.338 Federal

vikingpreacher · 03-11-2008, 09:40 AM

What are your thoughts on the .338 Federal and what would you use it for?

jaeger · 03-11-2008, 09:51 AM

From what I have read it is a true sledgehammer on game and not on your shoulder. Since I use a .308 on everything except moose/grizz. I would use this for the same and moose/grizz. Ruger makes a M77 chambered in .338 Federal that I think I am going to pick up.

Midas · 03-11-2008, 09:58 AM

The .338 Federal seems like an excellent little cartridge, from what I've seen. Should be good for all NA game up to and including moose, you would probably want something with a little more oomph for the great bears and bison. I know for the type of hunting I do, it'd make a dandy hog rifle!

SwedeSteve · 03-11-2008, 10:47 AM

Moose has one. Maybe he can shed some light.

AKHunter · 03-11-2008, 11:40 AM

It's looks good enough to me that I may build .338 fed. rather than a .338-06 or .35 whelen that I have been contemplating.

vikingpreacher · 03-11-2008, 12:11 PM

I think I could see myself using it for Brown Bear but, for Bison I would want something like a .45-70 or something.

rdale501 · 03-11-2008, 12:31 PM

I've been looking real hard at the old 358 winchester. Same idea only with a 35 cal. bullet. I never have figured out why this round never caught on better than it did. It's almost as good as a 338 and with a heavier bullet. I think the 338 Fed. is about 2.2 inches flatter at 300 yards but uses a 15gr lighter bullet to do this.

turner · 03-11-2008, 02:16 PM

I bought a .338 Fed a couple of months ago to use mainly for deer and hog hunting. I didn't get a chance to use on a deer it this past season, but did shoot it enough to form an opinion, and I like it a lot. I bought a new 77 Hawkeye in SS and got a Boyd's laminate stock for it. I settled on a Burris FFII 2-7x35 with 3P#4 reticle and the scope seems to match the rifle very well. It shoots the 200gr Fusions very well, had several groups 1.5" and under, so I never even fired the 185 gr loads I have too. I also own all it's cousins the .358 Win, 338/06 and .35 Whelen and think in the Hawkeye the .338 Fed might be the lightest in recoil of the bunch. I probably used it more deer hunting after getting it last season than anything else I have, if that tells you anything. It's a great combo CXP2 and CXP3 caliber that doesn't have overly stout recoil.

nathangdad · 03-11-2008, 02:47 PM

I'm lost on how Federal can call this a .338 Federal somewhat implying they thought this up on their own. Give credit to the wildcatters
and especially to the first person to publish about this idea should anyone have access to older literature and perhaps find this person's writing.

This is a good idea and I hope it does well in the marketplace. Personally, I have long wondered why the .338-06 did not get "its place in the sun" as it has been a great wildcat cartridge for many years and deserved more publicity/acceptance.

Anyway, congrats to Federal for bringing this idea to the mainstream
purchasers of firearms and ammo. Maybe this fall we will see a larger number of manufacturers chambering products for this round.

Magnumsrule · 03-11-2008, 09:18 PM

My dad has one. I think it recoils more than a 300 win mag hoever it is avery light tikka. It sure did do a number on the moose he shot this fall. Blew a good sized hole through and there was a chunk of rib bone lying on the offside of the hide. You could stick about three fingers into the exit hole. As for trajectory and the such i would not put it past 300 yards. Also if federal didi not put their own name on it then what should they call it? The 338 wildcatters express? hehe

AKHunter · 03-11-2008, 09:48 PM

I think the reason the .35 whelen and .338-06 and like didnt really take off was due to the release of the magnums, .338wm, .300wm, 7mm rm and so on. That began an era of fast and flat trajectory and the accompanied downrange energy. It has lasted decades. Only recently is the industry going back to all the fine early cartridges, maybe tweaking them a bit to gain interest etc.

nathangdad · 03-12-2008, 04:18 AM

Actually, calling it the .338-08 would be useful in the same sense
another good cartridge is called the 7mm-08.

irish murphy · 03-12-2008, 05:53 AM

Or would it be better to call it the 9.3x51?????? hahahahahhahahahah

And the 7x51

turner · 03-12-2008, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKHunter

I think the reason the .35 whelen and .338-06 and like didnt really take off was due to the release of the magnums, .338wm, .300wm, 7mm rm and so on. That began an era of fast and flat trajectory and the accompanied downrange energy. It has lasted decades. Only recently is the industry going back to all the fine early cartridges, maybe tweaking them a bit to gain interest etc.

An excellent point, and a shame it's worked like that. I own both a .35 Whel and .338/06 and they both have less felt recoil to me than any of my .300 mags and I'd prefer one of them over any .300 mag against anything with teeth and me in their "space" any day!

Magnumsrule · 03-13-2008, 06:20 PM

Yes but if we actually used nomenclature for cartridges then we would actually have a system. It would not be manufacturers descretion as to what it was called. I agree it would limit confusion but a simple comparison at the local gun shop should clear that up. Too bad all cartridges arnt named on demensions such as 6.5X55, 7X64, 8X57 and other classic cartridges.

