.338 Federal anyone?

[Newtosavage]

Now, I'm as big a fan of the 7mm-08 / 7x57 cartridges as you will find. But ever since I learned about the existence of the .338 Federal, I've had this irrational desire to own a rifle chambered for it.

Am I crazy?

Someone please talk me off this ledge.

 

[SEtoNWHunter]

I don't have one but if I'm trying to be an enabler, I hear you can get 3K+ with the lightest Barnes TTSX. I have shot a couple versions of the 338 Fed at the range and they were cool. Recoil was more than noticeable from a Kimber. If you're really trying to stifle the compulsion, I'd imagine you could achieve pretty near identical outcomes with a 308

 

[hodgeman]

No reason to talk you off the ledge. Cartridge popularity has little to do with technical capability. The .338FED was the right cartridge introduced at the wrong time.

 

[EastMT]

I bought one and love it. I like short fat cartridges, big bullets without magnum velocities. 225 grain bullets are perfect for moderate ranges for about anything that moves.

I like most all 308 based cartridges, so I’m biased. Another one to look at for fun is the 375 Raptor.

 

[Blockcaver]

As a bowhunter living in BC I like to have a backup gun around. Mine is a Kimber Montana .338 Federal in stock form with a Leupold VX2 2-7x33 scope in Talley lightweight rings. Rifle combo weighs 5#s 12 oz empty. Recoil is stout due to the light gun but the Montana stock with excellent recoil pad tames it down, The reload that shoots best is Barnes 160 gr TTSX over IMR 8208 powder in my rifle. And yes it goes nearly 3,000 FPS which works out to 3,000 ft #s of energy,,,,,280AI power up close. And the trajectory is decent too contrary to what many think. I tried heavier bullets but none shot as well as the lighter Barnes in my rifle.

The rifle is my loaner and has been carried quite a bit with one moose killed. Both bullets went thru broadside at close range. It has been on a few meat packing trips in grizzly country where it is nearly ideal in the Kifaru Gunbearer.

Good cartridge in a nice light medium length actioned rifle. I wouldn’t try to talk you out of it! Good luck!

 

[Achigan1]

Great round.
I built a 338-08 years ago before the 338 Federal was around - your post reminds me I need to find a gunsmith to cut the shoulder out a few thousandths. It will chamber and shoot commercial 338 Federal but requires a little extra effort until first firing.
It's an older 700 SA that I had re barreled with a little heavier tube and bolted into a second hand HS Precision stock - with warne rings / bases and 6x42 heavy duplex Leupold it weighs in right at 8 pounds. Recoil with 200s at 2500 or so is pretty light and brass lasts forever. 2" high at 100 is just over an inch low at 200 and just over 12" low at 300 IIRC. It's accounted for a fair pile of hogs and whitetails.

I'll give some of those Barnes 160's a try......

 

[Newtosavage]

As a bowhunter living in BC I like to have a backup gun around. Mine is a Kimber Montana .338 Federal in stock form with a Leupold VX2 2-7x33 scope in Talley lightweight rings. Rifle combo weighs 5#s 12 oz empty. Recoil is stout due to the light gun but the Montana stock with excellent recoil pad tames it down, The reload that shoots best is Barnes 160 gr TTSX over IMR 8208 powder in my rifle. And yes it goes nearly 3,000 FPS which works out to 3,000 ft #s of energy,,,,,280AI power up close. And the trajectory is decent too contrary to what many think. I tried heavier bullets but none shot as well as the lighter Barnes in my rifle.

The rifle is my loaner and has been carried quite a bit with one moose killed. Both bullets went thru broadside at close range. It has been on a few meat packing trips in grizzly country where it is nearly ideal in the Kifaru Gunbearer.

Good cartridge in a nice light medium length actioned rifle. I wouldn’t try to talk you out of it! Good luck!

That 160 TTSX at 3K sounds pretty sweet.

 

[prm]

Now, I'm as big a fan of the 7mm-08 / 7x57 cartridges as you will find. But ever since I learned about the existence of the .338 Federal, I've had this irrational desire to own a rifle chambered for it.

Am I crazy?

Someone please talk me off this ledge.

