Maybe this is the rifle I need to use as I get older !

[dgr416]

I have a tang safety ruger with the beautiful Ruger sites that I really like but its a 243 win .I shot a few deer with it no problem but I want more out of this rifle .I love the tang safety I can pull the safety and trigger at the same time as I have for 40 years on my Ruger tang safety 338 win mag .I want a lighter rifle with a tang safety and real floor plate I hate these new plastic magazines or blind mags .I also wonder if there is a good light weight fiberglass stock for these old ruger tang rifles .
THE caliber I want to change it to is 338 federal i think the mag holds 5 rounds and the 338 federal with 225 grain or 200 grain is powerful enough for most game up to elk and interior grizzlies .I want to have this rifle rebored to 338 federal .Is Jes the best one for the job ? I have seen mark II stocks made into tang safety stocks .I this rifle has a 24 inch barrel also thats fine for balance .I dont see me carrying and shooting my 338 win mag I have used 40 years after the age of 70 .Has anyone fooled with the 338 federal? I got lured almost into a couple of 325 wsms but no brass and i dont want to start a new caliber .What do yall think ? Its just a smaller version of what i use now .I put a steel trigger guard and steel floorplate on this rifle already .IT WILL be a few more years before I am 70 but these heavy guns never get lighter to me .I think i can make a 6.5 pound 338 federal out of this rifle .

 

[meigsbucks]

Years ago I switched my tang safety .338 Win mag into a Ram-Line stock. Took a beating but had a hollow butt section that echoed noise. Switched to a Bell & Carlson that was supposed drop in, but ended up needing a lot of sanding and pillars. The recoil pad sucked and needed replaced as well.

 

[dgr416]

Yep i put a ramline on my 338 win mag too was terrible too shoot .I put together a laminated tang safety cromed 338 win mag tang safety looks awesome .Its just heavy to tote a mile .I think this 338 federal will shoot fast being a short action .The 325 wsm looked awesome but i dont want to have to buy a ton more stuff to load it .If it had been a 338 wsm maybe but all the wsms are gone now .

 

[sgt_zim]

I have a tang safety ruger with the beautiful Ruger sites that I really like but its a 243 win .I shot a few deer with it no problem but I want more out of this rifle .I love the tang safety I can pull the safety and trigger at the same time as I have for 40 years on my Ruger tang safety 338 win mag .I want a lighter rifle with a tang safety and real floor plate I hate these new plastic magazines or blind mags .I also wonder if there is a good light weight fiberglass stock for these old ruger tang rifles .
THE caliber I want to change it to is 338 federal i think the mag holds 5 rounds and the 338 federal with 225 grain or 200 grain is powerful enough for most game up to elk and interior grizzlies .I want to have this rifle rebored to 338 federal .Is Jes the best one for the job ? I have seen mark II stocks made into tang safety stocks .I this rifle has a 24 inch barrel also thats fine for balance .I dont see me carrying and shooting my 338 win mag I have used 40 years after the age of 70 .Has anyone fooled with the 338 federal? I got lured almost into a couple of 325 wsms but no brass and i dont want to start a new caliber .What do yall think ? Its just a smaller version of what i use now .I put a steel trigger guard and steel floorplate on this rifle already .IT WILL be a few more years before I am 70 but these heavy guns never get lighter to me .I think i can make a 6.5 pound 338 federal out of this rifle .

Always wanted a 338 Federal.

Nice thing about 225 gr pills at 2400 fps is that's still in the wheelhouse of reliability for non-premium pills.

 

[dgr416]

I think the tang safety Ruger 77s are the pre64 model 70s of our time .It has classic straight stock super smooth to bolt and just looks awesome .My ruger 77 tang safety has been hunted with 40 years just as good as new.

 

[Hedge774]

I would love a 338 Fed. Shame there is no ammo for it available...

 

[dgr416]

There is a ton of 338 federal on ammoseek and gunbroker .I am going to make my own.I have buckets full of 308 brass .I bet lake city brass would be awesome to use .I already have another 243 win ,260 rem , 308 win and a 358 win .I think the 338 federal will work to 250 yards easy with the right bullets .I thought about a 338-06 but except for the weatherby light weight I dont know of any .I wouldnt mind 338 federal semiauto but I want this Ruger rifle in 338 Federal more than any other rifle .

 

[sestoppelman]

Do it! Be a great rifle.

 

[sgt_zim]

I would love a 338 Fed. Shame there is no ammo for it available...

338 bullets are common, so is 308 brass.

 

[sgt_zim]

There is a ton of 338 federal on ammoseek and gunbroker .I am going to make my own.I have buckets full of 308 brass .I bet lake city brass would be awesome to use .I already have another 243 win ,260 rem , 308 win and a 358 win .I think the 338 federal will work to 250 yards easy with the right bullets .I thought about a 338-06 but except for the weatherby light weight I dont know of any .I wouldnt mind 338 federal semiauto but I want this Ruger rifle in 338 Federal more than any other rifle .

