338-06? What's not to like? As far as I'm concerned, it is an excellent all around thumper. I only posted the choices question to solidify my own thoughts. I already 2 big Bulls with a 35 Remington (worked well, but was rather anemeic IMHO), and my biggie 6x6 315 BC with my 375JDJ. I punched this guy at 175yds with my 285 grand slam and got 3 pass-thrus with no bullet recovery. He traveled less than 60yards after the first shot. He stood and left me take a second one before staggering and then I finished him as he was trying to get up on his knees. Ya gotta love high mountain meadows for unobstructed shooting pleasure. The 338-06 is faster, flatter and may be more accurate in my hands. IMHO the 2x Leupold is not the best scope for testing 'ultimate' accuracy between barrels or loads, but I'm pretty sure a 10x scope will not shrink the groups appreciable under the present MOA it demonstrates now! The 200gr Nosler Balistic tip is actually about 75fps faster in my barrel, but the Hornady is going this year. 2600fps is fast enough! My TC Custom shop 16 1/4" with the hunter brake is a pussycat to shoot, and as you know, very easy to load for. I have about 9 million empty '06 brass from my High-power rifle shoots. I decided to go this way becasue I can get my 338 with a heavier bullet to shoot faster than my 15" '06 with a 180. It was expected though. My advice to you is that if don't have one, you're missing out on a great caliber! Gerry.

thanks for sharing! i like the 338-06 idea a lot. how BAD ya reckon a 15".....er 16 1/4" would be WITHOUT a brake?
a 200 at 2600fps.....i like that.....lee has inexpensive 338-06 dies in the "limited production" line......06 cases are plentiful......hmmmmmm, now if i was just rich

may have to wait a while, but i'm narrowing down the possibilities.

KYODE with all this talk about the 338-06 it makes me wonder if you have given up on the 300 win mag idea? Just curious. Or is the 338-06 on the want list with the 300?

well.....i'd love to have both, but will hopefully decide on one, or the other.
the 300 mag would be sweet, and take monsterous game easily it would be fairly economical to cut down a 300mag rifle barrel to 16" or so. only thing i'm not sure if i'd like that ol belted case in the encore. may not be much trouble, but i don't know.

the .338-06 has a lot going for it(imo), and would be reasonable in $ at fox ridge outfitters. lee also makes the dies in limited production, so not much expense there. i've been thinkin about .338 of some kind for a good while now. i think it's my favorite choice for "next barrel". who knows how long i'll have to dream on this one though.

KYODE's thinkings:
contender*
338jdj
358jdj
358x444 improved
375jdj

encore*
.308
300mag
338jdj
338-06
375jdj

i've thought about these selections most, for a bigger more powerful chambering for elk, or any other large game i'd ever hunt. also, i'd like one that was good for large game out to 250 yards +, and could possibly double for long range targets.....if i ever decided to get into that.

right now....i lean heavily to 338-06.....who knows what i'll be dreamin about next......or how long i'm gonna have to dream!

i think i have a never ending "want list" .....but my pockets are just too shallow.

personaly after reading all this im starting to like this 338-06 all so lol they make headstamped brass for this at all or is it all fire form at home deal?
how much more of a kick dose this give than a standerd 06?

shouldn't be no fireforming with the standard .338-06. there is also an ackley improved version which would need fireformed.
i believe ssk has a .338-06JDJ which has a 60 degree shoulder.
the standard .338-06 should just be a neck up from 30-06 cases, or a neck down from 35 whelen. as far as i know, no one makes 338-06 headstamp cases. wildcat, i reckon.

i'm wondering about the recoil also. i'd guess it to be considerably more than 30-06, since you'd be shootin heavier bullets in most instances. reckon a feller could take it.....without a brake .....hey!...i'm pretty tough, hehehe .....but i don't know

balistic coefficients over .400......i like the .338-06 idea

The 338-06 brass is available headstamped. It is made by Norma for Weatherby. Midway carries it as I'm sure others do.
I have the 338Win Mag in a 15" barrel including brake that is a pussycat to shoot. Im shooting 180g Nosler Ballistic Tips at 2840fps.
The brake on my barrel is removable so I have shot it without the brake for comparison. It is a definite handfull but very shootable.
As a matter of fact I'm just starting to do some serious reloading for my 338 and 300's. They are both 15" with brakes. My shooting and reloading has been neglected far too long. It's time to remedy that.

Ronnie

thanks rwg......didn't know .338-06 cases were made by anyone. keep us posted on your .338 and 300 shootings. give me something to drool over.

KYODE, I had the same problem as you(not knowing which 338 caliber to get). I originally was going with a 338JDJ Contender but changed to the 338WM from Bullberry(haven't received it yet). The 338-06 was in the running, but didn't want to have to reload that thing. After buying a box of nonpremium 338 WM ammo I am going to reload it. So I knid of wished I would have chosen the 338-06Imp. Don't really like belted cases. We'll see when the barrel arrives. Will keep you posted.