The Accurate Reloading Forums
Switching back to the 338, DAMMIT!
31 October 2014, 06:34
Big Wonderful WyomingSwitching back to the 338, DAMMIT!
Found a box with over 500 .338 projectiles in it. Guess I am going to keep the .338 winchester I just bought as a .338. Too bad some dirty SOB decided to build their own muzzle brake on this thing.
I thought I bought it as a cheap action, then I start looking through my storage bin and find tons of .338 bullets.
Ordering a .338 barrel. I have no .338 brass as of yet, so caliber is up in the air. Beyond Magnum bolt face I am unsure of anything else.
31 October 2014, 07:44
Texas KillartistOrdering a .338 barrel. How is caliber 'up in the air' ?
Cartridge 'up in the air'?
The 338 WM is a horse,easy to load AND if the shtf, cartridges can be bought easily.
02 November 2014, 11:15
tjrobertsThe .338 WM is one heck of a good round.
Not much you can't do with in north america.
Lighter bullets for deer middle weight for elk, 250 or so for Moose or grizz ! ...tj3006
02 November 2014, 21:07
vapodogwith an action suited for the .338 Win Mag and deciding to order a new barrel, about the only choices are .264 Win Mag, .257 Wea, .270 Wea, 7mm Rem Mag, .300 Win Mag, another .338, .358 Norma and don't forget the .375 Ruger.....
My former tag line was that if one truly needs something more than a .30-06 he should move up to the .375.....take it from there.....
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02 November 2014, 22:32
Jerry EdenI think I am in the Vapo camp, except for the 35 Whelen. A 30-06 with 180 Partitions, passes right thru an elk @ 200yds.After that the 375 H&H is tough to beat for anything. But if a guy likes the .33, what's not to like.
Jerry
NRA Benefactor Life Member
03 November 2014, 11:01
sambarman338So is the old barrel shot out? Did the last guy shorten the barrel when he put on the muzzle brake? If it is still 24 inches, you could just get the brake taken off and recrown the muzzle.
03 November 2014, 12:42
Cold Trigger FingerSo, I'm confused. What's with the Ridgecrest, CA. Address. I thot u moved up here.
What rifle is this? There's lots right with and nothing wrong the 338 Win Mag or bigger case. Pictures needed!

Phil Shoemaker : "I went to a .30-06 on a fine old Mauser action. That worked successfully for a few years until a wounded, vindictive brown bear taught me that precise bullet placement is not always possible in thick alders, at spitting distances and when time is measured in split seconds. Lucky to come out of that lesson alive, I decided to look for a more suitable rifle."
03 November 2014, 18:19
tjrobertsVap , left out the .458
Its more round than i will ever need but it fits the 06 length...tj3006
07 November 2014, 18:30
.458 OnlySome guys prejudices are so clear they may as well be standing on a soapbox...
The OP said he found 500, .338 bullets, and therefore he will have someone do a .338 magnum barrel for him!!
It appears to me that's clear enough! He doesn't want to turn it into a .30-06 or .375 Ruger or H&H!
I'd recommend the .340 Wby. It's a .338 Win Mag plus 200 fps! And that's from experience with both.
Bob
www.bigbores.ca
"Let every created thing give praise to the LORD, for he issued his command, and they came into being" - King David, Psalm 148 (NLT)
08 November 2014, 09:11
lavacaWe all love enthusiasm.
Just lose the muzzle brake and we will all love you again as well.
08 November 2014, 16:38
Rae59quote:
Originally posted by .458 Only:
Some guys prejudices are so clear they may as well be standing on a soapbox...
The OP said he found 500, .338 bullets, and therefore he will have someone do a .338 magnum barrel for him!!
It appears to me that's clear enough! He doesn't want to turn it into a .30-06 or .375 Ruger or H&H!
I'd recommend the .340 Wby. It's a .338 Win Mag plus 200 fps! And that's from experience with both.
Bob
www.bigbores.ca
If his has a short magazine like my Tikka does then it will stay a Win. Mag rather than a Roy.
