338 Win mag build

[Nitrosteel]

Thinking hard about building another rifle on a Defiance action. This will be for hunting moose and bigger African plains game.

Most of the folks I see building a 338 win are automatically looking at a 26-28" barrel. How would a 24" barrel do? Thank you for your thoughts.

 

[Quintus]

How far are you willing to shoot that game?

 

[budlight]

I never thought that the 338 win had enough case capacity. You are limited to bullet weight. Kinda like the 308 win compared to all the 30 cal magnums. Have you considered a 338 LP in with a brake?

 

[Shane Lindsey]

250gr Berger at 2700 FPS MV = 1802 FPS @ 775 yards w/1804 ft pounds energy.

I think you can achieve this and probably better in a 338 WM with a 24" barrel.

 

[Nitrosteel]

I really don't want to put a break on the rifle. I won't be pursuing any game past 500 yards. Realistically should be under 400. I'm thinking of shooting either 225 or 250 grain accubonds (not the LR version) or possibly Swift A-Frames in the same weight range.

 

[Quintus]

The 338Win has plenty of capacity to be very lethal with a number of 225-250 grain bullets to 500 yards and still manageable to shoot.

 

[Reelamin]

A 24" would do just fine.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Maybe even a lightweight mono for those ranges. Almost a point a shoot. I am thinking of doing the same with a 175gr mono from a wildcat very soon.

 

[Bret GRAVELINE Graveline]

I've been hunting with the 338 win since 1975, in 84 I restocked my rifle and cut the barrel down to 23 in, I've shot it almost exclusively with 250 gr bullets traveling out of the shortened barrel at over 2800 fps and used it beyond 700 yards, in 97 I added a second one this rifle fits into the mountain rifle category has 22 inch tube and field ready weighs in at just over 6 lbs, these two guns have accounted for over a hundred big game animals including the larger plains game of africa.

 

[skipglo]

I never thought that the 338 win had enough case capacity. You are limited to bullet weight. Kinda like the 308 win compared to all the 30 cal magnums. Have you considered a 338 LP in with a brake?

X2

 

[Danny1030]

Mine shoots a 225 AB at 2775 from a 23" Brux.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I have 3 338WM, never felt they didn't have enough capacity or speed for the ranges I typically hunt in the mountains.
I get on average just over 2900fps with most 225g bullets in the 26" tubes and 2775fps with 250's in the same barrels. These numbers can easily be increased, but I find accuracy drops off.
I have used these rifles to 1000, BUT this is not what they are set up for, and my self imposed limit is 600 with lightweight compact scopes of 10x power or less.

Cheers.

 

[GuntherRLII]

Original had a 25 inch. A 250 grain bullet at 2700 isn't exactly a maiden's caress when it hits.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Heck, my #1 338win will drive a 225 interlock or ab to 2900 fps and better than 2700 with a 250 without working a sweat om a 250 sierra. I'm wondering what 560 would do...