I‘ll be the last to talk you off that ledge! I’ve had a few and enjoyed them all. For whatever reason they just seem perfect for me. My go-to is an 84M shooting 160 TTSXs at 3050 FPS. I’ve shot a bull elk, some deer, Kudu, Waterbuck, Impala, Gemsbok, and a Blesbok. Nothing has ever gone out of sight. Ive also shot elk with the 185 TTSX and a 180 BT and they work well too, but the 160 is a really good killer. For typical ranges, cartridges are more about what feels right than what works. They all work. I shot a bull with a 6.5 CM and it worked too, but a 6.5 bullet hitting an elk does not have the same immediate response that a .338 produces. Dead elk either way though.
As for reloading the 160, IMR8208 works well as mentioned above. For top speed I’ve found that AA2230 is really good. H322 and Benchmark are also solid. Other bullets I want to hunt with are the 200 Northfork and the 180 or 200 Woodleigh. I’ve hunted with the 210 Partition (2000MR or Leverevolution) but the elk didn’t cooperate.

edit: if looking for one, a great option is to get a T3X with M+ mag(s) and send it to JES for a rebore. I had one that handled and shot very well.

 

[SkunkCabbage]

Love that little calibre. My customized montana with a 20" barrel is pushing a 210 partition 2465fps. Built it for a timber elk gun where I backpack into. Don't need to haul a cannon where shots are 100 yards.
Its a handloaders cartridge if you ask me.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

put me in the camp that a 308 is better and it’s 7mm more better.



take a read on Nathan fosters page on the 338 federal.

If I hated how a case full of h4350 or reloder 17 and 162gr eld-m behaves then maybe I could understand the logic of expensive bullets, increase in recoil, non existent factory fodder, lower bc, lower sectional density.

nah the 338 is fast becoming obscure to a time period when cartridges killing power was measure in ft lbs.

 

[SDHNTR]

Love it! I’d like to have one as a counterpart to my .358 win! Bang/flop rounds give me chub.

 

[CApighunter]

A 338 fed in a handy lightweight rifle is on my short list. Some day when I have money to burn I’ll pick up a Montana and throw a 2.5-8 Leupy on top.

 

[TxxAgg]

I've wanted one for a long time, but I don't reload.

 

[robtattoo]

If I didn't have so much .308 ammo laying around I'd be very tempted to send my little Savage LWH off to Jess to rebore as a .338 fed. It'd shave off a couple more ounces & I love the ballistic of the round. Hell, it's a sub-300yd gun anyway, the extra 'whomp' of a heavier, fatter bullet would be welcome & a fantastic counterpart to my .358 win.

I'm still sorely tempted to do it & pick up a cheap replacement .308...... I had a Savage Hog Hunter that was great for local deer & pigs.

 

[Newtosavage]

Damn you guys! And I use IMR 8208 XBR for my 7mm-08 too!

I may have to go for it. I have two 7mm-08's at the moment, and I'm starting to feel like they are redundant. Especially now that my Howa Alpine is shooting 120 TSX's so darn well.

robtattoo, you know Savage chambered the .338 Fed in a factory barrel, right? I bet if you called Savage, they might have one or two still laying around. I see .338 Fed. Savages on Cabelas gun library from time to time too.

But I'm really liking the sound of a Kimber in .338 Fed. I've always wanted one of those anyway.

 

[prm]

I approve of the 84M in 338 Fed. edit: It even has the 2.5-8 VX3i. I’ve had a variety of scopes on it including a Nightforce 3-10 SHV, but the light scopes just feel better. A VX2 it wore for about 1000 shots eventually died. They can be a little snappy in recoil. It’s eaten two Meoptas and one Vortex in the interim. As it sits today, with a 23” PAC Nor barrel, it’s 5lb 15oz.

 

[Newtosavage]

I approve of the 84M in 338 Fed.View attachment 151984

Aw hell.

 

[vermeire]

I'm glad there was so much positive feedback on the 338 Fed. I ran out of time last fall but will get a load worked up over the summer for me to hunt PA whitetails with my Kimber Montana. I picked up 200 185 gr TTSX for my projectile of choice. I wanted something on the lighter end of the 338 spectrum but didn't like that the 160 gr wasn't a boat tail. Because of the lower velocity compared to a magnum cartridge I wanted something with a slightly higher bc. It's good to know the 160s perform so well.

 

[PantherCity]

I don’t have much to add yet, but I just went through the same thought process as you are. I just had a 7mm-08 Montana rebored to 338 fed by JES and am just getting started with it. So far I like it a lot but with how light it is, recoil is pretty sharp with 200gr loads for much bench shooting. I just got a kimber OEM brake for cheap and a 23/64th reamer to open it up to accommodate the .338s. That should help with the load development process.

Had a 12oz maven RS.2 on it and it was under 6lbs but swapped that for an NXS 2.5-10x42.

My Montana came in at 4lbs 15 oz after the rebore.

Go for it, you won’t be disappointed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SkunkCabbage]

4lb 12oz for my 20" montana thats been gone though (slabbed, ti bolt handle and alu trigger guard)
5.8lb with a Z3 3-10x42 and Talley Lows.
185grs will be the next thing I play with.