338-06

I've got a growing interest in this round. Do any of y'all have any experience with it? I've read some interweb stuff with folks comparing 338-06 ,30-06 and 35 whelen but figured I'd ask the real experts.

I have a 338-06 Ackley improved. Not a lot of difference in performance over the standard. Its a fine round, and I can get within 150 FPS of 338 win mag performance with 200 - 225 grain bullets. I'm shooting 200 gr Hornady SST bullets for deer and it makes large holes in Alabama whitetais. No tracking necessary. I'm going to try and work up a load with 210 gr Nosler partitions and see if I get good accuracy.

Did you resize 30-06 brass or order 338-06 brass ? The only brass I've found was around $2 per case.

Good all around big game stomper.

I resized Lapua 30-06 brass. The only manufacturers of 338-06 brass are Norma and Nosler, which may actually be the same brass, and it can be hard to find. Easy as pie to do with a tapered expander ball and since I had to fire form the brass anyways it seemed logical.

FWIW, I also have a 35 Whelen Ackley improved. Nothing wrong with that one, but I feel like the bullet selections in 338 caliber give the nod to the 338-06. JMHO.

Thanks for the feedback . You're right about the brass. All I could find was Norma brass and I have hundreds of 30-06 brass .

No expert at all but unless I was looking at longer ranges than typical Alabama hunting,I would consider the 338 Federal as well. I say that though because I usually prefer smaller lighter rifles and I walk more than sitting most times hunting.

If you are gonna handload then the 338-06 will be by far cheaper than the 338 federal. Simply because you can find cheap or free 06 brass anywhere.

The 338-06 is a really good wildcat cartridge. 338win mag performance while burning less powder. It’s on my list of future builds for sure. It also can be run in shorter length barrels without effecting velocity as much as a shorter length win mag.

I always thought a 338-06 barrel would be nice on a Kimber Montana 84L,

Well,I had to go check it out to make sure but I don't know why there would e more 30/06 brass to neck up than 308 brass,to make 338 Federal. Yes,the 06 would give more velocity but I just don't need one for a long range gun. I would be shooting something in 7mm or 30 cal at distance. Not that the 338/06 wouldn't be great,I just don't see an argument for needing the extra range in that caliber. I would personally prefer a lighter gun with less recoil that still hits hard at any range I will likely ever shoot.

I've only had my 338-06 AI a couple of seasons, but it hits like the hammer of Thor from what I've seen. The 200 gr SST opens up easily and makes large exit holes on little Alabama whitetails. I'm shooting it at 2860 FPS muzzle velocity, and although I don't use it for long range hunting, it will deliver plenty of punch out to 300-400 yards if I needed it. The 338 federal would struggle to break 2500 FPS in a 22 in barrel. The 338-06 will nip at the heels of the 338 win mag and blow the doors off the 338 federal.

Sure it will,but my point was,how much do I need to kill a deer at 200 yards and under? Larger critters I can see.

One factor is to look at the velocities needed to open these 338 bullets that are all probably constructed with potential 338 win mag in mind. 338 federal would be one more step departed from the 338-06. Just something to think about in bullet availability.

Exactly. Unless you are going to shoot 180 gr 338 cal bullets, the 338 federal is limited in bullet choices. Read the Sierra loading guide and it will tell you that the design of their bullets is for 338 win mag velocities and ranges with their bullets in the 338-06 should be limited due to this. A 200 gr SST from the 338 federal is down to @ 2200 fps at 100 yards, which is on the low end of velocity necessary for good expansion for these heavier constructed bullets.

On the other hand, many bullets of lighter construction have been made for the 358 Winchester. Not really the case for the 338 federal.

Energy RH. Sometimes it’s not about long range but more about delivering more energy at normal distances. The 338-06 will do that better than the federal.

I would think the seirra game kings would be a good bullet since they are designed to expand at low velocity.

Read the Sierra loading guide. It uses different lead alloys in larger calibers to make them tougher. My guess is it would work good at impact velocities above 2400 FPS, but that is only about 100 yards at 338-06 velocities.

Did 38 .338-06@2680 200 grain speers.(why 38? Some maroon lost 2 at the range!) Not the most accurate nor most powerful...but that Thor fella's hammer had nothing on those speers.

I didn't realize that. I do now... I'll check that out. I loaded about 50 gk up for my 30-06 but I never shot an animal with them.

Call Sierra, but I doubt any bullet will be designed to not mushroom below 2400

See below from the Sierra manual about the 215 and 250 GK bullets. My guess is you would be fine with the 215 GK out to 200 yards or so as long as you had your muzzle velocity around 2700 FPS. This bullet has a BC of .485 which will give you around 2400 FPS @ 200 yards with 2700 FPS MV. Below that velocity I suspect it will mushroom, but not much larger than caliber diameter. JMHO.

FWIW I have liked Varget in my rifle. Tried H4350, but ES on velocities was @ 75 FPS, and my ES with Varget is @ 16 FPS and better accuracy.

The hardest part about shooting these bigger bullets at whitetail deer is bullet selection. I much prefer the 35's bullet selection for Whitetails you can use the 200 grain Hornady Spire Point or FTX. The 225 Sierra is deadly on whitetails. The 220 Speer Flat Nose is a show stopper you just might want to load it down in a Whelen. For things up to moose and brown bear.... Partitions and Accubonds and even a TSX that should make at least some on here's head explode. Too bad the .35 Barnes aren't 95 grainers or every Barnes fan on ALDeer would bum rush the gun store looking for a Whelen.. All the .35's are geared around Whelen velocities, so nothing crazy. The Whelen kicks like a 30-06 and kills like a 375. The 338-06 is only hindered by having a few bullets geared towards Win Mag and Weatherby velocities mixed in. Not a major issue.

None of the bullet debate really matters at all if you are going to shoot a bear or elk, etc. .338-06 is just a solid round in my book. This is a Ford vs Chevy argument really. Love them both.

The reality is with good shot placement and a bullet that gets expansion at your desired velocity..... it's gonna be "live action" like the Turtle Man said with DRT performance in about any load on a deer.

If you haven't tried some of these big bullets at moderate velocities on deer.... you haven't been living right.

Yep.....great pair 358 Win with 225g SGKs on WT.