.338 compact build barrel options

[wildwilderness]

I have been thinking about a new build for next year- a .338 rifle since I don't have one of that caliber yet. I am looking at the Manners Compact Stock for a nice short rifle that is easily packable- I live in AK so for bush flights, rafts, and as a backup camp rifle. I bow hunt as well so always nice to have a rifle in camp for bears. The Manners-CS 1 is made for the Rem 700 SA- So medium bore options in Standard - 338 Fed or 358 win seem too slow for what I want. That leaves the Mag options- 338 RCM, or the wildcat .338 Sherman Short, or another wildcat 338-284 but that probably needs a long action. There is the 35 Rem mag... Of all those it looks like the 338 RCM is the easiest option. I will need to research the 338SS a bit more to see if its worth the upfront costs.

I am thinking of a 18-20" barrel with a brake on it. Would you go Carbon or Steel? I am looking at CarbonSix that will make a custom barrel. Or for a few hundred $ less I could go with a stainless steel. If you went steel what contour would you get? 4 or 5? heavier? From my calculations carbon may save about 8 oz? is that worth $3-400?

 

[Ndbowhunter]

Ur all over the map on this one but...

Carbon barrel doesn’t make sense here. The weight savings Isn’t happening when ur talking about short barrel campgun setups.

At close range and bear Defense scenario’s i’d Look hard at what bullet can fit and what the performance envelope you want to fall under.

That said .

A kimber Montana 84m chopped to 18”, threaded, and rebored to 338 federal slinging factory copper 200gr is a darn good setup.

Find an old Nightforce Nx 1-4 and go forth and fill an ark.

 

[SDHNTR]

.338 Fed or .358 win is perfect and exactly what you are describing. A 200-225 gr mono is bad medicine! And perfect for your short barrel. You seem to acknowledge this, and then you talk yourself right out of it!

Carbon is not needed for such a short barrel. Needless expense imo. One of those cals with a 3b or #4 type contour in 18-20” is perfect.

 

[swehrman]

.338 Fed or .358 win is perfect and exactly what you are describing. A 200-225 gr mono is bad medicine! And perfect for your short barrel. You seem to acknowledge this, and then you talk yourself right out of it!

Carbon is not needed for such a short barrel. Needless expense imo. One of those cals with a 3b or #4 type contour in 18-20” is perfect.

+1 to all of this. I don't see how the 338 Fed or the 358 Win doesn't fit what the OP is looking for.

-- Scott

 

[EmperorMA]

.338 Federal

160 and 185 TTSX
185 TSX
180 and 200 NAB
210 NPT
200 SST
200 Trophy Bonded Tip

Any of these will knock the dog shit out of stuff out to 300 yards. Inside of 100 yards, it’s a pure sledgehammer.

For bear protection, any of those Barnes bullets. For hunting moose, either those or 200 SST/TBT/NAB. For caribou, 180 AB or 200 SST.

 

[Alaskanopolis]

.338 RCM: Tuebor Ti, Helix 6 20” barrel, McMillen Hunter Edge. Pushing 230gr ELD-X to 2730fps.

 

[Blockcaver]

I bowhunt BC in grizzly country every spring and fall. I've got a .338 Fed in a stock Kimber Montana with a Leupold VX2 2-7x33. 5#12oz with the scope. Not sure what else you'd need for what you describe as the need. Shorten the barrel a bit if you want, but I find the 22" stock barrel fine. A friend flew in a couple years ago and borrowed the Kimber for a moose hunt. He hammered a big northern BC bull at short range. We never found either of the 160 gr Barnes TTSX bullets used in my reloads as they went through. Nice penetration and a decent exit hole. Good luck!

 

[robtattoo]

Go to Wal-Mart.
Buy whatever short action rem 700 is on sale (.243, .308 & 7-08 in youth sizes seen the cheapest) & send to to Jess at JES to rebore to .358win
You'll be into the gun, minus your fancy stock, for about $500 & I'd trust mine on anything smaller than an elephant.

 

[robtattoo]

Oh, yeah. I've got mine in a Brown's Pound'r stock & with the scope, it's right at 6½lb, loaded. Under 200yds, shooting 220gn Speers, I'd fully expect 2 holes in anything that walks on this continent.

 

[wildwilderness]

I’m sure a 338 fed or 358 win will work fine as close up bear pro or short range moose. I’m thinking Mag power for the longer shots, say a caribou at 400 or hunting coastal brownies at a couple hundred yards. I’m sure I would like the extra energy then.

On a short barrel doesn’t seem like the carbon barrel would be worth the weight savings?

 

[tdot]

I had slightly different needs/wants then you, but went thru a similar review of the available calibers and I ended up choosing the 338ss. 338 Federal or 338ss were the final 2 candidates. I think either could have worked, but extremely happy with the Sherman Short.