"The right to bear arms" insures your right to freedom, free speech, religion, your choice of doctors, etc. ....etc. ....etc....
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08 November 2014, 21:44
Ray Alaskaquote:
Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
Found a box with over 500 .338 projectiles in it. Guess I am going to keep the .338 winchester I just bought as a .338. Too bad some dirty SOB decided to build their own muzzle brake on this thing.
I thought I bought it as a cheap action, then I start looking through my storage bin and find tons of .338 bullets.
Ordering a .338 barrel. I have no .338 brass as of yet, so caliber is up in the air. Beyond Magnum bolt face I am unsure of anything else.
The .338WM is one of the most popular cartridge in Alaska, behind the .30-06 and next to the .300WM.
For all my hunting in Alaska, which does not include brown/grizzly bears, I have settled for the 225-grain TSX (the one with a plastic blue tip), pushed somewhere around 2800 to 2840 fps. But an easy and do all load for it is a 250-grain NOS Partition somewhere around 2630 fps.
Federal produced some .338WM ammo with 180-grain bullets that was perfect for small game such as pronghorn at long range that had very similar trajectories as the same bullet weight, but for the .300WM. But such a light bullet is not a good idea for Alaska hunting.
21 November 2014, 00:41
Arild IversenI have been without a 338 Winmag since 2008, but did run into one the other day
It´s a NIB Ruger M 77 MK II with laminated stock and stailess barrel and action.
Just like the one I had that was my moose rifle and also went with me to South Africa.
Time to buy dies, bullets and brass again, and yes, it´s a great caliber

Arild Iversen.
23 November 2014, 09:44
Idaho SharpshooterI think BWW meant cartridge choice, not caliber...
23 November 2014, 18:38
Arild IversenI´m so sorry for the typo I.S.
I ment the cartridge.
Sometimes some of us "foreigners" stumble and slip regarding the correct use of you language.
Arild Iversen.
26 November 2014, 20:05
ar coreyI don't just recommend removing the brake. Change the entire barrel and get it re-chambered as precisely as you can. I recommend the 338 Winchester Magnum. Chop the barrel off to 22" and enjoy eating moose!
26 November 2014, 21:49
Idaho Sharpshooter338 Edge*, perhaps?
Rich
* full length RUM case
26 November 2014, 22:03
Big Wonderful WyomingI had forgot about this, but now that it has been a few months.
I moved back to Alaska, got up here and the job I was hired for got furlowed for 4 months. I have to feed 3 rug rats and a wife who likes Nordstroms. So off to California we go for another job.
Picked up a pair of rifles in Montana on the way down, a 338 Win mag 700 and a M98 Pasadena gun corp mauser in 30-06. Mauser is beautiful, and I have gone through several iterations of what to do with it. The 338 has a home job muzzle break drilled into the end of the barrel.
I have over 500 .338 projectiles.
26 November 2014, 22:04
Big Wonderful Wyomingquote:
Originally posted by Arild Iversen:
I have been without a 338 Winmag since 2008, but did run into one the other day
It´s a NIB Ruger M 77 MK II with laminated stock and stailess barrel and action.
Just like the one I had that was my moose rifle and also went with me to South Africa.
Time to buy dies, bullets and brass again, and yes, it´s a great caliber
That is one massive waterbuck.
Nice!
26 November 2014, 22:32
MuskegManquote:
Originally posted by lavaca:
Just lose the muzzle brake . . .
I bought a take off barrel in mint condition that had been magnaported. So, a 24" .338 WM barrel became 21.5". I might have lost 100 fps, but it is a much handier rifle.
27 November 2014, 00:09
Big Wonderful Wyoming21 is a pretty short 338. Thought about doing just that but it' makes it a little too thumpy.
27 November 2014, 01:01
Big Wonderful WyomingI had a toilet epiphany moment (those moments when you come up with a great idea whilst on the toilet), anyway I am planning on building a 338-06 on the Mauser and a 9.3x64 on the 700.