Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 338 win mag or 338 Federal?

Are these two really close in performance or is it a gimmick. Which would you choose and why? I would think the win mag would get the nod since it has been around longer? Thanks Esox357.

Take a .308 case and a 7mm mag case, neck them both up to .338 and fill with water...weigh the water...

Just looked on Federals website, and with the 210gr partition the magnum is only ahead by 200 fps.

That makes the choice easy for me...

Course I already have a .338-06.

Where would the 35 whelen fall into place among these cartridges and for what size game? Thanks Esox357.

35 whelen is very similar in performance except there are a lot more .338" bullets available. Most people use the Whelen for BIG big game, elk, moose, bear but it can be used for anything. The one plus side of .35 caliber cartridges is that pistol bullets can be used for plinking and small game and there is a ton of em out there in .358" as well as a good choice of cast bullets.

how heavy do you want your rifle? what model rifle do you want or are you building (338 win is offered in everything )

in order of bang....... (read recoil)

1. 338
2. 338-06
3. 338 win mag

each provides you with a step up in powder capacity..... if your not hunting elk primarily at extended ranges then i vote federal...

again, depends on your platform

woofer

I don't see them as really that close in performance if measuring velocity-------a 400+ fps difference is more than just trivial IMO. How often that extra speed is needed, and whether a big game animal shot with either cartridge could tell the difference is another matter.

The .338Fed will fit in a smaller action than the .338Win, and burn less powder. The .338Win will walk away from the smaller cartridge with heavier bullets, but could also be loaded down to .338Fed levels if need be. I can see how a guy could like either approach, but I'd prefer the .338Win. If moving up to .33 cal, I want the option of pushing all the bullet weights, not just the 200/210s.

It still had to be about case capacity. The Win Mag will be faster. Do we forget the 358 Win? Same case as the Federal with a 35 cal bullet. If you're hunting close the Federal should be fine if you typically take longer shots I'd go for the 338 Win mag. Just my opinion.

The 338 WM is one of the all-time wonderful cartridges, being easy to load for, relatively flat-shooting, and a game HAMMER.

338 Fed is more a specialist's cartridge- and I say that as a .358 owner, I don't think that's a BAD thing mind you- but it lacks the reach of the .338 WM.

Of course it will recoil a LOT less. Then again, I personally don't find the 338 WM's recoil to be abusive in the slightest. Just a big ol' friendly push <g>.

One of each is the way to go! A nice light 338 Fed and a 338 WM set up as general-purpose rig...

Neither!
Build a .338-06 for the best of both worlds!

What do you want to run at 2,700; 200s or 250s?

Expat

Looking for the next step up from a 30.06. I think I will have to choose between the 338 win mag and the 35 whelen? Not sure which but leaning towards the 35. When you guys say extended range are you talking within 300 yards, The farthest I am willing to shoot is 300 yards. Esox357.

325 wsm

Plus .15

now, i am no gunwriter..but...
if going up from the 06, go to 338wm...

you will be amazed at just how versatile it is.

a 338wm really fits in anywhere an 06 does.

so long as you give it some practice and become accustomed to it


just my $.02

If you're looking for the next step up from an '06, I'd got with the .338Win for two reasons. First, it's a real step up. Secondly, the .338Win is kind of a super-sized '06 that shoots 210, 225 and 250gr bullets at pretty close to the same speeds an '06 shoots 150s,165s, and 180s. So if you're already familiar with '06 trajectories, a .338 would just be more or the same.

Esox-IMO they'rea about as close together in performance as a 308 and a 300 win are...

Dober

Which is another way of saying 300-450 fps separates them.

What game do you have in mind? With todays bullets, my '06 is handling the jobs that my .338WM used to cover. My ole .338 is getting dusty.

Good point, very true.

Bullets tend to behave themselves at typical 30-06/.338WM speeds too; an added bonus.

Someone else brought up .325 so I will just say that if a guy wants to really split hairs, and have a rifle that slots right in between 30-06 and .338 in about every way... well... the .325 is it. And I own two of them <g>.