Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters JB's .338 Fed and .358 Win article in Handloader

7.5 pounds is about right where I like a rifles weight! I may get a straight 4X FXII however for what and where I hunt!

Does TAC need a magnum primer? Does Mule Deer's article mention magnum primers?

Ramshot's data for the .338 Federal featured the Rederal 215, so that's what I used as well. In general I've found that Ramshot powders often work better with magnum primers, except in the very smallest cases like the .223.

6 Pound 338 Federal scope & all

jwp, clean out your PM box, please

Roy

10-4

JB writes:

"The entire history of rifles has been a trend of lighter bullets at faster speeds. This is because bullets keep getting better, in terms of both exterior and interior ballistics. Yet every time another increment in this progress takes place, somebody is determined to take a step backward, and load a cartridge DESIGNED for lighter, faster, deeper-penetrating bullet with heavyweights that will compromise the new cartridge's virtues."

Exactly !!

I can hardly wait to read that article.

Me too....I wish my copy of Handloader would hurry up

I like the 358 and 35 Whelen because they do so well with standard bullets and have an extremely useful point blank range. I feel it is foolish to worry about them as long range cartridges because there are Soooo many of them out there. Here in Texas I have never taken a shot over 200 yards unless it was at a coyote. I did kill a coyote at around 300 yards with my Whelen. I also like the 250 grain bullets in both 35's, though the vels aren't that high in the 358 2250-2300 fps is and always has been a very useful velocity range.

Funny, that looks more like a Zebra to me

Hard to tell. Is it black with white stripes or is it white with black stripes?



Bruce

As usual, JB's article was top notch. I'd like to see a side-by-side comparison of the 338 Federal and the 8 x 57 Mauser. In my mind there's not much difference other than the 338 Federal comes in lighter rifles and operates at higher pressures.

A side-by-side look at the Hodgdon data using the same weight bullets shows a ~100 fps edge to the 338 Federal. But with the ballistic coefficient edge going to the longer 8mm bullet, I doubt there'd be much difference at 400 yards.

The big difference would come at the end of the hunt. I'd hate to pack my 9 lb 11 oz Mauser 98 all day.

Yeah, I would too! That's the big advantage of the .338 Federal: It fits in a short action, and thus is available in really light rifles, especailly the Kimber. Plus the availability of really good factory ammo.

Me Too, I was looking @ The 338 Fed., until I realized that It seemed to be very close To My Custom 98/8x57. A shorter action and a little more frontal, but not enough to make a difference.

If I didn't already have a compact .358 I'd be all over a 338 Fed from Kimber.

I just received the August Handloader with the 338-358 article in it and look forward to reading it. I've always favored the 358, but might consider the 338, but then, I just might buy a new Ruger in 358. Confused? - so am I.

If you are the first in line to buy one, I'll be second! Hopefully Kimber will chamber the Montana for the 358!

djs,

I've got my 358 Kimber - had it for two years. The problem is ammo! What we need is for Winchester to produce the ammo on a regular basis, then companies will consider chambering it.

Headache

The .358 is where I landed in a Ruger, the synthetic is a bit lighter than the woodstock version, I would have continued to save if Kimber was going to offer the .358 in the Montana, but that could take a while. I guess Federal put me off a bit when I asked them about buying components, then I don't shoot long distances, and .35 is fatter than .38 or some such gun gack nonsense.I am not worried about ammo in either one!

I've got a 358 and love it, the barrel is a touch longer so I get a bit more speed anyway.

Spot