338 wsm

04 May 2013, 22:38

323

338 wsm

I came into a real good deal on a 338 barrel. So I'm going to have my new haven model 70 in a 325 wsm rebarreled to a 338 wsm. The current chambering in the 325 I really like but the barrel is garbage copper fouls real bad it's rough on clean clean barrel shoots great by the time you get 9 shots down the tube it's not longer a group but a pattern lol. So as I said going to have a 338 wsm made going to use the 200gr accubonds, or 210 partitions and maybe the 215 Sierra. So anyone out their was some data? I would think I can get 2900 out of the 200-210 bullets with rl-17, imr 4007, or h4350. Oh someone did tell me to watch the pressure on the 338wsm does this round have issues with pressure spikes?

07 May 2013, 02:45

Alberta Canuck

Before I rebarreled, I would get a jar of J-B bore cleaner and load any 8m/m cup & core bullets dipped base first into that. I would fire about 30 of them through the bore, with a wet patch then a dry patch every 3 rounds or so.

Even quicker would be to get a NECO fire-lapping kit and use the finest grade of the three grits in that. 10 shots with a wet and a dry patch after every shot won't hurt the barrel's accuracy or shorten its service life, but will make it a lot easier to clean and greatly reduce any propensity to foul thereafter.

And you already know the 325 WSM barrel shoots well when clean....but you don't know WHAT a new barrel will do.....

07 May 2013, 05:42

Biebs

Lloyd, as eloquent as ever! :-)

16 May 2013, 12:36

AFRICAN LEADWOOD

quote:
Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
And you already know the 325 WSM barrel shoots well when clean....but you don't know WHAT a new barrel will do.....

This is what we all need to hear when we have an itch that we think needs scratching!

28 November 2013, 17:45

ShortandFat

Why rebarrel, sell yours, buy a Ruger 338RCM and rechamber

Should work just fine

28 November 2013, 22:03

DocEd

I remember reading once why Winchester decided not to offer the WSM in 338 and went to 325 instead. I just can't remember the reason.

29 November 2013, 04:42

jeffeosso

use 7 wsm not 300 wsm as basis

07 December 2013, 02:33

lagerboy

Doced, because it offered absolutely no advantages ballistic wise over the standard 338 WM.

07 December 2013, 04:12

prof242

Lagerboy. That being said, I like mine on a Rem700 short left-hand action. A buddy (who's rifle is identical to mine, except the bolt is on the wrong side) and I took our rifles to Africa loaded with Nosler 210gr partitions. Had no problems whatsoever on plains game.

07 December 2013, 06:39

lagerboy

Prof, just out of curiosity, what are your ballistics with that combo? Reason I ask is that I have 338_06AI and use a 210 Swift Scirocco.

07 December 2013, 09:24

capoward

quote:
Originally posted by DocEd:
I remember reading once why Winchester decided not to offer the WSM in 338 and went to 325 instead. I just can't remember the reason.

It was all about sales and bullet seating issues with the standard .338 caliber bullets. While they would work seated normally in the M70 WSM action they had to be seated deeper in the M700 and M77 actions, as well as all others of the same magazine length. So either the 338 WSM would be performance inhibited to work in all actions or would be a WSM cartridge only (meaning a lessor sales volume cartridge).

11 July 2014, 18:30

323

An update I sent the rifle off to JES in oregon had it rebored to a 338wsm. After some load development I was getting 2825 with a 225gr hornady. I tried 225gr partition and it did not like them. I'm Fed 215, RL17. I'm going to try some 210gr TTSX out of it. Also the recoil is very manageable

18 July 2014, 22:11

Labman

My .338 Win Mag. shoots both the 225Gr. Hornady and the Nosler partition to the same POI with H-4831sc. Both group with all shots touching at 100 yds. if I do my part. Give this powder a try before giving up on the partitions.

19 July 2014, 03:45

Atkinson

I see all those calibers as useless, you cannot improve on the .338 Win. It will do everything and more than the calibers suggested and in the same action! what's the point. The only thing that comes to mind is the "The only difference in men and boys is the cost of the men's toys"

02 October 2014, 09:51

416RigbyHunter

quote:
Originally posted by DocEd:
I remember reading once why Winchester decided not to offer the WSM in 338 and went to 325 instead. I just can't remember the reason.

I remember the reason quite well, no matter what powder they tried, it would not come within 100fps of the 338WM they wanted it to replace. Pressures rose far quicker than the velocity did. Within a year of the 300WSM was here, there had already been half a dozen 338WSM rifles built here, even 26" barreled rifles couldn't match the 338WM in the same lengths. Haven't seen or heard of one on the line for several years.

Cheers.

02 October 2014, 09:57

416RigbyHunter

quote:
Originally posted by 416RigbyHunter:
quote:
Originally posted by DocEd:
I remember reading once why Winchester decided not to offer the WSM in 338 and went to 325 instead. I just can't remember the reason.

I remember the reason quite well, no matter what powder they tried, it would not come within 100fps of the 338WM they wanted it to replace. Pressures rose far quicker than the velocity did. Within a year of the 300WSM was here, there had already been half a dozen 338WSM rifles built here, even 26" barreled rifles couldn't match the 338WM in the same lengths. Haven't seen or heard of one on the line for several years.
I even got on the band wagon and built a 25WSM on a Model 70 stainless action. Good cartridge when you got a powder that would burn correctly, had issues with certain powders and start loads, dented case bodies, sticky extraction etc, etc.
Cheers.

02 October 2014, 17:20

surestrike

quote:
Originally posted by lagerboy:
Doced, because it offered absolutely no advantages ballistic wise over the standard 338 WM.

Kind of like a a .300 WSM offers NOTHING ballistically over a .300WM?

02 October 2014, 22:06

NONAGONAGIN

I don't see any gain over the 325 other than something imaginary like paper ballistics or specific bullet choice...BUT

This ISN'T ABOUT what one case/bullet having an imaginary gain over another...EVERYONE continues to compare apples to road apples and forgets this is about CHOICE...the choice WE have to do something someone deems ignorant and others deem great...

I have/had many wildcats over the years and in todays world see little use for them except for certain cals in the large and small ends because just about all the niches are filled in the middle with excellent factory available gems.

Besides NO game animal will notice the difference between a factory available(cheaper dies, no mucking about with resizing, store bought ammo, etc.) 325 WSM and a wildcat 338 WSM(with expensive dies and reamers and hand loading all the way)...I will pick the factory every time.

But...Hey...if you want to pay the freight and WANT a 338 WSM then GOFORIT...I'm behind you all the way, Bro'...it's ALL good.

All that being said, I keep looking for a cheap WSM action...I REALLY want to play with that WSM case...like a 375 or 416 or 475, maybe a 50 cal...ALL FOUR???

They've all been done, work well in the short action milieu, don't do anything better or worse than many other long action factory offerings, but the BRAGGING rights are HUGE.

09 October 2014, 02:11

capoward

quote:
All that being said, I keep looking for a cheap WSM action...I REALLY want to play with that WSM case...like a 375 or 416 or 475, maybe a 50 cal...ALL FOUR???

If you’re using the M70 Winchester or M99 Montana WSM action - once you step above .366 (9.3mm) caliber due to the shorter bullet lengths you can move from the 53.34” WSM case length to 57mm case length for a bit more performance…

That’s what Michael458 did with the cartridges he developed using 57mm shortened RUM brass.
http://www.b-mriflesandcartridges.com/default.html

Just a thought...