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i bought one of the ruger frontier rifles when they came out in 338 fed. i love it. i had it set up with the scout scope for a few years and recently switched over the a vx3 1.5-4x20. it is a slick little gun and shoots those federal fusion into tight little groups and knocks deer off their feet.


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Originally Posted by Joe
I'd have a .338 Fed. in a flash if I didn't have my .358 Win. There's no point in having both and I've been happy with my .358 since 1977.


I must not have gotten that memo. I have two 338 Federals and three 358 Winchesters. And each one is special. But I can understand your point.

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One reason it works for me is I'm hunting elk at 10,000'. A Nosler 180 AB would still be doing 2084 at 500 yds. The little Barnes is doing over 2100. More than enough for my situation. Doubt I'm ever shooting anywhere close to that and I don't feel range limited at all. Skills limited perhaps...

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Originally Posted by prm
Originally Posted by bobnob17


If you'd prefer a short action as I would, it's a better option than the -06.

As for the 308 vs 338Fed, not too much in it. But there aren't too many flies on a .338, 200g SST at 2700fps. They hit considerably harder than the .308, 165g version at about the same velocity. (I've shot a good few pigs with both combos FWIW.)


What is your experience with the 200 SST? They fly well for me but I've always questioned their toughness. I have no experience with them on game.


I loaded it down to 2700fps in a Vanguard 338WM using a mild load of H4895. I used it on pigs and goats. They held together fine, achieving double shoulder exits on all pigs so hit.

The 225g version loaded to 2600 was even better.

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I got a chuckle out of Coyote Hunters numbers. Altitude of 7500 feet. In South Georgia planes don't fly that high.
I've had a 338 federal for a number of years and it is as good as anything else I have for hunting around here. My trips out West have all been with my 338 winchester magnum but that has probably stopped due to the weight of my 338 Federal. It sure is easy to cary, and hits hard too.

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A couple pics to perk up this 338Fed thread.

Hoping to take a Blacktail with a 160 Barnes TTSX this fall. Pretty much a mountain guide clone with a little heavier barrel.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

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I like it!

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What is the recommended bullet for brown bear...in a 338 Fed?


Originally Posted by archie_james_c
I should have just
bought a [bleep] T3...


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I'm far from an expert on this.. I'd personally run a 210 Partition. Or, why not a 185 TTSX? There's a video out there of a guy shooting a brown with a 200 Trophy Bonded Tip through and through. Those who have hunted them a lot seem to think a 30-06 with 200 Partitions is good bear medicine, why not a 338 Fed?


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Last edited by 264wm; 04/20/17.
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Originally Posted by prm
I'm far from an expert on this.. I'd personally run a 210 Partition. Or, why not a 185 TTSX? There's a video out there of a guy shooting a brown with a 200 Trophy Bonded Tip through and through. Those who have hunted them a lot seem to think a 30-06 with 200 Partitions is good bear medicine, why not a 338 Fed?


I'm planning on building one for an upcoming hunt in AK, and am just starting my intel. Thanks.


Originally Posted by archie_james_c
I should have just
bought a [bleep] T3...


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Originally Posted by bobnob17
Originally Posted by prm
Originally Posted by bobnob17


.... But there aren't too many flies on a .338, 200g SST at 2700fps. They hit considerably harder than the .308, 165g version at about the same velocity. (I've shot a good few pigs with both combos FWIW.)


What is your experience with the 200 SST? They fly well for me but I've always questioned their toughness. I have no experience with them on game.


I loaded it down to 2700fps in a Vanguard 338WM using a mild load of H4895. I used it on pigs and goats. They held together fine, achieving double shoulder exits on all pigs so hit.

The 225g version loaded to 2600 was even better.


I must have missed this. That's interesting, thanks. I'll see how the 200 SSTs fly in the new barrel and consider them. Have a handful of things I want to try: 180 & 200 ABs, 160 TTSX, 200 SST, 200 Hot Cor, and I want to try AA2460 powder. Turns out it's just a slightly slower version of AA2230. 2230 is the king of speed with lighter bullets. 2460 might be just right with 200s.

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Why I like the 338 Federal one picture says it all.[img]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10209698571756139&set=a.10209698570596110.1073741834.1085402646&type=3&size=1000%2C750[/img]

Last edited by 264wm; 05/22/17.
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The best thing that could happen to the 338 Federal is a short action with 3.00" usable cartridge COL

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Originally Posted by GeorgiaBoy
The best thing that could happen to the 338 Federal is a short action with 3.00" usable cartridge COL


I agree with that. I've gone to lighter pills(180BT, 200IL, 185Sp, 160TTSX) in my T3 as the longer bullets rob way too much capacity for the short mag length and MV suffers. I did the bolt stop and mag swap for a while and that helps tremendously, but the lighter pills are more than ample for what I use the cartridge for(WT and hogs).

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I killed my largest elk with my 338 Fed Kimber Montana with no fuss. But I recently switched to a 338-06 due to the fact that the 338 Fed is pretty much a handloader's cartridge anyway at this point. Try Alliant's 2000-MR I was getting very accurate 200 grn loads at 2800 fps.


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You live where 338-06 ammo is on the shelf...and the 338Fed is not?

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No, I mean that if I'm going to reload I may as well as load the 338-06 over the weaker 338 Fed.


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And I found a better handling rifle in 338-06.


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Originally Posted by peeshooter
No, I mean that if I'm going to reload I may as well as load the 338-06 over the weaker 338 Fed.


I agree.

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