Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Good 338 Federal loads

No pass thru's except for a 416 Rigby running 400gr Woodleigh hydrostatics.

The camels stopped everything else, 350 RemMag with 225gr Woodleigh PP, 7x57 with 175gr RWS H Mantels and one of the other blokes was using a 35 Sambar (35/325WSM). I can't remember the bullet he was using but they didn't exit either.

Camel live weights (bulls, that's all we shot) range from 500kg to a bit over 600kg (1100lbs-1300lbs).
They're pretty big and it's a team effort to roll one over.

No chrono with me at the time. I will next weekend.

For PRM, I chrono'ed the 200 gr Fusion load at 2636 fps out of my son's new Ruger Hawkeye stainless 22" barrel. Need to chrono some handloads with the 200 gr Hornady SP loaded with 47.1 gr of TAC powder. It shoots pretty good, hoping it is at least 2500 fps.

Sounds like camels are good bullet test mediums!!

An update. I got the itch to try the 160 TTSX out. It has proven to be one of the most accurate loads on my Kimber Montana with AA2230/BR2s. They consistently chrono 3020-3040. Took them elk hunting this year, and while the resulting shot was a chest shot at only ~50yds at 10,600' elevation, it worked very nicely on the bull. Next up deer, but I have no issues sticking with this for elk in the future.

A few quick shots (at 50 yds...max for that indoor range) to ensure it's still sighted in.



Where he was standing when hit


Very good blood trail, total distance traveled 30 yards.

Nice Elk! Interesting to see someone use the 160 on an Elk.

I may now be a believer in the 'light and fast with monometals' theory. Given the success others have had with 130s in a .30 cal, I thought a 160 with the added frontal area of the .338 might kill well. It did! Unfortunately I don't know how far it penetrated. Was concerned with light on day one, and then had bears in the area when I went back to get the remaining meat. So I never dug around to see what it did. There was a 1" entrance hole and the lower neck meat and going back to the lower shoulder/side was heavily bruised. Blood trail was massive. I would like to see how AA2230 does in the cold temps over the chrono. It was quite cold when this shot was taken so whatever it loses clearly does not matter that much, but still curious.

Yeah, the 160TTSX really extends the range of the 338 Federal. I'm not sure about 2230 temp sensitivity but you could always substitute TAC (maybe add a grain) to get same velocity.

My Federal really likes the 200 Hot Cor and the 200 Ballistic Silvertip. I tested the 160TTSX for speed but not for accuracy. My gun range had banned anything over 7mm the last 2 years due to a lawsuit so I've been using mostly small bores. They lifted the ban 30 days ago so I've started playing with mid bores again.

I was hoping to bloody my 338 Fed this year on a hog or deer but I'm still waiting on a McMillan stock I ordered in March. I'll probably use my 350 Rem Mag . I can get right about 3000 fps with a 200 TTSX using TAC. I'd like to take that combo on a Nilgai hunt sometime soon. This year I'll probably just use 200 Core-lokts for deer/hog.

Contrats again.

Glad I found this thread again.

Thank you all for the research.

Played with a few loads that I don't think I've posted on here:

200 Nosler E-Tip with TAC
Best load was 47.5gn with a 2605 FPS average. .9" 3-shot. (published max is 48.7 with a 200 Hornady)

I tried AR-Comp with the 210 Partition. Didn't work. Reached pressure long before reaching decent velocities.

Tried AA2230 and AR Comp with the 180 BT. Velocities were 2760 with AA2230. The Barnes max load is 49gn and 2798 fps (24") for the 185 TTSX. But I simply can't get these 180 BTs to shoot well. I did load more up at much increased seating depth to see if I can get them to shoot. Will do that next time out.

Next up is some 200 SSTs with 8208 XBR and 185 TTSXs with AR Comp.

Sorry guys, BACK UP.

Looking at buying a (still some around) 338 Federal.
No surprise to me that 8208 XBR is one of the top powders. I created a Indiana legal round equivalent in capacity to the 358 Win and that powder was the "do all end all" with any bullet I loaded.


Question.

Guys with different manufacturer built (or rebored, rebarreled) 338 Federals.

Is there any difference in the OAL of the round that will fit in the magazine?

Just curious.

Actually I am thinking the 200 gr Fusion bullet is about the do all bullet I could use and I cannot load the round as inexpensively as I can buy new Fusion rounds (right now).

God Bless

SO what the heck does camel taste like? Does one steak feed the whole family!!

Looking forwar to playing with my 338 Fed when it gets here, shouldn't be long. I'm hoping 8208 works well with 160 TTSX's. I have a little Benchmark to try also.

I've tried 8208 with the 160 TTSX. Worked well. Accuracy was excellent and speeds were in the lower 2900s with a 22" barrel. I get about 100 FPS additional with AA2230 and equal or better accuracy (within ~.2"). Probably not the temperature stability though. Although I have not tested that to confirm.

The 200gr uni core fits in my dpms 338 federal magazine and the 180gr accu bond factory ammo.

I've had a Ruger and a Kimber 338 Fed. The Kimber is limited to ~2.82, while the Ruger mag allowed longer. I don't recall the exact limit, but I think I was loading ~2.84+.

My apologies. I was referring to reloaded ammo where a longer COAL is used.

Factory ammo has a SAAMI max length. All should fit.

thanks
God Bless

Cabelas has 160 and 185 TTSX in .338 with free shipping on orders over $100 through 3/4. FYI

This is probably the most informative thread you will find on reloading the 338 Federal.

Good stuff guys.


Josh

I posted this on a thread about 6 weeks ago but thought I would add it too the 338 Federal thread.

I shot a 160 lb boar few weeks ago using 338 Federal/185 TTSX combo. Shot was about 50 yards. He was quartering too and hit him on the point of the shoulder. He dropped right there and kicked for about 20 seconds. Bullet exited offside ribs, turned the heart inside out and jellied the lungs.

I couldn't ask for better performance. Picture kind of sucks. Once we hosed off all the mud, he was a pretty charcoal grey.

Load was Federal Brass, 48 grains of 2230 & 185 TTSX. When I chrony'd the load during the summer it was 2800+ but that was 90 degree weather. At 50 yards, it was moving fast.





Rifle

Scott did those sights come on the rifle or did you have them added? powdr