Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .338 Federal?

CRS, does a guy need more than 18" when he's going to shoot suppressed?

It's a good round. I used it for a couple years on axis, blackbuck, whitetail and hogs. Nothing took a step and never caught a bullet. Two years ago lent it to a buddy that was having rifle trouble for his lease in Laredo. He took 4 deer with it that season. It works great. I've used it less since I got a suppressor. The last two seasons I've hunted suppressed. Last year with a 308 and this year with a 6.8 SPC bolt rife.

I love the rifle. Ruger Hawkeye. I've used mainly 180 NBTs. Shoots well with those and 200 grain Hot Cores and Accubonds. Eventually I'll take it to South Texas for nilgai.

One of the bigger gun mistakes I've made was selling my .338 Federal Ruger.
I feel like the .358 BLR was redemption enough, but it still stings once in a while.

I do not know.

I had a BLR in .358, and honestly, don't really miss it...much more looking forward to snagging/building a .338. Speaking of which, went ahead and ordered 300 225gr PTSP's to try out when I start working out a load, even though the 185s should be overkill for everything I'm hunting (right now).

I’ve always liked the 338 Federal. I have a couple rifles chambered in the round. Had three, but pulled the barrel on Kimber and turned it into a 6 Creedmoor. I killed a few deer with the round and was impressed. I’m a lung buster primarily and the 338 put some blood on the ground. Deer never traveled out of sight, but trailing wouldn’t have been an issue if need be.

Mine.......







Luvs the Hornady 185 gr. GMX

ya!

GWB

For those interested, Midway has dropped the price of the 185gr bonded bullets to $27/box....they are actually $2 cheaper/box then when I ordered them last week.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1023840599?pid=207758

I also had one in a Montana. Shot great but recoil was a bit stout for most. Got my first bull with it. My younger brother got his first couple deer with it. Worked very well with 185 TTSX’s. I have photos somewhere of the scene where those deer fell. Couldn’t have been any blood left in them.
I eventually had it rebarreled to a 6.5L and later was missing the 338, I had Jon Beanland build me a 338-06 to fill the void.

My older brother has a Sako 338 Federal which shoots 210 partitions well. He took his first bull with it. So yes, they work with zero drama.

Thanks Jason280. I bought 2 bags. Good hit for my kimber.

bought a bag to go with some others I have.

Midway price is now down to $24/box....if they get much cheaper, I'm going to order a few more boxes.

I bought 300 at the $27.00 price... Just ordered another 200..I couldn't take it..LOL

I had a Ruger Hawkeye SS on lay away at Walmart during Christmas about 4-5 years back. I decided against it and got my money back. I really wish I would have bought this darn thing.

Does anyone know what bullet this is?

Likely its a fusion

They used in in their now discontinued MSR 185 Fusion load. I bought 200 just for the heck of it.

Haha, that's great Spence, put those with the 400 I have and we're set.

MIdway must have bought a bunch of them. I'm sure they're going fast and it's great to see "available" in a sea of "not available"....

Plus, if they are indeed Fed Fusion, those are accurate bullets with good terminal performance.

Not sure I'd want to push them at 338 Win Mag speeds, but will use them in my .338-06....

DF

I bet they’d be serious on deer in a 338 Win!