338-06 OR 338 Scovill

[Tallwalker]

As a previous poster said, today there are several standard calibers in that range. If the .338 Federal doesn't do it for you then the .338 Ruger, .338 WM, or the new .338 Marlin Express should. Wildcatting is fun, but I find it only necessary when trying to fill a niche that the factories havne't addressed. Smaller capacity .30 cal cast bullet calibers come to mind, and things like that.

[banjoman]

As a previous poster said, today there are several standard calibers in that range. If the .338 Federal doesn't do it for you then the .338 Ruger, .338 WM, or the new .338 Marlin Express should. Wildcatting is fun, but I find it only necessary when trying to fill a niche that the factories havne't addressed.

So why didn't one of the factorys just adopt the 338-06 instead of re inventing the wheel with the  338federal, 338RCM, and the 338 Marlin express none of them do anything any better than the 338-06. I see it as just a way for the factorys to get the consumer to buy their crap instead of some body elses.

[Coyote Hunter]

So why didn't one of the factorys just adopt the 338-06 instead of re inventing the wheel with the  338federal, 338RCM, and the 338 Marlin express none of them do anything any better than the 338-06. I see it as just a way for the factorys to get the consumer to buy their crap instead of some body elses.

So why didn't one of the factorys just adopt the 338-06 instead of re inventing the wheel with the  338federal, 338RCM, and the 338 Marlin express none of them do anything any better than the 338-06. I see it as just a way for the factorys to get the consumer to buy their crap instead of some body elses.

In a world where there are many people who shoot factory ammo exclusively, there is a need for a diversity of products.  The fact that you can handload a .338-06 down to .338 Federal velocities is of no use to the people that don’t handload.  Then there is the minor detail that no matter how hard you try you cannot fit a .338-06 round in a short action.  While action length and weight are not particularly important to me, short actions do shave a few ounces off a rifle and make for a handier rifle.

The Marlin cartridge fits a niche that neither the .338-06 or .338 Federal factory ammo can hope to fill – the need for ammo that is safe in Marlin lever action guns.   The Marlin actions are simply not suited to the pressures developed by the other cartridges.  The .338 Marlin provides a significant extension to the range and power of medium bore Marlin rifles.

Bear in mind that all cartridges, even the .30-06, started out as new cartridges and most had their naysayers at the time.   Smokeless powder had its detractors when it was first introduced, too.  I welcome new cartridges and am quite willing to let the market decide which will be the winners.

[crash87]

"So why didn't one of the factorys just adopt the 338-06" They did, It was adopted By A-Square, so for all practical purposes it is now refered to as the 338-06 A-Square. Haven't you heard of it? Probably not, in my opinion if you want to out a death sentence on something have A-Square get involved. Weatherby chambered it, in rifles when it was adopted and Norma makes the brass and loaded ammo. Why the death sentence, look at anything A-Square, i.e. expensive, No...VERY expensive! AND if it is now listed in SAAMI why hasn't Remington or Winchester started producing ammo? ( probably not enough instantanious $$$$) But then again I believe its a niche cartridge, like its big brother, the 35 Whelen, a cartridge the gun writers liked to pit against the 338-06 and make it look like the loser, eventually they won out. Also, IF one doesnt handload, I believe you will see them opt for the parents,30-06 or 308WCF long before going to one of the off spring.(ammo availability, price, popularity, all there buddies have one, etc.) Two very fine cartridges, one given a chance the other barely given, But as handloaders, it looks as though "we" do know better.

[coyotejoe]

Ya gotta love it when folks apply the Taylor formula to things he said it had no application to then argue over the numbers you get. It applied to big bore SOLIDS used on big bag African game like elephants and such. It has zero application to expanding soft points or small bore bullets.

RIGHT ON GB!!! That's been a long term pet peeve for me, people use John Taylor's name to back their own opinions while applying Taylor's formula in exactly the way Taylor himself said it should never be applied! They even carry it to the absurd by applying it to handgun bullets on human targets.
 Lots of folks like to claim that "momentum" is a better indication of power than is kinetic energy. But since recoil momentum of the firearm is always greater than impact momentum of the projectile, I've never yet heard an explaination as to why their guns aren't more deadly at the rear than at the front.
 I guess we just have to overlook that little fly in the ointment.

[charles p]

Will someone provide the data for a 280AI in a 26" barrel with a Rem 7mmMag in the same barrel length.  Use 140 grain bullets.

I have both rifles and would like to know the difference.  I shoot 140 in both.  The AI seems easier on the shoulder.  Maybe it's just the rifle weight.  My AI is heavy.

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  After looking over this thread I was interested to find you folks generally have the same opinion of Scovill and his stuff that I do. Handloader and Rifle used to be two fine and useful magazines.   Since Scovill took the helm, to me they are not worth the purchase price. Barness was as bad Scovill. He was mainly a fisherman /meat hunter until the job came with the gun mag. suddenly he becomes an authority of rifles and their uses.  The last time I looked he was not with the Scovill road show, but it was a small loss.

[Drilling Man]

Will someone provide the data for a 280AI in a 26" barrel with a Rem 7mmMag in the same barrel length.  Use 140 grain bullets.

I have both rifles and would like to know the difference.  I shoot 140 in both.  The AI seems easier on the shoulder.  Maybe it's just the rifle weight.  My AI is heavy.

  "If" you REALLY want to know the difference, then you NEED to chronograph YOUR rifles to see what THEY are doing velocity wise...  That's the only way you will know for sure...

  DM

[nomosendero]

Will someone provide the data for a 280AI in a 26" barrel with a Rem 7mmMag in the same barrel length.  Use 140 grain bullets.

I have both rifles and would like to know the difference.  I shoot 140 in both.  The AI seems easier on the shoulder.  Maybe it's just the rifle weight.  My AI is heavy.

  "If" you REALLY want to know the difference, then you NEED to chronograph YOUR rifles to see what THEY are doing velocity wise...  That's the only way you will know for sure...

  DM

Amen to that!!

And when you check the vel., your results won't tell you the differnce in vel. of the 2 cartridges, but rather the difference in your 2 rifles. I say this because you can have 2 of the same barrel length 7 mags on the bench & firing the same load in each you can have a good deal of diff. in velocity, I have seen this happen several times.
And this confirms even more that you HAVE TO check the vel. in your individual guns.

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  nomosendero, what you say is very, very true. My 7mm. Rem. only performs top drawer with one powder. My pal has a bunch of 7's. One factory 24" barreled 700 that I sold him will shoot as fast or faster than some with a 26 in. barrel He would have never know this if he had not run them across the chrony

[gldprimr]

I had a Model 70 rebarreled to 338 Scovill instead of the 338-06.

Having done it once, I can say that if I did it again it would be the standare 338-06,
which is a lot easier to deal with in terms of case forming, etc.

I did not find that the 338 Scovill gave me any better velocity than data for a standard
338-06.  My experience FWIW to you.

[Tonk]

I took a slick barrel 30-06 and turned it into a model 70 .338/06 just for grins but it had a spot in my hunting routine later down the road. It became my back up rifle to my .338 win mag and then because of being lighter, sort of took the top spot, when in the high country looking for those big bull elk.

I load it up with 210 grain Nosler Partitions and it cranks em out at 2850fps! Not the faster shooting rifle but it gets them there in plenty of time to greet a bull elk or cow as well. It hits em good and kills just as clean as my .338 mag with bigger bullets.