I just picked a Ruger Hawkeye stainless-syn in a trade.It is chambered in 338 Federal.I am curious what the opinions of this round are.What kind of distances is this rifle capable of? What is the value of a clean used Hawkeye? Any thoughts?

I paid $520 for a new one in .243 last year. Just sold it at my dealer for $400, haggle-free to finance something else on the quick. Might have tried for up to $500 if I were selling it myself.

Good round for those who might want to shoot bigger stuff at times. No need for it in the East, but then "need" is in the eye of the beholder.

I'd love one in 358.

The .338 Fed is easily a 300-yard cartridge -- and further if you're willing to accept drift and drops over 10".

A cool round that will kill most anything in NA if you just like to be different and are willing to limit range. But a 30-06 shoots the same bullet weights with far better BC's to the same speeds. Compared to 30-06 recoil is about the same, close range performance is about the same, but as range increases it falls behind 30-06.

Compared to 308 it is slightly better up close, but once again poor bullet BC's mean 308 is the better option after 200-300 yards.

I can only address one of your questions. The value of a clean used Hawkeye is more than the value of the cartridge it is chambered in.

I love the 338 fed, very versatile little round. It kicks like chuck norris in my shortened, lightened kimber monata. Basicallly its a .308 which is the most versatile roud for North American game, just necked up .030" little better for the heavier stuff, loses a little velocity and long range ballistics. I replaced a 35 remington with one and haven't looked back.

I have that same gun and I love it. I think it will run with a .308/30-06 out to 300 yards and it burns less powder than the '06. Mine prefers 180 Accubonds, 185 TTSX and 200 Hornady SP. I've killed whitetail and a moose with it.

Since Ruger isn't chambering them in 338 Federal anymore I bet you could get $500-600 for it from someone who is looking for that particular caliber. I know my buddy, who is a Ruger nut, would probably give me 500-600 and his left nut for it. (Disclaimer: I don't have any use for either of his nuts.)

River_Ridge - A few years back Chuck Hawks ran articles on a .338 X 7mm Mauser as an improvement of the .338-06 A Square. Then the .338 Federal came out. What's not to like? Easier to buy ammo then either the A Square or the 7mm varient with less recoil than the .338WM. Point being that if you're into .338's for what ever reason the .338 Federal is a good choice. However, sorry to see that the Federal round has not really taken off either. Homesteader