Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 338 Fed vs 350 - Penetration compared?

Curious how the 338 Federal compares using 185 Barnes or 210 Partitions vs a 358W/350RM/Whelen using 225 PT or Barnes...

Will the 338 match the 35s with above bullets?

How does the length of the 185 Barnes compare to the 210 (curious how much powder capacity each will take up)?

Lastly, do you guys feel a 338F w/above bullets equal the 35s in killing power for NA game to 300 yds?

I know the ballistics of all the rounds, just looking for info on penetration and killing power by those who may have tested them on media and/or game.

Thanks.

found this video on youtube a while back. he has at least one more 338 Fed video with 200gr fusions. Dont know if this is what you are looking for but figured I would put it up anyways.

To give a fair and accurate comparison, compare the .338 Fed with the .358 Winchester. The .350 Mag/.35 Whelen bullets of any given size will run 200-300 fps faster than the .338 Fed/.358 Win, simply because the cases are longer.

I've killed a batch of game with my .35 Whelen, and a fair amount the past few years with my two .338 Feds. Load by load, the Whelen and the .338-06 will simply run at least 200fps faster -- but I'm certainly not the least bit concerned about my .338 Fed rifles being "too slow" because they're not quite as powerful as my Whelen. It is what it is, and I think that's pretty much good enough.

Dennis

65BR I have a 358Win and w/ all bullets I have tried it is a very capable cartridge to 350yds loaded to its fullest...especially w/the 200gr Hornady and 225Ballistic tip...which is no longer made. The 338 185Barnes is longer than the 210Nosler which is a somewhat short bullet for it's weight. The Barnes bullets being longer than most. I cannot speak for the 338Federal users as I don't have one but can't imagine that anything in N America can't be killed w/the 210 grain Nosler bullet. Chub Eastman from Nosler killed a Boone and Crockett grizzly w/the 210gr Nosler.

I have chosen the 225BT as my all round bullet in the 358Win, having a stash of the discontinued bullets. Noslers manual says the 225 is too long for the 358Win but mine is built on a Mark X long action w/a 23in Douglas barrel.It generates 2575fps w/Norma 201 powdr. The Nosler BT does not raise presures as much as the partition bullet. I wish Nosler made a 210gr bullet for the 358Win as their 210gr for the 338 is the flag ship bullet of their 338 line.

If I owned a 338Fed... which I would have owned instead of the 338-06... had it been available at the time of my building, I would shoot the 210NP for everything. If you want a more suitable bullet for deer,bear,hogs,etc. I would shoot the 185gr Barnes. Both will be fine bullets!

Dennis here on the fire... aka MuleDeer... has probably as much experience as anyone using the 338Fed. He is a seasoned hunter and veteran of the hunting fields. Try to get his opinion as it will be invaluable. John Barsness wrote an inspiring article comparing the two cartridges in Rifle or Handloader. His unbiased opinion was they are two peas in a pod until you get to the 250gr bullet w/the 338Fed not having enough powder space to deliver much velocity. The 250gr Speer in the 358Win has a long lineage of superb kills at 2450fps. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. powdr

I've owned and hunted with the .358 Win. for some 25 years and have some (but much less) experience with the .338 Fed. In each I tend to choose a mid-range bullet weight (even tending toward the heavier side sometimes) as I see no point in using light-for-caliber bullets to gain a few feet-per-seconds of velosity.....that give no advantage (except on paper) in trajectory and ,if anything) reduces penetration and killing power.

In the .338, I use 200-210 grain bullets and in the .358 a 200-225 grain bullet. In every case the .338 runs within a 150 fps of the same velosity with like size bullets. That's not enough to matter or notice in the field. The difference between 2400 fps and 2500 fps might be something to brag about at camp, but not significant in the field. Both tend to penetrate and kill equally.

The only "real" advantage for either is when hunting truely large game where the 250 grain bullets in the .358 leave the .338 in the dust. Even then, the "window" of usefulness is so small and the advantage over 200-225 grain bullets so small as to be almost a paper advantage instead of "real".

I've also shot and compared the .338-06/.35 Whelen as well as the .338 Win. Mag./.358 Norma and found the same "difference"....that is to say, almost none except in the heavier weight bullets available in the .358 bore size. That heavy bullet advantage actually shrinks as the case size grows from the .308 case through the .30-06 case to the magnum cases.

I've been shooting one form or the other in each size for so long that I have "settled" on the .358 Win., .35 Whelen and .338 Magnum. Not because I've found anything head and shoulders better about them than the competing .338 Fed., .338-06 or .358 Norma, but because I've not found enough difference to change what I know works and am familiar with. In every case it's a toss-up and you should choose what you find attractive (or find at the right price).

I have tested lots of bullets in many different calibers. Bullets of similar construction, S.D. and velocity will generally penetrate similarly. I would expect the 338 Federal to penetrate about as well as the 35W/350R with bullets of the same S.D. and construction. The 35 will have a bit of an impact advantage but dead is dead.

I wouldn't care to spend some time with the .338 federal, but I have owned a couple .358's and still have dies for it. I have beaucoup .308 brass laying around so maybe someday soon, I'll head off in that direction again.

Out to 300 yds I feel that within reason all rounds are pretty much equal. When things get in the 300-500 range things change and in the 500 on out even more so. But to 300 there isn't much diff.

I feel that the lil 33 will pretty much penetrate as far as the 350, if you were comping cases of simlar size then I'd go with the 33 being better at penetrating. But, either one will do just fine.

Side note, the 185 TSX is the only TSX/TTSX bullet I've not been able to get to shoot in a manner which I find acceptable and I've shot it in several 33's from big to small.

