338 Federal

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303carbine

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I was at the range today and I run into a guy that was shooting his new Tikka 338 Federal.
He was shooting the 200 grain factory Federal Fusion ammo and it was patterning not grouping.:eek:
I imagine it being a new rifle that it will shoot better after a hundred rounds or so but the first impresssion I got wasn't that good.
This is the same guy who can shoot ragged clover leafs with his Tikka 6.5x55 at the same range and distance. The 338 Federal cartridge box listed an optomistic 2660 fps , but I have my doubts about the ability of such a small case to launch a big bullet that fast. Although it's a nice looking rifle I still don't like the plastic mag and the inability to top load.
Both of the Remington 700's I had at the range today seemed smoother than the higher priced Tikka. The 35 Whelen definitely outshot the 338 Federal, but I would give the Fed cartridge a little more range time and try some handloads in it before I passed any judgement.
 
2660 isnt probably too far fetched. A handloaded 8x57 will do that or a little more, so a 308 cased 338 pushing a 200 grain, which has a lower sectional density compared to the 8mm, should be able to push a 200 somewhere around 2650'ish

as for the accuracy problems, thats more of a rifle problem than a cartridge problem :)
 
todbartell said:
2660 isnt probably too far fetched. A handloaded 8x57 will do that or a little more, so a 308 cased 338 pushing a 200 grain, which has a lower sectional density compared to the 8mm, should be able to push a 200 somewhere around 2650'ish

as for the accuracy problems, thats more of a rifle problem than a cartridge problem :)
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The 8mm Mauser also has more room for powder and bigger bullets........:)
The 338 WSM never flew because of its inabilty to get the velocities they were hoping for and the WSM case is quite a bit bigger than the .308 Win case.
 
338 Fed

I did some research on the Fed and it seems alot of the shooters can only get 1.5 to 2 inch groups with it. That's ok if you hunt but sucks if you want to shoot small groups.The guy with the 338 Fed is a long time shooter and I'm sure handloading will improve the groups as well as some break in time.He is almost fanatical about Tikka rifles and knows how to obtain good groups from them. As previously stated he shoots his Tikka 6.5x55 into nickel size groups and flinching is not part of the problem. I think the rifle doesn't like the brand of lead he is using and switching it for another will tell the tale on that rifle.
 
303carbine said:
The 338 WSM never flew because of its inabilty to get the velocities they were hoping for and the WSM case is quite a bit bigger than the .308 Win case.
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who cares about the theoretical 338 wsm, this thread is about the 338 Federal. It was designed to be a moderate range cartridge suitable for anything in North America. Judging by its ballistics, it will have no problem filling this bill. It may however not be a popular cartridge due to the fact it does not have the velocity to kill animals at 400 yards in magazine articles
 
todbartell said:
who cares about the theoretical 338 wsm, this thread is about the 338 Federal. It was designed to be a moderate range cartridge suitable for anything in North America. Judging by its ballistics, it will have no problem filling this bill. It may however not be a popular cartridge due to the fact it does not have the velocity to kill animals at 400 yards in magazine articles
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X2!:D

BTW: The .338 WSM was dropped in favour of the .325 WSM. Their engineers couldn't obtain the desired velocity & performance within their desired pressure range using the .338 projectile.
 
I would have to see it myself to believe that a Tikka would not/could not shoot good groups... in any caliber.
I think the .338 Fed is a well thought out cartridge with great potential and I would love to have one in a hunting rifle... of any description.JBRO
 
I have trouble believing that any cartridge based on the .308 case is inherently inaccurate and unable to group better than 2 moa.
 
I don't have a 338 Federal, but I do have a 338-08 that I built useing a Shilen match grade barrel on a commercial Husquvarna 98 action, mounted in a fiberglass stock with a 3-9 leupold vary X I.

It chronies at 2600+fps with 200 gr bullets and around 2400+ fps with 225 grn Hornady flat base bullets.

I cut the throat a little to deep with a 338 throat reamer for the 200 grn bullets to be really accurate as there is quite a lot of freebore, which can and in my rifle does effect accuracy. 2 1/2 min of angle is normal.

The 225 grn hornady's are a whole different thing altogether. They're not as fast, but do they ever shoot well. They also seat within .005 in of the lands. Very consistant and reliable under all weather conditions and shoot into less than 1 minute of angle right out to 300yds, if I do my part of course.

I really like that cartridge, it has lots of authority and is excellent out past most typical hunting ranges (300yds and less) bearhunter
 
X-man said:
X2!:D

BTW: The .338 WSM was dropped in favour of the .325 WSM. Their engineers couldn't obtain the desired velocity & performance within their desired pressure range using the .338 projectile.
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That was my point when I was comparing the 338 WSM to the 338 Fed, so I wonder how the Fed will do over the long run. If they can't get the velocity with a WSM sized case then how are they doing it with the smaller 308 case????
 
303carbine said:
That was my point when I was comparing the 338 WSM to the 338 Fed, so I wonder how the Fed will do over the long run. If they can't get the velocity with a WSM sized case then how are they doing it with the smaller 308 case????
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is federal looking for the same speed as winchester was
 
todbartell said:
why does the 7mm-08 succeed when the 7mm Rem Mag had a 20 year head start, and trumps it by 400 f/s??
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I shoot the 7x57 instead of the 7-08 or the 7 mag because it does everything I need it to do here on the Island. With a good bullet like the Partition or Barnes I would take it moose hunting anytime. As far as the 338Fed is concerned, it's good to have a choice. In reality the 338-06 is better.............
 
I'm a bit of a Tikka/Sako freak and the one thing all of the ones i've had had in common was a long throat. Some of them haven't liked some factory ammo.
I think the 338 federal is a really well thought our cartridge, I am leaning heavily to getting one, moderate recoil, bigger hole flat enough. I find calibres I've shot over 30 which have all been magnums the recoil bothers me. 338 and 375 are not fun for me, I can shoot them but don;t really enjoy them, as to having more recoil than a 6.5x55...well duh.
 
303carbine said:
That was my point when I was comparing the 338 WSM to the 338 Fed, so I wonder how the Fed will do over the long run. If they can't get the velocity with a WSM sized case then how are they doing it with the smaller 308 case????
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Why do people shoot a .358win or a .35 whelen, when the .358 norma can do it better? I guess the .358win will never succeed or kill animals, because it doesn't have the velocities of the whelen or the norma.:rolleyes:

BTW, winchester never said the .338wsm wouldn't kill animals, just they were hoping for higher velocities.
 
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