.338 Federal

Hey mate, i know a few blokes over here using the 338federal.
Some are having good success on the Sambar deer.
A bloke built a custom Fed a while ago an has used it on big scrub bulls in the top end, he is using 200gr woodleighs an ADI2206h, also speers 200gr an 185 barnes ts.. his handloads for a few loads are all under an inch at 100m.

I looked at gettin the Fed over the whelen as a scrub boomer but price of factory (at the time) put me off, now i reload i think it would b pretty nice cal.

woodleigh make .338 in 180 an 200 specially for the Fed with the slower velocity compare to other .338 cals.

Possibly most bullets will be too hard for deer like fallow an whitetail but since when has that stopped anyone pullin the trigger!

cheers
 
I have a Kimber 84 Montana in .338 Federal. Used it to take a bull elk this Sept. One shot at approx 65 yds dropped him on the spot. I think it is a powerful cartridge with good versatility.
 
Buy it. You absolutely will not regret it, especially if you have ever shot a .338 Magnum ( shoulder wrecker) .
Man, can this little cartridge lay the smackdown WAAAYYY out of proportion to its size !
And its accurate to boot ! ! ! !
 
Haven't killed anything with mine. but my .358 Imp shoots tiny little groups with most any bullet/powder I jam into the cases :)

Deer season opens tomorrow here, hopefully I'll get to find out how a 160 grain TTSX performs on a buck at 7mm RM speeds
 
2 friends have them in the Tikka T-3 and love them! I am thinking of converting a Winchester model 100 to this calibre or maybe a Win model 88 as this would be ideal to me! I also know that powders are not available yet to reload to factory specs, seems to fall just a little short, what do you guys who handload have to comment on this? cheers dale in T-Bay
 
i have had both the 338 federal and the 358 win.and hands down i will take the 358 win.it has that bang flop thing going on that the 338 does not have.15 deer 15 shots and not one went more then 5 feet.
 
bulldog284 said:
i have had both the 338 federal and the 358 win.and hands down i will take the 358 win.it has that bang flop thing going on that the 338 does not have.15 deer 15 shots and not one went more then 5 feet.
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Funny....my (considerable) experience with on-game performance has been the complete opposite. Deer, moose, black bear.....all bang-flop or damn near.

Besides: The .338 has the advantage of outstanding factory loadings (which the .358 does not have at all), a HUGE selection of bullets available to the handloader (again...the .358 is lacking) a wide choice of bullet weights that work in the .338 caliber (no so much with the .358) and superior ballistics.

Don't get me wrong, I very much like my .358, but my .338 Fed has become my sweetheart :)

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I actually have been shooting this cartridge for almost 4 years now and love it. I find IMR4064 works decent for a powder, but I have quite a bit of Benchmark and would like to use it, but having a hard time finding data for that powder.
 
The 358Winchester has a right hand twist which matches the rotation of the earth.

This makes it a better chambering by far.

.
 
Wrong Way said:
Funny....my (considerable) experience with on-game performance has been the complete opposite. Deer, moose, black bear.....all bang-flop or damn near.

Besides: The .338 has the advantage of outstanding factory loadings (which the .358 does not have at all), a HUGE selection of bullets available to the handloader (again...the .358 is lacking) a wide choice of bullet weights that work in the .338 caliber (no so much with the .358) and superior ballistics.

Don't get me wrong, I very much like my .358, but my .338 Fed has become my sweetheart :)
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Jeez Wrong Way...way to bring logic into this debate and ruin all the .35 cal fan boys dreams, shame on you...:cool:
 
I like the 338Fed because it was so easy to do the load dev. for it. I'd get one if I never had so many 358's.
A Sierra 215gr and a 210grNP both shot damn well for a good practice/hunting combo. No difference in charge for the two or change in POI. (both seated to the same dist. to landes).

Dwayner
 
I think the .338 federal is a fantastic idea...I was just saying the thing about the .358 to be a prick. :)

My steel receiver BLR in .358 is my favorite rifle, ever!!! Thanks, WhelenB. ;)
 
bulldog284 said:
i have had both the 338 federal and the 358 win.and hands down i will take the 358 win.it has that bang flop thing going on that the 338 does not have.15 deer 15 shots and not one went more then 5 feet.
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I think your observations have deceived you. There is so little difference between the .358 Winchester and the .338 Federal that it is not possible for one to have terminal performance that outclasses the other. When loaded with appropriate bullets of similar construction, impacting at a similar velocity, either will kill big game conclusively.
 
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