I've got a Dumoulin in 338 Win Mag, Mannlicher style stock adn 21" barrel. The only time I shot it over a chrony the chrony was acting up but it looked like the 250 gr. loads were running about 150 fps under the listed velocity. We were averaging about 2500 with the Federal Nosler load.

I think it's a good rifle with the short barrel, a little muzzle blast but not unacceptable. It makes a fine woods rifle.

This may be a crazy idea?

I have a new MRC short mag action and was planning either a 350 mag or a 338 wsm with a 20-21" barrel.........got to thinking......it sure would be a lot cheaper to buy a Win 70 in 338 win mag and chop the barrel back.........just wondering what the velocity of a 210 partition would be in a 21" barrel???

Should I save the extra $600-$1000 it will cost to build the MRC and just chop the 338?

Remington built the 600 magnum in 350 mag and I think it came with a 20" barrel. I would think either would work as I have a 300 win mag scout rifle with a 20" barrel and it does fine for the close in work.

I have a couple of Sako Handi Hunters with 18 inch barrels in 375 H&H and 338 Win Mag. If I remember correctly, I get between 2700 and 2800 with 338 caliber bullets in the 200 - 210 gr range. Muzzle blast is incredible! I wouldn't go any shorter than 22" just because of that. My Handi Hunters have become safe queens. Lou

I rebarreled a model 70 for Gary Goudy in 375 H&H with a 20 inch barrel and he says he loves it. Go figger!

Jim

I cut the barrel of my Ruger 77 .338 Win Mag from 24" to 21" and only lost 75 FPS using factory Win 225 gr ammo.

For a short barrelled calibre you might want to lookat the 9.3x62 mauser round it is a standard length round and maybe suited to the shorter barrels your looking at.

I have a couple of 338WSM's and a 338 Jamison, all with 21" barrels. I hear or perceive no difference from the 338 Win Mags in 23", 24" and 26". There's also very little difference in velocity between them all other than the the Jamison and WSM's are inherently slower than the Win Mags.

Whats that smell?

I cut a EPDM lazer cut muzzle brake off my 24" and it put it at 21 7/8". The difference wasn't noticeable in blast and the velocity loss seems to be about 50 fps or so.
The elk can't tell the difference either. I actually like the way it feels and handles.

I would "kill" for one of those Dumoulin Mannlichers in .338 and this from a guy who has four Pre-64 Alaskans in .338 and a Dakota. What a neat rifle they are and about perfect for horseback or thick bush.

BTW, I chrono'd a whack of that Fed. Prem. Nosler 250 ammo, not the "HE" in my 70s a while back and it only did about 2575 average, so, your figures are about what others are reporting. Boy, would I like to buy that rifle, if you lived up here and wanted to sell, of course.

I have a Ruger I cut down to 22". I get 2950 with the 210. So I would think 2900+/- would be what you are looking at. I have a FN in 358 Norma 20" full stock. I love it.

GonHuntin, Have I got a deal for you. I have a M98 Mauser with 20" bbl and Magna Port 4 port in 338 Win Mag. IT has 338 Win Mag engraved on the barrel. It has a nice Walnut Stock that is full length glass bedded. Timney trigger, Leopold bases, rings and VariX-II 2x7. I was told the barrel is a Douglas.







idahobronco@aol.com

e-mail sent......

This is only an opinion mind you, and I don't have anything agianst the short/.338 concept necessarily, but IF I had a choice from the ground up, I'd opt for the .35 bore. I like both calibers but I think the internal ballistics favor the .35 in a short tube configuration. As to use in North America, I doubt anything on the receiving end could discriminate between the two.