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Posted By: SLDUCK 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/27/11
want a 338 Federal for some reason. what platform in factory are availbasle and what do you guys that have one like. Does Remington make their Model 7 in this caliber? looked on sight and does not appear to be available.
I think Muledeer has one on the Ruger M77 RSI. Not sure but it was a sharp looking rig. However a quick look showed notta on the Ruger site. Tikka/Sako I believe make rifles in 338 Fed and those are pretty good rifles as long as you're not looking to slap on a bunch of after market stuff on it.
Originally Posted by brinky72
I think Muledeer has one on the Ruger M77 RSI. Not sure but it was a sharp looking rig. However a quick look showed notta on the Ruger site. Tikka/Sako I believe make rifles in 338 Fed and those are pretty good rifles as long as you're not looking to slap on a bunch of after market stuff on it.


A model seven in 338 fed makes way too much sense...
Posted By: Karnis Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/27/11
Model 7
Model 700 SA
Kimber 84M

IIRC someone was selling an 84M in .338 Federal for a VERY good price. Unfortunately, I've blown my rifle budget for the year.

Had a .338 Federal that I bought off clark98ut and it was marvelous. Gist: 21" Rock#3, SS Rem 700, McEdge Compact, Talleys, Callahan, bedded and free floated. Light, portable and very accurate. Isaac took it to Africa and poleaxed a bunch of animals with it. Last I heard, he's refusing all offers for said rifle and building similar for his son.

In my opinion you'd be hard pressed to put a better one together.

Any 308 based round imo, is a winner.

No 338 Fed listed at Ruger, Remington, or Browning. Probably none listed over on Weatherby either. All show 338 Win mag. Didn`t check at Kimber.

Why the 338 Fed round seems to going down the tubes amongst the shooting public, is somewhat beyond me. It is a great short, to medium ranged round ideal for brush and timber hunting.

My buddy has a 338 Fed chambered in a Ruger Frontier target grey compact. You couldn`t rip that thing away from him.

Might have to settle for something used or maybe there`s a few NIB`ers on Gunbroker.

But there is always the more powerful 338 RCM in the M77 Ruger Hawkeye.
Posted By: KRAKMT Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/27/11
I think I saw a Sako in the classifieds.
Not mine but had thought about it.
No Tikkas or Sakos listed for the 338 Fed on the Beretta site.
Posted By: KRAKMT Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/27/11
Originally Posted by bigsqueeze
No Tikkas or Sakos listed for the 338 Fed on the Beretta site.


I didn't look to see if it was sold-
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth..._FS_Sako_85_Stainless_338_Fe#Post5658653
Posted By: pal Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/27/11
Originally Posted by KRAKMT
I think I saw a Sako in the classifieds.
Not mine but had thought about it.


Yeah, a month or two ago one of the members sold a Sako 85 Grey Wolf in .338 Fed.

Edit: 85, not 75
The best platform will be up to your discretion but I love mine. I bought it 2nd hand here on the Fire, added Talleys, a FXII 6x36, and a Ti bolt handle just because. It seem to prefer 185 TTSX's and RL15. Last pic is with sling and 4 rounds ready to roll. Just need to go slay something with it now as it hasn't been blooded up.
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Posted By: noKnees Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/27/11
Ruger used to make the 338F, you might be able to find one, Last I looked(3 weeks ago) there was one on the used rack at the east Hartford Cabelas.

Of course ITD will convert about any short action to a 338F for about $350.
Posted By: prm Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/28/11
Kimber is the only one making typical centerfire rifles and selling them in the US. Can still find Tikkas, Sakos and Rugers on Gunbroker though. I have a Ruger and a Kimber MT, and like each. Have to imagine you could pick up a Rem in any of the .308 based rounds and make it a tack driving 338 Fed with little effort. A Savage Ultralight Hunter could be made into nice rifle too just by screwing on a barrel at home.
Posted By: badger Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/28/11
Originally Posted by SLDUCK
want a 338 Federal for some reason. what platform in factory are availbasle and what do you guys that have one like. Does Remington make their Model 7 in this caliber? looked on sight and does not appear to be available.


