338-8mm rem OR?

[bsaoneshot]

Can anyone help me with a little dilemma I am having? I have a Pro Hunter Encore and I am wanting to have a custom barrel made for it in a 338 cal. My issue is no one will chamber for the 338 RUM in an encore because of the barrel wall thickness issue. MGM will make a 338 in a 340 Weatherby Mag but I do not like the radial necks I have discussed this with Kerry of MGM and he will make a 338-8mm Mag (basically a 338 STW). I have been looking at the 338 Jarrett and the 338 Baer also but can not find any dimensions for either. I would like to get as much out of the 8mm rem mag case as possible and be on the safe side for the Encore. I was looking at a modified 338-358 STA if this isn't the same as a 338 Jarrett or Baer.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[davewilson]

i assume you're mounting a scope... how are you going to do this?

 

[bsaoneshot]

I don't have an issue mounting a scope because the barrels are made in 7mm STW 8mm Rem Mag, 340 WBY, etc... Now back to my questions about dimensions of 338 Jarrett and the 338 Baer....

 

[screech]

Last I knew a 338 jaret is a 8mm with a shoulder blown forward with a 35 degree shoulder and the baer has a 30. But may be wrong. If your willing to do the brass work both would be great. I like the Jaret but that would be up to you if you went this way.

 

[davewilson]

the reason i ask about the scope mounting is because of the wall thickness issue the RUM cases present. most are tapped on the top in the chamber area and represent the weak link. the other reason big cartridges aren't made for this is the break open actions just won't take the repeated pounding. i've heard of others trying this type of thing and after a few hundred or so rounds, the action has trouble closing, or a little gap starts forming and things just aren't quite working right. it's because the action just isn't made for big stuff. there's a good reason Thomson Center won't chamber it in certain sizes.

can i ask what you're trying to do with this gun?

 

[300stw]

i have a 338-8mm reamer, standard body, cut 1 chamber , i dont care for the fire forming of the other cartridges, i had a couple 358 sta, didnt care for the way they fed compared to the 8mag case necked to different calibers. the 338-8mag or 338 stw was about 130 fps faster then the 338 win mag with 200 btip. only load i shoot..

 

[bsaoneshot]

300stw,
Thanks for your info. I am really leaning towards the 338-8mm for the simplicity, but I was wanting to get as much velocity as possible. Since the Encore is a single shot rifle I don't have an issue with magazine problems because of the neck angle. Have you ever shot 250 grain bullets from yours and if so what kind of velocity are you getting?

Dave,
The rifle is just another addition to my collection and for hunting. Plus I like the abstract such as the Encore compared to the normal bolt action rifle. I have plenty of both. If I wanted something like this in a bolt action it would be an Edge.

Again I just would like some info on the dimensions of the 338 Jarrett and 338 Baer. If any one has them..................

 

[davewilson]

i know Bruce, i'll see if i can get some dimensions for you. this would be for the 338 Baer, not the Jarrett.

i looked into the encores, but decided a bolt was the only way to go for long range. so i built a bolt action gun, 338 Edge, that's only 40" long and has a 29" barrel with a muzzle brake.

 

[sambubba]

I have the .338/8mag and you can't go wrong with it. It has a little more powder capacity than the .340. My rifle shoots well with anything from the 200g ballistic tips to the 250g partition golds. It really likes the 230g Fail Safe, although the 250g PG will shoot into a 1/2" at 100. Velocities below give you a general idea, and I wasn't loading super hot with the 26"barrel.

200g--3200
230g--2962
250g--2900 with the Sierra--haven't worked up a top load with the PG

Craig

 

[bsaoneshot]

Sambubba Thanks for the info. I am really leaning to the simplicity of the 338-8mm mag, no fire forming. My barrel will be 30 inches plus a brake on the encore, so I should be able to burn the powder.