thoughts on the 338-06

[usmc1371]

So I was looking at my old ruger M77 (tang safety) 30-06 the other day and I got to thinking I have killed pretty much every thing in Oregon with it and maybe its time to try some thing else. The last few years I have been shooting 300 wm but it really seems like an 06 on steroids. My brother already reloads for 338wm and 338-378 wby so I have most of what I need to reload already sitting around. I have a ton of 06 brass. There is atleast 3 other 30-06's in the safe just in case I ever need one again.

Is the ruger M77 a good canidate for a new barrel? The rifle fits me great and I have been shooting it since I was 12, I'm 31 now so its been around for a while.

I know the 338wm and 338-378 work very well on mule deer and elk but I have never used or seen used a 338-06 so any personal experince would be cool.

What kind of cost would I be looking at to have the new barrel installed apx?
So why or why sholdn't I be packing a 338-06 in the fall.

 

[ArmedBear]

My thoughts on it? The numbers look GREAT! .30-06 velocities with .338 Win Mag bullet weights from a .30-06 case. Seems like a very well-balanced cartridge.

Can't think of a good reason not to use it in the fall, really.

 

[hardluk1]

usmc1371 How about the 338 federal. Seems to be a better round ,more efficient if a short round is in the mix. I have a SS ruger with a Krieger #5 barrel that will shot 2" at 400 yards with hornady 139sst HM. That just happens tobe the ammo i had and just have not changed. Different lots seem to shoot just as well through the years. Smithy said at that time it was his first ruger and it took know more work than any modern action .

 

[ArmedBear]

He already has the rifle, with a .30-06 action.

And another reason is about 300 fps with a 210 grain bullet. .338 Federal's numbers are pretty poor from what I can see. OTOH .338-06 is only about 100 fps shy of a .338 WinMag.

 

[exbiologist]

Sounds good to me. Most smiths will charge between $150 and $200 to chamber and install a barrel blank(which can run from $100-$350 or so). I would not go too heavy if you plan to actually carry it. Something around 0.6-.650 at the muzzle at the heaviest.

And your ruger is perfect for this. You need to do this just for something different, not because it does something you can't do with a .30-06. And the $400 spent on a gun you already have is still cheaper than buying a new rifle. And it's fun to have something unique. I've always been a bit of a contrarion, never having owned a .30-06, .270 or 7mm Mag. Instead, I'm a .280, .264 Win Mag, and .358 Norma kinda guy. Not that these calibers do something particularly different, but because they themselves are a little different than the run of the mill. So I think a .338-06 (or .338-06 Improved) would be cool. But that's all it would be, is cool. If you wanted a larger step up in power, you'd need to go for the .338 Win Mag, .325 WSM, 8mm Rem Mag cartridges.

 

[usmc1371]

Part of my thougt process on the 338-06 is that I already have a rifle that I really like I just would like something a little off the beaten path. In the almost twenty years I have been hunting deer and elk the longest shot I have ever taken was 340 yards so not exactly a "long" shot and well with in my comfert range so I don't mind having a rifle that does not shoot as flat as my 300wm nor do I need a rifle that hits as hard as my 375 HnH. I packed that heavy 375 for both buck and doe season last october and it really puts a hurten on mule deer but I will be happy to pack my old and much lighter 30-06 or new 338-06 just to save 4 pounds of rifle weight. I guess I just like to have the odd ball rifle in camp. Thanks for the replies.

 

[natman]

So I was looking at my old ruger M77 (tang safety) 30-06 the other day and I got to thinking I have killed pretty much every thing in Oregon with it and maybe its time to try some thing else.

Darn, and I was thinking of hunting in Oregon next year. But now that all the game is gone.....

 

[wgp]

You're on the mark. I read in a reloading manual once that if you get nothing else out of re-barreling for a .338-06, you can at least sit around the fire in camp with everyone asking, "What the heck caliber is that thing?"

 

[jmr40]

I had never really considered the 338-06 until a couple of years ago when I found a steal on a custom rifle chambered in 338-06. My plan was to buy the rifle, take the Zeiss scope off it and sell the rifle.

It came with 17 loaded rounds and I decided to shoot them before selling the rifle. I guess that was a mistake because I decided to keep it and get the dies and started loading for it.

After doing some research I really like the round. Loaded light it is not too much for whitetails. With the lighter 200-225 grain bullets it can be loaded pretty close to the 338 win. mag. The Magnum rounds will do a bit better with the 250 grain and heavier bullets.

Some of the 225 grain bullets have a pretty good BC, which help it shoot flat enough for a serious 400 yard elk gun.

Recoil is quite tolerable, only slightly more than my 30-06 rifles.

 

[nelsonal]

I'm going to build my first rifle this fall, and I've narrowed it down to the .338-06 and .35 whelen. It's still a decision because the Col. Whelen was so awesome that even though every good reason tilts in favor of the .338-06, I haven't decided. In other words, the .338-06 seems to be an excellent balanced cartridge, with tremendous bullet choices (thanks to all the .338 magnum rounds).

 

[millertyme]

I was just thinking about this the other day. I have an older Remington 710 coming my way and the barrel is in less than ideal conditions. When I got the idea of rebarreling it I took a look to see what was available and the .338-06 really stands out. If and when I get the rifle I think I just might do, especially given the availability and diversity of .338 projos and reloading data.

 

[Sunray]

"...have killed pretty much every thing in Oregon with it..." That says it all. There's no game in North America that the .30-06 won't kill. Certainly nothing that needs a magnum, of any kind.
"...why shouldn't I be packing a 338-06..." It won't do anything the .30-06 won't do with less felt recoil and muzzle blast.

 

[Boxhead]

I have been hunting with one since '97. A great round without question. The 210 gr Partition is about ideal for elk and the like. You might consider a rebore as well, particularly if your 77 is an RS and you want to keep the sights. Mine is a rebore and is very, very accurate.