Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 338 Federal & a 338/06 - Too much overlap?

Interesting combo, and you could use the same bullets.

Too much alike ?

I'd have to say that these two rounds are too close to the same to own one of each (in a bolt action rifle). The .338/06 has a sligt edge in performance, but the .338 Fed. is available in factory ammo and is VERY close in ballistics.

The exception to the "not enough difference" would be if you planned to chamber the .338 Fed. in a rifle type that was too short to handle the .338/06. Examples would be the Savage 99 or Remington 742 (longer cartidges don't work so reliably in the Remington semi-autos.....even if the factory did chamber them that way).

Some may argue for the short-vs-long action bolt rifles, but to me the 1/4 pound in weight and 1/4 inch in bolt throw advantage (in a short action) isn't worth the effort.

Of course, don't let logic detirmine what rifles you own. I have rifles in .270, 7x57, .280, 7mm Magnum, .308, and .30-06......and I can't explain why I felt the need for any one over the other except in very special circumstances. Oh, I can make an argument for every one of them, cause that's what Rifle Looneys do......but in the real world they all do basically the same job.

What does NEED have to do with buying guns anyway!!!

I've got 204 Ruger, 243, 270, 30-06, 338 federal, and a 9.3x62

The -06 is the back up rifle for the 270, 338 & 9.3

I was thinking of making the 06 an 3338/06

I rebarreled a new Laminated Sav 111 from .30-06 to .338-06 several yrs ago. It's a great rifle. Sav is a dream to rebarrel. If I'd of had the option of the .338Fed or .325WSM, I'd have bought a factory one of them instead. Not whining, just stating my feelings. I like those short actions. I think a Browning BLR in .325WSM would be a great rifle. Good luck.

My thoughts are they overlap in roles, just the distance is different. I'd use a 338F up to around 300 yds, on the same game I'd use a 338-06 and WM on. The '06 is strong to 400 and a Win Mag has been used to much further, then there is the 340, the 338 Lapua, and various wildcats.

The Federal is best at utilizing 185-210/215s. The 06 I shot loved 200 B tips at 2900mv and 225s were doing 2670. The latter with Partitions was my go to load for elk, and double on Mulie. The 200 FLATTENED whitetails. Many use a 250 in the '06, and Elmer Keith loved 275 Speers in 33 bores on the '06.

A 200 Hornady SP is cheaper bullet for deer than the Barnes, as well as paper punching. The 185x or 210PT/TSX is what I would use on game like Elk, Moose, and Bear. Large bear like a Grizz I'd feel better with an '06, and with a 225 if not a 250.

Chub Eastman I believe downed a Grizz that popped up point blank with a 338/06 and 210PT combo, he was after 'bou IIRC. Worked fine, as I would think a 338F would if needed.

Just understand the limits of range that the bullets can expand reliably as you don't want to try sniping say a 400-500 yd elk with a 338 Federal. If one needs longer range than the 338F and in a short action, a 350 Rem Mag, as well as various 270/7mm/325 WSM's are good to go.

I love the little 338F as in the mid 90s before the 260 was intro'd, I stuffed a 6.5mm bullet in a 308 case, and a 200BT in a one for a 338-08. This was after I had a 338/06, and thought it would make a neat carbine round, efficient in a bbl around 20". Time revealed those 2 became Saami'd/commercialized wildcats, the 260/338F. Odds are the commercial success would have been greater with good rifles and good ammo in 338/06 vs. the 338F which was intro'd when SHORT was the rave, WSMs/WSSM's/RSM's/SAUMs.

As MANY 30-06 fans out there, they might have latched onto the 338 version w/quality bullets like 200 Bts/ABs, as well as 225 Partitions/Tsx. Weatherby made a short run at trying to push the '338-06 A'Square but I never saw Rem and Win nor Ruger follow w/rifles. Let alone Federal and other major ammo makers.

That was a missed opportunity and if the Federal never catches on, I feel the '06 version may not have the same success it could have, if the arms/ammo makers would have been more united in mfg. the 338/06. That round truly flies well i.e. good trajectory, and has a hard impact when it arrives, even at 400 yds, where MOST game is not taken. It is very capable, and my rifle shot 1/2 MOA all day any day with every bullet.

