338-06 Project Finally Started

[tammons]

After trying a few different bullets in the 338-06 I settled on the 338 160 gr TTSX.

It just dumps deer and hogs on the spot.
Last deer I shot with it, and that was a reduced load running at about 2900, it blew a softball size lung balloon out the opposite side. That one did make it about 5 yards before keeling over.

If going after Elk I would dial it up to a 185-210 gr TTSX bullet.

With a 24" bbl you can max out at about 3200 FPS with the 160 TTSX with the right powder.
Never have tried to max it out myself.

[mattri]

May have to try some Barnes bullets after all.

The 225 Interlocks are shooting right around 1/2-3/4" @ 100 and honestly with a lower powered scope and a semi-improvised rest that's about as well as I can shoot on a regular basis anyway. I'll get the occasional 3-in-1ish group but truthfully its more often luck than skill- if a load shoots 1/2-3/4" out of a hunting rifle I call it good to go.

The SSTs aren't shooting quite as well but haven't worked with them a whole lot. Love the higher bc but if the Interlocks are that accurate they're getting the nod for right now.

Plan to finish loading the virgin brass with the same load of 61.5gr of R17 and the 225 Interlocks to hammer down a zero and confirm chrono #s then stretch its legs. If it can hold together to 500 I will be very, very happy.

[Bearguide444]

what was the load you used for that group I might want to try that in mine work my way up of course. powder weight - powder type since I am also using 225 hornady interlocks

[tammons]

May have to try some Barnes bullets after all.


The 160 grainers are nice. Not much more recoil than a 30-06 and a real sledge hammer on game.
Very flat shooter too. At 3150 if you can get that, it has over 1200 FPE at 500 yards.

I sold my 19" 338-284 (about same as 338-06) barrel to a guy in colorado and his father in law used it loaded with 185 gr TTSX bullets.

He Shot a 850# Cow elk at about 100 yards and said it took 2 steps and tipped over DRT.

I wanted to try the Cutting edge Raptor bullets but never got around to it.
I load them in 6.8 SPC and they are another heavy hitter slice and dice bullet only more slice and dice.

Right now I have gone to an AR10 in 338 fed and for hunting bolt guns 8mm and 9.3x62 mausers but may swap out the 8mm barrel to something else.

So sort of out of the loop on the 338-06 for a while but its a hammer.

[jonbearman]

Who made the barrel? Is it another CBI?

[tammons]

If this is addressed to me I reamed my 338-284 barrel from a A+B 338 fed barrel years ago when the 338 fed was popular and midway carried those barrels, cut it and crowned it.
IE a 338-284 ream will clean up a 338 fed chamber.

Its for sale along with dies, brass etc.

You can get Shaw 338-06 savage barrel kit from Brownels but they are backordered.

[mattri]

It was 61gr of R17, virgin PPU brass, CCI200s and the 225s seated 10 thousandths off the lands. Tried 61.5 and it shot really well also and was quite a bit faster with no pressure signs. 62gr was ok, no sticky bolt or extractor marks but the primers were a little flatter than the others.

Probably could try again with fireformed cases but not worth it to me. Will shoot again between the 61 and 61.5 to finish fireforming and watch accuracy, chrono #s and inspect the cases before deciding on a load to try farther out.

One of the things that I hate about testing at 100 vs 200 is that I've seen plenty of loads that clover leaf at 100 fall apart farther out but it seems like 99% of the time if you have a load that shoots at 200 it will stay together at much longer ranges.

Had absolutely no idea what to expect out of this round/caliber so it seemed wise to start at 100. Not regretting that I did- just really hoping it holds together on the other berms.

[GaCop]

Keep us posted on the longer range progress....

[mattri]

Wasn't able to do any long range testing over the weekend but got the rest of the original cases fireformed. The 225gr Interlocks are shooting right around .5" @ 2700fps. Picked up some 210gr Nosler Partitions to try as well.

[Bearguide444]

what is the coal? the standard is 3.310 and was wondering if the cannelure ring is outside of the case with you seating .010 off the lands

[mattri]

Will have to check but the SSTs are such a long bullet that that's where they ended up .010 off the lands, the Interlocks were right around 3.310, haven't worked with adjusting COAL yet.

[Bearguide444]

My problem with the 225 so is that the Canalure ring is out of the neck when I try to get it to the Coal length

[mattri]

Yeah its in a weird spot. Have you had good luck with these bullets?

[olddav]

While I enjoy seeing the pics of how it shoots why have we not seen a pic of the rifle it self?

[mattri]

Good call- hope to hit the range tomorrow- will snap some more.

[Ranger412]

Several years ago I too got the itch for a larger-bore hunting rifle, and after much research settled on the 338-06. I liked the caliber due to its ballistics, lower recoil (than one of the big magnums), and bullet availability. The project began with a Savage 30-06 I purchased from Walmart. After selling off all of the pieces of the rifle, save the action, I began buying up the necessary parts. I went with one of the Adams and Bennet magnum profile barrels. I added to that a Boyds JRS Classic stock (I think it's been renamed now), Warne bases and rings, and a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x scope. This rifle would be my first project rifle and the first time I'd do any stock bedding and stock finishing. I used Brownells Steel Bed and pillars for the bedding job. For stock finishing, I used several coats of Tru Oil. Very happy with the appearance of the rifle.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/10786338_06_b.JPG

For reloading components, I've gone with resized 30-06 brass, Varget powder, and Hornady 225 gr. Interbond bullets. I've only experimented once with developing a load for this rifle, and generally it hung out near the MOA range. I don't think I've got 60 or 70 rounds through the rifle yet, so its not really broken in. I'm tempted to drag it out of the safe and hunt with it this year. Where I'm at now, though, the deer aren't real big and it seems a bit much. My groups aren't nearly as stellar as the original poster's, but I settled on 51 gr. of Varget as the MOA group posted was good enough for me.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/10786DSCF0461.JPG

[mattri]

Great looking rifle- and good job on the build! Good shooting too- like I said the really tight groups are more luck than skill.

[mattri]

OK first of all I'm no photographer, second, I was packing up at the range when I remembered to snap a pic of the rifle. Yes, the truck needs to be cleaned out, I know.

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab333/rritchie1027/33802_zpseba8ca8d.jpg (http://s877.photobucket.com/user/rritchie1027/media/33802_zpseba8ca8d.jpg.html)

On a positive note the 225s did well at 200 yards-

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab333/rritchie1027/33801_zpsfa64a6b1.jpg (http://s877.photobucket.com/user/rritchie1027/media/33801_zpsfa64a6b1.jpg.html)

3 shots @ 200 yards, came in around 0.744" 2715fps with an es of 28 and a sd of 11.

Have some 210gr Noslers to try but may just get some more Interlocks, doubt I can shoot any better.

[Ranger412]

Nice looking rig, and great shooting. I have several other rifle and handgun options that would probably be more appropriate for our SE Ga deer, but you've got me thinking . . .

[mattri]

Yeah I went back and forth on whether or not I "needed" a 338, and realistically I probably don't. We mostly hunt with shotguns around here (southcentral IA) and most of my shooting is done at the range anyway. What it came down to for me was a) I wanted to try a 338-06, I really like the idea of the round and its capability and b) it should be all I ever need to hunt with in NA without being a big magnum. We still have friends/family in WY and I like to think we'll get to hunt out there again and this should be a great combo for deer, elk etc. In the meantime its a lot of fun to shoot, doesn't break your shoulder at the range or the bank feeding it so I'm happy.