338-378 Weatherby

Edd

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Hello everyone, I registered about 15 minutes ago.

I am fairly knowledgeable on rifles, cartridges, reloading , and hunting. I have recently gotten interested in owning a long range hunting rifle and have been doing some reading/research on this site and some others. The 338 is really popular with you guys in a variety of cartridges but it's like the 338-378 Weatherby doesn't exist. Why is there no interest in it?

Thanks in advance.
 
I'ts not gone..they are still floatin around out there and are very good LR weapons...Allot of folks are using more effective 338 rifles now like the 338-408 cheytac.

You could shoot a cheytac for around the same cost as shooting the 338-378 and ave better performance.
 
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Edd,

There are several of us out here that shoot the 338/378 or variants (338/378 improved) The improved all have a 35 or 40 degree shoulder usually pushed a little forward, and a little taper taken out of the case. I shoot a 338 Kubla Khan for example.

They are ballistically superior to anything out there until you move up to one of the really big wildcats such as the 338/408. The 338 RUM, Edge and Lapua are similar sized and have gained a lot of popularity and will perform close to the 338/378.

Brass is only available from Norma and Wby (probably made by norma) and is soft. As was pointed out when loading to max loads the primer pockets do not last long. I get about 5 loading out of mine, and about 3 if I push it hard.

If you are going to build a new rifle I might suggest going to something like the 338 Edge or a 338 Lapua improved, but if you already have the Wby it is a great long range rifle. You need to look at 300 grain SMKs to take advantage of the performance of that big case.

Do a search on the site for 338-378, 338/378 or 338 Kahn and you will quite a number of threads.
 
I looked at a lot of old threads on the Kahn and 33-378, good info...I am gonna have a 30-378 rebarreled to a 33, and was wondering if you guys are running these as single shots?

I hope to be able to keep them at 3.8" using bergers or scnear 300's, and still reach 3000fps in a 28-30" tube..possible?
 
Im sure LTLR has one, he loves the big 338's, probably has 1/2 dozen variations, not joken:D
 
I looked at a lot of old threads on the Kahn and 33-378, good info...I am gonna have a 30-378 rebarreled to a 33, and was wondering if you guys are running these as single shots?

I hope to be able to keep them at 3.8" using bergers or scnear 300's, and still reach 3000fps in a 28-30" tube..possible?

Rosco1, 3000fps is a pretty mild load for both my 338 Khan's. One has a 27" barrel and one a 30". Was just shooting some 300 Bergers today out of the 30"...... 103 grains of Retumbo runs 3000 fps on the nose. I have not shot the 300 grain Scenars, but I have the 300 SMKs, 3100 fps to a little over is very achievable with 300 grain pills.

My Nesika action Khan is a single shot, the other is a Wby. I shoot it as a single shot so I don't have to worry about getting my loads to fit the magazine.
 
I have two Weatherby Accumark 338-378 Weatherby's and I love both of them.I have had no problems with brass .My rifles love Reloader 25 and 250 gr Nosler partitions.I have loaded it to 3150 without any pressure.Its an awesome rifle.I like it because it accurate both shoot under an inch at 300 yards .They are light under 10 pounds with a 6.5x20 Nikon scope and sling and 3 rounds.And its powerful.One of my friends shot two caribou with it at 450 yards with one shot.I trust the 250 Nosler Partition on grizzleys I dont trust the 300 smk on those.I hope I get to hunt alot more with it on moose and other game.I got each of mine for $1000 new which was a bargin.You have to clean them about every 50 shots because of powder fouling.The 338 rum is about dead .I think the 338 lapula will take over the 338-378 spot if more afordable rifles are chambered in it and more brass is made and afordable.I lucked up on a bunch of 416 weatherby ammo deloaded it and necked it down.It was $27 a box with woodleigh bullets what a bargin.I am really glad i bough my 338-378s and would tell anyone that likes big game long range hunting to do the same.
 
If you are going to build a new rifle I might suggest going to something like the 338 Edge or a 338 Lapua improved, but if you already have the Wby it is a great long range rifle. You need to look at 300 grain SMKs to take advantage of the performance of that big case.

I would be building it, I don't have a Weatherby. Is brass life the only reason you suggest the Edge or the Lapua Improved instead of the Weatherby?
 
I have two Weatherby Accumark 338-378 Weatherby's and I love both of them.I have had no problems with brass .My rifles love Reloader 25 and 250 gr Nosler partitions.I have loaded it to 3150 without any pressure.Its an awesome rifle.I like it because it accurate both shoot under an inch at 300 yards .They are light under 10 pounds with a 6.5x20 Nikon scope and sling and 3 rounds.And its powerful.One of my friends shot two caribou with it at 450 yards with one shot.I trust the 250 Nosler Partition on grizzleys I dont trust the 300 smk on those.I hope I get to hunt alot more with it on moose and other game.I got each of mine for $1000 new which was a bargin.You have to clean them about every 50 shots because of powder fouling.The 338 rum is about dead .I think the 338 lapula will take over the 338-378 spot if more afordable rifles are chambered in it and more brass is made and afordable.I lucked up on a bunch of 416 weatherby ammo deloaded it and necked it down.It was $27 a box with woodleigh bullets what a bargin.I am really glad i bough my 338-378s and would tell anyone that likes big game long range hunting to do the same.

I don't think the 338 Rum is anywhere near dead. For those that want a higher powered 338 in a factory gun than the 338 win. the rum fills the niche at half the price of a weatherby. When it comes to custom guns, the edge is all the rage but in time it will decline due to the extra work for marginal performance above the 338 rum JMO
 
I would be building it, I don't have a Weatherby. Is brass life the only reason you suggest the Edge or the Lapua Improved instead of the Weatherby?

Edd, Don't get me wrong in all this, I love my 338 Khan's. It is a great round, biggest, baddest there is until you hit the 408 wildcats (that I know of anyway). Brass is not that big of a deal, you just have to be careful to not push things to the limit of you will beat your brass up as it is softer than the Lapua brass.

If I were to have a rifle in this size class being built right now I would go with the 338 AX (Allen Express) built by Kirby Allen of Allen Precision Shooting. You can find him on this site, his handle is "Fiftydriver".

The 338 AX is an "improved" 338 Lapua and will get you to within 100 fps (or less) of the 338 khan, about the same for a standard 338/378. Lapua brass is the best there is out there and even though this is a wildcat, Kirby supplies new brass already formed and with the proper 338 AX head stamp so you avoid the step of having to fire form brass as you would with the 338 Khan.

As a guy with 2 Khans, a 338 Rum, and a 338 Edge...... here I am pushing the 338 AX!! Maybe it is just because I want one myself!:D:D:D
 
As a guy with 2 Khans, a 338 Rum, and a 338 Edge...... here I am pushing the 338 AX!! Maybe it is just because I want one myself!:D:D:D
I understand. One of the unwritten rules of life, "never ask for a recommendation from someone who wants one of everything".
 
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