.333 O.K.H.

[TX_GreatPlains]

I would NOT consider using a 300 gr .338 on African DG in an '06 case. No way, no how! Maybe a 250 gr properly-selected modern bullet in a larger cased 338 for cats or croc. The OKH is NOT a DG gun. It's what we like to call, one of the first renditions of the "poor man's magnum," which it fails short of, but fine for NA game. Was it Gibbs that did such things prior to OKH? You could take a leopard or croc with it, but again, I'd channel Ruark! The 338-06 A-Sq is phenomenally accurate (as are all my .338s.) The 338 A-Sq is tied for 3 most accurate guns, ever, but the 06 will shoot <0.75" groups all day. Elk, black bear and deer is where it's at. There's a story in the Barnes manual about Chub Eastman being on a (moose I think) hunt and encountering a big brown bear, so he took it with the .338-06 he was carrying for moose (using 250 gr TSX) "and fell in-love with it." LOL NOT my 1st choice for coastal brown bear (but the bullet did the work at close range)!

I agree with you completely and so did Keith. I was thinking “Big game” as I have referenced in prior post but I said Dangerous game. Thank you for excellent input.

 

[Huvius]

I agree, I also don't understand how they were able to get 2400fps out of a '06 case...

And did they?

I mean, I can't imagine chronographs being that plentiful back then, how did they actually determine that velocity?
Did they actually have access to a chronograph?

And if they did have access to a chronograph, once again, how did they manage to get that velocity safely?

Well before Keith was developing his cartridges, chronograph technology was quite accurate. Just as if today, we match bullet weight and published velocity for Edwardian double rifles, they have a good chance of regulating. They weren’t just guessing at it.
Also, modern manufacturers exercise a certain amount of CYA in what they publish and market.
Not so in the days of the original wildcatters.
In those days, hand loaders seemed only interested in squeezing out the most they could. Almost without exception, when I go through old fired brass from my Great Uncle’s hoard, the primers are way flattened, if I pull bullets, the powder charges are always compressed and weigh above published maximums of today’s manuals.
I’m sure they just worked up their loads until the groups started to open up or the primers flowed too much or the bolt lift became too stiff.

 

[C.W. Richter]

i see here the 333 belted was different and made from the (1958 338 WM cartridge). Its ballistics have to be much better than the 06 variant, but that's covered (and exceeded) today with modern true magnum length 338s. The 338-06 is the modern 333 OKH in 06 cases. The OKH wildcat cartridges were first developed in the 1940s. The OKH ( O’Neil-Keith-Hopkins”) for the load designers, Charles O’Neil, ( a great custom firearms maker) Don Hopkins (famous dangerous game hunter) , and Elmer Keith (famous firearm writer) These were famous men in the wildcat and rifle fields back in the day. Working out loads, shooting and experimenting with wildcats, which many will know cartridges came about in today’s marketplace Here are a few of the OKH wildcats” .265 OKH from the .30-06 Sprinfield case .285 OKH from the .30-06 Springfield case .333 OKH “Belted” from .338 Winchester Magnum case .333 OKH ”Rimless” from .30-06 Springfield case .334 OKH from the.300 H&H Magnum case .424 OKH from the .375 H&H Magnum case .475 OKH from the .375 H&H Magnum case. There was also some others the men produced including: .250 O’Neil from the .30 Newton case, and two experimental 6mm OKH from the 338 Winchester Magnum case 7mm OKH from the .375 H&H Magnum case.( also called the .280 OKH by some people.