Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 338 Federal

Looking to get some in put from people who have or have had a 338 Federal. What kind of velocity were you able to get and how was the performance on game? Better than a .308 win with heavy bullets? Also what length of barrel are you running?

Thanks,

CT

I have a Ruger Hawkeye with a 22" barrel. I'm seeing:
160 grain- Around 3,000 fps
180-185 grain- around 2750 fps
200 grain- around 2600 fps
210 partiion- around 2550 fps

I've used the 180 NBT on a Axis and Blackbuck and the 185TTSX on a 170lb hog. All were pass throughs and all dropped when hit.

A 308 would have done the same thing. The edge over the 308 is using heavier bullets, making a slightly bigger hole at ranges under 300 yards. It's a slight advantage but one that probably won't matter on most game.

I'm running a Kimber Montana with 22" barrel
160 Barnes TTSX 3015 fps
180 accubond 2790 fps
200 hot core 2600 ish
210 partition 2610 fps

I think the 338 fed shines with 200 grain bullets hits like a freight train.

I don't have a 338 Fed, but do have 308,30-06 and had a 338-06 for a while. Here is what I found comparing similar 30 caliber rounds with 33 caliber rounds.

The difference between .308 and .338 is equal to about 3-4 sheets of notebook paper. No animal will ever notice the difference.

The 308 and 30-06 shoot the same bullet weights 100 fps slower than 338 Fed and 338-06. At the muzzle the 33's have a slight edge in energy. But the much better BC's mean the 30's equal the 33's at about 150 yards and beat them at longer ranges. The longer the range beyond 150 yards the greater the energy advantage goes to the 30's. But to be fair, the trajectory is virtually the same under 400 yards. After that the 30's have a very slight, but insignificant, edge

The 33's don't start to show an advantage over 30's until you get into bullet weights heavier than available in 30 caliber. The 338 Fed won't handle the 250-270 gr bullets well.

It's not that they don't work, it's just that they don't offer any real advantages either. Lots of guys just like to hunt with something different and there is nothing wrong with that. If you like the 338 Fed it'll kill stuff. At one time I was into odd ball rounds like 338/06, 280, and 35 Whelen. They worked, but at this point in my life I just prefer to keep things simple. 308 and 30-06 may not be flashy, but they get the job done.

Thanks for the information. I've got a project rifle or 2 in mind and may decide to go with a 338 federal just to have something different.

Thank,
CT

I've done well with my limited experience with it. Deer and bear. I killed one bear that very much wanted to live, and I have to say it impressed me. 180 barnes.

I've had 358 W and 35 Whelen. The 358 is an absolute hammer in the woods. The Whelen stretches it out farther plus handles the heavies much better.

I've NOT had a 338 F but the idea is very interesting. I'd really like to play with a BLR in 338 F. Now, like JMR 40 says above, the 308 W does very well so.....

Jerry

For conversation:



http://www.rifleshootermag.com/author/wvanzwoll/page/2/

And that Sir is really the only reason to own anything other than a 30-06. 200 fps or 50-70 grs of bullet wieght really doesn't matter that much in real world hunting most of the time, and nothing can replace you as a skilled hunter.

338 Fed is easy to load and fun to shoot, and has killed every elk and deer I have fired it at. Good enough for me, but I did notice an empty spot in my safe right next to my 30 Gibbs, so what does a 30 Nosler do?

I get around 2550fps with 200s from my T3 338Fed. 200g Hdy ILs and 200NBTs is all I ran out of it until I found a good deal on 100 185g SP AE factory loads. I bought the AE for the brass, but they shot so well, I took them hunting a few times. Killed a nice buck with those little pills and couldn't have asked for better performance.

The 338 Fed doesn't really do anything more than a 308 with 180s for me, but it's another cool cart to have in the stable.

I decided to give my T3 338 Fed a makeover a while back, so had it cerakoted Titanium Grey and installed a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 in some of 16bore's modified TLW lows. Turned out nice and is a joy to carry in the timber.

160 TTSX: 3015 with AA2230, 2900+ with 8208
180 BT/Accubond: 2700s with TAC or 8208, 2800+ with AA2230
185 TTSX: 2730 with TAC or 8208, 2800+ with AA2230
200s (Accubonds, SSTs, Hot Cors): 2660ish with TAC or 8208
210 Partition: 2580-2600 with LVR or 2000MR

I've had two different 338 Federals, an M77 Hawkeye and now a Kimber 84M. Both with 22" barrels.

I've shot a sampling of critters including deer (185 TTSX), elk (185 TTSX, 160 TTSX, 180 BT), hog (185 TTSX), Impala (160 TTSX), Blesbok (160 TTSX), Gemsbok (160 TTSX), Waterbuck (160 TTSX) and Kudu (160 TTSX). Never lost an animal, never had one go far enough that it took longer than 30 seconds to track. Furthest an animal has gone is maybe 4030yds? Most just a few steps. As for performance beyond the obvious, they died right there; the 160 TTSX is a wicked bullet, but it does take out a lot of meat in the shoulders. The 185TTSX does far more internal damage than the relatively small exit holes would indicate. The 180 BT kills fine, but does not penetrate quite as well.

Is it better than a .308 with 180s? I've only shot one buck with a 180 partition out of a 308 Win and it was not that much different (I was cheating though, that was the old Federal high energy load being fired out of a 26" barreled 308. Basically equaled a 30-06). But I could probably say that about many cartridges. The differences in how bullets act is likely a greater variable. There is no doubt the 338 puts a bit more oomph behind the bullet though. Basically the 338 Fed shoots the same weight bullet as the 30-06 at the same speed. A little less BC, a little greater diameter. Depending on how far you shoot, and elevation, you can decide if its a viable tradeoff.

I don't really see it as an advantage over the .308 unless you just want to shoot .338 cal bullets. The .308 doesn't do those as well.

Has more to do with what just feels right. That goes for countless cartridges. Cartridges varying widely all make things dead.