6mm-338 Info

[rikkit]

A co-worker of mine has a rifle chambered in the above mentioned cartridge. He wanted to know where he could get his brass reloaded, he is not a reloader. I do reload and suggested I would ask around for him. After checking the web I found that nobody carries these dies, so is there some kind of work around using combinations of 338 and 6mm dies? He got the rifle from his ex-father in law who gave him the reloading data, but that was before the divorce. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[1Shirt]

That has got to be a real bbl burner of a ctg. Would be interested in hearing what load data you get from him, and vols etc.
1Shirt!

[Reg]

Horribly overbore, has to be a big time barrel burner. Would highly recommend it be a prime candidate for a new barrel in something a little more reasonable

:-|

[MT Gianni]

I would hope that he got the dies with the rifle. It sounds like a custom cut wildcat that may not have a SAAMI spec.

[Bwana]

Depending on who did the work making the rifle, it may have value to a collector. This may be something to look into. Barrel life, as mentioned, will not make it worthwhile to get everything needed to shoot it.

[dk17hmr]

Seems like you would be able to use 7mm rem mag brass or 264 brass full length sized in a 338 win die and neck sized with a hornady 6mm neck sizer. I would have to see a fired case but I think it would be doable without custom dies.

Have you checked ch4d? They have 6-264 win dies that will probably get you close, since it is a belted case headspace is taken care of for fire forming, after that it would be best to neck size.

This is all assuming the case is the belted 338 win case and not a 338 federal, 338 rum, 338 lapua, or something else.

[madsenshooter]

That's what I was thinking, which .338? Looked at CH4D, didn't see anything right off the bat.

[Marlin Junky]

If we're talking about a 338WM necked to 6mm, that is a real odd duck. If that's the case, I think I'd just re-barrel to a 7mm Remington Magnum (assuming the rifle has a long action).

MJ

[Bullshop]

Here is something to ponder. If you go back a couple issues in the Hornady loading manuals there is an interesting tidbit included in the data for the 264 Win mag. The 338, 264, and 458 Win all use the same case.
Anyway that interesting tidbit about the 264 in the Hornady book says that in developing the data for this book they wore out several barrels. I think there are four different bullet weights and each is listed with about half a dozen powders and each powder showing about four load levels between starting load and max load. If each load level fired 5 groups of 5 shots for the entire load development how many shots were fire to ware out several barrels?
Now take that 264 caliber barrel and go down in caliber to 243 and what do you think will happen?
In Parker Ackleys book (Handbook For Shooters and reloaders) he mentions such over bore cartridges having barrels shot out in as little as 200 rounds.
The question I would be looking at is """ How many rounds have been put through this barrel to date?"""
Since it was gifted from FIL I assume that FIL had used it some already, maybe even used it up before giving it away to someone that would never know not being a gun nut.
Let me relate this story, When I was seriously hunting fur for my winter income over a several year period I wore out two 22/250 barrels. I say wore out because I could drop a 60gn bullet the longest bullet that would stabalize in the 1/14" twist in the throat and then chamber a sized case and close the bold and the bullet with its base completely outside the case neck would not engauge the lands enough to mark the bullet olgive. It would still shoot reasonably well but shot out none the less.
I sold one of these Remington rifles to a friend, yes Friend but told him if he was not happy with it I would take it back and no hard feelings.
Some time later I asked if he was satisfied with the rifle. He said yes that it was the most accurate rifle he ever had and that he could hit a pop can every shot at 100 yards. In its prime the rifle could be called on to hit an individual letter on the can with the same consistancy but my friend was never aware such shooting was possible. He was happy and I was happy.
Point is what will make the current owner of this 6mm/338 happy? Since he is not loading ammo himself the picture I am getting is that he would be much happier with a 243 Win or 6mm Rem in the end. Problem is to sell what he has a buyer such as myself will look at it only as an action and a stock and offer accordingly.

[dk17hmr]

Barrels can almost always be set back and rechambered I have a 243 super rock chucker sitting at a smiths shop with a throat similar to what you said about your 22-250. The barrel is going to have a couple inches cut off the chamber end rethreaded and rechambered to 6mm ai. It's hard telling what this 6-338 will do without shooting and if it were at my house I think I would find a way to shoot it first......barrel burner or not I like a challenge.

I do agree though if it were something I was buying the barrel wouldn't be considered good when I was making an offer.

[Paul105]

I would take the rifle to an experienced gunsmith and have him do a chamber cast. If it is indeed a 6mm/338 Win Mag, it is a very specialized cartridge, with a short barrel life. If the new owner is a novice shooter (which I suspect), I would seriously consider some alternatives. Depending upon the rifle and who did the work, selling the rifle would be option number one. If it is a quality/unique rifle, reboring or rebarreling would be an acceptable alternative if a magnum cartridge was desired.

FWIW,

Paul

This doesn't help, but if memory serves (which it doesn't always) Ross Seyfried wrote an article on a fast twist 6mm 300 H&H.