Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 338 Federal Reloading/Resizing Question

My friend here in SW Montana was so impressed with my Tikka T-3 Rifle in caliber 338 Federal that he wanted one.
Well it appeared that Tikka quit making them in this caliber so he ordered a Ruger Model 77 Hawkeye in 338 Federal.
Well his Rifle came in yesterday and he scoped it up today - NOW he wants to borrow my 338 Federal dies and "neck up" some 308 Winchester brass and get started reloading for his new Rifle.
His/our question is can he/we make 338 "Federal" brass out of 308 Winchester brass JUST by necking up the 308 brass with MY 338 Federal dies?
OR do we need and interim die or a tapered expander ball in MY 338 dies?
Any help on this subject will be greatly appreciated.
I personally bought some 338 Federal factory ammo and used it up and have the correct neck size brass already for my handloads.
TIA
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I`ve found Lee and Redding dies work best for bumbing up necks, both have tapered expanders.....lube a 308 case and run it through..should work just fine.

I just ran my 308 brass through an RCBS FL die to make 338 Fed brass. Seemed to work fine. I have a Redding neck die for use after it's been fired.

I once necked up 308 brass for a 358 win I owned briefly before Ruger gave me my money back on it.

I just tried using a Redding neck sizing die to do it. Did not work. Bent the case at the shoulder. Only tried it once. Went back to the FL RCBS die and everything worked fine. I'm not saying it won't work, maybe I did something wrong. The brass was well lubed, the sizer just would not expand it smoothly enough and the shoulder gave out.

VarmintGuy, My best cases are from W-W 308 necked up. One pass and check mouths for crookedness. Only a few needed squared. Dip 308 case mouths in mica and lube rest of case as normal, I use 1-Shot spray.
Is much easier than the 35Wh brass I used to "make". Your Bud should sacrifice about 50 premium bullets for the use of your dies.

Yes. That is all I've done. I use new RP 308Win brass and RCBS FL dies.

RH

I've ran 7-08 Federal and 308 Win brass through my RCBS 338Fed FL die without a problem. After a few of the 7-08s, I found it easier to go into the 308 win die first.

I didn't have much success with the 308 win brand brass. The necks were too thin after necking up and wouldn't give adequate neck tension after the first firing unless I went back to 308, then 338. Too much work on the brass IMO.

If going with 308 brass, I would suggest fed brass as it is alittle thicker.

Good Luck

loder

Thanks to all the 338 Federal question respnders!
I took that info to my friend and we lubed up his cases real well and they resized (up to 338!) rather easily.
His cases were new 308 Winchester (by Winchester) and no losses were incurred!
Then WE took apart my previously brand new and unused R.C.B.S. sizing die and we both gasped at the pronouncedly TAPERED expander ball therein!
I mean we could have re-sized 243 Winchester brass (maybe?) with that long tapered expander ball!
I think the fine folks at R.C.B.S. knew in advance that Federal would NOT be making brass (as a component!) for the 338 Federal and they made this expander ball with that "knowledge" on their minds.

Note to Reloader7RM: My friends chosen bullets have "cannelure" and today I saw for the first time some of the loaded rounds he did not shoot - the end of the brass case "coincided exactly within the cannelure of that bullet.
If he crimped them there I am not sure.
I will advise him tomorrow of your needed regimen of down sizing to 308 and then back up to 338 after the first firing.
And the 308 Federal brass point as well.
Thanks to you and to all again.
Long live the 338 Federal.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

FYI, 338 Fed brass is now listed as a component item, and per a phone conversation w/Federal Premium it should be available by ~June.

Good to hear they'll be putting out proper head stamped brass.

VG, When I first loaded for the 338fed, I loaded up a batch of new 308 Win brand brass w/o a hitch. Then after firing and running them into the FL die again, you could push a bullet in with your finger due to the thinned necks. Hopefully your buddy will not have that problem. If he does, he could do what I was saying about necking back down, then up. That's an awful lot of work on the brass and may cause terrible runout.

I've been thinking about buying some 358win brass and necking down, just haven't gotten around to it. Since Fed is going to sell us the brass, I'll prob just wait.

I loaded up a batch of 160TTSXs using 338Fed brass and a few 7-08 Fed brass. Maybe we'll get some descent weather, so I can see what these little pills will do.

Have a Good One,

loder

I asked Redding about a bushing neck die in 338 Federal to address the neck tension issue on resized 308 brass. They can do a type S bushing die but only as a custom job and it was expensive. Anyone else gone down that route?

I'd like to use resized Lapua 308 cases in my Fed, once it is back from the 'smith.

I use a redding 338 federal die, IIRC it comes with an expander button so your good to go.

I bought some 1x fired Hornady 308 brass, havn't messed with it yet, but seems thicker that some of the others, thinking it might be a good start to neck up to 338