338 Win Questions

[JG26Irish_2]

Having never had a 338, what grain bullets and what type of MV should I be looking for?

I can give you an idea. I have a Sako 85 in 338wm with 24" bbl. It shoots the Barnes 225g TSX with MV of 2925fps. A later lot chrono'ed a bit slower. My son has a 338wm custom Mauser with a 22" bbl and it is about 50fps slower with the Barnes ammo and ran 2750fps using the Nosler AB factory ammo which is loaded a good bit milder than the Barnes stuff. I have a Ruger 338rcm also with a 22" bbl that spits out the 225g SST ammo at 2738fps. Dropping 3" to your 19" bbl should put you in the 2600fps range with the same Nosler ammo I would guess-timate. That is still plenty fast for such a large pill.

Shoot it first. My short bbl Ruger 338 is one of my favorite hunting rifles. As long as you are not looking to shoot things 500y away, you may have a winner.

 

[dchum]

As long as you are not looking to shoot things 500y away, you may have a winner.

Even a 2600fps the 225gr accubond is close to 1900fps at 500 yards. So theoretically you would be good to go at 500.

But I expect tha 19” to do a bit more than 2600 imo.

 

[Choupique]

expect tha 19” to do a bit more than 2600 imo

Agreed. 2750+ pretty easily id say

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have recently come into possession of a 338 Win rifle. It’s a left handed model 70. It’s a stainless version that has had some work done to it before I got it. It was in a smallish aftermarket stock, which I have already changed out. Then barrel has been shortened to 19 inches. I haven’t shot it yet and not sure what I want to do with it. Keep it as is, use it as a donor for a build or try to move it along. As far as building a new rifle, I’ve pretty much have all caliber windows covered between .25 to .416 so not sure what I might build but I’m open to suggestions.

Does the shorter barrel pose any potential problems? Loss of velocity? I could see some advantages for use in thicker brush with shorter shot distances, if velocity would be an issue.

Thoughts from the AH braintrust would be appreciated.

@Fatback
With that short a barrel you may as well have a 338 Federal. The velocity drop would be significant.
Everytime you pull the trigger that bitch is going to slapp you silly and deafen you, not to mention the six feet of flame that will come out the muzzle.
If'n y'all ain't got a use for the rifle fire one shot and you will send it down the road with pleasure. After all it's only a 338. The saving grace is it's a left hand action.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have a 26" barrel model 70 338 and shoot 250gr at 2700fps and 230gr at 2730fps

@Wyfox
I have a humble 35 Whelen that shoots 250s to the same speed and up your speeds with a 225gn to 2,900fps and that's in a 24" barrel.
As I have been trying to tell @CoElkHunter fer a few years now his 338 ain't doing nothing the Whelen ain't doing better and to sell that 338 and got hisef a Whelen.
Problem is he won't listen because he loves his itty bitty 338.
Bob

 

[45-70guy]

These days with good ammo and powders, and if applicable a dial scope for your load velocity doesn’t even matter anymore for the most part. A bullet designed for the velocities your running is all you need.
20” barrels are my favorite go to, I like shorter but a 20 is like the best middle ground.
I run 24”s , I run 22’s, I run 20’s, I run 18’s , all in the same caliber and rifle configuration and never have I seen a difference in terminal performance on animals within my hunting ranges.
On my data sheet they are running different velocities as far as the math but it’s not enough to be a game changer.

 

[45-70guy]

Bob as much as we want everyone to use the 35 whelen we also don’t want supplies to dry up completely! Besides then I’ll have to use another cartridge because I hate to use w

@Wyfox
I have a humble 35 Whelen that shoots 250s to the same speed and up your speeds with a 225gn to 2,900fps and that's in a 24" barrel.
As

@Wyfox
I have a humble 35 Whelen that shoots 250s to the same speed and up your speeds with a 225gn to 2,900fps and that's in a 24" barrel.
As I have been trying to tell @CoElkHunter fer a few years now his 338 ain't doing nothing the Whelen ain't doing better and to sell that 338 and got hisef a Whelen.
Problem is he won't listen because he loves his itty bitty 338.
Bob

Bob if everyone changes over to 35 whelen it’s only going to make it harder for us to find components lol
Though I have enough but I can’t use what’s in popular demand. Happened with me and the 45-70. Years later it became a fad.
Company argue with the performance though, it’s my go to.