Now the 180 NBT is a total rock star. Shot it with R15 in my 338/06 yesterday and the group was one small bug hole..grin

What kind of game are we talking? Small big game like deer and lopes and black bruins or large big game like elk and moose?

Dober

A couple of years back, Mule Deer (JB) had an article in Handloader using TAC in the .358 Win. He also made a good comparison with the .338 Fed. The excellent article will give you more data to compare those 2 rounds. He gave the nod to the .338 federal.

As muledeer above stated: "The .350 Mag/.35 Whelen bullets of any given size will run 200-300 fps faster than the .338 Fed/.358 Win, simply because the cases are longer".

Good stuff gang. No doubt Dennis the long cases will outrun the short ones on the meter, but knowing how MORE impact speed can hamper penetration due to great frontal area, figured the real penetration say between a 338F vs. 338/06 or Whelen/350RM would be close.

Deertracker, thanks - seen that link actually recently myself. No doubt 'dead is dead' and I have not seen many 338F users complain. Have to search the 200 Fusion, might be very close I would think.

ON the application in question here, is 300 yds, NA game, rifle would be a 20-21" carbine.

As much as I like the 338/06 - I'd probably choose a 9.3x62 just b/c I have not run one...yet. ON the 35 Whelen, like the ballistics, but would likely opt to run the short action 350RM for twin results...though you do lose mag capacity, the advantage I see in the 08/06 based rounds.

Dober - read many good reviews on the 185 Barnes, and wonder how sensitive the OAL is to achieve optimum results. Are we talking > MOA in your rifle? No doubt the TSX/TTSX may not shoot bugholes like an NBT but I recall several guys getting MOA in the 185.

On the 200/210 note- I agree, normally never a fan of short for cal bullets, but can overlook bc when range is modest (as here under 300 yds) and the bullet is a Barnes which will FINISH a job weighing more than a cup/core that starts a good bit heavier.

I also agree on the 225 choice for the 358W. The short rounds I agree - lack the powder to drive the 'heavies' to their optimum speeds for trajectory.

No doubt, for the short rounds, and given a Barnes being long for cal, a Partition in 210 for 33 or 225 for the 35 may well be the best overall choice for fitting in a short mag box. At these speeds I figure a cup/core like a 200gr in the 338 would hold up well on impact.

Dennis, what's your experience sure in 185-210s in the 338F? Any updates?

No doubt, the longer actioned rounds are 'superior' on paper and for longer ranges but looking at a carbine, I just think a short action goes really well with a 20-21" whereas I like a 22-23" for a long action due to looking right and burning the extra powder.

Same question is applying in my mind... buying a 338 Fed or 358 Win for a rifle to leave in AK for moose and such, short range lightweight rifle.

I'll have much larger to choose from if needed on big bears, but figure with the exception of some shots on caribou, the 338/358 would be just fine.

Personally I"m leaning towards 358 because its not common(call me weird that way) and its got a hair larger frontal diameter...

Interesting thread, hope to continue to read more input on it.

Jeff

And the .30 cal 220 Nosler Partition will out penetrate them all

As will one of the old 7mm/175 Noz semi's...

Dober

Get your bullets?

Not yet, but the mails not here today yet either. Will let you know, thx.

Dober

The 225 gr TSX out of my Whelen (aka 350) has blown through elk and moose. The only critter I have taken with the 185 gr TSX is a decent bull with my 338-06 and all petals were lost as the bullet was recovered under the hide. That said the bill just crumbled at the shot so all good. All very simiar shots too though the latter was taken at 280 yards while the others at 75 anf 150, respectively. I now shoot the 225 gr Accubond in the '06 and it did fine on a griz and black this spring. Not much data but enough to have me settle on those two bullets. Starts a bit slow (2640 fps) but carries it well. My 358 sees the 225 gr Partiton. If I owned a 338 Fed it would see the 210 gr Partition based on my experience with it in the '06.

Never compared the penetration of these bullets in water jugs, but in 10 days will be heading north of Europe for swedish moose hunt, fallow deers and boars. The 338Fed will come with me loaded with 200grs Fusion, factory loaded, cause i need to test them a bit and make a report.

As JB aka Mule Deer wrote years ago most of game in the US and in Europe, for sure, is taken inside 300yards (meters), the 338Fed is up to the task and can do it farther.

I had choice for other calibers, bigger, faster, more powerful or straighter but i choose the small 338. I know it will do the job done if my shots are placed where they must be.

Don't worry about penetration, better think to place bullet right.

Have good hunting
Dom

Nice to know. My 338-06 likes the 225 ABs. My informal tests shooting bullets out of a Fed and '06 didn't show much difference. A 185 TTSX from the 338 Fed out penetrated any of the C&C bullets from the '06. Odd exception being the 215 Gameking which never opened, just blew a 338 hole through things. 225 AB out of the '06 did quite well slightly out penetrating the 185 TTSX out of the Fed (IIRC).

Dom, look forward to your experiences with the Fed.

Have some already, red deer does, wild boars, corsican mouflon, roes and foxes never recovered bullets (185TSx, AB or my own heavy 250grs Sako hammerhead handloaded)
Here two of some of the game taken. Except rams all were shot in driven hunt while running full speed. Never went far...Ram were taken at 100 and 260m (110 and 290yards. Wild boar with 250grs Hammerhead

Great pics! Love it. Thanks for all the info.

As to the 220...if I run a long action for big game, it's 99% going to be a 338/06 or a 9.3x62, using ABs/PTs/Barnes.

For me - Running an '06 in OEM trim is just TOOOO boring

Sorry for the 1906 lovers, nothing personal, I just would have to forget custom rifles, handloading, testing ammo, all the fun stuff that comes with taking a different road....as I could grab a factory rifle/ammo, sight in and never have the desire to play.