Shortening the 338-378

[Eric Alexander]

Maybe one of you has done this. If so, great. Please share the experience: the work and the outcome.
The notion I'm working with is that shorter, wider columns of powder seem to burn more efficiently, yielding a bit better performance for powder used.
Though the bolt face will be large, the brass should measure out to 2.50 inches, and now fitting the once longer 338-378 into an -06 length action.... but with 30% more volume than .338 Win Mag and close to 10% over 340 Weatherby.
So, in the instant case, a bit more volume than the 340 but, more importantly, perhaps more efficiently packaged to burn. .. perhaps nearly matching the long guy's performance with 15% less powder. That would proof the concept of shorter/wider.

If somebody has wandered down this path before, please advise. Or if some important element needs addressing in the concept, likewise.
thanks

 

[WAMBO]

Basically a 338 Norma Mag.

 

[Swamplord]

ding, ding, ding !

sort of ... but not quite ... and mucho mo better ...

mag bolt face, no belt, factory mfg headstamped brass, hammer forged tough brass alloy for long primer pocket life, superior case to case runout dims & weight = zero !
will clean out Win Mag, Nosler and PRC chambers without barrel setback, one pass and done, 100% safe for Rem 700 & Win 70 actions

 

[Eric Alexander]

ding, ding, ding !

sort of ... but not quite ... and mucho mo better ...

mag bolt face, no belt, factory mfg headstamped brass, hammer forged tough brass alloy for long primer pocket life, superior case to case runout dims & weight = zero !
will clean out Win Mag, Nosler and PRC chambers without barrel setback, one pass and done, 100% safe for Rem 700 & Win 70 actions
View attachment 184062View attachment 184063

what are the specs? do you have a cartridge diagram?
thanks

 

[Edd]

Maybe one of you has done this. If so, great. Please share the experience: the work and the outcome.
The notion I'm working with is that shorter, wider columns of powder seem to burn more efficiently, yielding a bit better performance for powder used.
Though the bolt face will be large, the brass should measure out to 2.50 inches, and now fitting the once longer 338-378 into an -06 length action.... but with 30% more volume than .338 Win Mag and close to 10% over 340 Weatherby.
So, in the instant case, a bit more volume than the 340 but, more importantly, perhaps more efficiently packaged to burn. .. perhaps nearly matching the long guy's performance with 15% less powder. That would proof the concept of shorter/wider.

If somebody has wandered down this path before, please advise. Or if some important element needs addressing in the concept, likewise.
thanks

You just described a 338 Norma Mag.

 

[Eric Alexander]

Basically a 338 Norma Mag.

True. It's close. The Norma is actually bigger, capacity wise....rim, base, shoulder all slightly. larger. But it lacks a belt and the rounded shoulder of the Wby. I'm old, and I find myself resisting beltless magnums. I would stay with the 338-378 rather than go with the Norma.
My first magnum was a Norma, back in the sixties. Like many, I converted my -06. I actually wish the 300 win mag hadn't displaced it. I liked that it fit with the 7mm Rem, 338 Win Mag, & 264.
But it seems to have stuck.
All that said, I will look to the 338NM load data because it could help with proofing the concept. Thanks

 

[Swamplord]

what are the specs? do you have a cartridge diagram?
thanks

sure do, It's my cartridge design

265 gr ABLR in the 338 Razor, faster than the 338 Edge, 338 Lapua and 338-378 Wby can push it, with mild pressures, long brass life and magazine fed... in Remington 700 and Win 70 rifles

 

[Eric Alexander]

sure do, It's my cartridge design

265 gr ABLR in the 338 Razor, faster than the 338 Edge, 338 Lapua and 338-378 Wby can push it, with mild pressures, long brass life and magazine fed... in Remington 700 and Win 70 riflesView attachment 184210

are those cartridge specs in an attachment somewhere?
thanks

 

[adam32]

sure do, It's my cartridge design

265 gr ABLR in the 338 Razor, faster than the 338 Edge, 338 Lapua and 338-378 Wby can push it, with mild pressures, long brass life and magazine fed... in Remington 700 and Win 70 riflesView attachment 184210

I'll punch out my 340 Wby (Lone Peak with a Proof carbon)...send me the reamer and essentials...

 

[Swamplord]

I'll punch out my 340 Wby (Lone Peak with a Proof carbon)...send me the reamer and essentials...

to clean up the 340 WBY chamber you'd have to set the barrel back first since the Wby case is quite a bit longer than the Razor

or you could run the 338 Headhunter reamer in and clean that Wby chamber out , but would have to go single shot mode, the Headhunter is a much longer single shot version of the Razor ....

for ?
yup, you guessed it, massive case capacity in 338 cal designed for Rem 700's to compete with the long 338 Lapua cases such as the Raptor and XC that require larger more expensive custom actions

....

 

[adam32]

to clean up the 340 WBY chamber you'd have to set the barrel back first since the Wby case is quite a bit longer than the Razor

or you could run the 338 Headhunter reamer in and clean that Wby chamber out , but would have to go single shot mode, the Headhunter is a much longer single shot version of the Razor ....

for ?
yup, you guessed it, massive case capacity in 338 cal designed for Rem 700's to compete with the long 338 Lapua cases such as the Raptor and XC that require larger more expensive custom actions

.... View attachment 184231

The barrel on this particular rifle isn't long enough to take advantage of the extra capacity of the Headhunter, I wouldn't think anyway. 26"...

 

[Eric Alexander]

to clean up the 340 WBY chamber you'd have to set the barrel back first since the Wby case is quite a bit longer than the Razor

or you could run the 338 Headhunter reamer in and clean that Wby chamber out , but would have to go single shot mode, the Headhunter is a much longer single shot version of the Razor ....

for ?
yup, you guessed it, massive case capacity in 338 cal designed for Rem 700's to compete with the long 338 Lapua cases such as the Raptor and XC that require larger more expensive custom actions

.... View attachment 184231

I don't know what this alternative cartridge is, I cannot find it on the web. I'm not getting any specs on it - and the pictures, while pretty, still are not informative about dimensions. ..and my curiosity is piqued.
So, still waiting for answers to my actual question. I am being given alternatives, but no symmetrical responses. Also, not sure where the 340 entered the discussion.
So, to sum up: If you want to offer an alternative, please give me its dimensions and specs or where I can learn about it on web.
And, if there is someone who has background on MY project , the wide 338, I'd love to hear about making the brass up. (can I just resize it and move the shoulder back that far?)
Barrels are another thing for a later time.
Gracias, helpers.

 

[Swamplord]

You won't find anything on the internet as I've suppressed all info the last year and a half to protect my designs, now that factory brass is rolling out, reamers are ready and dies coming soon, I may release it sooner than planned but at this point it's in protected status

 

[Wolf76]

sure do, It's my cartridge design

265 gr ABLR in the 338 Razor, faster than the 338 Edge, 338 Lapua and 338-378 Wby can push it, with mild pressures, long brass life and magazine fed... in Remington 700 and Win 70 riflesView attachment 184210

I'd be interested to hear your numbers with the 265 ablr. I find it hard to believe you have a faster cartridge than the ones you referenced.
I've hit 3K with a 260 hammer bullet out of a 26" barreled edge.