.338 Winchester Magnum or .338-06 Improved.

Which .338 cartridge would you build?

  • Total voters
    60
Lefty7mmstw said:
I'll run a 225-250 from a 338win. I already have a 35 Whelen that'll if I want a milder round. She's only doing 2700 with a 220..
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I'm running a standard Whelen with a 225 Accubond at 3030. Long action Remington, seated way out to 3.53" under light compression with a case full of CFE223. Very good accuracy. Primer pockets tight after 10 firings.
 
If you developed loads with optimum powder for each in a pressure barrel, more powder capacity means more velocity. I'm sure you can beat factory 338 wm velocity in a 338-06 improved hand load. Maybe in AK or the mountain west temperature is not an issue, but they keep dangerous game loads on the mild side for a reason. As far as magazine capacity, I have never gone through 4 shots shooting at game. Potentially finding ammo in BFE is a plus to the 338 wm.
 
I don't see the draw of either.
If I need/want a .338 of some flavor, I would want to push a 250+ pretty fast to.improve upon a big 30. I don't want a 2500-2800fps cartridge.
33 Nosler or 338-300WM

I never did understand why the 338WM is based off thw same case as the 7RM and .264WM. Run it off the 300WM case.
 
I think both the 338-06 & 338 Win Mag are great cartridges. I don't think either of them are "assault rifle rounds" so the difference in magazine capacity is moot. My Win M70 Supergrade is very accurate, and has never had any problems associated with rounds feeding, either due to the belt or any other issue. As a handloader I have loaded rounds from 180s - 250s and my rifle has never kicked the snot out of me. The recoil from my rifle/stock design is more of a push than a mule kick. I've even shot it 1,000 yards with Sierra 250 MKs from the prone, and it wasn't punishing me. If you want a lighter weight rifle with a carbon wrapped barrel then I would go with the 338-06 unless you're shooting with a good muzzle brake or suppressor.
 
338 Win Mag will be around forever. Standard length action. Sufficient power for most everything. Great cartridge. Never made sense that Win didn't choose it for the 30 mag.

35 Whelen has come back due to it being used in many states for primitive season. Certainly not primitive, but the insurance lobby controls the wildlife departments. Fun cartridge in a single shot, especially a falling block or a modern sharps.
 
akmtnhnt said:
No, but theyre not going to know with a 338 fed and a 210 at ~2600 either.

Maybe you want more sd than a 200-210 has. Maybe you want more BC. Maybe you want that 210 over 3000fps.

If you're having a barrel made anyways and you handload which seem to both be true here, 338 rpm brass has Peterson and weatherby. 338-06 has weatherby. And you dont have to fireform for AI while being faster than the AI.

Also fits standard bolt faces, standard -06 magazines and you get 3+1 like an -06 rather than 2+1 like a WM.
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I have a Model 70 Supergrade in 338WM. It holds 3 in the mag and 1 in the pipe. Great elk medicine. I agree that the recoil is more of a push than a bite.
 
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McDoone said:
I'm running a standard Whelen with a 225 Accubond at 3030. Long action Remington, seated way out to 3.53" under light compression with a case full of CFE223. Very good accuracy. Primer pockets tight after 10 firings.
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Sounds like an excellent load. What length of barrel? I'm considering building a 35 Whelen.
 
For fun, I would pick the 338-06. I have Win M70 supergrades in 375, 338win, 300 WM, .270, and 22-250, and pre 64 steel buttplate in 300 H&H, 30-06. I also have rifles in 300 RUM and 300 WBY. The 338 is the one that makes me flinch. I used H4895 to download a 180gr Accubond to 2700fps. That is my deer load if I feel like taking the 338 out, and it was fun to develop.
 
I would probably go with the 338/06AI if those were my only two choices. Otherwise, a Plain Jane 338/06 would be my choice, with a well-constructed 225-grain bullet. The case-forming process, while interesting, is a bit more than I feel like fiddling around with, having already learned those lessons with my 30/06 AI years ago. While it outruns the standard '06 quite handily, it doesn't kill any better. Even large elk don't seem to know the difference. Using better bullets has made more of a difference for me than the extra velocity did. In fact, I haven't used the AI rifle in years, preferring the old Mauser 30-06 for my hunting needs. I have even backed off on bullet weight since I went to the monolithic copper bullets, and had a reduction in felt recoil. Speaking of which, I have not found the recoil of my buddy's 338 WM to be a shove; it's more of a sharp rap to me. It's a pretty heavy rifle, too, and it kicks about like a 12-gauge slug gun. That's a bit more than my skinny re-built shoulder likes. My 8.5-pound 30-06, with 165-grain bullets, is about right for me.
 
Depending what you are using it for...my father in law owns a 338-06 rifle and it is pretty nice. I own a 338 Win Mag Ruger M77 All Weather and it is one of my top 3 favourite rifles. 45-70, 7mm WBY and my 338. The 338 has more horsepower but if you'd a little more recoil shy, the 338-06 might be your choice. It's easy to find ammo for the 338 and it is a fun round to shoot. Stick a good recoil pad like a limbsaver nitro and you're good to go.
 
Heavyiron said:
I would take the 338/06 improved. Why, you can carry more ammo in your gun. The difference between the two 338's would not be huge. Plus, i just like ackley cartridges. The photo in my signature is a picture of po ackley. The 338 magnum is a powerhouse tho.
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A genius in overall's. My kind of man!
 

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