 

[gbflyer]

I think you'll like the shorter barrel. A .338 WM gets carried way more than it gets fired.

 

[Hififile324]

I have recently come into possession of a 338 Win rifle. It’s a left handed model 70. It’s a stainless version that has had some work done to it before I got it. It was in a smallish aftermarket stock, which I have already changed out. Then barrel has been shortened to 19 inches. I haven’t shot it yet and not sure what I want to do with it. Keep it as is, use it as a donor for a build or try to move it along. As far as building a new rifle, I’ve pretty much have all caliber windows covered between .25 to .416 so not sure what I might build but I’m open to suggestions.

Does the shorter barrel pose any potential problems? Loss of velocity? I could see some advantages for use in thicker brush with shorter shot distances, if velocity would be an issue.

Thoughts from the AH braintrust would be appreciated.

If you like the rifle and it fits you, keep it. 338WM is a very useful cartridge. If it was my project, I would send the rifle to Pac-Nor barrels and have a 22" bbl installed with their muzzle brake, and have the action blue printed and trued. You will have a very easy shooting, match accurate big game rifle. My first 3 elk were taken with the .338 using Hornady 225 gr. Interlock bullets. Each elk one shot DRT. My rifle was more accurate than my .308 Target rifle and very shootable!

 

[Wyfox]

@Wyfox
I have a humble 35 Whelen that shoots 250s to the same speed and up your speeds with a 225gn to 2,900fps and that's in a 24" barrel.
As I have been trying to tell @CoElkHunter fer a few years now his 338 ain't doing nothing the Whelen ain't doing better and to sell that 338 and got hisef a Whelen.
Problem is he won't listen because he loves his itty bitty 338.
Bob

338 win mag is still king...

 

[Scott CWO]

One reason I really like the 338 Win Mag is how closely it mirrors 30-06 external ballistics and trajectories. The 210gr 338 is in the 2900 fps range like a 30-06 and 150s. 225gr is around 2800 like a 165 in a 30-06. 250gr is 2700 like a 180 in a 30-06.

Like the 30-06, you don’t need a really long barrel to achieve these velocities. Something in the 22” to 24” is perfect. You also don’t need the super-slow burning powders to achieve these velocities compare to more over-bored cartridges. The 4350 to 4831 zone is where you want to be.

@Fatback listen to this gentleman! This is why I love the 338WM with 225 grain Swift A-Frame, Accubond or TTSX. Fast and devastating on elk, bears, moose and large plains game. I feel the 225 grain balances out everything perfectly in this cartridge and same trajectory as the 30-06 I grew up shooting with 165 grain but more powerful.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I love my 26” barreled Browning A Bolt .338 WINCHESTER MAGNUM. I’ve killed about fourteen elk with it over the years with 225gr Remington Core Lokts because I was ignorant and didn’t know any better. I recently switched to 225gr Barnes TTSXs but haven’t shot anything with them yet. I used 180gr Barnes TTSX in a .300 WINCHESTER MAGNUM on my one African PG hunt and they are devastating. I recently bought a LNIB Browning X Bolt .338 WINCHESTER MAGNUM but I want to replace the crappy Dura Touch stock with a factory walnut before I shoot it. So, the .338 is my go to at least for elk and probably African PG if I partake again. AND, I like the 26” barrels on these but I also like the 20” barrels on my Ruger .375 Guide Gun. Although, that cartridge was designed for the shorter barrels.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I actually have a 338 barrel off of a different Model 70 that is either 24 or 26 inches long. I might have my gunsmith just swap barrels. Another good idea to consider.

