Explain that a little better please
338 Federal
- Thread starter DGY
- Start date
Wowser Barry ! Congratulations on that Beauty Bull 
You took a Real Nice moose a few years back too with your 338 Fed and I think 160 TTSX OR 185 TTSX ers ?
You took a Real Nice moose a few years back too with your 338 Fed and I think 160 TTSX OR 185 TTSX ers
?The moose was with the 160ttsx. Figured I would try something different this time. Can’t go wrong with either bullet. I have many rifles but for some reason only big animals step in front of the 338 federal. Luckily it never disappoints. My gun needs to go in for a facelift. It’s so well used it’s looking pretty ugly
The 338 Federal is the Little cartridge that can do a lot ! After all it’s just a necked up 308 Win . 
Once a year, usually in March, Federal manufactures the 338 Federal with a 200-grain Fusion bullet. https://www.federalpremium.com/rifle/fusion/11-F338FFS2.html
The listed velocity is 2700 fps, but I routinely get 2850 fps muzzle velocity in a Hill Country Rifles customized Ruger 77 with a 21" barrel. I zero the rifle at 240 yards, which gives a point blank range of 280 yards. The energy at the muzzle is 3607 fpe and the energy at 280 yards is 2266 fpe. The lot number is M511Q01. Accuracy with this round is stellar. Three-shot groups at 100-yards will measure less than 1/2 inch center-to-center. I have shot several groups under 3/10ths of an inch with this round.
Should that sound like a fantastic velocity, look at this loading table from Federal showing that velocities over 2,800 fps are possible with Alliant Power Pro 2000-MR powder.
Vastly overpowered for deer, this round has been excellent on elk, caribou, and moose. There's not much in North America I would hesitate to hunt with the 338 Federal using this load.
The listed velocity is 2700 fps, but I routinely get 2850 fps muzzle velocity in a Hill Country Rifles customized Ruger 77 with a 21" barrel. I zero the rifle at 240 yards, which gives a point blank range of 280 yards. The energy at the muzzle is 3607 fpe and the energy at 280 yards is 2266 fpe. The lot number is M511Q01. Accuracy with this round is stellar. Three-shot groups at 100-yards will measure less than 1/2 inch center-to-center. I have shot several groups under 3/10ths of an inch with this round.
Should that sound like a fantastic velocity, look at this loading table from Federal showing that velocities over 2,800 fps are possible with Alliant Power Pro 2000-MR powder.
Vastly overpowered for deer, this round has been excellent on elk, caribou, and moose. There's not much in North America I would hesitate to hunt with the 338 Federal using this load.
A2230 gave me the best Speed and the Best Accuracy with the 160 and 185 TTSX bullets and the fusion 200 in my T3 .
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All this fuss over "LIGHT FOR CALIBER" bullets in a SMALL CASE.
You're better off using the 165/180 grain bullets in a 308Win.
Go 225 grains with any good flat base bullet, load it to the nuts, and use the rifle/cartridge combo for what it was intended for, shots on just about any big game in Canada out to 300yds.
I finally ended up using 45.0 grains of W748, over CCI250 primers, under Hornady 225 grain spfbIL.
I've only had the opportunity to shoot one Moose with it at appx 180 yds, stepped out by my long legged hunting partner. The bullet did everything it was designed to do, after penetrating a rib while going in, taking out both lungs, then slipping between the ribs on the far side, and getting caught in the hide.
Trying to turn this cartridge into a speedy 308???????????????????????
I did play with some 180 grain Barnes bullets, I used 48.5 grains of XBR8208, over CCI250 primers, for 2800+fps from a 20 inch bbl.
I only had about 30 bullets and didn't bother to acquire any more. Why? The 225 grain ILs were doing everything needed already.
My rifle was built before Federal decided to make an honest cartridge of the 338-08. It was intended for short receiver bolt actions and lever action rifles. It works best in those rifles and excels with shorter barrels.
338 Federal cases will chamber in my rifle, but it's a sloppy fit until the cases have been fireformed. The shoulder angle on my case is sharper, and the neck is only one caliber long.
You're better off using the 165/180 grain bullets in a 308Win.
Go 225 grains with any good flat base bullet, load it to the nuts, and use the rifle/cartridge combo for what it was intended for, shots on just about any big game in Canada out to 300yds.
I finally ended up using 45.0 grains of W748, over CCI250 primers, under Hornady 225 grain spfbIL.
I've only had the opportunity to shoot one Moose with it at appx 180 yds, stepped out by my long legged hunting partner. The bullet did everything it was designed to do, after penetrating a rib while going in, taking out both lungs, then slipping between the ribs on the far side, and getting caught in the hide.
