338-Gaillard / 338-Swamp Donkey / cartridge info added

MaxKW

MaxKW

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I was planning on building a 338-8mm Rem Mag on a stainless Rem 700 but now after having a long conversation with Ted Gaillard i'm considering the 338Gaillard but i'm interested to know if anyone has any info on these, It is the 8mm rem mag necked up to 338 and blown out with a 40 degree shoulder, case capacity is about 95 gr I believe with only 10 Thou cartridge taper, I know I will need to fireform my brass but can anyone describe the whole process just so I can make sure that i'm confident in performing these reloading tasks, I do enough handloading but I never did much experimenting so I want to make sure that it won't be more frustrating than satisfying.

Rifle is a Rem 700 stainless BDL that Ted will accurize and install a barrel on, it's just the caliber choice that i'm stressing over, both will need custom dies, the standard 338-8mm mag will basically be a 340 Weatherby without the radiused shoulder so I could base my loads of the info for the Weatherby and I wouldn't have to fireform, but I would need to buy a reamer and send it to Ted but on the other hand I can go with theGaillard version and gain power and Ted already has the reamer and is ordering a set of dies anyway for another customer but it does add a reloading step and makes it a bit harder to work up loads because I won't have anything to base myself on.

Sorry for the long post but I need to call Ted tommorow to confirm and I need some opinions to help me make the right decision before then.
 
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shouldnt be too much hassle

if you run into a situation where you need help, an answer is just a click away on GunNutz :)
​
 
Haha yeah I guess your right i'm just nervous about spending this kind of money and not being 100 % happy with it.

1 more question, could a synthetic stock like an HS precision stock be opened up for a slightly heavier contour barrel?
 
I've had 2 338-8MM Mags. Awsome round, slightly more than the 340. Go with Teds creation, fireforming is no problem as its a belted case. If you insist on a shoulder just pass the brass over a .375 expander and neck to a crush fit. You can also neck up an 8 mag and ram a bullet into the lands if you are worried about head space. To be honest I'd just get some 340 brass, load it with almost full power loads and fire away. I used to neck down .375 Win brass and fireform because at the time it was the best brass. I'm sure I've still got fireforming data here. PM if any questions once you get going.
 
MaxKW said:
Haha yeah I guess your right i'm just nervous about spending this kind of money and not being 100 % happy with it.

1 more question, could a synthetic stock like an HS precision stock be opened up for a slightly heavier contour barrel?
Click to expand...
easy

Rick at ALBERTA TACTICAL. RIFLE does good work with stocks, he opened up the channel on a McMillan for me. :)
 
I have a bunch of 8mm mag brass and I still have a 375 H&H so brass isn't a problem and you guys seem to be in agreement that fireforming for this cartridge won't be a problem so I think i'll go with the Gaillard round, do you think the accurizing is worth it? Ted seems to think it's the obvious thing to do but it may get me over budget. 200$ option if I remember correctly. Are the prices on Ted's site including taxes?

Ted has sent me a letter from a customer of his on this round and if it's not against forum rules I would like to post it, let me know.
 
Good Morning Ted,
You don't know me Ted, but I have a Custom rifle that was built for me by Jim here in Saskatoon, with one of your Palma Contour barrels chambered in .338.
I am impressed all to hell with your barrel Ted, and just wish to say Thank You.
I am a retired service man with 26 1/2 years in the Infantry. I have spent time with both military and civilian shooting clubs and first ran across one of your barrels while we tested the PWG Timberwolf.
I asked Jim to build me a custom .338 Lapua that I could use for both hunting and competitive shooting, he recommended his .338SDM with a Remington action and one of your barrels,I agreed. Here is what we built and how it preforms with a Ted Gailard barrel.


.338 SDM, Rem 700, Gailard 27" barrel, Palma Contour, McMillian A-5 stock.
Rigged to shoot in the 1MOA @ 1mile try out. We didn't make the i MAO, but
we sure shot up the target frame which was 26" x 20 " and the target was 24" x 18"
and we shot at 1800yrds not an actual mile. We maintain approx. 1.5MOA at the mile

The first 11 rounds fired after the barrel was broken in with
20rds (fire forming brass) This was at 200yrds.

At first it didn't seem to preform as I had expected it to, but then I just figured it need a little tweaking of the load.

Two weeks latter I went to Nakomis and shot this group at 600 yrds. 250gr Hornady Spitzer, 85gr IMR-7828, MV 2943fps.


So far, the weather had been co-operating with me, low/no winds, clear day, you couldn't ask for it to be nicer.
So on a real ugly, fall day just prior to hunting season I tried again and these were the results of that shoot.


