.338 Federal?

The deer man

Well-Known Member
.338 Federal. Just thinking about a new toy, well until the wife finds out then I'll pay!
I would use it for Reds, Wild Boar and possibly a trip to South Africa next year.

Anybody have any experience of this calibre and what do they use it for? Makes, models, loads, ballistics any info welcome.

The deer man
 
I am just having built a 338-06
Interesting. I was going down 338-06 route and had variation on ticket for this. Anyway, indecisive as ever, changed my mind and having a .338 federal built on an old sako 75 .308. Whilst part of me still thinks the .338-06 would have more grunt and be a great tool, all I really want is a fast handling rifle for boar and ranges will be under 100 yards so no need for extra grunt as .338 federal will be perfect for this IMHO. Steve Bowers doing the work do should be first class product.

Only dilemma now is ammo. Any thoughts on suitable loads for a 20" barrel?

All the best

Penyard
 
If I had a choice in that calibre range I'd either go 338-06 or, if legal, go with 8x57 Mauser and a 196 grain or even 227 grain bullet. I think that 338 Federal is just too little gain for too much effort. 338-06 if you action length will handle it is better. If not 8x57 Mauser which also opens up all the exotic European bullet designs including the very inexpensive Prvi Grom.
 
When I had the TC Encore Pro Hunter setup with a 50 cal ML barrel and a 12 gauge rifled slug barrel I also bought a Pro Hunter barrel chambered for the 338 Federal !

I tried three different factory loads in the gun as well as several handloads and they all shot plenty well enough for hunting accuracy out to 250 yards .

I no longer have the setup however as I didn't care for the ML barrel and it soured me on the entire system . But I can positively say it was no fault of the 338 Federal as that one was pretty darned good .

Also have a friend that has a Ruger 77 Hawkeye in 338 Federal that shoots very nicely also .

With the one I had I shot mostly polymer tipped bullets in the 200-225 grain weight range .

Incidently I sold the Encore Pro Hunter setup with the 338 Federal barrel to a fellow in Alaska who was planning to use it for moose !
 
On a kinda parallel I also had a Winchester Model 70 Black Shadow in 325 WSM . Popped a couple deer with this one using the Nosler 180 grain BT . Trigger was quite as light as I like them but it did very nicely on paper and animals when I did my part . If I'm not mistaken when I sold that one it went to Alaska as well .

I kinda have thoughts of a Ruger #1S in 338 RCM (Ruger Compact Mag) . But I already have a Ruger #1B in 338 WIN MAG so what can I say !
 
If I would get a rifle for Africa, I would get something wich would have factory ammo available on the black continent. Maybe a 9.3x62, still very popular in SA and Namibia. As a handloader in the UK a 338-06 will always be better. Even a 8x60S or 8x64S would come into my mind. Ammo of these is avaible by either Sellier&Bellot or Prvi. I've always liked the 8x64S, but as a non-handloader it's a "rare" calibre.
 
Look forward to hearing how you all get on with the 338 Federal and 338-06 rifles. I've got a bit of time to decide yet so will keep thinking!
The deer man
 
Thought I'd bring this one back to the top to see if anyone has any further comments or experience of the .338 Federal to share?
Read a couple of nice articles and a discussion online.

http://archives.gunsandammo.com/content/338-federal
http://www.gunweek.com/2007/feature0220.html
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/1031315/1

Seems to me that a 210gr TTSX at 2650fps would make an extremely useful little round, especially for body shots on sika in thick timber and not to mention boar...

Zero 1in high at 100yds and you are 2in low at 200yds and 12in low at 300yds - that is a very easy to remember and workable trajectory and the bullet still carries nearly a tonne of energy at 300yds. Nice big hole with little meat damage...
 
Well one of my resolutions is to get my arse into gear , get a 338 federal variation and get Riflecraft to build it for me !
 
I missed this post some how?
Yeah a handy little cartridge... just limited by the case capacity. I had a 210TSX at 2650fps, with a compressed load of ADI 2206H.
Old Win Model70 with a 22 inch MAB barrel and VXIII glass. Shot great, but was a heavy outfit.
Traded the rifle in. If I was to still have it, I think a premium pill in the 180-185g area would really suit the smaller case.
Have a 338wm on lay-by to take its place.

Aussie member Swado has a 338 Fed,I am sure that he will send you one.
Sorry JG, you should of emailed me. Would of posted it one. Don't have any now or know of anyone still running one?
 
Deer Man--I have built two 338-06AI rifles on mauser actions. One is a lightweight 18" barreled affair that I nick-named the 'Runt', the other has a 24" barrel. The Runt was purpose built as a handy short range tree stand rifle, but it ended up accurate enough to take game easily out to 250yds. Both rifles shoot 180-250gr bullets very accurately, and have been used to take coyotes, bobcat, fox, whitetails, feral goat, wild hogs, red stag, black bear and elk. My favorite hunting load is the 180gr Accubond over 54.5grains of H4895, using Remington brass and LR primers. That load runs at 2700fps in the Runt and at 2940fps in the 24" barreled rifle.

The 338-06 has become one of my favorite cartridges..it is very powerful and efficient. It is a pleasure to shoot, and to me the felt recoil is less than the standard 30-06 with 180gr bullets. The 338 Federal is a very useful cartridge as well, but for my long action mausers the 338-06 made more sense. I probably would have stayed with the standard 338-06 instead of the AI version, but I share reamers and gauges with a gun building friend and that is what he wanted...that said, I do enjoy a bit of extra velocity with the "AI" version, though it is not needed.

If you build a 338, regardless of the chosen flavor, you will be impressed with the way it works on game.

Zee
 
.338 Federal. Just thinking about a new toy, well until the wife finds out then I'll pay!
I would use it for Reds, Wild Boar and possibly a trip to South Africa next year.

Anybody have any experience of this calibre and what do they use it for? Makes, models, loads, ballistics any info welcome.

A friend of mine in Montana has had one for a couple of years. He is principally a .270 man but he likes the .338 Fed. He uses it on elk. I don't have any load information. Personally, I'd probably go for a .35 Whelen.

-JMS
 
An anonymous .338 Fed case popped through the letterbox this morning. Thanks very much. Regards JCS
Sorry for lack of note. Very busy at work so gave it to my secretary and asked her to post it to you. Not in first class order as it was one of two given a severe work out at the proof house. Only got 20 proper head stamped cases and guess the primer pocket in the ones that got used in the proof house will be in less than pristine order.

Spent last night making 100 .338 Federal cases from some .308 Sako brass which I am glad I kept.

just waiting for Steve Bowers to bed stock and my new pig thumper will be up and running. Report in fresh thread follows.

ATB

Penyard
 
Hodgon's site had heaps of load data.
Nice cartridge but I've opted for the 358 Winchester. Always wanted one of these.~Muir
 
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