Thoughts on 338-06 for long range steel ringer

[jimbo88mm]

Been thinking about my next project gun.

The main use for this gun will be ringing steel at a nearby range. They have steel targets at 250, 500, 750 & 1000 yards. The last time I was out there with my K31 I could just barely hear the impact at 750 with the gp11 round (7.5 swiss, 174gr fmj). After playing around with JBM Ballistics it looks like 338-06 can get out there with a decent amount of energy as along as I keep the velocity up. I also find the wind drift and the non magnum powder charges attractive (not much more then regular 30-06).

I've considered 7mm rem mag, 30-06, 7mm-08, and a few others. I've even gone the other way and considered a 6mmbr but I think detecting impacts would be too difficult without the help of a spotter.

So.. what do you guys think? Are there other calibers I'm missing that would fit this use better?

 

[jonbearman]

The .300 wsm is good one. It has plenty of power and is very popular in long range f-class events. If you have a twist fast enough you can run heavy bullets and would ring that steel nicely.

 

[Raptor]

Try a 284. They are everything you want. Super accurate, easy on barrels, less recoil than the ones mentioned. I will never be without one as long as I am shooting long range. I have shot mine out to a mile.

 

[slm9s]

A stout loaded 338-06 will have some recoil depending on rifle weight. The 338 win mag suffers at long distance shooting due to not enough (relative) boiler room capacity, I would think -06 case launched 33 cal pills would be dropping like rocks at 1000 - but they would get there.

 

[jfseaman]

So many options...

I used 250gn bullet

If you have a 30-06, 270 or similar donor. Yes a 338-06 will do it.
If you are building from scratch, oh my. Small magnum, short magnum, large magnum or untra magnum.

338 WM, ~100fps faster than 338-06
338-7mmWSM (a little faster than a 325/300WSM)
338-300 Winmag
338-8mmRemMag
338-375Ruger
338-26Nosler
338RUM

The list goes on and on...

I enjoyed playing with my 338WM but it's getting rechambered to 336-26Nosler

 

[mattri]

FWIW I'm shooting a 338-06 currently.

I always liked the idea of the round so when a barrel showed up on a board I picked it up, cheapo A&B 24" pre-chambered Savage.

Tried a few bullets, the 210 Noslers shot best, despite their low .400 bc.

Our local range only goes to 600 so I can't speak to the longer ranges but at that distance the round is a hammer. The wind is always tricky where we shoot (3 Mile range, Afton IA) and the 338-06 seems to perform better than expected, the bullets are heavy enough to not be blown around too bad and shoot flat/fast enough to not be temperamental. I have consistently been surprised at how well this round shoots.

A 300 WM will shoot flatter at longer ranges and is proven to be a very accurate round, I have a 300 WM barrel on its way to compare the two. If you aren't hunting big game with it, just shooting steel, than I would say a 338-06 may be the way to go. You'll be shooting at known distances so drop isn't a factor and the round uses less powder, creates less recoil and is still very accurate.

 

[jimbo88mm]

You guys are not making this easy for me.

I have time to ponder this and will probably change my mind a few times. Not planning to start until early next year (20th wedding anniversary in Feb. She wants a mac book pro.. I'm getting a new firearm).

This will be a savage based action so it's just a matter of deciding on the caliber then finding a deal on a donor rifle. The barrel will be long, 28 inches or so plus a muzzle brake. As stated in my first post.. this will just be a range toy for steel targets. No hunting or competition.


The 284 is one I had thought about earlier. They have short necks don't they, does that cause issues? What are the ideal bullets for them, 162s? I do have a 260 and was thinking the "7s" would only be marginally better/different than the 260.

The numbers on the 300 wsm look real good, especially with bullets like the 208 amax. I was initially scared off by the powder consumption but this doesn't it doesn't look too bad (60grs). I really don't want a case that needs 70+ grains of powder. That's what crossed the 300 winmag from my list.

On the powder charges.. maybe I'm blowing it out of proportion. Powder is still hard to find, not nearly as bad as the last couple of years but it's far from what it was. I currently have several pounds yet still feel a bit insecure so that's the reason I'm shying away from the big magnums.

 

[Buzz]

How about a 280 or a 280ai?

 

[Ringostar]

If your thinking of the 06 case. Then I would look at the newer .30 cal target bullets that the FTR guys are running. I would think that the 215's in the good old 30.06 would be great. Lapua brass, no neck changing= no doughnuts, manageable recoil.

 

[wboggs]

Look at the posts by R. Mulhern on "Can a 30-06 outshoot a 308" thread. Get a Serengeti chamber and you are in business. You do not need the 215's for steel. 185's work fine and recoil is less.

