.338-06 finnaly home

Id rather Ackley Improve it with a 23" tube then pack around a 26" regular 338-06, and get the same speeds with a handier gun for walking through brush.

23" is a nice compromise between a 22" and 24" too :D


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kell2784 said:
Why the 23" tube? I'm trying to squeeze out as much as I can.
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Then build a 338 Win Mag

I personally don't like tubes any longer than 24", and find them cumbersome once they reach 26"+

Each to his own I suppose, but I suspect you're not building the 338-06 for a beanfield rifle (much better cartidge choices for that), but rather a timber rifle. Keep it 22-23" and you'll be much happier... and the critters will not know the difference a few less inches of barrel make (neither will you with regards to trajectory...very minimal).

280_ACKLEY
 
kell2784 said:
I'm building my very own 338-06 and was curious about barrel lengths. When I get ahold of Ted G. to build one for me, I am considering something at least 26". Will this be awkward, or do I have room for a little bit more?
Project so far- win m70 action -post 64 (s/n says 1974) in a Boyd's laminate stock. It will also be sporting a bipod. Heavy rifle's really don't bother me to much.
Any criticism welcome-that's why I signed up here.
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26" may be awkward but if you find you don't care for the length, you can always have it shortened.

I have a 23' tube on my .35 Whelen. It's a #2 profile so it's fairly light and the rifle handles great.

I have a 9.3X62 Mauser coming that will have a 24" barrel. It may get shortened - we'll see.
 
The greater the capacity/bore ratio is, the more benefiet you'll get from a longer barrel. Most larger calibers have a fairly small ratio, so don't need as long of a barrel. I'd go 24" for a 338-06, maybe down as far as 22" if I really wanted a light-weight/easy handling rifle.
 
todbartell said:
Id rather Ackley Improve it with a 23" tube then pack around a 26" regular 338-06, and get the same speeds with a handier gun for walking through brush.

23" is a nice compromise between a 22" and 24" too :D


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Forgive the ignorance, but to AI it, does the gunsmith give it more headspace?
 
he cuts the chamber to the dimensions of the Ackley cartridge, to give a bigger chamber and gain case capacity after fireforming.
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kell2784 said:
Forgive the ignorance, but to AI it, does the gunsmith give it more headspace?
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Here's a good example of "Ackely Improved or AI". Ackely was the gunsmith who designed alot of these improved cases.

Headspace does not change, so factory ammo can be fired in an AI chamber, resulting in the bigger case.

6mm_6mmAI.jpg
 
I see now. Thanks.
On a few american forums, people are questioning whether the case/ballistics are actually "improved". I've read a few posts of people who think not. (Although bigger case=more powder, sounds improved to me.)
 
kell2784 said:
I see now. Thanks.
On a few american forums, people are questioning whether the case/ballistics are actually "improved". I've read a few posts of people who think not. (Although bigger case=more powder, sounds improved to me.)
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I've had several AI rifles.

Anyone who says that ballistics do not increase with an increase in case capacity is merely declaring his inexperience.

WHether or not the expense is worth it, is really the question. Even if you are chambering a new barrel, you have the cost of custom or at least semi-custom dies, and the time and materials to fireform the case. If you load up a bunch of fireforming loads and use them for practice, this isn;t really an additional cost though.

There is also a significant decrease in re-sell value with a non-standard chambering, if this is important to you.
 
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