338s Are A Great Caliber

[Luederitz]

Next project will be a Mauser 66 which will be rebarreled from .375 H&H to .33 Nosler.
Reamer, die and brass are ordered and on the way, barrel is at the gunsmith...

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

having owned a 338 and a 375, i see little use for a 338.
real world loads revealed that the 375 shot as flat, and just has more versatility.
recent use of 9.3x64 puts that ahead of the 338 as well.
bruce.

@bruce moulds
And with the advent if new powders the 35 Whelen is now in the same or better class than the 338.
I can't see the 338 to be any better than the Whelen when both can be loaded with the the same weight projectiles for the same velocity.
Bob.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

russ,
with your love for the 300 wby, i am surprised you don't also have a 340.
i wonder why roy didn't bring out a 350 wby.
bob would have promoted it for him.
bruce.

@bruce moulds.
I doubt it a @Bruce moulds. The Whelen when loaded properly is a fine cartridge. Yes the Norma and the STA may be better but at what price. More recoil,powder and the standard projectiles don't work as well as they do at the slightly slower Whelen speeds.
The Whelen with a good quality bullet at 338 speeds is just fine.
Bob

 

[bruce moulds]

@bruce moulds
And with the advent if new powders the 35 Whelen is now in the same or better class than the 338.
I can't see the 338 to be any better than the Whelen when both can be loaded with the the same weight projectiles for the same velocity.
Bob.

bob, rather than compare weights, it might be fairer to compare sectional densities.
bruce.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

if roy has no 35 cal, maybe bob could look at a 358 stw for when he really want to get down and boogey.
his enfield actions are big enough to take it.
bruce.

@bruce moulds
Already have a beautiful M17 35 Whelen AI that's for sale if you would like to rechamber it to 35STA even has a 25inch Douglas competition barrel and muzzle brake. $ 1,500 and it's yours complete with dies and 60 fire formed cases. A rechamber job and you have your 35STA
Bob.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Oh Bob, your teasing those of us that live across the vast ocean(s)! Very nice rifle!

 

[bruce moulds]

bob,
the sta would fit in very well with camels in open sandhill country.
flat trajectory and power at the receiving end would be available.
bruce.

 

[CoElkHunter]

bob,
the sta would fit in very well with camels in open sandhill country.
flat trajectory and power at the receiving end would be available.
bruce.

Or a .338 Lapua? For the size of a camel at distance, it might be a great choice? If you could get brass, dies, etc. Probably not?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Maybe I could make a set of dies and we could neck down a 460 Weatherby cartridge to a 35 just for Bob. Could be the “.35 Whacker” . I was going to suggest the 375 cartridge necked down but I believe that is what the 350 G&H is. All kidding aside Bob...you did turn me on to that cartridge...I am thinking the Whelen is gonna be the cartridge I get for my lightweight all weather mountain rifle soon whenever we start seeing ammo and reloading stuff available again.

@Whacker.
Stop thinking and do it Whack. The sooner you do it the longer you have to appreciate it . Start with a light weight 25 ought six then get a prefit 1 in 12 Whelen barrel and you have the ideal combo.
Bob

 

[CoElkHunter]

Next project will be a Mauser 66 which will be rebarreled from .375 H&H to .33 Nosler.
Reamer, die and brass are ordered and on the way, barrel is at the gunsmith...

Just curious, why the .33 Nosler vs. a .338WM? Brass would be easier to obtain?

 

[gbflyer]

I own a 700LH in .338 win mag. It has accounted for Sitka blacktail, moose, elk, and brown bear. If I could only keep one, that would be it.

I have a .338 Federal project underway, awaiting the reamer from Dave Manson. The local hardware ended up with several boxes of ammo for it, accidentally. Got a great deal on them. I have additional brass, bullets, dies, and barrel. May put it on a Tikka or one of my Borden’s.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I own a 700LH in .338 win mag. It has accounted for Sitka blacktail, moose, elk, and brown bear. If I could only keep one, that would be it.

I have a .338 Federal project underway, awaiting the reamer from Dave Manson. The local hardware ended up with several boxes of ammo for it, accidentally. Got a great deal on them. I have additional brass, bullets, dies, and barrel. May put it on a Tikka or one of my Borden’s.

@gbflyer
Go load the federal with 185 grain Barnes and have fun. A friend had one and used it quite successfully on water buff and scrub bulls until he built hiswildcat 358 Mitchell Express.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Just curious, why the .33 Nosler vs. a .338WM? Brass would be easier to obtain?

@BeeMaa
Why a 33 anything when you can pick a perfectly good 35.
35 rem, 358 win, 35 Whelen, 358 Norma and 358 STA. Surely any one of those will fill your needs.
Bob

 

[MS 9x56]

I love my Browning A Bolt .338WM. Have shot all my elk with it using 225gr Super Premium Core Lokt bullets! But since I’ve entered the CRF action world, I wish CZ made a 550 model in that caliber?

I believe you can still get the 338 in the new model 70 from winchester. That is a cry rifle also.

 

[CoElkHunter]

@gbflyer
Go load the federal with 185 grain Barnes and have fun. A friend had one and used it quite successfully on water buff and scrub bulls until he built hiswildcat 358 Mitchell Express.
Bob

Ok, I give, what comprises the .358 Mitchell Express? Is this some of your handiwork Bob?
CEH

 

[Boyd Brooks]

Has someone, not built a 35 Nosler yet?

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Ok, I give, what comprises the .358 Mitchell Express? Is this some of your handiwork Bob?
CEH

@CoElkHunter
No it's an 8x57 case ackley improved and necked up to 35 cal.
Sits between the 358 win and pushes hard on t h e Whelen. It's named after a friend of mine Ted Mitchell.
If you Google it you will find out all about it and have some interesting reading.
Bob

 

[PaulT]

I believe you can still get the 338 in the new model 70 from winchester. That is a cry rifle also.

I wish we could still get them here in Aus.

Winchester Aus has ceased importing the M70 for reasons known only to themselves.

As a result, store shelves of new M70's have been wiped clean and they are difficult/impossible to find and begining to command decent money on the second hand market.

 

[CoElkHunter]

@CoElkHunter
No it's an 8x57 case ackley improved and necked up to 35 cal.
Sits between the 358 win and pushes hard on t h e Whelen. It's named after a friend of mine Ted Mitchell.
If you Google it you will find out all about it and have some interesting reading.
Bob

Bob,
I looked it up. Nice!
CEH

 

[lwaters]

Does anyone on the forum use a 338 Winchester with a 22” barrel ?
I am pondering having one of mine cut to 22” for moose and bear should I bump into one. I have almost decided that I am. The area that it would be hunted with is limited to a 225 yard shot, and usually much closer.
For the past several years, I have been using 20” barrels on 375 and 416 Rugers. So, I don’t foresee trajectory/ballistic issues. I do see a bit easier handling in the tangles and confined spaces.

Going to a 22in barrel is probably alright but it would be on par with a 338-06.