Now, with all the confidence in the world in my new fire arm, I headed to Sask. Landing for some long range fun and a lot of deer hunting. I took 11 deer with it this year every shot being true to the mark and hitting within mm of where it was intended to hit. Now I was "King of the Hill", so to speak and convinced that any miss with this rifle is the shooters fault, so I got brave and tried the long shot, here are the results.

This Mullie was taken with a 250gr Hornady Sp, MV 2943fps, taken with the second shot at 822 yrds, ranged with a Lecia 1200 range finder. Point of aim was slightly behind and high on the front shoulder. The second shot landed base of neck and shoulder through the spine, I missed the wind.


Thank you for the care you put into your barrels, I will definitely be recommending them to anyone I hear of who is looking for a new one.

Bill
Saskatoon Sask.
 
The Gaillard round has the body taper taken out and has a 40 degree shoulder, also the price of the build is the same if I go with the bigger round.

I didn't know this when I called and asked Ted about it but it turns out it's his pet round and he thinks highly of it, he seems to have a high regard for the 338/06 Ackley also, he's a great guy to talk to but my phone bill is going to be huge, hahaha.
 
what's it have over the 338 RUM?.....except for being a "cool" wildcat,..which is enough reason for some of us....I have a 280AI and had a 25-284 and a 416 Taylor so I know how that goes:D

just seems like the 338 RUM would be easier and cheaper...ballistics would be the same I'm sure...or too close to call...
 
I like the idea of being able to use factory ammo but if he doesn't have the reamer how do i go about renting or buying a reamer "CHEAP"?????

Ballistics would be about the same and i'd be able to use factory ammo but the cost of the build would be the same and Ted already has the reamer for the Gaillard round.

I'm going to discuss all this with Ted tommorow.

i appreciate all of your opinions and comments.
 
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Won't be too tough, and is in the same class as the 340 WBY and the 338 RUM. I would personally go the route you are going for 3 reasons:

1. I don't like the WBY rounds... brass is pricey and I can't like the double venturi shoulder (personal thing).

2. Ted has the reamer... so the extra you pay for the dies is cheaper than buying a reamer and custom 338 STW dies (8mm).

3. The 338 RUM will likely require some action work to open up the feed rails to make it feed smooth. Check with Ultramag though, as he will know better than I. Plus, a 338 RUM reamer may be tough to find also.

4. If it is Ted's baby, he'll likely build it faster for ya...sad but true... men always do the "fun" projects first... human nature!

Besides, fireforming is no big deal, and you'll be the only one on the block with that rifle. Just make darned sure you'll not want rid of it in a few weeks... as resale will be poor!

Sounds fun.... keep us posted.

BTW... Ted does great work... built a few for me now... tackdrivers!

280_ACKLEY
 
He was acctually building a rifle in this same caliber when I called and he was very enthusiastic about it and it's what he personnaly uses.

I'm really hoping that this will be a keeper and I won't ever want to sell it but I'm trying to keep the cost reasonable so if it ever comes to that that my losses will be limited.

In my neck of the woods it seems like most of the hunters only know about the 30-06 and 303, but the 300 mag is catching on but it's considered a "bruiser", kinda isolated I guess HA ha ha
 
I ,too, hate the Weatherby shoulders.What you are building is 338STA.It makes more sense on a 700 action than the Rum case.A Win or Sako would be a better fit,they have deeper bellys. There have been quite a few 338-8mmRM built.
 
Hornady 250gr bullet at 2945fps....Sounds like a....

338 Lapua.

wildcats are fun. Just don't expect the next guy to want it though. Sounds like a well balanced case capacity for the bullet weight. The H&H/Wby case is easy to find brass for to make this wildcat. Don't be discouraged by the belted case, it is easy to reload for and as accurate as anything else.

If you only want to neck size, you can get a custom collet neck sizer and seater from lee for $50 US.

This rd is going to kick hard...

Jerry
 
Max, as much as I like wildcats, and have had several I'd say go .340 WBY. Same brass killer performance and easy to get dies. 250s at 2900+ and 225s at 3100+. Resale will be double that of a wildcat, just ask the stainless 375 Ackly barrel sitting in my closet.
 
dan, like most, been dreaming about the Lapua and forgotten all about the 340Wby. So obvious, didn't see it. Many/most Lapuas with 24/26" barrels don't reach 3000fps with 250gr bullets anyways.

So really, the 340 is easier to make work, cheaper to shoot, equal in performance, etc, etc, etc.

Since you have both, is the Lapua worth the extra cost and hassle?

I am trying to get some time to finish off my 338 Mystic as the goal was to launch the 300grMK around 3100fps.

Jerry
 
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