I would. I wouldn’t hunt with a .338 WINCHESTER MAGNUM with a barrel under 24”. Just my personal preference. Not to long ago, a LGS had a used Sako “tacticool” .338 WM with a 20” barrel and detachable magazine for a very good price. I him and hawed but ultimately passed.

 

[Choupique]

used Sako “tacticool” .338 WM with a 20” barrel and detachable magazine

Oh man, I would definitely not have been able to resist that

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

338 win mag is still king...

@Wyfox
King of what?????

I think the 338 sits betwixt the 308 and 30-06.
Bob

 

[Badboymelvin]

@Wyfox
I have a humble 35 Whelen that shoots 250s to the same speed and up your speeds with a 225gn to 2,900fps and that's in a 24" barrel.
As I have been trying to tell @CoElkHunter fer a few years now his 338 ain't doing nothing the Whelen ain't doing better and to sell that 338 and got hisef a Whelen.
Problem is he won't listen because he loves his itty bitty 338.
Bob

Remember Bob,

If @CoElkHunter were to load up his .33WM like you Whelen boys load up your .35s, it absolutely WOULD be doing something your Whelen's don't...
Sorry mate, but case capacity and higher working pressure do mean something... and the .338 has the edge on both counts over the Whelen.
If they didn't, I'd sell my .300WM and buy a .30/30 and just load it up!

Russ

 

[Badboymelvin]

I would. I wouldn’t hunt with a .338 WINCHESTER MAGNUM with a barrel under 24”. Just my personal preference. Not to long ago, a LGS had a used Sako “tacticool” .338 WM with a 20” barrel and detachable magazine for a very good price. I him and hawed but ultimately passed.

I'm with you mate; 24"-26" is the go for a .338WM IMO...

Russ

 

[Badboymelvin]

338 win mag is still king...

I agree... awesome cartridge.

Russ

 

[Badboymelvin]

If I didn't already own my 425 Express, I'd probably sell my .300WM and just use a .338WM for everything. It's that good...

Russ

 

[50Gunner]

Had around 250 sticks of old WW-Super 338 WM brass, awhile back I wanted to develop one be all end all load for my 1965 year long extractor 24 inch barreled FN Browning Medallion 338 WM, neck sized cases bumping the shoulders back 0.002 inch, cleaned primer pockets, tumbled all cases clean, ran them through the ugly annealer, trimmed all to length and deburred case mouths.

With H-4350, FED-215's and the mighty 250gr Barnes LRX I found excellent accuracy at 2680 fps, I stopped right there and mathed the load, with an 1-5/8ths sight height I zeroed out at 25 yards, the bullet landed center and three inches high at 100 yards, fired a ragged 1/2 inch hole four shot group, that load will zero again at near 245 yards, -5" at 300 and 18 inches down at 400 yards with a remaining velocity of 2125 fps at 400 yards here at 555 feet elevation.

The 250gr Barnes LRX will be a dirty rotten hide, meat and bone grinding deep hole cutter, no worries if you blow all four petals off on truly heavy game up close, at that time you will then have an expanded flat nosed solid bullet like those costing two or three times more in price looking for an exit on heavy game.

At only 2680 fps the .6 b.c. of the bullet just keeps going and going as hunting ranges increase, it will catch and pass many bullets started hundreds of fps faster, I believe Barnes states they will expand down to 1600 fps, that is well past 800 yards for those that might want to laser range with twisty scope turrets, YOU can also pick your path to the vitals regardless of the angle presented by the animal, I'll hunt my old load with 250gr partitions at 2750 out because they're very accurate and effective as well, too good to waste just to get the brass back, once they're hunted out those WW-Super cases will get the same treatment then loaded with the 250gr LRX, done deal and more than GTG.