 

[Eric Leonard]

I had a Savage 338 LM and it would stick cases with medium and hot loads,,I shot a bunch of Hornady 250 BTHP loaded light in the Lapua case at about 2800 fps and it would knock the crap out of the steel plate at 1500,,at 1,000 it was like hitting it with a 12 pound sledge hammer,,

I am not sure what speeds you could get with a 28 inch 338/06 but the 250 gr 338 bullets will retain a lot of energy at even lower speeds,,

I have a 6.5x47L and want something a little bigger also for on out past 1,000 and will probably go with a long action 284 Shehane set up for 180`s

 

[Ringostar]

Oh, I agree that you don't need 215's. IMHO the cheaper that I could use for bullet cost, the more fun it would be. I wouldn't buy $50 boxes of bullets just to make noise.

 

[mattri]

I'm getting 2750 out of 62gr of R17 with the Nosler 210s.

 

[M14AMU]

Paint your plates WHITE.....and the impacts will show up like a 5 carat diamond in a Billy Goats azz!!

 

[MagnumManiac]

I have a 338-06 on a custom VZ24 Mauser '98 with 24" barrel, never even contemplated using it beyond 300yrds, I have a 338 Win Mag and 340 Weatherby for that. My current long range 338 rig is a 338 Edge, 30" Hart barrel, this is capable to 1000yrds with plenty left over.
What bullet are you planning to use?
I'm running the 300gr Berger Match Elite Hunter in my rifle at over 3000fps, very capable bullet. I doubt you'd get more than 2200fps in the 338-06 with one of those. Maybe the 250gr Elite Hunter at 2500fps may fill the bill.

Cheers.

 

[Eric Leonard]

my Hornady manual gives the 250 gr bullet 2600 fps in the 338-06 from 24 inch barrel,,from a longer barrel you might get 2650-2700 and if so I would not want to be in front of that inside a mile,,a 250 gr 338 bullet at 2700 doesnt know what case it came out of and the 168 and 175 308`s at the same speeds are shot at 1,000 yards all the time and is not in the same ball park as the 250 338 bullet at same speeds,,

 

[Raptor]

On the 284. The short neck is no problem. I have around 10 loadings on my WW brass. I shoot 162AMAXs but the 175s shoot great and if you go with a long barrel then the 180s are the way to go. I would start off with Lapua brass if I had to do it again.

I have the 260 and the improved and trust me there is no comparison to the 284. Don't get me wrong I love the 260s and have one on its 4th barrel but it will not run with a 284. You will love the 7MM bullets!! I just sent mine in for a set back at 2400+ rounds. Good luck with what ever you decide on!!!

 

[XTR]

I haven't run the numbers against some of the 284 cal bullets, but I can give you some ideas for 30 cal bullets. If you are looking at the -06 Spr case for your base you should consider the old school 30-06. I don't know what you can get them up to in an -06 but in a 308 you can get 215 Hybrids into the mid-upper 2600s and the 230s into the 2500s if you have it throated right with a long barrel and slow (as in 100 to 107% full) powders. I would think that the extra capacity in an -06 would be able to get you at least another 100FPS.

No free lunch here, you're going to have to manage recoil but you'd surely be able to see hits (or misses) with the big 30 pills, and the windage starts to compete with the 7s.

The other option in an -06 case would be the 280Rem or the 280AI. A 280R recently won the F class National Championship. It will certainly get the 180 Berger out to 1000 with authority. (and if you can't see a fast 180 hit, you're not going to get much better with a slower moving 33)

If you are looking at pretty much any caliber you'll need to decide what is more important, extra oomph for getting to long range or reduced recoil and lower expense for shooting at shorter ranges. As noted above the 284Win might be the ideal compromise.

 

[snowpro440]

I would do the 308 or 30/06 or 300wsm . What is wrong with the 308 ? Longer barrel life , less recoil , less powder, I don't see where you could go wrong.....Its just a steel plate right?

 

[mac86951]

I do like the attractiveness of the 338 250gr match bullets. Nice high BC helps for the longer steel ringing, but I'm surprised no-one posted a 6.5-06.

Bullet cost is marginally lower with the 6.5, and you'd want a 24" barrel, where the 338-06 you could make do with a 22" if you really wanted to. for 1000 yards, either is better with a longer barrel.

6.5-06 is less energy, but at 1000y my 6.5 creedmoor works just fine on steel. 1 mile altitude does help that though.

Shooter's Preference at that point. Why not try a 30-06 with the 190gr? German Salazar competes at 1K yards, and that too should do just fine on steel.

-Mac