Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Is the new 338 federal caliber here to stay

I am a non relaoder at this time and I am interested in this caliber and am looking at a kimber rifle but I have some concerns do you think this will stay around as factory round and will any one else start making it besides federal? If I buy this gun will I end up needing to reload? What are your thoughts longevity or short term? I understand wildcaters have been using this for some time?

thanks

Personally I feel that a good way to judge a round is by how it stands on its own without all the start up marketing bucks pushing it.

If it were up to me to guess I'd say it'll begin a slow dive to a dirt blanket once the marketing window and honey moon period of the round comes and goes.

If it were me I'd just buy a 308 and know that it'll do all the other will do.

Dober

Great post Dober. If I was worried about a cartridge surviving and didn't reload I doubt I'd get to interested in something that hadn't been around 15 years or so.

I think that the 338 Ruger Compact Magnum will see to its downfall. If I wanted a 338 and didn't want to go with a long action then I would try to get as much velocity and energy as possible.

If you're a non-handloader and plan to stay that way, the .338 Federal, like a lot of other useful cartridges, may not be the way to go.

If you are a handloader, you will never have trouble finding components that work for it. Still, it may join a long list of other really good ideas that that got lost in the swirl of mediocre to bad ideas -- like the .358 Winchester, for example.

I think it's a dandy cartridge that will push bullets of equal weight somewhat faster than a .308 -- which is why I had one built. Just picked it up, and have it fitted to the factory stock (Ruger 77 Mk II RSI ). If the weather cooperates this week, I'll shoot it some and see how my theories are working.

DN

Other than the 243 Win any other cartridge based on the 308 parent case has taken years to establish itself. The 7/08 and the 260 rem are classic examples. I find the 338 Federal a good concept that should survive...hopefully.

Doc

Zebras heart after a 210 grain TSX passed through it at about 100 yards






Zebra and Kimber 338 Federal

I really like the Kimber 84M's and if I did not have so many .358's I might be tempted to get one in 338 Federal. The new Ruger round will not fit in an 84M or at least I doubt that it will.

There are going to be more and more cartridges that brass is going to be quite difficult to get and loaded ammo also. One of our well heeled members here mentioned getting a 300 H&H and then gave up on the idea as that round is difficult to get brass for. But then he travels a lot. I am not selling my 300 H&H for that reason.

When I hunt out of my own vehicle it does not matter if the round is available where I am or not. I make and carry my own. If I flew to Alaska or Africa I am quite sure there would be 30-06 ammo there in case the airline lost my 338 Federals.

I have quite a few guns already for obsolete cartridges including the 358 Win. I doubt that I will buy a 338 Federal for many reasons. However if some nice wood was on a gun I might grab it. Thats the fun of guns. They don't cost all that much or talk back.

There are cartridges that are just about dead like the 225 Win, 307 and 356 Win etc that were not introduced all that long ago in terms of the cosmos.

Get a 308 in the Kimber and then start to handload. Then make up your own mind once you get into it.

Will the 4 groove 1/12 twist .308 Kimber barrel shoot a 200 grain bullet as well as the 6 groove 1/10 twist Kimber 338 barrel will shoot something of the same or similar weight? I handload so if I could stuff a 225 into a 338 Federal I would try those as well. Will the 338 Federal be as popular as the .260 Remington in 5 years?

You made a valid point Jimmy about the twists.

I doubt the federal will be as popular as the 260 (though I do remember when folks said the 260 was dead, it was just a 7mm-08 except not as good.)

Even so, the 338 federal is been chambered by a couple of companies and federal loads some good bullets for it. For a reloder its much like the 358 win, a great easy to load easy to shoot cartridge.

338 federal is another cartridge that would be well served by a chambering in the M7.

Will it stand the test of time..... dunno. I have a feeling it's going to be around for awhile as Federal is loading their ammo with a decent selection of bullets (180gr. Accubond, 185gr. TSX, 210gr. NP) and not to mention there's a 200gr. Fusion bullet.

More support in terms of ammo than what was available over the counter for the .358 Win

I hope is sticks around.... I had HCR build me a .338 Federal on the Kimber 84M Montana (before Kimber decided to bring it out). If I had it to do again..... I'm not so sure..... with hind sight may have just kept the .308 as I don't see where the .338 Federal will do what the .308 can't. But I'm "stuck" as I have too much invested in this particular rifle! lol

Hard to predict the long term popularity, but I tend to agree with Mark's assesment.

On the other hand, in the last 10 years or so, the 338 bore size has gotten a lot of interest. 338 RUM, 338-06 standardized, 338 Fed, now the 338 RSM, 338WSM wildcat, 338 Edge wildcat, 338Allen Mag widcat, and increased popularity of 338 Lapua Mag.

The selection of 338 bullets keeps growing. As long as there is a 308 Winchester, there will be an economical supply of brass to form into 338 Fed.

I'd say if you like it, why not. You will probably want to take up handloading one of these days anyway.

The .338 Federal will be popular with those who already have .338-08's, and even .308 shooters and hunters. But what will be the main reason for it staying in the market is ammo availability. I don't see any reasons for Federal not to produce more ammo for it. After all, wasn't it Federal that made this cartridge official?

I understand that it's difficult to attain the velocities of Federal loadings for it. The loads I see in their web site are with 180 grains to 210-grain bullets, which should be about perfect for hunting in the lower-48 States, or any hunter who likes this former wildcat.

Most of the folks, for an unknown reason, seem to tout light for caliber loads these days. With that in mind, I can't see much difference in a 308 with 200 grain Partitions and the 338 Fed.

Wayne

How about the difference in the frontal area of the 2 when expanded.. Did you notice the size of the wound channel in that Zebras heart...

this stuff is hard to quantify. How big a hole would a 165 NP in 308 have made in the Zebra's heart at 100 yards?? I don't even know if it would be suitable for an animal like this? I am in the market for a new short action rifle, I hand load and don't care one way or the other if I launch a .30 cal 150 cup and core at a deer or a 30 cal 180 Partition, said deer if hit well will be in the freezer. If I launch a 180grain .338 caliber grain projectile it will do the same job as a 180 .308 caliber projectile on small deer. If I want to wack something like a big pig or black bear their could be an advantage to a 210 grain NP in caliber 338, I personally just don't know for sure. The 338 Federal while not mainstream may offer more for a slightly different animal size, I just don't know. For me I am thinking get the 338 Federal, try it and if you don't like it sell and get a 308. The Kimber 308 barrel is 1 twist in 12 and 4 groove, so I am not confident this will stabalize a 200 grain .308 caliber bullet. I also agree Remington has lost its way regards the intent of the model 7 WSM's SAUM;s etc. A 338 federal in the M7 gun would be great hunting tool.

I just like to tote something that few others have. The 338 Federal and the .325 WSM are my latest buys!!!

With equal pressures, the 200 gr .338 will leave the muzzle faster. It's an expansion ratio thing. Now that I have my RSI .338 Federal, I intend to do some comparative testing with my .308 RSI. I'm betting I can gain more than 100 fps in the .338 over the .308 with equal bullet weights.

Whether that matters to anyone or not is a moot point, because I had the gun built for me .

DN

Dennis

What twist did you go with and was this a new barrel or a rebore by Jim Dubell. I know you probably told me when we talked about it in Reno last year, but my memory isn't the greatest sometimes.

Many thanks