Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles A look at the 338 Federal 3 years later.

Tonk, Is your 338-06 built on a receiver long enough to suit a 338 Win Mag?

Better numbers than a .30-06, and that one will kill a 300 yard elk...

I have one being built right now, should be back soon. I plan on doing some extensive development with it, and have a long list of bullets waiting...

180 AB
185 TSX
200 IL
210 TSX
210 TTSX
225 IL
225 IB
225 TSX
250 NP

factory 180gr Accubonds averaged 2750 fps in the 22" barrel of my M77. 185gr TSX did 2725 fps avg. 200gr Fusion 2675 fps Avg from the 22.5" Sako85 I had. (handloaded 210gr TSX did 2650 fps, 215gr Sierra did 2625 fps)

shooting an elk @ 150 yards with a 338F is like shooting one at 300 yards with a 338 Mag. I believe the 338 Mag is a solid 400-450 yard elk rifle, so the 338f should do just fine to 250-300y. Ideal cartridge for open country? no. But damn near ideal for anything at normal distances

the fed seems platform dependent to me, 6 pounds is cool.

I like the 358 better, but I have a 338 federal, and the sucker does perform.

Reviving this thread. Anyone have more recent experience?

It seems the market these days is putting out more compact rifle options that would suit the 338 Federal very well, and be the handiest rifle with 30-06-like ability.

If getting to a 338 Federal requires reboring, any reason not to go all the way up to 358?

Would there be any practical difference at all between the 338 Fed. and 358 Win with 200 grain bullets up to 250 yards?

More bullet choices in .338, usually with better ballistic coefficients over .358. Will kill about as good as a 308, 30-06 or 358 win. Game animals won't know the difference.

I can't see much practical difference, but it might be easier to fit the pointier AB/BT offerings in a 2.8" box in the .338cal. A longer Howa/Ruger77 box would not be so tight.

I've hunted with .338 NBT's at 2,800 in other chamberings and found them to be wicked mean on animals. Shoot 225gr .358 NABs in my Whelen single-shot at a lowly 2,450fps and they knock big holes too, while allowing a fairly flat trajectory for the velocity. Blood trails with both leave nothing on the table. The last deer I shot with that 225, I could see the gaping exit hole as the deer ran off. If it'll open at that speed on a lung-shot 125lb whitetail, it'll open on nearly anything.

I've used the 338 Federal with 180 Ballistic Tips at 2750fps. Killed an Axis, Antelope and hog. None took a step and all had nice exits. I'm taking it mule deer hunting this year. Im basically mimicking a 30-06 with my bullet choice. I can push 200 Speers or Accubonds to 2600 fps. Playing a little with 210 partitions but it seems to max out a little shy of 2600 fps.

That's my take on it too. IMO the 358 is 'shorter' ranged than the 338 F.

Jerry

While late to the post it may help others looking at the 338 federal. I own two rifles, a tikka lite and a ruger Hawkeye. In the tikka I load 185 Barnes ttsx with 2230 at 2750 fps. This produced a bang flop result on a mountain goat at 230 yards on a quartering away shot. Bullet passed through breaking the offside leg on exit.
The ruger shoots the factory 210 partitions in fair groups of 1 - 1.5 moa at about 2600fps. I hand load 160 Barnes ttsx at 3000 fps and shoot clover leafs with this load. I have not hunted with this round yet.

Found this old post while looking around. I have used the 210gr partition on a pretty large Maine moose, hogs, axis and a couple whitetail. My gun is a REM 700 24” barrel. My guesstimate is those NP are moving around 2600fps. That’s my jam in the 338 Federal, that that round. Although I would love to run some old school ballistic tips through a few animals. Anyway…great round.