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Looking for opinions on a medium bore chambering (.338, 8mm, 9.3mm, .35)

HandgunHTR

HandgunHTR

Gold $$ Contributor
I just got done hunting nilgai down in South TX. It was a company outing that from the sounds of things we are going to be doing every year now.
I used my .300 Win Mag and it did fine, but, dang, those animals are tough! My load of a 180 grain Partition at around 2800 fps from a 21" barrel (suppressed gun) was good for going 4-for-4 on animals (2 bulls and 2 cows, one each for me and one each for my best friend). On my bull, I had a 178 yard broadside shot and was able to put it right in the boiler room (top of the heart). The bullet was just below the hide on the off side. On my cow, she was hard quartered away at 132 yards, so I shot her in the neck when she looked back at us. That bullet passed through. For my friend, both were quartering away shots and neither passed through.
The guide I was with was carrying a 33 Nosler and after seeing its performance on both nilgai and pigs, I am now thinking about building a medium bore to use on this trip going forward. I know it is a bit crazy as I have proof that the 300 WM is just fine, but I think I would like a pass through shot and I don't have any desire to go with a bigger 30.

My goal would be 2800+ with a 225 grain bullet out of a 22" barrel. I will be using it suppressed, so I want to keep the barrel length shorter. If I can get this build done over the summer and get some time with it, it will also go to Canada with me for my Sept moose hunt and the 300WM will become the backup gun.

I have been doing some reading on the Sherman chamberings, specifically, the 338 Sherman, 388 Sherman Max, and .338 Sherman Mega. All of them look capable, but I would like the opinions of some who have used it, or others like it. I am open to any of the other medium bore chamberings that will get me where I want to be. I am also partial to wildcats and lesser known chamberings. I guess I am a bit of a non-conformist when it comes to custom builds.
 
Why not shoot big monos from your 300 Win Mag? If penetration is your goal, I think you are going to be happier switching to a penetrating bullet at about 2800 fps.

You could jump to a 340 Weatherby or 338 Win Mag, but those carry the added recoil…for what?

If you want penetration, the 458 Lott is impressive, but hard to shoot with an optic!
 
A 338 Norma works well with a short barrel if your ok with a lapua boltface.
With R26 2800 with 225 is easy without needing possibly troublesome pressure.

338 RUM is a pretty powerful 338 as well with a standard magnum boltface.
 
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But if you like your 300 Win mag and want better penetration that the partitions give you I would look at shooting solid coppers. With the right bullet in the 300 Win mag you will get better penetration without the bruising that a larger magnum might have. I think with the right bullet you will get the penetration you want, people have been using the 300 Win mag for larger animals with good luck.
 
Not sure why you're running a 300 WinMag at 30-06 velocities, but... It seems to me that the larger the hole in the end of the barrel, the less fps is lost per inch of barrel length lopped off.

I'm getting real close to 2900fps with Sierra 225s comfortably in a 22" 35 Whelen with PP2000MR. Stepping up to a 358 Norma Mag, 3125fps (maybe a little bit more, I haven't finished testing) is doable in a 22" barrel with the same bullet/powder combination. If you go with 180 or 200 Barnes or Hunters even more velocity is possible.

There's always the 9.3x62... or perhaps even a 375 Whelen if you feel adventurous.

Oops... Hunter bullets should read Hammer bullets.
 
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Most medium/big game hunting bullets will not expand much or at all when going through the neck. And a bigger caliber doesn't necessarily mean it will kill faster (depending on the game of course).

Nowadays if you're really set on something with a bigger bore than .300, I'd first look into the availability of factory ammo and/or reloading components for that cartridge.
 
