X2 on that one .
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Chopped .338?
- Thread starter bunny
- Start date
X2 on that one .
Moose Masher
CGN Regular
- Location
- Oak Hammok Manitoba
Maybe start at 20" and see how that feels. Easier to cut off 2" more than to put 2" back.
For a .338 I think a 20" barrel is just fine. I don't think the 18" barrel would be much handier and the 20" should balance better. I think Ruger nailed it with the Alaskan rifle (20" 375 Ruger) Balance is excellent, compact and gives up almost nothing in velocity to a 24" barrel rifle.
^ curious if the sights on those guns come regulated for elevation with a common bullet weight? Do they come with more than one front sight?
I’m on team 20 inches too, for me ~18 seems to be when you get the muzzle flash and poor balance. Every 16 inch rifle I’ve had I put a flash hider on or moved along quickly.
I’m getting to the point where I feel like my collection is missing a full length rifle, nothing over 20 inches at the moment
I’m on team 20 inches too, for me ~18 seems to be when you get the muzzle flash and poor balance. Every 16 inch rifle I’ve had I put a flash hider on or moved along quickly.
I’m getting to the point where I feel like my collection is missing a full length rifle, nothing over 20 inches at the moment
The Ruger Alaskan? Just one front sight. I hardly use the iron sights but as it came out of the box they were regulated for 50-100 yards with 250-350 gr bullets. If I was more interested in using the sights I would probably do some shooting at different distances with different bullets but they are really just backup to me.
Well the Lapua will have muzzle velocity of about 2600 f/s with the 250 grain (about 300 f/s slower than it's potential)
The 338-06 will have a muzzle velocity of about 2600 f/s with the 225 grain
Not the huge difference you would have with a 26 inch or longer barrel which the huge case really performs with...
and with way less powder, way less blast, way less cost.
I know really short barrels have an appeal to many. I also know you really limit the velocity, especially with large over bore cases, more than with smaller more efficient cases.
Here is the opposite I just built for a customer - a long range target rifle achieving the highest velocities. The .338 Edge...
Pictured with a 243 Rem 700 and a 48 inch ruler for perspective
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Well the Lapua will have muzzle velocity of about 2600 f/s with the 250 grain (about 300 f/s slower than it's potential)
The 338-06 will have a muzzle velocity of about 2600 f/s with the 225 grain
Not the huge difference you would have with a 26 inch or longer barrel which the huge case really performs with...
and with way less powder, way less blast, way less cost.
I know really short barrels have an appeal to many. I also know you really limit the velocity, especially with large over bore cases, more than with smaller more efficient cases.
Here is the opposite I just built for a customer - a long range target rifle achieving the highest velocities. The .338 Edge...
Pictured with a 243 Rem 700 and a 48 inch ruler for perspective
Still not comparing rifles with the same configuration and bullets with the same weight. 338 lapua is 3050fps with a 250gr out of a std length barrel.
338-06 with a 250gr is 2500 fps out of a std length barrel.
Fps isn't everything when we are talking distance, energy on target is just as much of a concern.
It is the 29" over all length of the rifle that can be easily carried and capable of taking large game up to 800yards (my own imposed limit for the hardware)
I have a 9.3x62 and even with the lighter 232gr loading and a standard length barrel, I am not going to try shooting big game unless it is within 400yards.
I hunted with a sako TRG 42 in 338 lapua, 26" barrel. Horrible to carry for any distance, and snag on virtually everything unless you only walk open fields. The disadvantages far outweighed the small gain in fps
The target rifle you built in 338 edge makes sense for the purpose, but this is the hunting rifle forum and it is a terrible choice in my opinion having carried something in similar configuration pretending it was for hunting
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i went with 20 inch with the 30-06 of mine, from 22 only.. in this cartridge an rifles case, i could go another 1 inch but now its not really worth it- an going directly to 18 would of been a bit of an issue--
it works mint as a bush gun, 250m max kind of point an shoot stuff, preferably 100 or so.... with woodleigh out of the game i did source some hornady 180gr btsp, so once i lose the 30 or so Woodleigh 150grainers i think its going to be running them, which will be slowish for sure an drop alot, so 300m wont be its forte.
for 100m, deer an sambar wont know except ill be confident the jacket an core will stay together with the 180gr even with heavy bone, ass end, or real close stuff, as my velocity is now quite lower than advertised datas, partiucarly if loaded mild.
ive found some same cartridges can vary 200fps or more just because Joes rifle is loaded around max, an say mine is loaded on min... 308s example.
lots of powder to burn to acheieve so so scenerios- where the 06/08 even whelen can achieve ? keep the magnum with the long tube for some other forte ?
it works mint as a bush gun, 250m max kind of point an shoot stuff, preferably 100 or so.... with woodleigh out of the game i did source some hornady 180gr btsp, so once i lose the 30 or so Woodleigh 150grainers i think its going to be running them, which will be slowish for sure an drop alot, so 300m wont be its forte.
for 100m, deer an sambar wont know except ill be confident the jacket an core will stay together with the 180gr even with heavy bone, ass end, or real close stuff, as my velocity is now quite lower than advertised datas, partiucarly if loaded mild.
ive found some same cartridges can vary 200fps or more just because Joes rifle is loaded around max, an say mine is loaded on min... 308s example.
lots of powder to burn to acheieve so so scenerios- where the 06/08 even whelen can achieve ? keep the magnum with the long tube for some other forte ?
i went with 20 inch with the 30-06 of mine, from 22 only.. in this cartridge an rifles case, i could go another 1 inch but now its not really worth it- an going directly to 18 would of been a bit of an issue--
it works mint as a bush gun, 250m max kind of point an shoot stuff, preferably 100 or so.... with woodleigh out of the game i did source some hornady 180gr btsp, so once i lose the 30 or so Woodleigh 150grainers i think its going to be running them, which will be slowish for sure an drop alot, so 300m wont be its forte.
for 100m, deer an sambar wont know except ill be confident the jacket an core will stay together with the 180gr even with heavy bone, ass end, or real close stuff, as my velocity is now quite lower than advertised datas, partiucarly if loaded mild.
ive found some same cartridges can vary 200fps or more just because Joes rifle is loaded around max, an say mine is loaded on min... 308s example.
lots of powder to burn to acheieve so so scenerios- where the 06/08 even whelen can achieve ? keep the magnum with the long tube for some other forte ?
Probably not wrong, some times though the project happens because you happen to have a spare rifle, I have thought about chopping another to 18 or 20 inches but if I do it will probably be a 9.3x62 in either a Mauser 96 or 98.
hey so i measured my barrel , an from basically under that rear scope mount, to the muzzle, is 20 inches... to me that is from the Bolt face onward.... theoretically, im burning 18 inch of barrel , yeah?
editing to say, google rekons, a rifles barrel length is measured from muzzle to bolt face... interesting.
