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338 Winchester Magnum

AmbroseAmbrose Member Posts: 3,158 ✭✭✭✭
I bought a rebarreled Remington 1903-A3 a couple days ago that was marked .338-06. The first thing I do with a new-to-me rifle is clean the bore and chamber. Chamber seemed a little sloppy when cleaning it with /06 tools. Then noticed the bolt face looked a bit broad, too. Reached into the chamber with my little finger and could feel the recess for a belt! Had some .338 Win Mag cases on the shelf that I use to make .358 Norma and .30-.338 cartridges so, put one in the chamber and the bolt closed very nicely on it. Headspace checks out good for .338 WM.

So, while I'm waiting for .338 WM dies, anybody got favorite loads for the .338 WM. I've got quite a variety of .338 bullets on my shelves from loading the .338/06. Glad I didn't fire a .338/06 cartridge in that chamber--I don't think the /06 case would hold together in a mag. chamber.

Comments

  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    RL19 and a 200gr NBT (except the bastages discontinued them) so now I gotta use up the few that are left and start all over with the 225gr accubonds[:(!]
  • mrbrucemrbruce Member Posts: 3,374
    edited November -1
    Just C--- Nosler makes the Accubond in 180 & 200 grain and they behave exactly like the BT's..
    My 338-284 XP-100 thinks they are the cats butt.........
  • MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member, Moderator Posts: 9,961 ******
    edited November -1
    "Just C--- Nosler makes the Accubond in 180 & 200 grain and they behave exactly like the BT's.."...............+1, with RL19 (I think!) you can get the 200's rolling at 3000fps+ and the same b.c. as a good .30 cal. 180gr.

    just dug up my latest load; 185 gn. tsx, 75.5 gns of h4350 & a fed. 215m primer= 3150 fps @ 4 s.d.
    otherwise a 200 gn nbt in front of 80.5 gns of rl19 & a rem. 9 1/2m primer=3150 fps & 11 s.d.
  • llamallama Member Posts: 2,637 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    And I'd go ahead and cast the chamber, just to be sure!
  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
    "Just C--- Nosler makes the Accubond in 180 & 200 grain and they behave exactly like the BT's.."...............+1, with RL19 (I think!) you can get the 200's rolling at 3000fps+ and the same b.c. as a good .30 cal. 180gr.



    thanks Mike, back when I bought these pills, they didn't have a 200gr accubond, or maybe I just didn't see them[B)] I always start a load ladder with NBT's, they just work so darn well on game.
  • Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    +1 on the cerrocast of the chamber, then measure with micrometers to verify it's a .338 Win Mag and not some wazoo wildcat ".338/.358 Norma Ackley Improved 40 deg." Sometimes you never know what folks have bored the chamber out to.
  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,664 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The 30-338 was a popular 600 yard prone cartridge back when I shot High-Power. It was simply the 338 Winchester Magnum necked down to 30 cal and shooting 200 grain SMK's. At 600 yards the thing shot those big bullets very well.
  • Jim RauJim Rau Member Posts: 3,550
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bpost
    The 30-338 was a popular 600 yard prone cartridge back when I shot High-Power. It was simply the 338 Winchester Magnum necked down to 30 cal and shooting 200 grain SMK's. At 600 yards the thing shot those big bullets very well.
    Some referred to it as the '30 FBI' because the FBI experimented with it as a snipers round.
    I personally like the 225 gr bullets in my 338. I will try and look up some of my loads for you. I used it in AK, but not much use for it in AL![;)]
  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ambrose:

    Cast the chamber and measure carefully.

    quote:Headspace checks out good for .338 WM.

    And it would check out 'good' with any other belted magnum headspace gauge for any of the current belted cartridge cases. The gauge itself is set for a 0.220" thickness (or height/length) from the face of the rim to the front of the belt. This dimension applies to all belted cases with 0.532" rims and is generic for all calibers.

    The exceptions are for the cartridge diameter; the .240 Weatherby (0.473" rim/belt dia), the larger Weatherby cartridges based on the 0.582" rim/belt diameter. The other exception is the .450 Marlin which uses a 0.252" headspace dimension with the standard 0.532" rim/belt diameter.

    Best.
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