338 Marlin Express

[HCL]

Anyone play with one of these yet??
Might be interesting..
Thanks
Mike

http://www.hornady.com/story.php?s=787

[GabbyM]

I"ve never been able to find what twist rate the barrels will be.

[6pt-sika]

I've been trying to get all the info I can on this ever since it was supposedly leaked by "Guns and Ammo TV" !

And as of yet I have not found out the rate of twist either !

But it doesn't really matter as I told my local dealer who is usually pretty good about getting me new to the scene rifles like this to order me a blued one and a stainless one :drinks:

Someone posted that Midway is expecting ammo and possibly Hornady dies before the first of the year !

[lar45]

Could this be a 338 Federal with a rim?

Looks pretty cool.

[Seafarer12]

Could this be a 338 Federal with a rim?

Looks pretty cool.

I think it is a little less than the 338 Federal. We will see if it lasts.

[JFE]

Hornady info says that the case is based on the 376 Steyr case with a rim. This would make the base around 0.500" in diameter.

[9.3X62AL]

It sure outclasses the 33 WCF significantly. The ballistics are useful for hunting, and 90% of the large game hunting in North America could be done with the cartridge. Of course, the same can be said of the 30-06........so the new round isn't exactly turning unplowed ground.

[Kuato]

Seems my 35 Rem will do anything that 338 will do. Brass, bullets, load data & dies are easier to come by for the 35 anyway. Another case of reinventing the wheel....327 Fed Mag anyone?? LOL

[BABore]

Hornady just put out a special 60 year collector's issue magazine that has a decent article in it on the 338 ME. Written by Wayne van Zwoll. It is loosely based on the 376 Steyr, but not made from that case which Hornady also makes. His chronograph data on Hornady's 200 gr gummy tip shows 2,565 fps/2,921 ft-lbs at the muzzle and 1,819 fps/1,469 ft-lbs at 400 yards with a 24 inch XLR bbl. Sighted 3 inches high at 100 yards, 400 yard drop is -25.5 inches. That is almost neck in neck with Remington's "Green Box" 180 gr SP 30'06 load.

I own a Marlin 35 Remington and it sure won't come close to those ballistics.

Marlin rifles are said to be available around June or so.

[6pt-sika]

Could this be a 338 Federal with a rim?

Looks pretty cool.

I already have a 338 Federal in a TC Pro Hunter barrel and it's a pretty decent little round !

Based on what I "read" so far the 338 Federal should be about the same as the Marlin with maybe 50-100 FPS advantage on paper .

[6pt-sika]

Seems my 35 Rem will do anything that 338 will do. Brass, bullets, load data & dies are easier to come by for the 35 anyway. Another case of reinventing the wheel....327 Fed Mag anyone?? LOL


Ahh yes !

If we left cartridge design up to folks who see it the same as you we would have a 30-30 to use in the eastern US and a 30-06 for out west and thats it !

I will have a couple of the 338 Marlin Express rifles and I already have a 327 Federal THANK YOU :drinks:


You know I feel like I say this just about every day . But just because they see fit to bring something out doesn't mean you're being forced to purchase it !

And also if this new cartridge breathes more life into Hornady or Marlin that benefits us all who like to shoot and hunt . As long as Marlin , Hornady , Remington , Winchester whoever stays in buisness we all benefit !

And if it takes new cartridges like this to keep them afloat then so be it !

Once the manufacturers in this country all die off it won't be to long before they come knocking door to door to impound all our weapons :(

[lar45]

I think the 375 JDJ would make a dandy lever gun round, but a 375 on the 338 ME would probably be better.

If the base of the 338 ME is about .500" ish, the 45-70's base is about .502"ish, and so is the 480 Ruger and 475 Linebaugh commercial ammo(with the smaller rim-not the 45-70 rim)...
Maybe the 338 ME case is almost a 45-70 case with a smaller rim? Does anyone know how long the case is or water capacity? What pressure are they running in it?

[jimkim]

You could just neck a 348DC up to 375 and use it.


348 DC: This is our newest caliber offering for the 1895 Marlin in .45/70 and should prove to be superior to any medium bore cartridge for the Marlin to date. It is made from the .45/70 case necked down to .348 caliber and shortened to 2". No fireforming is needed. Maximum OAL length is 2.55". Bullets are available from Hornady, Barnes, and Hawk along with a few custom makers. Velocities are as follows from a 22" barrel: 180 gr. @2700, 200 gr. @2600, 220 gr. @2500, 250 gr. @2300. The cartridge is easy to load and seems to be at its best with Reloader 15.

[BABore]

According to the Hornady/van Zwoll article, "the 338 Marlin Express measures 2.60 inches as factory loaded. The 1.89 inch semi-rimmed case has a 25 degree shoulder, a base diameter of 0.553." This is with the Hornady 200 grain gummy tip bullet. The only pressure figures mentioned were about the 308 ME where a Hornady engineer. Dave Emary, said that it was loaded to 46,500 psi and the Marlin action would hold a bit more. They were talking about the non-canister powder that they were using.