338 Rifles

[C.O. Shooter]

After reading various posts on the forum and being intrigued by the .338 caliber, I am curious to know how many different 338 combinations there are?

 

[J E Custom]

After reading various posts on the forum and being intrigued by the .338 caliber, I am curious to know how many different 338 combinations there are?

There is an almost unlimited number of sizes and powder capacity cartriges in .338 from very
small like the 338 Federal(308 necked up). the 338 RCM (Similar to the 325 WSM necked
up to .338) then comes the Magnum size cases (Starting with the 338 Win Mag) and going up
to the 338/378. Then comes the really big 338s like the Excalibur and the Allen mag built off
the 505 Gibbs (I think) that will hold over 140 grains of powder.

There are lots more that I have not mentioned but if you want to shoot a 338 there should
be one that suits your needs.

J E CUSTOM

 

[C.O. Shooter]

Where does the laupa fall into the scheme of things? Is that the standard for the 338? I have a 300 RUM and I am sure someday it may need to be re-barreled. I love the caliber, however, always looking for a little more.

 

[J E Custom]

Where does the laupa fall into the scheme of things? Is that the standard for the 338? I have a 300 RUM and I am sure someday it may need to be re-barreled. I love the caliber, however, always looking for a little more.

The 338 lapua is just slightly smaller in case capacity than the 338 RUM, but if you have the
improved version it, it is close to the 300/338 Edge.

The RUM, Lapua and the Edge are almost ballistic equals.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Autorotate]

I'm a picture is worth a 1000 words kind of fella gun)

JE Custom is about as good as it gets if you wanted to pick somebody to learn about Boomers from IMHO...

L-R
338 Norma
338 Lapua
300 RUM (338 Edge is this case with a 338 neck expander pushed/pulled through the case neck)
338-378 Wby Mag
338 Excalibur

With 300 grain bullets and 28-30" barrels, there's 350 fps difference...maybe more/less if you got a quick/slow barrel....Powders run the gamut from the Norma liking Ramshot Magnum on the quick side of powders...to the proven Lapua/Edge/H1000 loads....while I like Retumbo on the Lapua Improved....and US869 and H50BMG for the 338-378 Wby and 338 Excalibur....

Those powders would be IMHO have the best velocity potential. For precision/accuracy purposes, one may decide to use a quicker/slower powder to accommodate the specific goal/nuance of the rifle.

Here's a great post...in a great thread to review for your goals.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/fastest-338-without-cheytac-61255/index3.html#post426602

 

[C.O. Shooter]

Your right, the picture does the trick. I have a large amount of 300 RUM brass. The 338 edge would be something to consider. The 338 excaliber looks re-donkulous! What is the difference from the 338 RUM to the 338 Edge? Does the edge have its own dies?

Thank you.

 

[LouBoyd]

The picture above points out an important fact. Of the cases shown the only one short enough to shoot 300 grain Sierra MatchKings from a 3.6" magazine is the 338 Norma Mag (the shortest one) .

Even the 338 Norma Mag won't properly fit a 300 grain Berger VLDs in a 3.6" magazine. I own a 338-378 in a SAKO TRG-s but it can only shoot the 300 grain VLDs as a single shot.

Those others may be fine cartridges but only if used in custom or highly modified actions. Sure, you can shoot them all with short high drag bullets, but the energy is just wasted pushing air out of the way.

 

[LongBomber]

If you already have a 300rum, it is a simple re-barrel to a 338rum or a 338edge. Add a wyatt's mag box to give you a touch more room and you are ready to go in the 338's. You can have the barrel throated to set the berger hybrid or sierra mk at mag length with no issues. LTLR has some very good experience to draw from.

I have an edge, and a 300rum so it keeps it simple for me and I can buy brass in larger orders. I wasn't too worried about the price difference in the 338 rum or edge dies, as there are other much larger expenses with any caliber this size or bigger.

 

[Autorotate]

Your right, the picture does the trick. I have a large amount of 300 RUM brass. The 338 edge would be something to consider. The 338 excaliber looks re-donkulous! What is the difference from the 338 RUM to the 338 Edge? Does the edge have its own dies?

