I have very nice VZ-24 Mauser with a Bison barrel, Rimrock stock. It shoots great with Nosler 210's with Varget(55.5 gr.), Hornady 225's (53.8 IMR 4064), 250 Sierra's, Nosler's and Hornady's...all with max compresssed loads of H-4350 (agout 60 gr.) I'm looking for loads I may have overlooked. I can tell you the 210 Nosler is my best load to date.. at 2750+ it just assholes elk. All these loads will shoot inside 3" @ 300 yd. Any suggestions to supplement my data would be appreciated. Thanks. BTH you can form 338-06 brass from 06 and never have to worry about trimming. I saw an article where a gunwriter ( Carmichal) thought the 338-06 was one of the stupidist rounds ever developed. I beg to differ and love mine. Great killing power and moderate reciol. Thnks again

Welcome to the .338-06 club. I have been shooting & hunting mine now for about 10 years. You are right, the 210grNP is a sure killer, very perdictable. I have taken Duiker to bull elk & zebra, all w/ one shot if I do my part, from 40yds to just short of 350yds.

I haven't had any luck w/ 225gr bullets of any make. My best loads to date:

210grNP

53.5gr RL15 or 54gr IMR4320

RP 9 1/2 or Fed.210M

WW or Norma cases

2750fps & right @ 1"/100yds



250gr NP, Speer GS

60gr RL19

same case & primer as before

2450fps & betters 1"/100 when I'm on



250gr Hornady

60grH4350

same as above

2500fps also betters 1"/100



If I sub. Hornady for NP/GS o/ the RL19 groups open to 2", and same if I sub. the NP/GS o/ H4350. My Rger M77 is very finicky though. Some day I'll make another on a M70 w/ match bbl. & see how she shoots. Your's sounds nice, post a pic.

BTW, Norma now offers properly headstamped brass if you are going to be leaving the country to hunt.

Mine is the Ackley Improved version, but 61.0 grains of H414 behind a 225 Barnes X goes 2570 fps and gives 1 moa at 200 yards.

For softer game, 57 grains of IMR 4320, Speer 200 soft point goes 2830fps. It is also a 1moa load in my rifle.

I also like VihtaVuori N550 with 225 Barnes X or Nosler partitions.

I've had mine for a few years now. It loves Varget and the 210 Part. I also like the Sierra 215 over N150- 55 gr groups inside 3" at 300 yds.Great round enjoy it.

Been thinking on rebarreling a spare M700 to 338'06. If any of you would take a moment to share with me the barrel length contour (muzzle diameter will do), and rifling twist of your 338'06 rifles I'll be grateful. Thanks. Good hunting!

Good idea, I think the .338-06 is a great choice for the one gun/NA big game guy or as a dedicated elk rig. My rifle has .630" @ muzzle & I had it cut to 22 1/2". I have had several rifles made &/or rebarreled since & would go w/ a PacNor #3 @ 23". If you want it a bit lighter a #2 @ 23" would save you a few more ounces.
I think the .338-06 offers a significant step up from a .270/.30-06 especially for larger game like elk.

Well If Jim Carmichael said the 338/06 was one of the stupidest rounds ever developed, then that was one of the stupidest things Jim Carmichael ever said!

The 338/06 is so much more efficient over the 338Mag, if the 338/06 had been a factory round first, I don't think the 338Mag would have ever flown. They would have picked another bore diameter instead. Alot more recoil and powder for a 100 fps or less? I don't think so.

My favorite powder for the 338/06 is H 380. With a 250 grain bullet it will break 2650 fps, topping 2700 on a good day.

The 225 will top 2750 and break 2800 on a good day.

The 200 grain bullets will break 2950 easily.

My rifle is a rebored Winchester Model 70 ( the barrel still says 270). It was done by Bob West in Eugene Oregon, one of the last two guys alive that worked under Parker Ackley.
It has a 24 inch barrel.

The other neat powder is IMR 4064. 50 grains of it will give 2500 fps with bullet weights from 200 to 250 grains, so there is no need to readjust the scope all the time.

On second thought, maybe Jim Carmichael was shitfaced when he made that statement. I have always had a lot of respect for the guy.

Cheers and Good shooting
seafire

Seafire. Carmichel, in his first book put down the single shot rifles and felt they shouldn't be used for hunting. I'd just bought my first Ruger #1 and kind of figured he was not being with it. One of the comments he made was something like this. "If you go after lions or maybe Cape Buffalo with a single shot, now that would be pretty sporty." or words to that effect. I wrote him saying that as soon as I could afford to buy another #1 in .375 H&H, I'd be perfectly willing to take on a cape Buffalo. Would he please provide me with one of his free hunts to do so. That was about the time I took a strong dislike to him, something that hasn't changed much over the years.
FWIW, should the finances ever be available, i certainly would take my #1s to Africa and not have one doubt as to whether they would be viable.
I guess what ticked me off was his holier than thou attitude about hunting with single shots. I've been using mine since 1975 without problems for the most part. Did have one radically change point of impact after being caught in a heavy rain shower. Now when I buy a new #1 to add to the collection, I do my own proper sealing of the stock. Something Ruger doesn't seem to do on any of their rifles. Pull a #1 or 77 out of it's stock and look at all the nearly raw wood. A good coat of Varathane fixes that problem right now.
Sorry about getting off thread, but the mention of carmichel just triggered me off. (no pun intended,.)
Paul B.

Paul, everyone has an opinion, that's why we are here. I showed up in NZ a few years ago to hunt Tahr w/ my #1S in 7mm Dakota. The guide actually groaned about me hunting w/ a single shot. After our trip to the foothills to site in, he was more than satisfied (3 shots in 1 1/2" in about 30sec). I took a nice bull w/ (1) shot. I don't think I changed his mind but he will definetly wait to see who's doing the shooting before he groans about the rifle.