Kicking around a 338-284.

[Glenn Powell]

Here is what I have: Stiller Predator short action, 308 bolt face(on order) 6mm&7mm Hart barrels, fluted for finish at 20" #3 contour. I haven't made up my mind on stock yet, but it will be light with blind Wyatt magazine. Trigger will be a Shilen. Tally lightweight rings. Extra barrels are cheaper than complete rifles and I can only shoot one at a time any how.

The 6mm will be a 6×6.5×47L, for small game, and the 7mm will be a 7mm-08AI for critters up to 400lbs or so. Now I am contemplating something with a bigger diameter bullet for moose and stuff. Enter the 338-284. I am thinking it should get 338-06 velocity or close to it and better than the 338 Federal with all bullets. My concern is feeding three different size cases through the same action.

Let's hear it, pros/cons/rants.

 

[areaone]

Why not a 243, 284, and 338 Fed., Dies are readily available and you are not giving up much on either, whats 100-150 fps. KISS theory, should not be a problem feeding any of them. AI may have a feed problem, I say "may" have., for the 338/284---DIES??? To make life simpler go with a long action and go 6mm Rem or 25/06, 280, and 338/06, if you want that extra FPS, doubtful that whatever you shoot will notice much.
Switch barrel is a good idea for your "aresenal"

 

[Glenn Powell]

I already have the 6×47L dies, so that is an easy one to deal with. 7mm-08AI dies are pretty easy to come by, and the 338-284 would not be to too tough to get, I thank. I have "boring" rounds 223, 243, 260, 6.5×284, 308, 300 WinMag, 358 Norma, but want something different for this one. Don't really want a long action, Keep It Short & Sweet is the "KISS" I want to go with on this one. Besides I am ready to take the Wildcat plunge and take my arsenal to the next level. The 338 Federal looks like a great round, but still just a factory round, and limited to the lighter weight bullets. The Wyatt extended mag will give me plenty of room(2.944) to seat heavy 225/250g bullets out a bit. I like my bullets big, for BIG game.

 

[bcott]

For about 23 years I used my 338/06 for big game. It is a Rem 700LH long action. One load....Nosler 250gr Partition bullet ahead of H4350 powder. It did it all. White Tail to Moose, with several Caribou thrown in. I have no experience with the 338/284 but it should provide about the same ballistics. You will LOVE IT. Carl L.

 

[CJ6]

I use mine as a single shot (Rem 700 SA). Just to satisfy your curiosity take a 338 bullt beside a 284 case and see how far down the NK you'll be when seated @ mag length. Use a LA or go Single shot.

 

[wboggs]

Have taken a lot of game with a .35 Whelan Ackley. At under 300yds., it kills like a .338 without the recoil.
Your wildcat should be similar if you can seat the bullet long enough.

 

[benchracer]

I know you seem to not be interested in factory rounds, but I will just throw this out there. The .338RCM would seem to offer exactly what you are looking for in terms of ballistics (though it is classed as a "short magnum", its actual performance level is nearly identical to the 338-06), dies should not be difficult to obtain, and the RCM's were specifically designed to be at their best from short barrels.

As for the feeding issue, I have to confess my ignorance of exactly what is available for the savages actions. However, I am thinking that if you could fit your savage with some variation of AICS mags, that would allow you to use the correct follower and feed geometry with each cartridge, thereby possibly eliminating feed issues.

 

[Glenn Powell]

Sorry, its not a savage action. Stiller Predator short action with 308 bolt face. RCM's are a no go. They are way too new for me to get excited about anyway, brass could be a major issue 10 years down the road. Detachable mags are just not my thing, personally, I think they destroy the lines of a bolt action, I am a blind mag kinda guy.

I will have to dig out some 338 bullets to check seat depth, and most certainly will. Good idea. Might even do it with some 358's also, since I do have a few of those laying around.

Thanks for all the input. Still on the fence.

 

[rickiesrevenge]

338 bullets are pretty long for their weight compared to 358 or 375's. You might consider one of the others. .338 250 gr nosler paritition 1.375", .358 250 parition 1.27", .375 260 partition 1.145". May not seem like a lot but the length will really eat up powder space if your going to put them in the magazine. I love .35's so that would be my choice. Second would be the 375. You might want to see if you can find dies for all three. I've looked before and they were expensive and took a while to get.

As far as the 6-47lapua vs 243. No comparison IMO. I would NEVER build another 6-47L. SOME of them are easy to tune and most are not. Not consistent at all.

Aaron

 

[slm9s]

How about a 338FedAI? Is that exotic enough? Can you AI the 358?

 

[Tommie]

Here is what I have: Stiller Predator short action, 308 bolt face(on order) 6mm&7mm Hart barrels, fluted for finish at 20" #3 contour. I haven't made up my mind on stock yet, but it will be light with blind Wyatt magazine. Trigger will be a Shilen. Tally lightweight rings. Extra barrels are cheaper than complete rifles and I can only shoot one at a time any how.

