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Okay All, I have one 700 standard long action to make a new rifle. Want to make something over 30 cal. to use for deer, moose and elk out to 300-400 yards, no longer barrel than 24 inches. Give me your suggestions. | ||
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Well depends on what you already have but a .338 Win Mag is pretty decent. Mine shoots very well with 225 grain handloads. What voids in your arsenal are you trying to fill? | |||
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This is a standard bolt face, not a magnum. I do not have any firearms over 30cal. except for a 44 mag. so I am open to suggestions. I have many firearms under 30 cal. from .223-7mm mag. | |||
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35 Whelen, 338-06, 375 Whelen? Extreme Custom Gunsmithing LLC, ecg@wheatstate.com | |||
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mad_jack02 Is this the order of preference? I have thought of the 35 Whelen and 338-06, not sure which one to do and possibly making them into AI's. | |||
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i had a hard time trying to decide which ( .338-06 or .35 whelen) to build also, that decision can delay a project for months!  i chose the whelen as i have a couple '06's and can get close enough to .338 bullet weights that it doesn't matter much with those, so i figured the bigger step up in bore dia. will allow more thump for the buck coverage with either one though, the ackley isn't much of a boost and not needed for better headspace control, as one thought. have fun deciding! one thought.... on paper, there is some evidence that the .338 might do a bit better out at 300-400 yds due to smaller frontal area compared to bullet weight, but again, it's so close that it's hard to actually make a concrete bias towords one or the other. pick one and build!!, you know you're gonna smile the same when it's done. | |||
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9,3x62... Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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I think the 338-06 very neatly meets what you are looking for. | |||
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As suggested, 9.3x62 caliber. Will work well in your action, and plenty of punch to hunt what you are after and beyond. | |||
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i'd open the bolt face up a little(.511) and put on a 8x68S barrel. blaming guns for crime is like blaming silverware for rosie o'donnell being fat | |||
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1) 9.3x62 2) 35 Whelen **************** NRA Life Benefactor Member | |||
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All, Thanks thus far for the replies, so any one have a 35 Wehlen AI or .338-06AI that can tell me if they like it or not worth doing. I have a .250AI and a 280AI that perform very well, just not sure of the se bigger bores if it is worth doing. | |||
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338'06, 35 Whelen, 9.3x62, or 375 Whelen all do roughly the same work. Since all but the 9.3 are handloading propositions there's no reason not to play with the AIs I guess. I'd use a 26 inch tube on a 338'06 - AI or not - but that's just me. Have fun deciding. | |||
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If you already have a 7 rem mag why you don't go after a 8mm rem mag ? For those distances and for the game you mentioned will be perfect. L | |||
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35 or 375 Whelen. Just depends how big you really want. Both are simply hard to beat. Free men should not be subjected to permits, paperwork and taxation in order to carry any firearm. NRA Benefactor | |||
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Lorenzo, The action is a non magnum bolt. | |||
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Forget the AI option as it's a dead end street. In all seriousness the 9.3 X 62 is a excellent choice and factory ammo is available. It should feed nicely in you M-700 standard long action and a lot of fine bullets are available for handloading if one chooses. That M-700 action will wring out the most of the 9.3 XZ 62s capability and you'll be impressed with it's range and power. Further, it's a legal DG round in most African countries should you ever go!@ | |||
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Yes the 06 A-Square. Ballistic co-efficient's are less going to .358 diameter. Barnes has great selection in .338 | |||
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I have the 338-06AI and it is a pleasure to shoot and performs very well with the Barnes and Nosler Accubond bullets. My dad has a 35 Whelen AI and he loves that gun. When we shoot together it is hard to tell the difference. We went with the AI just to have something different and have no regrets. We both just got back from Namibia from our first safari and both rifles were quite lethal. | |||
