Ruger M77 Hawkeye Rebarrel

[Outlaw Man]

I've got a Ruger M77 Hawkeye in .338 Federal, stainless with a synthetic stock. It's a really comfortable gun and it fits me well. The problem is there's no one in central Arkansas that carries .338 Federal. When I can find it, it's a little pricey, and I don't reload.

The rifle was a gift, so I don't really want to sell it. I've been thinking a .243 would get more use and would be much easier to find ammo for.

First, is it just a barrel swap to go from .338 Fed to .243?

Second, is that even remotely feasible, financially, compared to selling it and buying another rifle already chambered how I want it?

 

[adelbridge]

It's the same bolt so all it would take is a barrel swap for .243, .260, .308. It will probably cost you as much as a new rifle to swap barrels unless you do it yourself. You can always order .338 federal online.

 

[natman]

The good news is that it's a straight barrel swap. Since the 243 and the 338F use the same case, the bolt face and feeding should be the same.

The bad news is that it's not really financially feasible. You would be much better off to sell the 338F and buy a 243.

 

[highlander 5]

Now is a good time to learn to reload. Don't have the brass specs in front of me but I bet you could make cases from 308/7.62 brass quite easily. I had a better barrel put on a Ruger M77 in 223,not a match barrel just one with a faster twist and I think it cost me in the $300 range. SS barrel so no bluing needed.

 

[Reloadron]

Give this link a read. Going from 338 Federal to 243 Winchester is not a problem at all. As mentioned the bolt face is the same dimensions. Another nice is as mentioned in the link:

The Ruger M77 or M77 Mk II is a straight forward re-barrel job due to it having only a flat breech and no extractor cuts required.

You are looking in the $200 to $300 range depending on who does the work. I doubt you could replace the rifle for that cost.

Ron

 

[jmr40]

If I'm rebarreling a big part of the cost is gunsmith involved. Might as well go with a quality match grade barrel. The barrel isn't that much more and the gunsmith costs are the same. You might get a cheap barrel installed for $200-$300 but a good one will be $400-$500 after all is said and done.

You could trade the 338 Fed for an identical rifle in another caliber for around $150.

I'm not a huge fan of the 338 Fed, a 308 does everything it does, does it better and for less cost. But the 338 Fed works. It is a dying round though, but reloading is simple and easy. It would be the most cost effective route. For the costs of trading or rebarreling you can get set up for loading and save money, and load better ammo for the rest of your life.

 

[Abel]

Just order ammo online, sight it in and hunt with it every once in a while. A box of twenty could last a few seasons. $30 a box divided by two years is less than five cents a day.

 

[Manny]

Mail order is your friend for ammo, a quick google lists a number of sources with ammo in stock. Midway has Federal American Eagle for less than $20.00 a box with very positive reviews

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/71...on-338-federal-185-grain-soft-point-box-of-20

Still, if you really want a .243 a rebarrel should fix you up. At $200-300 to do the job however you could buy around 200-300 rounds of the Federal .338 ammo and do quite a bit of shooting. Just a thought...

 

[Outlaw Man]

Wow! I hadn't priced Midway. That's downright reasonable for practice.

Considering it's a gift, I really don't want to trade it. I see I could get a complete reloading setup for about the same price, or the gun I'd want if I replaced it for just a little more. I think I should keep it, save up for both, and shoot a little of that Federal AE in the meantime. That will also build up my brass supply for when the reloader arrives.

 

[Moparnut]

I believe Fort Thompson had some in stock last time I was in there. PM me if you want me to stop in at lunch and check for u.

 

[LeonCarr]

Start handloading.

Cheaper than a rebarrel job, and once you see the accuracy increases and cost decreases, you will be addicted like the rest of us .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Abel]

...and, the 338 Federal is just so freaking cool. Coolness often trumps ammo availability at Wal-Mark. Sort of like the 7X57 or 35 Remington...in coolness, not ballistics.

 

[Outlaw Man]

I got to shoot an old double trigger rifle in 7x57. Easily one of the five coolest guns I've ever fired.

The 338 does make people do a double take when I mention it...

 

[natman]

Give this link a read. Going from 338 Federal to 243 Winchester is not a problem at all. As mentioned the bolt face is the same dimensions. Another nice is as mentioned in the link:



You are looking in the $200 to $300 range depending on who does the work. I doubt you could replace the rifle for that cost.

Ron

According to your link it would be $165 for the barrel blank, $30 to contour and $205 for the labor to install it, if I understand the website correctly. That's $400, not to mention bluing, shipping, etc and the 24 week turnaround time.
http://www.mcgowenbarrel.com/catalog1.htm
http://www.mcgowenbarrel.com/catalog3.htm

I don't think you could replace the rifle for that cost either, but it's a lot more than the difference between what the OP could get for his 338F and what a 243 in similar condition would cost.

You could buy a lot of 338F ammo for $400.

 

[Reloadron]

According to your link it would be $165 for the barrel blank, $30 to contour and $205 for the labor to install it, if I understand the website correctly. That's $400, not to mention bluing, shipping, etc and the 24 week turnaround time.
http://www.mcgowenbarrel.com/catalog1.htm
http://www.mcgowenbarrel.com/catalog3.htm

I don't think you could replace the rifle for that cost either, but it's a lot more than the difference between what the OP could get for his 338F and what a 243 in similar condition would cost.

You could buy a lot of 338F ammo for $400.

Yeah, all things considered it does get up to around $400 which would buy a good bit of 338 Federal. Wouldn't hurt to give them a call I guess, then decide what to do.

Ron

 

[osprey176]

Your situation sounds like the perfect reason to learn reloading.It's not nearly as complicated as some people try to make it.You can get all the advice you need from this site,and others.Starting with one caliber is the best way to learn.Many years ago I had a hard time finding ammo for my new 444.I learned and have had a very enjoyable hobby since,and shot an awful lot more than I could have ever afforded to before.Now I have no hesitation about buying a rifle rifle or pistol in an "oddball" or less than popular caliber.For $400 bucks you can set yourself for years.

 

[ThomasT]

I have been rereading the Selected Works of Finn Aagaard again and its sure has me wanting a bigger bored bolt gun and a 338 Federal would be perfect.

You have one heck of a gun and it was free. I would buy 200-300 rounds of ammo so I could go shoot and be glad ammo was in stock. Half the cost of reloaded ammo is the brass and now you have a potential 300 pieces ready to reload when needed.

I started reloading 30+ years ago with a Rockchucker single stage press that I still use to this day. Its as good as new and I have loaded close to 20,000 rounds going by primer count. Reloading is just flat out fun. I like to reload while listening to the radio. I am not a TV fan.

Your rifle is as good of an all around rifle as a 270 or 30-06. And if you get to go on a moose or elk hunt you will have a edge over the smaller bores. Keep your gun. The 243 is common as dirt and can be bought somewhere down the road.

 

[ThomasT]

I have a 243 and its a nice accurate rifle. My buddy has a winchester 270 lightweight he has had for 30+ years and has always shot 150gr loads in it. It kicks just as much as my 30-06 with 150gr bullets.

I ended up with a couple of boxes of 130gr loads for the 270 and shot them from his rifle. Wow, what a difference. If I had of known a 270 was as nice to shoot I would have never bought a 243. The 270 IMHO is a better deal than the 243.

With a 338 federal and a nice 270 you should be well gunned.