The 6mm will be a 6×6.5×47L, for small game, and the 7mm will be a 7mm-08AI for critters up to 400lbs or so. Now I am contemplating something with a bigger diameter bullet for moose and stuff. Enter the 338-284. I am thinking it should get 338-06 velocity or close to it and better than the 338 Federal with all bullets. My concern is feeding three different size cases through the same action.

Let's hear it, pros/cons/rants.

I think it would be a great chambering. Of course, your question is feeding and that's another story.

If you really want to get really crazy you can always design a shortened 338-284. Even at standard .308 Win length your cartridge would still have more capacity than a .338 Federal.

Tom

 

[Glenn Powell]

Tommie, that is a very interesting idea to shorten the case. I will have to get a reamer cut, so why not go crazy? Call it 338BB(bear buster). 338 FedAI might be out there enough for me, and with the length of my box I might be able to successfully use 210/225's. I think I will get a old of Hart to see if I can get a338 in a number 3 contour. I know they do a 4 but prefer 5 in 358, but I will check for that also. My other two barrels are number 3's.

 

[Tommie]

Tommie, that is a very interesting idea to shorten the case. I will have to get a reamer cut, so why not go crazy? Call it 338BB(bear buster). 338 FedAI might be out there enough for me, and with the length of my box I might be able to successfully use 210/225's. I think I will get a old of Hart to see if I can get a338 in a number 3 contour. I know they do a 4 but prefer 5 in 358, but I will check for that also. My other two barrels are number 3's.

It would probably be a nightmare to leave the brass at original length and try to push the shoulder back. But if it were possible, you'd have a nice long neck to hold onto the bullet during snappy recoil. You don't have to stick with the 35 degree shoulder either. If you designed a 30 or even a 20 degree shoulder it might feed more reliably under panic situations (a consideration if you're going to be picking fights with bruins).

Tom

 

[Glenn Powell]

I am convinced enough to do something, I have a 338 10 twist on order. Hart is just too easy to order from, 15 minutes after sending a email, I get one back saying the invoice will be in the mail today. I might have to give PT&G a ring to spec out a reamer. A slightly shorter 284 with 30° shoulder has really got my interest peaked. Would I have to have a reamer made for a sizing die? I would think so. I am pretty sure the chamber reamer can be used for the seating die, a Wilson anyway.

 

[rickiesrevenge]

You can either have a sizing reamer made or send off 3 fired cases and Hornady or Redding will make a die set for you. What die/dies do you plan on using to push the shoulder back on your cases? You might be able to do it with the FL die but maybe not.

 

[Glenn Powell]

The closest thing I have done is run 338 WinMag brass through a mandrel to 358, and fireform to get my 358 Norma. Necking up 6.5×284 or 284 brass to .338 will take a few more steps I am sure. Pushing the shoulder back, that will be new. I have absolutely no idea about the type if die I would need for that if a full length sizer would not do the job.

 

[Tommie]

I am convinced enough to do something, I have a 338 10 twist on order. Hart is just too easy to order from, 15 minutes after sending a email, I get one back saying the invoice will be in the mail today. I might have to give PT&G a ring to spec out a reamer. A slightly shorter 284 with 30° shoulder has really got my interest peaked. Would I have to have a reamer made for a sizing die? I would think so. I am pretty sure the chamber reamer can be used for the seating die, a Wilson anyway.

Contact CH4D about dies once you have your reamer specs. They use a different process when making dies and don't use reamers (would save you money). Their customer service seemed shakey when I dealt with them but eventually I received my custom dies.

Tom

 

[Glenn Powell]

I just got back from picking up some new unfired Winchester brass and a 30 cal mandrel. I ran 10 cases through the mandrel die, took the tapered expander ball out of my 338-06 die and put it in my 6.5×284 die(not recommend but just for experimental purposes) and ran them over the ball. Easy pessy. Neck thickness is .014+/-. The neck seems to be .282, and case length is 2.144. Just for giggles I pulled out the 358 mandrel and pushed a couple through it, I lost about 1/2 thou or so in thickness. This is gonna be fun! ;D

 

[leadburner]

Hey Glen, I picked up two weeks ago what my smith calls a 338-08ai. I built it on predator s/a with a 1/10 twist 22 inch Brux #4 barrel. It's basically a 338 federal improved with a 40* shoulder. Had him throat it out so I could seat a 215 gn Sierra gameking to max magazine length. Using lapua 308 palma brass & varget was shooting less than 1 moa at 100 yards while breaking the barrel in & fire forming the brass. Rounds feed perfect out of mag. Getting 2450 fps now hope to get a couple more gns in the boiler room now that brass is fire formed. So far like everything about it, hoping to make the deer not so fond of it this fall. Good luck on your build.

 

[mdavis78102]

I am convinced enough to do something, I have a 338 10 twist on order. Hart is just too easy to order from, 15 minutes after sending a email, I get one back saying the invoice will be in the mail today. I might have to give PT&G a ring to spec out a reamer. A slightly shorter 284 with 30° shoulder has really got my interest peaked. Would I have to have a reamer made for a sizing die? I would think so. I am pretty sure the chamber reamer can be used for the seating die, a Wilson anyway.

Sent you a PM about the die...