Up front cost really was negligible for me over a 338RCM, bought the same amount of brass, the same dies and still had to rent a reamer for the same price. The brass is more expensive, but arguable better value as guys seem to be getting a very high number of reloads from it.

I'm pushing 215-230grain bullets in the 2850-2900fps region. All from a 22" barrel.

My carbon barrel was roughly 1/4 pound lighter then a spiral fluted #4 contour barrel in 338 that my smith was working on at the same time. Not a huge weight gain, but my rifle is extremely well balanced. 4 to 5 ounces all in the barrel would have tipped this gun towards nose heavy, which I dont like for offhand shots. Plus the carbon is supposedly approaching the stiffness of a Sendero Contour, while comparable in weight to a spiral fluted #4.

 

[SDHNTR]

Go to Wal-Mart.
Buy whatever short action rem 700 is on sale (.243, .308 & 7-08 in youth sizes seen the cheapest) & send to to Jess at JES to rebore to .358win
You'll be into the gun, minus your fancy stock, for about $500 & I'd trust mine on anything smaller than an elephant.

Great plan except for one thing! Your choice in rifle action has one too many zeros after the 7! This build need says CRF all day every day.

 

[wildwilderness]

I own a Ruger m77 in 35 whelen that has taken elk, caribou, deer, and a 6’ black bear so I am familiar with a medium bore. But the rifle is limited on accuracy (2-3” groups at 100) and farther shots. I’m wanting to build in 338 to up the accuracy (sub moa) and extend the range with at least as much energy, maybe more. (I’m thinking of changing that rifle to A 9.3x62 or even 375 ruger if I can open the bolt) I have teenage kids so I need a couple more big rifles anyway

I had slightly different needs/wants then you, but went thru a similar review of the available calibers and I ended up choosing the 338ss. 338 Federal or 338ss were the final 2 candidates. I think either could have worked, but extremely happy with the Sherman Short.

Up front cost really was negligible for me over a 338RCM, bought the same amount of brass, the same dies and still had to rent a reamer for the same price. The brass is more expensive, but arguable better value as guys seem to be getting a very high number of reloads from it.

I'm pushing 215-230grain bullets in the 2850-2900fps region. All from a 22" barrel.

My carbon barrel was roughly 1/4 pound lighter then a spiral fluted #4 contour barrel in 338 that my smith was working on at the same time. Not a huge weight gain, but my rifle is extremely well balanced. 4 to 5 ounces all in the barrel would have tipped this gun towards nose heavy, which I dont like for offhand shots. Plus the carbon is supposedly approaching the stiffness of a Sendero Contour, while comparable in weight to a spiral fluted #4.

What do you think your upfront costs were? How did you pick the SS over the RCM?

 

[wildwilderness]

.338 RCM: Tuebor Ti, Helix 6 20” barrel, McMillen Hunter Edge. Pushing 230gr ELD-X to 2730fps.

Is that with factory ammo? Or reloads? I read it’s hard to replicate factory performance in reload since the actual powder is not available

 

[Alaskanopolis]

Is that with factory ammo? Or reloads? I read it’s hard to replicate factory performance in reload since the actual powder is not available

Reloads. 61.5 grains of RL-17.

 

[LightFoot]

.338 RCM: Tuebor Ti, Helix 6 20” barrel, McMillen Hunter Edge. Pushing 230gr ELD-X to 2730fps.

Damn, that think is awesome.

>>>----JAKE----->

 

[Alaskanopolis]

Damn, that think is awesome.

>>>----JAKE----->

Built by Derrick Moffit at Last Frontier Custom Guns.

 

[wildwilderness]

Built by Derrick Moffit at Last Frontier Custom Guns.

I might need to talk to him . What is the finished wight of rifle only?

 

[Clarktar]

.338 RCM: Tuebor Ti, Helix 6 20” barrel, McMillen Hunter Edge. Pushing 230gr ELD-X to 2730fps.

@freediver111 this is the one.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[Alaskanopolis]

I might need to talk to him . What is the finished wight of rifle only?

6.25lbs. He actually has the rifle right now and is cutting the barrel down until my handloads reach ~2600fps, as that’s what I want ballistically from this rifle and I want it as light and stubby as possible. He’s also putting the action on a diet and he guesses he can have another .25lbs off of it. I’m also going to try loading some 185gr/225gr ER Raptor bullets by Cutting Edge, as well as a new 200gr sledgehammer by Hammer bullets, that isn’t on their website. I may also just stick with the ELD-X. it really is a bad ass little rifle. It’s what I use when hunting out of a backpack up here in AK.