Trying to turn this cartridge into a speedy 308???????????????????????
I did play with some 180 grain Barnes bullets, I used 48.5 grains of XBR8208, over CCI250 primers, for 2800+fps from a 20 inch bbl.
I only had about 30 bullets and didn't bother to acquire any more. Why? The 225 grain ILs were doing everything needed already.
My rifle was built before Federal decided to make an honest cartridge of the 338-08. It was intended for short receiver bolt actions and lever action rifles. It works best in those rifles and excels with shorter barrels.
338 Federal cases will chamber in my rifle, but it's a sloppy fit until the cases have been fireformed. The shoulder angle on my case is sharper, and the neck is only one caliber long.
In my case the fuss about the light weight bullets in a small cartridge is a low recoil load for a family member, with a copper bullet at a reasonable velocity that will expand reliably and controlled from the muzzle to about 400 yards which is the ragged edge if not maybe a little more than this cartridge is capable of. The rifle is already owned so 308 is out of the question and to be honest not of my taste. I personally prefer heavy for caliber in a big case but that is not in the cards in this situation.
Nobody mentioned 200g Hornady FTX. I have had real good luck 49g Win 748. If I remember right I used 358 Win data at the time to get starting load. I never changed. It shoots better then me. Ruger Hawkeye with Leo 1-4 scope. I've no experience with any lighter weight bullets. FWIW I have found that recoil isn't ever an issue on game and so, God forbid, I never let my wife or a kid shoot it. After they used it to shoot deer nobody noticed the kick. They never shot it even one time before. Just shot a 22 with similar weight and scope, eye relief, ect. It is also better the gun is maybe a bit long for shooter so they are less likely get in close to the scope and get cut. 1000 round of 22lr is a lot of experience. technically even the military knew about this I remember shooting those old heavy 22's that were configured like standard issue. Screaming kid with blood running down his eye and a halfmoon scar on her/his brow leaves a lasting impression and not very happy spouse.
im having such a hard time getting away from the 308 win---The 338 Federal is the Little cartridge that can do a lot ! After all it’s just a necked up 308 Win .
love the 7mm08 because of the platform --- kimber montana.
lust over the 338 Federal for many years now but, but, I simply love the .308 for what im doing.
cant see the worth in the extra $ in projectiles an all that jazz. i really wanted an excuse for a 338 federal but the way Australias gun laws are going, we may end up in the 'a couple guns for many uses' -
Same here in terms of wanting to find a reason for an other rifle lol, but in reality my 30-06 does it all for up here or the 9.3x62 all the rest is really not needed lol.
Sometimes I think I need one of those flat shooting new magic cartridges for long distance hunting… and in the end I don’t shoot at games past 300m so irrelevant in my style of hunting.
I think most of us have been up and down the Cal range repeatedly looking for that one do-it-all caliber/set-up. Lord knows I’ve done it multiple times…
It’s funny though.. how some of us gravitate back to the main five (308, 270, 30-06, 7RM & 300WM) after chasing UL/LW and newer LR specific calibers & setups. Says much about the old standards doesn’t it?
We're getting off topic now, but the way things have gone, when it pertains to firearms, over the past 60+ years, it's going from bad to worse.
At first, it was apathy, then lethargy set in, and combined with fear from peers, political intimidation, social engineering, the prevailing lack of interest, etc, the antis, with not that many supporters, have gained footholds in Parliament.
Many folks try to blame it on our orgs, which do amazing work, with the very restricted resources they've been given.
The antis get funding by the feds, through back door support, such as grants to Ryerson University, U of Manitoba, etc, who in turn divert some/most of that funding to a couple of antifirearm orgs, which supposedly aren't politically affiliated.
The blood rollers and bathers will be in their glory for the next ten years with the fresh blood of the students from Tumbler Ridge to paint their wall with.
At first, it was apathy, then lethargy set in, and combined with fear from peers, political intimidation, social engineering, the prevailing lack of interest, etc, the antis, with not that many supporters, have gained footholds in Parliament.
Many folks try to blame it on our orgs, which do amazing work, with the very restricted resources they've been given.
The antis get funding by the feds, through back door support, such as grants to Ryerson University, U of Manitoba, etc, who in turn divert some/most of that funding to a couple of antifirearm orgs, which supposedly aren't politically affiliated.
The blood rollers and bathers will be in their glory for the next ten years with the fresh blood of the students from Tumbler Ridge to paint their wall with.
