a model 700 and Rem 7600 pump that was rebored from a 30-06. I have used that cartridge on deer and elk with great success. I would not mess with the AI version. If you are wanting speed, go with a Win Mag. I have killed stuff with 200gr Hornady SP's, 210gr NP's & TSX's with no complaints. Using Rel 15 and Varget for powders although there are others that work. It is a very easy cartridge to load for, easy to form brass and easy on your shoulder, not so easy on the critters. I do not think you will disappointed. | |||
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no, it uses case capacity to its fullest with a larger dia. bullet and great bullet selection-an effecient round for sure. The 2 I own are fine shooters, both are CRF's. I do own 1 AI version and its the .30-30, don't desire to do anymore. The A-Square version is plenty enough, if it is not then the 2 other .338 win mags that I have will do. | |||
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I've been hunting w/ a 338-06 for some 10rs now. It's a great slayer of game large & small. I pretty much use the 210grNP @ 2750fps. As flat shooting as the 06 but seems to hit larger game like elk a little harder. The 338-06 & 338-06 A-square are the same cart. Rebarreling your 270 is a great way to go & PacNor makes very good barrels. I have never had them do work for me, but my gunsmith now uses PacNor exclusively unless a client asks for something diff. LIFE IS NOT A SPECTATOR'S SPORT! | |||
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I think I might look at the new ER Shaw Mk VII. Looks like it can be had in a left hand action and 333-06. Any opions on their barrels? Very lively discussion just a few treads down. Thanks for the responces. Really helps! | |||
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pksman, I put together my 338-06 this winter and have had a ball shooting it this year and preping for deer and elk season. I am shooting 210 gr Barnes TTSX over 53 grs of RL15...very accurate. Have also had good luck with 225 and 250 gr Hornadys and NAB's. There is a huge selection of great bullets and weights available. I think you will be very happy with your choice of 338-06... Good luck. | |||
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I've owned my 338-06 Improved w\40 degree shoulder for 10 years. For the life of me I just don't understand all the perceived negativity of the AI version. "Don't mess with it...not worth the trouble." What messing? What trouble? Unless you think AI-ing the '06 case will suddenly make it into a 338 Win mag or 340 Weatherby. Get that thought out of your head. What it will do is make your cases last longer, as they hardly need trimming. That's the virtue of the AI, not some gigantic speed increase. As with all Ackley Improved cartridges, they fire the un-Ackley-fied case just fine. There is no need to fireform in an extra reloading step to get the sharp shoulder. My 338-06AI and my .223 Rem AI yield almost the same accuracy with un-fireformed cases as they do with once fired cases. That is NOT the situation when you go to a true wildcat like the 338 Hawk\Scoville which pushes the shoulder forward, getting rid of the excessively long neck (in my opinion) of the parent case. | |||
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In general, I'm not an AI fan, as I believe that for most cases the potential performance gains are pretty marginal and not worth the extra cost associated with most AI dies and reamers. I have also had some feeding trouble with the 40-degree shoulders in the 250AI and 257AI. The best thing about the AI format is that they minimize case trimming, but that might be offset by the cost/wear of fire-forming the cases in the 1st place. Those are my reasons for deciding that the AI format isn't worth the trouble/effort for me. But, as with many things, YMMV. Jeff | |||
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 here is the M700 338-06 I recently started working with. I sent the ADL barreled action to Mickey Coleman to be trued and fitted with a #3 Douglas barrel at 23". Fitted it into a Rem Ti takeoff stock and it weighs 7.47 lbs with the rings and VXII 2-7x33. Took the barrel a while to settle down, but now I'm getting 1 MOA groups with 200 Hornadys, and just slightly over that with 210 Partitions. 225 Accubonds and 225 Hornadys do better than 1.25" so I figure it's ready to go for most anything on the continent. I don't have any big hunts scheduled this year so it will get started on whitetails here at home. | |||
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I've never used Pac-Nor personally, but have seriously considered them and shot quite a few rifles with their barrels on them. My friends .257 Bob is one of the most accurate rifles I've ever shot. Plus I've never found a post of a single person with a Pac-Nor barrel ever say anything bad about their barrels or service. | |||
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You are going to have more feeding problems with the smaller caliber AI cartridges. The 257AI being one of the worst because it has such a sharp shoulder and shoulder area to snag. The 338/06 AI has much less shoulder area and feeds better. Is the AI worth it? Well, its different but like the one gentleman said, buy an AI version because of case trimming and extended case life. The speed difference isn't a factor. If I could choose 1 rifle for everything, it would be a 338/06. A powerful caliber with good weight and very shootable. I hate recoil. | |||