For ME and how I would use a 338, on larger game, I'd pick a 338 in a heartbeat over a 30-06 myself when given a choice. Very effective at putting game down, some say better than a 30cal.

Widen the gap with a 338-06 Improved

I wonder if anyone has a 7mm-08 and a 280 Remington?
The Loon is our state bird by the way!
I could get a Model 7 in .358 Winchester to go with my 700 Classic in 35 Whelen I guess. I could use the Model 7 out to 200 yds and use the Whelen for those 250 yd shots........
whelennut

Not unless the .308 and 30-06 are 'too much alike'...but it's a great topic to bring up, lots of room for nit-picking, name-calling, and just plain arguing

A few thoughts here...even though the performance of the two rounds is very similar, I think you can make a good enough case for differentiation if you work at it. The .338 Federal is clearly at its best when shooting 180 - 210gr bullets, while the .338-06 will handle the longer 225 - 250gr bullets with aplomb. If you wanted to differentiate the two, you could make your .338 Fed a fine deer/elk/black bear rifle by going with the lighter bullets such as the 180gr Accubond or 185gr TSX. You could then make the .338-06 your "heavy" gun by developing loads for the 225gr TSX and 250gr NP.

Another thing you could do is make the .338 Federal a "walking around gun" that would be perfect for deer, elk, moose, bear (anything really) by loading it with premium 200gr or 210gr bullets. You would lose a bit of long range trajectory by going to the heavier bullets, but for mixed-woods hunting, you'd still have plenty of reach (300 yards +), and the gun would be a little sledge hammer so loaded. Then, you could make the .338-06 a long-range gun for deer and elk by loading the 185gr TSX or 200gr Accubond. You'd have a 400 + yard rifle that would flatten all hooved North American game.

It would be pretty easy to know which rifle to reach for if you did either of these approaches.

One other thing to consider, at least for me, is the level of need for a "back-up" rifle. By going to the .338-06, you'll have a better back up for your .338 Fed and 9.3x62, but not quite as effective for the .270.

One other very real thing to consider is that as a back-up, the .30-06 may indeed be the very best you can choose. It can almost anything reasonably well, and if you're going to find rifle ammunition anywhere on this planet, it's highly likely to be .30-06 ammo. Translation: If you really feel the need to have a true back-up rifle, it should be chambered in .30-06...period.

Yes and no. Yes if used in the same style of rifle and no if not. For instance, the .338 Fed in a very light mtn. rifle like a Kimber Montana. And the .338 in a heavier sporter.
No also if you believe, as I do in having very similar, but not the same, rifle as a back up. My 7.5 lb. .280, for instance, is very similar to my 7 1/4 lb. '06. Both are near perfect elk rifles. Or anything else rifles for that matter.
Or how about my 7.5 lb. .308 w/ 4X scope and my custom iron sighted 760 Remington, '06. Both are near perfect heavy cover rifles. Similar, but not the same. E

the 338 fed is pretty much going to be dead in 5 years or less, it doesn't offer anything, one can just download a 338 win mag if they want 338 fed speeds, its too small to handle very very large game and too big and not flat shooting enough for smaller game. with the high quality mono metal bullets these days moving from a .30 bore to a .338 just means your shoot slower and with less trajectory in most cases.

I don't know anyone who buys a .338 Win Mag in order to download it to .338 Fed levels. Why buy the extra 2 -4" of barrel, extra 1" of actin and extra 2 lbs to carry?

I know lots of folks who like the way the .338 Win Mag kills, but hate the way it kicks. Some have even given up on the cartridge as just too difficult to shoot. The .338 Fed gives these folks a chance to shoot .338 cal bullets at a more modest velocity that is deadly on all hooved game out to 300 yards or a bit more, but with the recoil of a .30-06.

Remember, the 7mm-08 doesn't offer anything over the 7x57 or .280 Rem, but it has sure done rather well for itself.

I had a WM and sold it, kicked more, held less rounds, and did not give me anything I needed that the 338/06 did not do and I roll my own.