How about 338/06 or 35 Whalen . I have a 338/06 shooting 225 nosler partitions. I am getting 2600 fps with Reloader 15. In two years I have taken a Bison Bull , bull elk, cow elk and an Alaskan black bear. All on the ground within 30 feet of where they were standing
Standard length action , standard bolt face. And easy to find brass. Maybe going Ackley Improved will get you closer to the 2800 fps. I have one in ackley improved also but have only played with 190 grain lead free bullets so far.
The standard 338/06 I have shoots 2 inches high at 100. 2 inches low at 200 and 14 inches low at 300. The bull elk last year was ranged at 307, took out the heart and he took 2 steps and crashed on his nose.
 
Either load some good copper bullets in your 300 Win and be happy, or build a good 338-06, use the same type bullets and enjoy good kills, with less recoil.
 
The 9.3x62 has killed everything in the world. Re barrel any 30/06 and it’s done. We used the rimmed equivalent the 9.3x74 on cape buff in Zimbabwe. Our PH said come back and shoot elephant with them after seeing how they performed on buff.
 
swd said:
The 9.3x62 has killed everything in the world. Re barrel any 30/06 and it’s done. We used the rimmed equivalent the 9.3x74 on cape buff in Zimbabwe. Our PH said come back and shoot elephant with them after seeing how they performed on buff.
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An excellent option with tons of history laying down the smack down
 
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You could consider the .338 Weatherby RPM:

1678129729357.png

These are running about $3.65/cartridge to upwards of $4.00/each.

1678129626664.png

1678129675498.png

https://www.ballisticmag.com/weatherby-338-wby-rpm/

The first loads I tested were using the Badlands 225 gr. SBD2 @ 2830 fps. (4,000 ft/lbs)

Brass is hard to find of course but buy a couple of boxes, shoot to test then reload.

Enjoy!

:)
 
So what? Use your brain and convert backwards. Those statistics are for factory ammunition in factory length barrels, NOT some sawed-off suppressor barrel.

Besides, the OP listed 22" not 20" as a suggested length.

;)
 
Kurz said:
So what? Use your brain and convert backwards. Those statistics are for factory ammunition in factory length barrels, NOT some sawed-off suppressor barrel.

Besides, the OP listed 22" not 20" as a suggested length.

;)
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it was a reminder to the op that he has made some bad choices the results are poor velocity
 
762plinker said:
it was a reminder to the op that he has made some bad choices the results are poor velocity
Click to expand...

"Made bad choices"? Like using a suppressor? The trade off of using a shorter barrel so that I can use a suppressor means I have to step up the chambering a bit. It is a trade-off, not a bad choice.

A bad choice is pushing a 220 grain bullet at 2850 out of a 30-06. There is very little possibility that you are not over pressure on that one.

Thank you to those who have actually answered my questions or provided information.

The reasoning behind stepping up to a larger caliber bullet is two-fold. One, larger frontal diameter will result in a larger permanent wound cavity. Secondly, a heavier bullet traveling the same speed as a lighter one should have more penetration. Again, I realize that I am going to have to step up to a bit more cartridge to achieve that, which is why I was specifically asking about the Shermans.
 
HandgunHTR said:
"Made bad choices"? Like using a suppressor? The trade off of using a shorter barrel so that I can use a suppressor means I have to step up the chambering a bit. It is a trade-off, not a bad choice.

A bad choice is pushing a 220 grain bullet at 2850 out of a 30-06. There is very little possibility that you are not over pressure on that one.

Thank you to those who have actually answered my questions or provided information.

The reasoning behind stepping up to a larger caliber bullet is two-fold. One, larger frontal diameter will result in a larger permanent wound cavity. Secondly, a heavier bullet traveling the same speed as a lighter one should have more penetration. Again, I realize that I am going to have to step up to a bit more cartridge to achieve that, which is why I was specifically asking about the Shermans.
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plain and simple bad choices
you chosse 300 win mag but completely ignored the std bbl length..to get the advertised velocities is 26" with todays powders it cn be done at 25". i rnn suppressors on most om 300 win mag...but i run 26" bbls with my 220/230 bullets
you asked a question you, clearly do not want to hear facts, only opinions that support yuor errrors.
 
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