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.338-06 is a fantastic cartridge. I suggest an 03A3 action. I did mine on a beutiful persian mauser that I canibalized. ______________________ Are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie? | |||
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I had one about 25 years ago built on a custom O3A3 action with a 25" sheilen barrel. It would shoot 210 Nosler Partions @ 3/4" all day long. Didn't have a chronograph back then  But they killed the $#!t outta everything i pointed it at!  Damn i miss that one  " If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand which feeds you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countryman " Samuel Adams, 1772 | |||
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I am in the process of having a 338-06AI build from a new #5 PacNor 24" barrel (gunsmith recommendation) being done by Rocky Mountain Rifles. The barrel will be fluted with the flutes powder-coated and the remaining exposed parts of the barrel bead blasted to a factory looking matte stainless finish. It will be installed on a Sako m75 Greywolf that was a new 25-06. I went with the AI model with recommendations by my gunsmith and a moderator off the Nosler forum (JD338). Had a Leupold VX3 3.5-10x40 in Gunmetal Grey waiting for a home for 2 years now. I plan on using 225 Accubonds and 225 TTSX for this rifle. I really love the performance of the Accubonds in my other calibers so this will be my first reloads to try. I did buy 2 boxes of Weatherby brass in 338-06AS headstamp and 1 bag of 30-06 Remington brass. Cant wait for the rifle. Should be almost completed as they got the barrel in just over a week ago. | |||
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I've had one for 7 or 8 years.. on a Model 70 action.. mine seems to chronograph higher than a lot of other guys get for velocity... however it is very accurate... the bore is good enough you really don't need a premium bullet for anything in the lower 48... Its not very fussy on loads either... and mine gets more velocity than a friends 338 AI... downloaded to 33 Winchester specs in sort of nice for off season practice.. 35 grains of SR 4759 with a 200 grain bullet yields 2400 fps.. duplicating the very old 33 Winchester.. most of my shooting has been with Hornady 200, 225 and 250 grain RN bullets... mine wears a 2 x 7 Leupold shotgun scope... 3 ft to 300 yds, it has been lethal on anything I shoot it at... Life Member: The American Vast Right Wing Conspiracy Jan 20, 2009.. Prisoner in Dumocrat 'Occupied America', Partisan in the 'Save America' Underground Beavis..... James Beavis..... Of Her Majesty's Secret Service..... Spell Check Division "Posterity — you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it." John Quincy Adams A reporter did a human-interest piece on the Texas Rangers. The reporter recognized the Colt Model 1911 the Ranger was carrying and asked him "Why do you carry a 45?" The Ranger responded, "Because they don't make a 46." Duhboy....Nuttier than Squirrel Poop... | |||
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Here's mine I just got back...Sako m75 Greywolf 338-06AI  Now time for load development. | |||
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 I've had a std .338-06 since 2000 and really like it. Mines on a CRF M70, 24" Lilja bbl, with a 2.5-8X Leupold on removeable Talleys. Has worked fine in Africa as well as Montana. Initially I used 250's but since have settled on 225 NP's. Unsure how my scan of a pic came out so small...but You get the idea; .338-06 does fine on big stuff. FN in MT 'I'm tryin' to think, but nothin' happens"! Curly Howard Definitive Stooge | |||
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I built my first 338-06 in the late 70's, and i've owned and hunted with one since then. I built the one i have now on a LH Remington action as my DG gun, and i found it to be very effective on brown bears loaded with 275 Speers. It's harvested a truck load of meat for my freezer and has been very reliable on big game. I feel 250NP's would be the best all around bullet for the bigger animals... Anyway, i'd go with the std. chamber too, i don't see the need to imp. it in any way... DM | |||
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Hey Frank, love the photo but can you give us a little more info on the performance of the load you used? where was your shot placed? did you autopsy it at the skinning shed? complete penetration? other info? thanks, jeff | |||
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all this talk about not bothering with the AI cartrigdes for the sake of performwnce is sort of mis-leading, isn't it?.... ackley wrote in his books that the real benefit from improved versions were more in the intrest of reloadability (less stretch and bolt thrust) than for an actual performance gain in terms of velocity. i think his loads (which most will consider quite hot) he lists in his books were printed for advocation and to exemplify the benifits of lessening case wall taper weren't they? i yhink, omewhere along the line, peolple got sidetracked by hotrodding and the true benifit of the AI case design got forgotten about. the result is a bunch of negative opinions about the design. | |||
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