338 federal question

[wyosam]

Anyone loading for the little 338? What are your OAL like? I’ve got a model 7 I’m thinking of re barreling. 2.815 will fit in the mag well, but no more. Will be a 20” tube, meant to stay light and handy.


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[Newtosavage]

I've always had an interest in the .338 Fed. in a package like you describe. I'll be following this.

That said, the trouble with Remingtons is they don't give you any room in the magazines. I prefer my short action Savage rifles that offer a full 3.00" in the magazine so you have seating depth options.

Good luck! Should be a nice little "thumper"

I've been tempted to pick up a .338 Fed. Savage barrel, just to have. I can think of some dark woods elk hunts that it would have been great for.

 

[wyosam]

Most of my builds are in savage short actions, I just happen to have this model 7 in 243 that collects dust. I’m starting to question if I want the recoil in that little package though. A 7-08 might just make the most sense. Interesting little cartridge. I think it would be really cool in a lever gun.


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[gbflyer]

I’m liking this conversation!

I have a modified reamer on order and I already have the barrel. From my research, the SAAMI chamber has a very short free bore. While it was originally chambered by Sako, the thought was all along that it would be used a lot in AR10’s so it is throated so most ammo will fit in a AR10 mag.

SAAMI:

Mine:

The improved design should seat a 210 Partition with the base of the bullet at neck/shoulder junction with a 2.845 - ish OAL with throat geometry design from this century. In order to make this work in a Remington 700 you’ll need a Wyatts mag box. I suspect the same for a 7. This one is going in a custom with a 3.0 box or maybe a Tikka with a LA magazine, I haven’t decided yet. Since it’s not a super popular chamber I have been able to source brass, bullets, and dies from the regular places without getting gouged at Gunbroker. Should have the reamer from Dave Mansons outfit in a couple more weeks!

 

[swehrman]

I have a similar setup but built off of a Rem 600 action with a Pac-Nor rem mountain rifle contour barrel. I tend to shoot the lighter bullets so I can't help with the 210 Nosler OAL. I can seat a Barnes 185gr TSX at 2.823. I measured a factory Federal 200 gr Trophy Bonded Tip at 2.806.

-- Scott

 

[Achigan1]

I’m shooting a R700 short action in 338-08 that I built before the 338 Fed was commercialized. Top of my head I’m running 2.820 with a 180 Ballistic Tip.
It’s an absolute hog and whitetail thumper inside 200. Boy is home for 9 days from military and shot one of both Saturday AM with it. Deer was about 120 yards, broke the inside front leg, took off the bottom of the heart and exited. Typical ballistic tip rib and bone shrapnel. Pig was a big ol sow at about 60 yards - through and through and dead right there.

 

[Blockcaver]

2,82” OAL in a Kimber Montana. Max that fits the magazine. Rifle with 2-7x33 Leupold w/LR dots and Talley Lightweights is 5#12oz. I think it is pretty snappy in the recoil department. Especially with heavier 200 gr bullets. 160 gr Barnes TTSX shoot the best and make over 3,000 ft#s of energy. They are a bit milder to shoot than the 200 gr bullets in my opinion.

 

[prm]

I’ve loaded for a handful of 338 Feds. My main hunting rifle is a Kimber 84M and it is limited to 2.82” for the mag box. It is a bit limiting, but I have been able to find accuracy with most bullets. I would not say this barrel/mag limitation is easy to find loads for though. I had a Tikka T3X with an extended mag box (edit: it was the M+ mag box from a 6.5 CM and allowed for 2.94”) that was rechambered to 338 FED and that made life easy. Here are some COAL and Base to Ogive numbers for my current 338 FED with a PacNor barrel.
210 Partition 2.84/3.28
225 Partition 2.92/3.3
180 AB 2.905/3.275
180 BT 2.915/3.275
200 AB 2.985/3.28
200 BT 2.965/3.28
200 e-tip 2.968/3.29
200 North Fork 2.765/3.29
200 Hot Cor 2.87/3.285
185 GMX 2.895/3.215
200 SST 2.915/3.22
185 TTSX 2.975/3.275
160 TTSX 2.975/3.275
175 MTH 2.9/3.27
180 Woodleigh PP 2.845/3.28
200 Woodleigh PP 2.858/3.288
215 Game King 2.873/3.273
210 Scirocco II 2.88/3.24

 

[prm]

I’m liking this conversation!

I have a modified reamer on order and I already have the barrel. From my research, the SAAMI chamber has a very short free bore. While it was originally chambered by Sako, the thought was all along that it would be used a lot in AR10’s so it is throated so most ammo will fit in a AR10 mag.

SAAMI:

Mine:

The improved design should seat a 210 Partition with the base of the bullet at neck/shoulder junction with a 2.845 - ish OAL with throat geometry design from this century. In order to make this work in a Remington 700 you’ll need a Wyatts mag box. I suspect the same for a 7. This one is going in a custom with a 3.0 box or maybe a Tikka with a LA magazine, I haven’t decided yet. Since it’s not a super popular chamber I have been able to source brass, bullets, and dies from the regular places without getting gouged at Gunbroker. Should have the reamer from Dave Mansons outfit in a couple more weeks!

I like what you’re doing there. Is the thought that the throat geometry may shoot better on average, or just to enable a longer OAL?

 

[wyosam]

Thanks for all the information! I think I’m going vanilla with my model 7- 7 might as well be a 7-08. Will wear an 18” Mcgowen. Researching the .338 federal is probably going to add a rifle to the safe though. Would be really cool in a BLR or something, though it will probably end up in a Savage SA build because I am cheap and they work.


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[prm]

Thanks for all the information! I think I’m going vanilla with my model 7- 7 might as well be a 7-08. Will wear an 18” Mcgowen. Researching the .338 federal is probably going to add a rifle to the safe though. Would be really cool in a BLR or something, though it will probably end up in a Savage SA build because I am cheap and they work.


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Do you know the length of the Model 11 Lightweight Hunter mag box? My old Savage 10FP is 2.88”ish. I could really see building a 338 Fed on a Model 11 LWH.

 

[CApighunter]

I think a 338 on a model seven is a great idea, can’t help with the overall length though. You could always send it out to JES for a rebore, much cheaper and quicker turnaround than a full re-barrel job. Jesse did a 338-06 on a Montana for me and I couldn’t be happier. Nothing wrong with the 7-08 either but there’s just something about a short, light midbore that makes me smile.