| Robie |
| (.275 member) |
| 14/05/03 01:30 AM |
.338-06
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Hi. Anyone out there that have taken / used / experience with a .338-06 on game such as Gnu, Zebra, as well as Impala?
Thank you.
Robie
| WyoHunter |
| (.224 member) |
| 19/07/03 02:48 AM |
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Re: .338-06
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I've been a .338-06 user for 20 years and although I don't have any experience shooting any of the game you listed I have taken numerous elk from cows to mature bulls and a mature Shiras bull moose with my .338-06. My load has been a 210 Nosler Partition over 56 grs. of 4064 for a chronographed velocity of 2810 fps out of my 24" barrelled pre-64 Model 70 Winchester. All have been one shot kills but one and in retrospect the second shot wasn't needed on that cow elk. The .338-06 is a great medium bore and with proper bullets should handle any of the game you listed. But as with any cartridge proper shot placement along with a good bullet make for a successful harvest.
NitroX
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| (.700 member) |
| 19/07/03 10:23 PM |
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Re: .338-06
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Robie
Haven't used a .338/06 but all the game you listed can be well taken with a .30-06, so a .338/06 will only do it better. After my first safari where I used a .30-06 I decided to upsize a little, but would still not hesitate to take a .30-06 again. A big 8mm or a .338 to me is pretty ideal.
One of the all time classic cartridges of Africa was the .318 Westley Richards. The main loading was a 250 gr RN-FMJ or a RN-SP. If you have a rifle in that calibre today the easiest way to make up ammo is to open up .30-06 brass to .330 calibre, so it is really not that different from the .338/06.
Except for nostalgia a .338/06 is a better choice in the modern world as there are so many bullets in the 160 gr to 250 gr (and upt to 300 gr ?) range to choose from.
| DoubleD |
| (.400 member) |
| 26/11/03 09:56 AM |
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Re: .338-06
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I have used the 338/06 for years on everything from coyotes to deer to wild hogs to elk, it is an awesome hunting caliber. Lately I have been using Nosler 180 Ballistic tips in it. The Magnum crowd complain about the explosive effect of ballistics tips but at the slower velocities of the 338/06 they are perfect
I used the 338/06's little brother, the 338/308 on all those critters you named. I used the Nosler 200 gr Ballistic tip bullet at 2490 chronographed fps to take White Tailed GNU, Blesbok, Springbok, Impala, Mt Reedbuck, Zebra and Monkeys
Every animal dropped in its tracks except the Mt Reedbuck. As you can see from the picture it was hit a little far back. It just stood there and looked around for me until it fell over.
All the others were shoulder shot per the PH's directions. All bullets exited. (Except the Zebra) All the animals had large bleeding but not bloodshot 1" to 1 1/2" exit holes. (Again except the Zebra) You can see the blood still coming out of the exit hole on the Impala. I call them holes because the didn't look like high velocity bullet wounds but drilled holes. Flesh, bone tissue and hide were absent, but the meat was not blood shot.
Nosler Ballistics tips are the perfect bullet for these slower calibers. And you can't go wrong using them in the 338/06 to hunt those animals.