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338-06, 35 Whelen. 9.3x62, and 375 Whelen are all very good non belted magnum choices. For using factory ammo 35 Whelen and 9.3x62 are easy to come by. My next bigger bore rifle will be either 375 Whelen, or 416 Taylor, or 416 Express-( 350 rem mag necked up to 416 ), good luck and let us know what you decide on. Extreme Custom Gunsmithing LLC, ecg@wheatstate.com | |||
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With a standard bolt face action, I would go straight to a 338-06, or a 9,3x62, and a 300 WSM would be in the mix for consideration too. I've shot the 300 WSM and think it's the only WSM I'd ever buy. It is GOOD. Don | |||
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I'd build a .425 Westley Richards   | |||
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338/06, there is a diffrence between the 06 and the 338/06. (I know .03  ) but what it does on game cant be told until you trip the trigger on one!_____________________ Steve Traxson | |||
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9,3x62 +1! Rich | |||
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I'd go 338-06ai in a heart beat. Can load it gentle or full tilt and handle game in your mentioned category with aplomb. Elk, it's what's for dinner..  | |||
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I'd go for the 9.3x62....really great round with lots of bullets and ammo available. | |||
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The 338 WinMag would be my choice for the longer shots. Much better at longer range than the 338-06 or the 9.3 x 62 The only easy day is yesterday! | |||
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I have several different calibers I like, and a 358 is one of them. It will do ya good out to 400 yards too. | |||
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Good posting. I had a couple of rifles built by the late Lowell Manley, here in Michigan, about 25 years ago. He, and his wife both shot 338-06 rifles for Elk hunting annually. He swore by them... | |||
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Mohunt- I would think that any smith that could barrel your rifle to a different caliber would be able to open the bolt face for a magnum caliber. Something to consider. The only easy day is yesterday! | |||
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338-06AI is my recommendation. My Smith, Randall Kenner of SD loves hunting Elk and SWEARS by the 338-06AI. Loves it more than 338WinMag. Once I wear out my 30-06AI I strongly feel like a 338-06AI will be next. | |||
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Thanks for all the responses I may look into the 9.3x62 and compare the ballistics. | |||
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I am a smith and I wouldn't go to the effort of opening the bolt face on a 700. The 338-06 is one of the best. It is accurate and will drop anything in N.A., so will the Whelen. I have found the 338-06 to be accurate with nore than enough energy. Go with the 338-06 and you won't regret it......Tom SCI lifer NRA Patron DRSS DSC | |||
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I'd go with the 338 'O6 either improved or std. I have a 338 win mag. There is a difference but its quite small with the lighter bullets. I like the 210's from Barnes It is devastating on gane. I think the .030 inch difference is huge on game where it doesn't sound like that big of a deal on paper. If I hadn't found the deal I got on the 338 win, I probably would have a 338 06ai. DW | |||
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i would think the diametrical increase would only be a detractor in flight, but as far as it's difference on game goes, the advantage in diameter comes from the gain in weight of projectile and that's about it. as diameter goes up, generally BC goes down, and in the equation, the factor of weight helps to pushes it back up. somewhat of a trade off. one of the reasons that the 7mm. bore are asgood as they are is that evidently, the bore diameter is at a median where it's weights strike a balance of mostly positive attributes in the equation. | |||
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Coin toss between 9.3x92 or 338-06 AI | |||
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1.) 338/06 or 8mm/06 2.) 9.3 X 62 or 35 Whelen 3.).411 Hawk or .375 Scovill/ Hawk DuggaBoye-O NRA-Life Whittington-Life TSRA-Life DRSS DSC HSC SCI | |||
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Here's another vote for the .338-06 and you don't need it AI either. I built my first one in the 70's, and since then i've harvested everything from brown bears and moose, on down to deer and coyotes. Use the proper weight of bullet for what your hunting and it will do the job on anything in NA. DM | |||
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Mohunt- Just on a whim, where ever you live go into the nearest sporting goods store and ask for a box of 9.3 X 62 ammo or even a box of 338-06. Check your choices. The only easy day is yesterday! | |||
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