Factory ammo needed, WM hands down, an '06 #1, but I truly cannot find a liking for 30s myself. 6-7mm do all up thru deer nicely and I'd even shoot elk/bear with 6.5s and 7mms, save Grizz. 338 and 35s for elk on main menu and up.

As to the 338F not shooting flat enough for small game, well if your talking prairie dogs and chipmunks?

So CC, if your talking NA game like elk, moose and bear that have been taken at ranges with 338 WM would have residual impact speeds of a 338F up to 300 yds, you still think it is not powerful enough? Less trajectory and slower with 33s, sure but with fatter heavier bullets. A trade-off. If one is into LONG range, as in 400+ yds, then a 338 Win Mag, 340, or 338 Lapua is where you start, esp. on LARGE game, but that kind of LR shooting is not they way I HUNT. It may be for others.

I simply think Magnumitis of many in this country disallow their minds to understand it's not all about Horsepower, but how you use it. Place your bullet....that's the biggest variable.

Seattle, your right. The 7/08 has proved itself, to many, inc. me LONG ago, and I'd never use a 280 over it. Perhaps a fast steppin 200 in a 338/06, at 2900 mv it'll hit like a hammer at 400 yds and further. Right with factory 300 Win Mag IIRC, and that ain't bad, in fact, again, larger cross section bullet.

If you like them both then get them. In particular if one rifle is lighter or somehow different.

Too much alike! I know a guy near here who has 10 .358 Winchesters. He seemed happy.

How close would the 338-06 be to the new 338RCM.

About the same...though Hornady claims the .338 RCM is equivalent to the ,338 WM. It really can't be, simply because the .338 RCM case holds less powder than the .338 Win Mag. I know this, because I have a .338 RCM, which I would vastly rather have than a .338 WM, for a whole host of reasons that no one needs argue with me, because no one's argument will matter to me.

I also have a .338 Fed, which I like a lot for other reasons. It is just dandy for what it is, and that's all that needs to matter. FWIW, I'm quite sure it will still be around in five years -- because a lot of people actually like to shoot it. Gun makers and ammo companies would rather sell more varieties rather than less, simply because they get to sell more if they have wider appeal. In today's world, with computer-operated systems -- it's pretty easy to make more rather than less stuff.

I might get a .338-'06 built some time, even though I have the .338 Fed and .338 RCM, as well as a .35 Whelen. I buy rifles and cartridges because I like them, not because I'm looking for some sufficient distinction from something I already own to look "reasonable" to someone else. I could do all of the hunting I'm ever likely to do again with my tang-safety Ruger 77 .280, which I like a lot, but what in hell would be the purpose or value of that approach?

Of course, I am a guy who once had three .280's, and still has three .308's... .

Dennis

I had a brief love affair with the 338 Federal. In reality, its a 300 yard mini sledge for critters up to Elk size. Its pretty much a short action 30-06 with the 180 NAB with a slightly worse BC.

Someday I'll build a 338-06. I've got a couple buddies that gun them. They can launch 210 Partitions at an honest 2700 FPS from 24" tubes. Thats sufficient horsepower for anything that lives in the lower 48, and most of AK, and not with excessive recoil. If Kimber really does build a LA 84M I'll be either buying one in 338-06 or screwing a tube on one



There is factory ammo for obth calibers... You can get 338-06 A-Square ammo from Weahterby and a couple other offerings if you're so inclined.

A .338-'06 that shot 210 gr TSX's at 2700 fps would be good for anything in Alaska, including musk ox and brown bears... .

I guess that's the diffence between .338-'06's and .338 RCM's -- my RCM shoots 210 gr bullets to 2750 fps out of a 20" barrel...

Dennis

Crap....

That'd work just fine I thought the two were pretty close in capacity?


Now would you use a 210 @ 2700 on the really big bears??? What about on Land Hippies??

The high quality mono-metal bullets that supposedly make 338 cal ctgs obsolete also mean that you'll be shooting the 30cals alot less. Who can afford 'em?
Get a 338 Fed in a Kimber Montana and it'll change your love life.