To buy an older Ruger model 77 in .338 win mag from a guy in January. Has a scope on it, (don't know what kind yet) but the rifle has only had about 15 sighting rounds thru it, and I can't pass up on the price. Basically a NIB buy.

I don't know whether it's old enough or not to be the old tang style safety (I'm thinking it's ten years or older). It was purchased by a gentleman for an Alaskan trip that never materialized, and all that happened is that it got sighted in and never fired again. Have been told it also has a beautiful piece of walnut on it too.

This might just be the basis for the rifle of my dreams, a rebarrel to .358 Norma. I've been a .35 nut for a long time and have rifles in .357 magnum, .35 remington, .356 winchester and .35 Whelen. This would finish the whole run from fun and easy to shoot to very powerful.

I'm looking for some opinions on the caliber. Everything I've ever shot with .35 caliber guns have basically been bangflop propositions. I still can't figure out why they haven't been more popular. Since I reload, I'm also thinking that this might be the most useful rifle I could own. It would do everything from bunnies to grizzley bears.

k8bor

k8bor:
you might want to mess with the .338 a bit before you rebarrel. or rebore. My brother swears by his and it has worked great for him.

I use the ,35 Whelen and the .375 H&H with no complaints, but if I didn't have them I would take a good look at the .338.

Regards,
Gene

Point well taken. It might be very accurate. I also like the selection of bullets available for the .338.
I'll certainly take your advice and see how this piece works out. I'm supposed to handle the rifle next month as the owner is coming to my neighborhood.
thanks,
k8bor (Dave)

My 77 / .338 Win Mag is astonishingly accurate. I wouldn't rebarrel without shooting it first.

Best of luck.

don't you just love a good price on a used gun? man i do, it has gotten to the point that anytime i go to a "gun store" the first place i go is the used rack. i, like you am a fan of the mediums, and to be honest the 338 does beat out the 35's in terms of energy on target and sectional density. however you know as well as i do that energy on target means nothing, however, sectional density might. people ask me about energy, the overiding rule with energy is that for every action there is an equal reaction. in other words, if a cartridge hits an animal with 2k plus lbs of energy, guess what, it hits you with the same!! the energy # is a slippery s.o.b. that does nothing other than decieve otherwise good people and distort their opinions of rifle performance based on BS. however,you know as well as i that what really matters is to open a big hole and make it bleed... and either the 338 or 358 bore will do that easily.