For 225 gr pills, you've got quite a few choices with BC north of .45, and that's what it'll take to reach 250 with enough speed for expansion and with enough energy to put through an elk.

For the lighter ones, what you gain in speed you give up in BC and still end up with about the same max distance for reliable terminal performance.

After years of reloading, I finally had that epiphany, have been reloading heavy-for-caliber in everything ever since.

 

[MS 9x56]

There is a ton of 338 federal on ammoseek and gunbroker .I am going to make my own.I have buckets full of 308 brass .I bet lake city brass would be awesome to use .I already have another 243 win ,260 rem , 308 win and a 358 win .I think the 338 federal will work to 250 yards easy with the right bullets .I thought about a 338-06 but except for the weatherby light weight I dont know of any .I wouldnt mind 338 federal semiauto but I want this Ruger rifle in 338 Federal more than any other rifle .

That is reason enough to make it happen and yes JES is the man for the job.

 

[Rolly]

I have a tang safety ruger with the beautiful Ruger sites that I really like but its a 243 win .I shot a few deer with it no problem but I want more out of this rifle .I love the tang safety I can pull the safety and trigger at the same time as I have for 40 years on my Ruger tang safety 338 win mag .I want a lighter rifle with a tang safety and real floor plate I hate these new plastic magazines or blind mags .I also wonder if there is a good light weight fiberglass stock for these old ruger tang rifles .
THE caliber I want to change it to is 338 federal i think the mag holds 5 rounds and the 338 federal with 225 grain or 200 grain is powerful enough for most game up to elk and interior grizzlies .I want to have this rifle rebored to 338 federal .Is Jes the best one for the job ? I have seen mark II stocks made into tang safety stocks .I this rifle has a 24 inch barrel also thats fine for balance .I dont see me carrying and shooting my 338 win mag I have used 40 years after the age of 70 .Has anyone fooled with the 338 federal? I got lured almost into a couple of 325 wsms but no brass and i dont want to start a new caliber .What do yall think ? Its just a smaller version of what i use now .I put a steel trigger guard and steel floorplate on this rifle already .IT WILL be a few more years before I am 70 but these heavy guns never get lighter to me .I think i can make a 6.5 pound 338 federal out of this rifle .

Since you have buckets of 308 brass, might I suggest that you rechamber and rebore your rifle to 358 Winchester. Bullets are available and 308 brass can be readily resized to 358 Win.

 

[AZDAVE]

It is a very good round. That and the 358 win are both very under rated. Had 338Fed years ago and gifted it to a friends son. he has shot everything from moose down. Since you have plenty of 308 brass you are in business. I say go for it.

 

[Ruraldoc]

The 338 Federal is a great cartridge that can do about anything in North America and anything smaller than Cape Buffalo in Africa.

It does have more recoil than the 308. If rifle weight and recoil are a concern for you, I would probably just go with a 308.

It is very popular in Alaska and Africa because it just works.

 

[MS 9x56]

Since you have buckets of 308 brass, might I suggest that you rechamber and rebore your rifle to 358 Winchester. Bullets are available and 308 brass can be readily resized to 358 Win.

He already has a 358 see post #7.

 

[dchamp]

You might try a full bedded Hogue Stock. They make them for the Ruger 77 MKll. I don’t know about the Tang Safety. https://www.hogueinc.com/ruger-m77-...ard-barrel-full-bed-block-stock-ghillie-green
They’re worth looking into.

I have one on my Remington 700 8mm Rem Mag. It sure makes it much more pleasant to shoot. I love mine.

 

[dgr416]

I have a ton of 338 bullets and love that caliber .This barrel is too think to make into a 358 barrel but will work with .338 federal .Yes i do already have that .358 win sav 99 thats like new .I bought the 358 win 99 to trade for a sav 99 in 375 win if i ever see one .Anyway I know this rifle which already has a steel floorplate and steel trigger guard will be awesome in 338 federal .I BOUGHT a kimber hunter in 6.5 needmore which is 6.25 poinds scoped but i dont Trust it above deer over 150 pounds and I just shot a 240 pound buck with 338 win mag that refused to die .I had first hsngfire ever still hit him after 2 second delay .I love these tang safety rugers one of the fastest to shoot first shot snd fastest to bolt bolt actions ever .I shot 4 running deer in a field all trotting at 350 to 400 yards got all 4 with 4 shots .The problem was they were in the middle of 8 foot high briar patch .
I HAVE sbout 150 to 200 speer grand slam 225 grain bullets that would be awesone in this rifle .They shot 3/4 incb groups at 200 yards out of my 338 win mag .My best friend Loyd used one of my 338s with those bullets to shoot 7 moose 15 to 350 years dead in their tracks one shot .He also shot a 7.5 foot griz that attacked him on his 4 wheeler that bear didnt want to die 7 shoots with 338 win mag with 250 grain bullets .Yes this little 338 federal ruger will be my last big game rifle .