03-11-2008, 09:40 AM	#1
vikingpreacher Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Iowa Posts: 269	.338 Federal What are your thoughts on the .338 Federal and what would you use it for? __________________ Join the cartridge comparisons group! http://gunandgame.com/forums/group.php?groupid=3

03-11-2008, 09:58 AM	#3
Midas Shoot 'Em Up Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Springdale, Arkansas Posts: 3,531	The .338 Federal seems like an excellent little cartridge, from what I've seen. Should be good for all NA game up to and including moose, you would probably want something with a little more oomph for the great bears and bison. I know for the type of hunting I do, it'd make a dandy hog rifle! __________________ "Recoil lasts for a second, gravity lasts forever"

03-11-2008, 12:11 PM	#6
vikingpreacher Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Iowa Posts: 269	I think I could see myself using it for Brown Bear but, for Bison I would want something like a .45-70 or something. __________________ Join the cartridge comparisons group! http://gunandgame.com/forums/group.php?groupid=3

03-11-2008, 02:47 PM	#9
nathangdad Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,861	Don't want to start a riot, but . . . . I'm lost on how Federal can call this a .338 Federal somewhat implying they thought this up on their own. Give credit to the wildcatters and especially to the first person to publish about this idea should anyone have access to older literature and perhaps find this person's writing. This is a good idea and I hope it does well in the marketplace. Personally, I have long wondered why the .338-06 did not get "its place in the sun" as it has been a great wildcat cartridge for many years and deserved more publicity/acceptance. Anyway, congrats to Federal for bringing this idea to the mainstream purchasers of firearms and ammo. Maybe this fall we will see a larger number of manufacturers chambering products for this round.

03-11-2008, 09:18 PM	#10
Magnumsrule Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Northern Alberta, Canada Posts: 586	My dad has one. I think it recoils more than a 300 win mag hoever it is avery light tikka. It sure did do a number on the moose he shot this fall. Blew a good sized hole through and there was a chunk of rib bone lying on the offside of the hide. You could stick about three fingers into the exit hole. As for trajectory and the such i would not put it past 300 yards. Also if federal didi not put their own name on it then what should they call it? The 338 wildcatters express? hehe __________________ Cartridge Group Like to discuss cartridges? Join HERE!

03-11-2008, 09:51 AM	#2
jaeger Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 236	From what I have read it is a true sledgehammer on game and not on your shoulder. Since I use a .308 on everything except moose/grizz. I would use this for the same and moose/grizz. Ruger makes a M77 chambered in .338 Federal that I think I am going to pick up.

03-11-2008, 10:47 AM	#4
SwedeSteve Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: AnchorTown, Alaska Posts: 6,922	Moose has one. Maybe he can shed some light. __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

03-11-2008, 11:40 AM	#5
AKHunter Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Alaska Posts: 879	It's looks good enough to me that I may build .338 fed. rather than a .338-06 or .35 whelen that I have been contemplating.

03-11-2008, 12:31 PM	#7
rdale501 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: oregon Posts: 374	I've been looking real hard at the old 358 winchester. Same idea only with a 35 cal. bullet. I never have figured out why this round never caught on better than it did. It's almost as good as a 338 and with a heavier bullet. I think the 338 Fed. is about 2.2 inches flatter at 300 yards but uses a 15gr lighter bullet to do this.

03-11-2008, 02:16 PM	#8
turner Banned Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Tn Posts: 623	I bought a .338 Fed a couple of months ago to use mainly for deer and hog hunting. I didn't get a chance to use on a deer it this past season, but did shoot it enough to form an opinion, and I like it a lot. I bought a new 77 Hawkeye in SS and got a Boyd's laminate stock for it. I settled on a Burris FFII 2-7x35 with 3P#4 reticle and the scope seems to match the rifle very well. It shoots the 200gr Fusions very well, had several groups 1.5" and under, so I never even fired the 185 gr loads I have too. I also own all it's cousins the .358 Win, 338/06 and .35 Whelen and think in the Hawkeye the .338 Fed might be the lightest in recoil of the bunch. I probably used it more deer hunting after getting it last season than anything else I have, if that tells you anything. It's a great combo CXP2 and CXP3 caliber that doesn't have overly stout recoil.

03-11-2008, 09:48 PM	#11
AKHunter Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Alaska Posts: 879	I think the reason the .35 whelen and .338-06 and like didnt really take off was due to the release of the magnums, .338wm, .300wm, 7mm rm and so on. That began an era of fast and flat trajectory and the accompanied downrange energy. It has lasted decades. Only recently is the industry going back to all the fine early cartridges, maybe tweaking them a bit to gain interest etc.

03-12-2008, 04:18 AM	#12
nathangdad Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,861	To Magnumsrule Actually, calling it the .338-08 would be useful in the same sense another good cartridge is called the 7mm-08.

03-12-2008, 05:53 AM	#13
irish murphy Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canberra,Australia Posts: 1,028	Or would it be better to call it the 9.3x51?????? hahahahahhahahahah And the 7x51

03-13-2008, 06:20 PM	#15
Magnumsrule Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Northern Alberta, Canada Posts: 586	To Nathan Yes but if we actually used nomenclature for cartridges then we would actually have a system. It would not be manufacturers descretion as to what it was called. I agree it would limit confusion but a simple comparison at the local gun shop should clear that up. Too bad all cartridges arnt named on demensions such as 6.5X55, 7X64, 8X57 and other classic cartridges. __________________ Cartridge Group Like to discuss cartridges? Join HERE!

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