Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 308 vs 338F vs 358 WCF data....

https://thebiggamehuntingblog.com/338-federal-vs-308-winchester-vs-358-winchester/

As you can see the 338F breaks away over 300 yds, I always felt a 225 was best in the 35 bore, and if using over 300 yds, a 350 RM or Whelen, if not larger case can boost long range potential, trajectory, etc. But so can the 338-06 and Win Mag.

All that said, the 358 is a very capable round for use to 300 yds, and paper stats is not the end all on performance on game. All 3 have their place, but thought it might be interesting info for folks. Long ago I stuffed a 200 BT in a 308 round and a 6.5 in a 308 case, both back in the 90s just before the 260 was SAAMI'd and the 338 Federal that came out later. I think they hit a sweet spot in powder capacity vs bore size for a lot of use in NA at common ranges. Given deer being the most common Big game in NA, the 6.5 bore took off when Hornady launched the Creedmoor like many know. I do feel the 338 and 358 are SOLID performers having scene what my former 350 did for a friend who borrowed it, flattened deer, and a very large bull Elk. Enjoy the read.

I enjoyed reading the article. I shot a small buck this morning with a .308 loaded with a 168 gr Ballistic Tip. Complete pass through, ample blood trail.

I also have a .308 that is a mediocre shooter that I was thinking about reboring to .338 Fed or .358 Win. Since I also have a Whelen, I was favoring the .358 since I already have a supply of bullets. The .338 Fed does have some interesting numbers.

While I don't have one, I've liked the .338 Fed (and .338RCM) since they came out. Both are very capable cartridges.

That said I have a bolt and an AR in .308 Win and a .338WM. Good enough.

I like the 338 FED and the 210 grain Partition, but am planning to load some of the 200 grain ABs to try in 2020.

The 338 Fed hasn’t let me down yet and I’ve never felt I needed more range. The ballistics using the 180 AB (litz BC) are quite good when launched around 2800. Especially up above 9,000’ where I’m elk and mulie hunting. >2000fps at 500 yds. Not that I’ve ever needed that. My first choice though is a 160 TTSX at 3k. Love that bullet! I have a 308 too, and had a 338-06, but the 338 Fed is just right for me.

Think 8x57 vs 8.5x57 vs 9x57 and 9.3x57 there must be some usefulness here. All of them solid medium mediums.

Many would point out that those 358 loads quoted are anemic, due to bing hamstrung by SAAMI. At ANY weight, a 358 will leave at least as fast, and generally faster, than the same weight in any smaller bore on the same case, AT THE SAME PRESSURES. the bullets will make a difference as stuff gets farther from the bore, but the larger bore has the physics to be more efficient on generating speed at the muzzle, all else being equal.....though it’s often not. Yes, outside 300, BC favors the smaller bores. Inside 300, a full house 358 is nothing to sneeze at.

Straight up. That 160 TTSX and the .338 Federal equal the Hammer of Thor. Absolutely crushed deer and elk out to 300 yards.

The 180 AB and 200 Ballistic Tip are also outstanding.

I haven’t bloodied a 200 SST but I’d wager it would be bully in the .338 Federal.

I had a nice buck stop a 200 grain Interlock a couple weekends ago. The bullet separated and I found the jacket in the offside hide. Never found the core. Shot was a little over 200 yards broadside behind shoulder.

Not any of the calibers in the OP, but this year I tagged a small buck with a 338 RCM...225 SST. Wrecked very little meat, yet left a crater in the frozen ground near the impact point that looked like a meteor hit, as I was shooting from a tree stand. The buck was in small balsams and they were completely coated with blood from the short death run, with strings of clotted blood on some for good measure. With the snow, there was something very Christmasy about it.

I have all three of the calibers mentioned in the OP. Got to love 338 and 358 anything.

Every time I look at the numbers 308 still wins. A high BC 180 gr from a 308 leaving the muzzle at 2650 is only about 100 fps slower at 500, yet the .271 vs .225 SD will mean 308 penetrates deeper, shoots flatter, and recoils less.

From the link



The difference in diameter between .308 and .338 is about the thickness of 3-4 sheets of paper, simply not a factor. And you CAN shoot 200-220 gr bullets in 308 if you hand load and beat the penetration from anything you could load in a 338 Fed. The 308 has an even bigger gap when compared to 358.

Not implying the 338 and 358 don't work. But all I see is more recoil, a more arched trajectory, and no gain in performance.

All great posts above and cannot disagree.

No doubt JMR40 the 308 has the advantage as the distances grow, and they kill well, no doubt.

That said, folks who have used mid bores on game, note, low amount of blood shot meat, large exit holes (sometimes caliber matters on the whole in the hide, where blood leaves, not that there is often much tracking to do ). Also, common cup core do fine. 358 bores, have a nice option to use pistol bullets for plinking and small game for handloaders....once they were dirt cheap, or you can cast. 158s act like a 220 Swift on water jugs at 200 yds from my former 350....and I am sure a 358 would be almost the same.

As above, I had a 338/06, AWESOME round, a 200 BT at 2910 was WAY Flatter than most might believe......and absolutely put the Smack-down on WT Deer, for me, literally slammed them. Have to witness.........

As 95% of all this Ballistics Analysis, in the end a good bullet thru vitals will kill. Trajectory, FPS, FPE, is all nice to compare, but put a good bullet thru vitals and most all work.......just some nice nuances with different flavors to keep things more interest for the Loonys

Glad folks enjoyed the read. Nothing to take away from other rounds, but these modest recoiling mid-bores have utility, no doubt as we have seen posted by users. No doubt a 30 cal is about the mid-point - between 22s and 45s It does many things well......but so do others, just depends what you want to do and how you decide to do it. Good hunting folks, be safe!