338 Win MagAI????

S

Scalloper

New member
I recently purchased a Model 70 Alaskan in 338 wm. I was curious as to how it preforms as a 338ai? I can't find any arrivals on it but someone must have tried it. It seems like that would give the Win Mag enough to match or surpass the Lupie.
 
Not all cases are good candidates to AI. Some like the22-250 7x57 or 257 Roberts with tapered bodies and long shallow angled shoulders will respond very well to AI'ing. Cartridges like the 338 Win Mag already have a straight body and a very short shoulder area so that changing it from 25 degrees to 40 degree makes for a very slight increase in capacity.

A lot of the dramatic increases in performance seen in AI'd cartridges can be attributed to loading to well above the original pressures that they are loaded to in their original form.

I doubt that AI'ing the 338 WM will produce any significant increase in performance and surely not enough to come close the a cartridge with a a larger case capacity.
 
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After looking at some data if you really wanted to boost the power of your 338 Win Mag you could reçhamber it to 338 Rem Ultra Mag. Bolt face is the same so it might be a very simple conversion with a significant increase in performance.
 
The 338 Lapua is always fun. The increase in power over the win. is dramatic. The savage LRH comes with a muzzle break and shoots lights out with hand loads. Whats cool about the Lapua is using 300 grain pills. The bc and trajectory is amazing.
 
Originally Posted By: AWSAfter looking at some data if you really wanted to boost the power of your 338 Win Mag you could reçhamber it to 338 Rem Ultra Mag. Bolt face is the same so it might be a very simple conversion with a significant increase in performance.
Very true. Thanks
 
To go to RUM, I think the feed rails will need to be relieved a bit too. I don't know if it is worth the squeeze unless going full out and rebarreling. Unless you're good with single feeding then that makes it a non issue. Mag length would be an issue, so a Wyatt's extended box would be in order as well, me thinks.
 
AI,ing the 338 s not going to get it to lapua level. Going to a 338 RUM is an option but the receivers Winchester put on their ultra mag was worked over quite a bit to get them to feed. They are 375 length actions to begin with. I have one of their ultra mags. It would take a fair amount of smithing to get it right. Nothing wrong with the 338 as is. IMO if you want more get a 340 Wby or Ultra mag. For what you will spend modifying yours you could buy another rifle. I have a 340 Wby on a model 70 action but it was a 300 weatherby to begin with so it was just a barrel change. I have AIs in 257, 35 Whelen and 375 some show good gains, some not so much. Just my 2 cents.
 
Thanks. I will just run this rig and see how it preforms. I was thinking it would be relatively cheep to AI but since I could not find any info on someone else doing it there may not be any bennifits.
 
I am a big fan of the 338 RUM. If you want more from the 338 Win, look at the 340 Wby, 338 RUM of the new 33 Nosler. Try the soon to be released Nosler 338 265 gr ABLR with a BC in the high .7's, it might be all your looking for in the 338 WM.

JD338
 


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