Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Reliable .358 Win or more available Federal .338?

I was ready to convert my 700 Ti 7m-08 to .358 Win, the 7m-08 has taken a back seat to my .270 SAKO so I have in mind an easy to carry bigger bore mountain gun.

Now that we have �lead� free hunting in California I was thinking I would get more use from a 338 Federal which is factory loaded with TSX�s (If needed in a pinch).

My usual hunts are Bear/Deer/Hogs in CA, Mule Deer and cow Elk in Colorado.

Any suggestions on what twist for the new barrel? (1 in 9).

I would go 358 all the way. But I like older cartridges and like the bullet availability in .35 cal.

358 Caliber

Diameter Weight Description S.D. B.C. CAT#
.358" 200 gr TSX FB .223 .284 35820
.358" 225 gr TSX FB .251 .359 35824


Bigger hole in,,, bigger hole out.... Good air to blood ratio if you ask me.....

Become a member of the copper club, Barnes bullets are waiting to get aquainted with your reloading press now....

Guess the question is,,,, Do you reload?

Maybe you need both......

I'm a 338 fan and have been using a 338Fed at the range quite a bit. I'd say go 338Fed. I'm using the Hornady 200gr SP cuz it is my practice bullet for my 338WM The 185TSX is an awesome bullet and would not hesitate to use it.

RH

.358! Or both. If both... then do .358 FIRST <G>.

I do like the .35's an old friend and guide in CO taught me years ago that a slow round that leaves a big hole will waste less meat compared to the shock of a high speed round.

Yes I do reload, I have loaded up both Copper TSX's 130's and Nosler's new eTip (don't know whats in it) 150's for my 30-06 and am waiting for a free day to go try them out at the range.

I think I would lean towards the TSX's 200gr for a .358 WIN. and 185's if I went with a .338.Fed

Has anyone ever built a 700 that you can change barrels sort of like the new BLR? If so that would be sweet!

.358 isn't slow. I can easily get 2650 with 200-gn bullets from a 20" barrel... and MD has an article coming out, that he's shared some of the rough outlines of, in which he worked up some .358 loads that were well over 2700 fps.

It's not a 7-mag, but it's not slow, either!

-jeff

I run the 200 gr in my 35 gibbs 24in barrel. I shot a big Mulie last year,,,,, NICE WOUND CHANNEL>>>>>> I could just about eat up to the hole with those copper bullets, and I can push it faster than that 358 could....

The shot was inside 100 yard marker, down hill....


Oh, forgot to mention on previouse post, the bullet bullet drop between the 338 185gr.and 358 200gr. at the same speed is moot, and the heavy guy always wins that race when it comes to energy at the finish line...

I will admit, B,C looks better, but you need to drop down a couple calibers to use it.....

I change the barrels on my 700, all the time... Granted, not quickly, but I have set up 22-250 and 243 sporter one and a 6mm rem, 7-08, 22-250, heavy barrel rig on the other..

The change barrel rigs still need to be re sighted in, unless the scope is mounted to the barrel, and still should be checked each time you go out... NEED MORE GUNS!

Later......

Thanks for the input, looks like there is alot of happy .358 Win users.

From what I have gathered the extra range of the 338 Fed is far less than it seemed during the media blitz when it came out.

Back then it was flater than a .308 (180 gr)and hit like a 7 rem mag...

So I will be looking for a gunsmith to screw on a new barrel in .358 Win, my local guy is good but very busy.

Good choice! I'd have to say .358 too.

I have five rifles chambered to the .358 Win. Nuff said?
Paul B.

the Kimber Montana in .358 win would be very interesting....

I think it would be sweet! I had asked Kimber once to put one out and about a year later came the .338 Fed instead. Hopefully the future is bright and we'll see them at some point.

I have both and feel you will be pleased with ether one.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

You are gonna love the .358!!

Wait till you see how it thwacks critters...

Well now that some here have posted I'll go ahead and throw in my .02 worth.
I'm well aquainted with the 35s, I've used 35 Whelens (2 of them) for 25 years. My dad had a p64 M88 in 358 Win which he left to my brother--it gets its share of elk and deer. One regular elk killer in our camp has used a M600 in 350 Rem Mag since 1968. The 35 is a terrific deer/elk killer. Nobody with good sense can say anything against that cal.
But having always been impressed with the numbers of the 338-08 I was thrilled when it came out of the wildcat (read that as headache) closet and knew before long I'd have one. Turns out I have two. Effective media blitz or not, the numbers still stand. Here are the numbers I've found so far:
Factory loads, 180AB2730, 185TSX2640, 200Fusion2705, 210NP2504. These are all about 100fps less than claimed except for the Fusion which actually beats the factory claim by 40fps.
Handloads, warm but not hot,185TSX2870, 200HotCor2694fps.
Those are from my experience. Will soon be trying 160TTSX, 175X Bullet (old stuff), 225 Sierra #9900 Flat base, and 250 Rem RNCL. I'll post my finds.
Someone once posted 225s2640 and sent me the recipe.
If I can shoot loads like that in a 6lb2oz Kimber the Whelen is gonna see alot of closet time!

338Federal,
Out of interest, a test report in Australia of a Ruger Hawkeye in 338Federal used a highly compressed loading of AR2208 (Varget) and got 2400fps from a 250gr RN Woodleigh. Does Remington still make a 250gr 35cal pill??? I thought they'd stopped and only the PSP and RN 200gr remained.
Cheers...
Con

I have both.......recently got both in the last 4 mos. Something about the 358 Win really gets to me. It really is hard to compare the two in some ways. The 358 Win has a long and devoted following..........the 338 Fed may be just too new!

You have to go with the 358.