Thank you.

Sounds like the Edge is a great fit for you then!

The Excalibur is impractical for all intents and purposes for most shooters. The fired cases I have hold 139-140 grains of water. Brass is expensive, as are precision dies for it. The brass is not of Lapua, or Norma quality.

Dimensional differences between the 338 RUM vs 338 Edge-
338 RUM is .090 shorter from the case head, to the body/shoulder junction.
338 RUM is .090 shorter from the case head to the mouth of the neck (overall length of the case)

The Edge has approx 4-5 grains (depends on powder and load density) more case capacity...this will enable a slight velocity advantage (50-75 fps) to be seen, particularly in longer barrel lengths (28+) over it's 338 RUM counterpart.

There's much to read and hear about dies for the Edge. My recommendation are these

The picture above points out an important fact. Of the cases shown the only one short enough to shoot 300 grain Sierra MatchKings from a 3.6" magazine is the 338 Norma Mag (the shortest one) .

Even the 338 Norma Mag won't properly fit a 300 grain Berger VLDs in a 3.6" magazine. I own a 338-378 in a SAKO TRG-s but it can only shoot the 300 grain VLDs as a single shot.

I'm pretty sure you're cutting yourself short by .050 with your TRG-S That should be a 3.65 mag in that rifle...gun)

Those others may be fine cartridges but only if used in custom or highly modified actions.

I agree! That's a "magnum" Weatherby mag box in the photo..3.815 inside dimension. If the bolt stop on the Weatherby Mark Vs is milled out, the Mark V can accomdate the extraction of loaded rounds of the longer 300 gr bullets with the Lapua, but not the 338-378 length cases.

Sure, you can shoot them all with short high drag bullets, but the energy is just wasted pushing air out of the way.

I personally don't see the value of racking a 3.8" to 4+" round, with a 1.72-1.8" long bullet loaded with one caliber worth of case neck in contact with the bullet body with only .001 to .002 worth of neck tension on it, loaded on the bench to within .001 TIR loaded round concentricity....but to each their own on this regard. In other words, even if there was a mag box to accomdate it...not sure I'd run my precious little precision gems (the rounds I care about LR precision for) through a mag box, up a feed ramp, and into the chamber for those LR shots. Call me a sissy, but I like to push those rounds in there for those long shots...by hand

I've also never really felt handicapped single feeding such long rounds, as for most LR shots, most use a stable shooting position i.e. prone....I'd take a mag box guy up on a race for 3 rounds/3 hits on a 1 MOA target at 1K yds with me single feeding and him running a mag rifle...and not feel handicapped at all. There will be "other" things that come into play IMHO...not a 4" mag box.

Not being argumentative, just throwing out another perspective. Long way of saying...You don't need a 4" mag box IMHO is what I'm trying to communicate.

 

[LouBoyd]

No argument there. You don't need to worry about magazine length using rifles as single shots. You don't need to worry about the action length either as long as the cartridge can slip into the action and the fired case can be ejected. Both can even be accomplished using the bolt release. With that argument though I'd build the rifle on a Ruger #1 or similar action so the rifle can be lighter and/or shorter. There are lots of possible choices. No one choice best for everyone or for every shooting condition.

 

[C.O. Shooter]

After lots of reading and research, I think I would go with:

-338 Edge
-Remington Action - Trued/Blueprinted, new firing pin and components (vs. Custom Action)
-Jewel Trigger
-Broughton 5C/28-30" w/brake - Can't decided on barrel contour (Has to fit in my Pelican 1750)
-Nightforce/Leupold optic and same components

 

[trueblue]

Broughton 5C 28" is the way to go.
It will give you 2830fps with the 300gr SMK.
As far as contour, give R BROS Rifles a call.
His contour is very nice, and my EDGE ways 12.5# with a 5.5-22 Nightforce on it.

 

[C.O. Shooter]

What is your powder type and charge amount?

 

[trueblue]

92gr H1000