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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Rifles, Bullets, Barrels & Ballistics
.338-06..?
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<blockquote data-quote="benchracer" data-source="post: 1217739" data-attributes="member: 22069"><p>I have had a 338-06AI, on a VZ-24 mauser action, in the works for quite some time. I think the 338-06 (and/or the AI version) is essentially a niche cartridge. Whether or not it makes sense depends on what you are putting it in and what you want the cartridge to do. From a mauser action, using the right bullets, I believe I can get performance roughly equivalent to standard factory .300 Win Mag ballistics, from a cartridge whose geometry is more of a natural fit to the mauser action.</p><p></p><p>To really take advantage of the potential to be had in .338, one needs to go with a cartridge capable of pushing the 300 grain bullets to 2900 or so. Neither the Win Mag, nor the 338-06, can come anywhere close to doing that. Both cartridges are really at their best with bullets in the 200 to 225 grain class. It looks to me like the 338-06 benefits more from the powders and bullets currently available than the .338 Win Mag does, making the performance gap between the two even narrower than it already was. In something like a Remington 700, where there is enough length to run the 250's long, there may be enough of a performance edge to tip the scales in favor of the Win Mag.</p><p></p><p>However, current powders and bullets have elevated the performance of the .300 Win Mag, and even the 30-06, to the point that it makes the smaller cased .338's hard to justify from a pure ballistic standpoint. None of them can run with a .300 Win Mag set up to shoot Berger 215's or the newer bullets from Hornady. To beat that performance, you pretty much have to step up to something in the .338 Lapua class. Done right, the .338 Lapua really needs beefier, more expensive actions, making a considerable leap in cost over a .300 Win Mag.</p><p></p><p>I plan to tinker with my 338-06AI a lot and I expect to enjoy shooting it, within its limitations. It will never be a .338 Lapua, or even the equal of a .300 Win Mag with the 215 Berger class bullets. Whether or not a person would be happy with the 338-06 really depends on pesonal desires and expectations.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="benchracer, post: 1217739, member: 22069"] I have had a 338-06AI, on a VZ-24 mauser action, in the works for quite some time. I think the 338-06 (and/or the AI version) is essentially a niche cartridge. Whether or not it makes sense depends on what you are putting it in and what you want the cartridge to do. From a mauser action, using the right bullets, I believe I can get performance roughly equivalent to standard factory .300 Win Mag ballistics, from a cartridge whose geometry is more of a natural fit to the mauser action. To really take advantage of the potential to be had in .338, one needs to go with a cartridge capable of pushing the 300 grain bullets to 2900 or so. Neither the Win Mag, nor the 338-06, can come anywhere close to doing that. Both cartridges are really at their best with bullets in the 200 to 225 grain class. It looks to me like the 338-06 benefits more from the powders and bullets currently available than the .338 Win Mag does, making the performance gap between the two even narrower than it already was. In something like a Remington 700, where there is enough length to run the 250's long, there may be enough of a performance edge to tip the scales in favor of the Win Mag. However, current powders and bullets have elevated the performance of the .300 Win Mag, and even the 30-06, to the point that it makes the smaller cased .338's hard to justify from a pure ballistic standpoint. None of them can run with a .300 Win Mag set up to shoot Berger 215's or the newer bullets from Hornady. To beat that performance, you pretty much have to step up to something in the .338 Lapua class. Done right, the .338 Lapua really needs beefier, more expensive actions, making a considerable leap in cost over a .300 Win Mag. I plan to tinker with my 338-06AI a lot and I expect to enjoy shooting it, within its limitations. It will never be a .338 Lapua, or even the equal of a .300 Win Mag with the 215 Berger class bullets. Whether or not a person would be happy with the 338-06 really depends on pesonal desires and expectations. [/QUOTE]
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