Buy a donor Remington Short Action (7 or 700) and have someone like Mickey Coleman chamber a barrel for you. Easy as that......

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This was the first load I put together using 185gn TTSX's. My work here is done........
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Mickey does good stuff......
Posted By: blargon Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/28/11
It is a great round, built one on a Rem 760, but sold it to buy something else. Ruger is favoring the rcm now, and some dealers up here are clearing out remaining ss hawkeyes in the fed for $540. Very tempting.

Sakos and tikkas are still available here, but no montanas to be found.
SLDuck,

Davidson's Gallery of Guns has the Ruger SS Hawkeye in 338 Federal for about $700, including tax and "fees." They were about $600 until yesterday.

Tony
Posted By: NathanL Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/28/11
Sako 85's...when they discontinued them and sold them for $750 new in the box all over gunbroker.
Posted By: GeoW Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/28/11
Sako Grey Wolfs in 338 Fed sold a couple of years ago on GB by Euro Optics. He must have had a ton of them as he sold them for $750 for a long time..
Posted By: DMc Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/28/11
I'm with the OP. I want one...., but can't decide if I want a bolt, single shot, or 7600. How bad azz would a Finnwolf donor action be?
Posted By: GeoW Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/28/11
I'd love to stumble across Finnwolf in any chambering smile
Posted By: CLB Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/28/11
I have a Sako 85 SS in .338 Federal. The rifle is pretty much perfection IMO. I attempted to sell it on the classifieds for a few days and I just took it off the market and decided to keep it.

Not sure what I was thinking in the first place actually wanting to sell it.

It shoots as advertised, is more than light enough, and will most assuredly kill anything I want to kill.

You can't buy them for $750 anymore, but still worth the $1,200 + you'd probably pay for one today.
I have a Sako in .338 Federal. Am hoping to get a deer this year with it. Bought mine through EuroOptics for $800 but a quick check and I didn't see any more listed. You can also get the 338 Fed in an AR platform which I believe a few forum members on here have. Would make for a pretty slick set-up.
My boy has a Ruger Hawkeye in 338 federal. Good shooter, He shoots factory Fusions
Posted By: GeoW Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/28/11
Right, EuroOptics for $800 was the close out after Sako stopped making them... the last ones.
Posted By: prm Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/28/11
From what I understand, Sako still makes them, they just don't import them. Correct me if someone knows for sure that's not true.
Mine started out as a Stevens 200 in 243 had a 338 federal put on in 2008 an never looked back it has a Shelin barrel on it love the thing
I think the avalabilty of "factory" rifles chambered for the .338 Fed. to be extreemly limited. The "best" solution might be to rebarrel (or rebore) an existing rifle to handle the Federal round.

In my mind, the .338 Fed. is a medium range round. Certainly good out to 300 yards or so, but not really a long-range choice. With that considered, a rifle that is short, light and fast handling seems just right.

The best candidates seem to be the Remington 760 (or variations) as the pump action is fast and plenty accurate enough for the range limits of the .338 Fed.

A better choice (and the way I would go) is to find a "beater" Savage 99 and barrel it to the Federal. To me, the 99 is THE woods rifle and can easily reach out to 300 yards or so as well.

If you are looking for a bolt action .338 Fed., the Ruger Mannlicher carbines just cry out to be made into a .338 Fed.

The idea of a rebarrel/rebored rifle may be easier (and possibly cheaper) that trying to find one of the scarce factory offerings.
Posted By: blargon Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/28/11
Originally Posted by prm
From what I understand, Sako still makes them, they just don't import them. Correct me if someone knows for sure that's not true.


Yes they still make them, and in 10 different models. There are far more models made by Sako and Tikka than what appears on Beretta's web site. too bad they won't bring them in for you guys. A Sako 85 Bavarian Carbine in .338Fed would be just about perfect.

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http://www.sako.fi/pdf/datatables/SakoRiflesDatatable.pdf
Posted By: coyo Re: 338 Federal best paltform? - 09/28/11
I recently picked up a kimber 84M classic in 338 fed that shoots like a house a fire with 200 and 250 gr. bullets its very light and the recoil is not out of line and I am kinda hopin a get a chance to whack a buck with it this season as I just love this lil rifle.
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