I have a chance to buy a custom 30-338 built on a 1903 Springfield action at what seems to be a very reasonable price. A very well known and reputable custom gunmaker has his name on the stock, but not on the barrel. I'd like to think the same gunmaker did the reaming and fitted the barrel to the action, but I can't be sure about this. The rifling is sharp, and the retailer who is selling it on consignment (for a man now in his 80s who's dumping all his guns) tells me the throat looks fine and that the rifle probably wasn't shot much. The retailer is a very knowledgeable rifle man, and I think everything he tells me can be taken to the bank. It's what he DOESN'T say that could be a problem.

I believe a 30-338 is a .338 case necked down to .308. This approach is in line with the current trend of fat cases relative to bullet diameter. I assume all I would have to do is buy some .338 brass and put it in the 30.06 neck-sizing die that I already own, then start loading cautiously.

Of the four reloading manuals I own, only Sierra has a section on the 30-338. Hornady (1980) and two recent editions from Nosler and Lyman don't list it. This bothers me a bit. Also, Frank De Haas states that he'd rather be behind a Mauser than an 03 Springfield when the loads start getting hot. This baby really screams - 180 grain bullets at 3,000 fps - so I'm guessing the pressures are substantial. Is this the kind of gun a guy can easily to get into trouble with? I have no experience with wildcats and, frankly, I'm a little afraid of them. But I'm tempted by what seems like an opportunity to achieve cruise missile ranges on a budget.

And yes, I already know about the serial no. below 800,000 thing, thanks to Mr. De Haas. I haven't checked that yet but will do so before I buy.

Any advice would be appreciated.

audsley: I have two 30-338 and it is a great round. Remington use to make a 40x in the 30-338. I use 7mag cases for my rifles and neck up instead of using the 338 cases. I have Redding,RCBS and Wilson dies. One of my rifles is a Ruger #1 and the other is on a Rem 700 action. I don't know much about the 03 and I don't think you would get into any trouble. You can start out using 308 Norma Mag loading data or get on the net. I get pretty close to 300 Wby velocity and use 10 grains of powder less. The 30-338 was first done by Fred Huntington (RCBS)in 1958 and I think it is still used in 1000 yd shoots. I first hear about it in the 60's. I tried a 308 Norma Mag but later when to the 30-338. Well good luck! Tom

Just a short reply, but you will not be able to use your 30-06 neck sizer to reform those 338 cases. The 338 cases are bigger and you would probably not be able to get them in the 30-06 die.

Jim

The .30-.338 is a .338 Win. Mag. necked down to provide a longer throat than the .300 Win. Mag.

As Jim Kobe said, your .30-06 die will NOT work to neck-size the brass. Buy a set of .30-.338 dies or .308 Norma Mag. dies (the dimensions are very close); your best best is to insist upon the dies the owner used to be included in the deal (this is customary when buying a rifle chambered for a wildcat).

Also, insist that the gun be checked by a gunsmith for headspace or other serious flaws, and the signed written report be included in the deal.

George
P.S. If there is no gunsmith's mark on the barrel, anyone could have installed it. Sometimes, it's underneath, concealed by the stock.

As for your load info, the 30-338 and the 308 Norma Mag are ballistic twins, and data for one can be used for the other. after you have a reputable smith check out the gun for safties' sake, I wouldn't hesitate to use 180 gr @ 3000 fps loads in it. The pressures represented by this level of performance shouldn't be any higher then any of the other short belted magnums. Take care and have fun. - Dan

I have a custom 30-338 built on a M70 action. My gunsmith builds them all the time on M98 actions. They are extremely accurate rifles; built for accuracy because it was a target round. You can achieve 300WinMag velocities without any trouble. I use .338 brass necked down; 180 balistic tips or partitions; H4831 with 71.3grs target (3000fps)and 73.3grs hunting; WLMR primer.

I would second the idea of getting the rifle checked out, and shooting your brass once with a light load to fireform it to the chamber. Thereafter, neck size and reload to your actual starting load. The 03 is not quite as safe as the M98 in terms of what it does with gases if there is a failure.

I think you have a real prize. Good luck. Ku-dude

Thanks, everybody! I bought it. Your advice was reassuring and helpful.

(What follows next is a gleeful wallowing in self-satisfaction. Feel free to bail out here if you wish.)

What I got - for $250 - was a Harry Lawson (locally renowned Tucson riflemaker sometimes featured in national publications, but now deceased) custom rifle with a curley maple thumbhole stock, premium polish and blueing, re-shaped trigger guard and a trigger that breaks crisply at 2 lbs. I'd say it's in 95-98% condition. I'm still looking for the catch.

I didn't get it headspaced. It was Saturday, the regular gunsmith was not in, and the man covering the gunsmithing department couldn't find a headspace gauge for a .338 Win Mag which is what he believed was needed for the job. For what it's worth, the store manager told me he really didn't think I was going to have any problems and that if I did he wanted to hear about it. He advised me to load the initial rounds lightly and measure the brass in several places before the first firing. I figure once it's fire-formed in the chamber, headspace concerns are over as long as it doesn't have receiver setback after I start shooting it, which it shouldn't since the SN is 1,452,xxx, well above the range where problem steels were known to have occurred in Springfields. So for the first round, I'll just turn my head 180 degrees and blast one into the backstop, then take out the brass and start measuring. If I find the case got a whole lot longer or grew extremely fat just above the rim, I'll take it to see some people who know what they're doing - probably the guys at Lawson's Gunsmithing where Mr. Lawson's son and grandson still turn out stocks and rifles.

Again, thanks.