338 Federal

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New poster here,and wanna say this is a great site and very knowlegeable and helpful people:cheers:

Been reading up on some cartridges and really like the 338 Federal.Dont hear alot about it?
Living here in Ontario,it would make an all around gun for everything offered here.I really like the Tikka T3 and this chambering is offered in this firearm.
What are the goods and bads of the 338 fed.
I am not a handloader Yet
Has this offering not caught on to the public the way federal was hoping?
 
I hava Kimber Montana in .338 Federal. I think it is a great little cartridge. It has the bore diameter and bullet weight to take almost any game, in a short action, lightweight rifle. I find recoil mild, even in my 5.8lb rifle.

I used factory Federal Fusion 200gr ammo to take a small 5x5 elk last year. It worked great, dropping him on the spot. For future hunting I will be loading my own using Barnes 185 and 210gr TSX's.

The only bad I can see would maybe be the availabilty of factory ammo. Once you reload though, ammo availabilty is a non issue. There is a wide selection of .338 dia bullets and if brass is unavailable it can be made by simply necking up .308 Win brass.
 
I would like to see this chambering available in the new Robinson Arms XCR-L this combo would make a very nice fast handling hunting rifle especially if RA brings it out in a pistol form then we can legally have 10 round mags...
 
lots of options for factory loads (I believe Federal loads 180gr NAB, 185gr TSX, 185gr American Eagle SP, 200gr SP, 200gr Fusion, 200gr Tipped bear claws and 210gr Partitions) but you may not find them in every small town gun shop or Walmart

Terrific cartridge however, unless you need to shoot past 400 yards and then you'd be better off with a 7mm, 300 or 338 Mag. For 99% of hunting situations in Canada it's ideal. I've owned two and really like my Ruger m77 stainless hawkeye. I'm loading 210gr Swift Scirocco's @ 2650 fps, reaching to 300 meters is a piece of cake. Recoil is moderate and it's versatile, bullets ranging from 160gr to 250gr
 
WOW TB that 210 Scirroco has a BC of .507 with a muzzle velocity of 2650fps it is easily making this a 400 + yard hunting combo...

I most definitaly want a -M in 338 Federal now...
 
I like this cartridge, have been hunting with it for 3 years. I handload but I have also picked up ammo and have had no problems there but I live in a big center. Taken a moose with it and the 160 TTSX, passed through the shoulder and two ribs. No wasted meat and good moderate velocities contribute to that.
 
Camp Cook said:
WOW TB that 210 Scirroco has a BC of .507 with a muzzle velocity of 2650fps it is easily making this a 400 + yard hunting combo...

I most definitaly want a -M in 338 Federal now...
Click to expand...

Max load of Hodgdon Leverevolution, and I use a Federal 215M magnum primer for a bit extra spark. Accuracy is pretty decent too
 
todbartell said:
lots of options for factory loads (I believe Federal loads 180gr NAB, 185gr TSX, 185gr American Eagle SP, 200gr SP, 200gr Fusion, 200gr Tipped bear claws and 210gr Partitions) but you may not find them in every small town gun shop or Walmart

Terrific cartridge however, unless you need to shoot past 400 yards and then you'd be better off with a 7mm, 300 or 338 Mag. For 99% of hunting situations in Canada it's ideal. I've owned two and really like my Ruger m77 stainless hawkeye. I'm loading 210gr Swift Scirocco's @ 2650 fps, reaching to 300 meters is a piece of cake. Recoil is moderate and it's versatile, bullets ranging from 160gr to 250gr
Click to expand...

Tod, have you hit any game with the Scirocco's yet? Was thinking they might be a bit too tough to use and was telling Nugget to trade off the ones he has for the 180gr ABs.
 
How could Scirroco's possibly be to tough they are a bonded bullet = due to the bonding process Scirroco's expand far more readily than standard cup & core bullets other than a slightly thicker jacket they expand exactly like an Accubond...
 
Camp Cook said:
Whats your barrel length I ask because the -M's are coming with 18.6" barrels...
Click to expand...

22" Ruger m77 Hawkeye SS

Noel said:
Tod, have you hit any game with the Scirocco's yet? Was thinking they might be a bit too tough to use and was telling Nugget to trade off the ones he has for the 180gr ABs.
Click to expand...

nope, but I don't think there will be any problem with expansion down to 2000 fps, which should be around 400 yards, much further than I will likely ever shoot. The Scirocco's are designed to open up a bit wider than an Accubond. I tried the 200gr NAB's but they didn't group very well.

some info on the Swift here
 
Camp Cook said:
How could Scirroco's possibly be to tough they are a bonded bullet = due to the bonding process Scirroco's expand far more readily than standard cup & core bullets other than a slightly thicker jacket they expand exactly like an Accubond...
Click to expand...

Thought they were a heavy shanked bullet like the Swift. Can't hurt to ask can it? Seems many of the bullets today need to keep up to the ultra high velocity and I thought the Scirocco fell into that category.
 
I have the exact same rifle that you are looking for. You can't have it. Go buy one. You will not regret it. Mine shoots 1/2 inch groups with the 185 Barnes TrippleShock Federal Premium loads. Game performance is second to none. My rifle's name is BangThudMeat.
 
todbartell said:
22" Ruger m77 Hawkeye SS



nope, but I don't think there will be any problem with expansion down to 2000 fps, which should be around 400 yards, much further than I will likely ever shoot. The Scirocco's are designed to open up a bit wider than an Accubond. I tried the 200gr NAB's but they didn't group very well.

some info on the Swift here
Click to expand...

Same here. I got 4-5" groups with the FedPrem 189 Acubomb stuff . 1.5" with the Nosler210 load.
 
todbartell said:
lots of options for factory loads (I believe Federal loads 180gr NAB, 185gr TSX, 185gr American Eagle SP, 200gr SP, 200gr Fusion, 200gr Tipped bear claws and 210gr Partitions) but you may not find them in every small town gun shop or Walmart

Terrific cartridge however, unless you need to shoot past 400 yards and then you'd be better off with a 7mm, 300 or 338 Mag. For 99% of hunting situations in Canada it's ideal. I've owned two and really like my Ruger m77 stainless hawkeye. I'm loading 210gr Swift Scirocco's @ 2650 fps, reaching to 300 meters is a piece of cake. Recoil is moderate and it's versatile, bullets ranging from 160gr to 250gr
Click to expand...

How does it do with 250gr? I only shoot the high SD / heavy end of bullets for a caliber, and I'm concerned the .338 Fed just does .308+ performance, seeing as it's 200gr numbers for speed are within 100-150fps for typical loads to a 200gr .308- but you're dropping from an SD of .300 or a hair more to one of .250. I'd rather have the sectional density than the extra smidge of velocity, as at hunting ranges, zero difference in trajectory. The 200gr .308" bullet's slipperier too and likely even keeps the long range numbers close enough too, though I haven't run a calculation.

I'm not a particular fan of either cartridge, and only know the .308, which is a very good short action hunting round needless to say. Just trying to see why / where the .338 Federal has a strong calling.
 
Could it be? The new king of the .338's? cou:

My Sako 85 .338F likes almost anything I feed it. I've shot 160 TTSX's up to 225 Accubonds, SST's and this year Interbonds. The thing rocks my 300 and 380 yard gongs like its no thang. Shot a little blackie with it this year using a 200 grain Interlock, 2" exit hole out his back along with a bunch of guts. I figured the frail bullet would have stayed in the carcass...guess not :D
 
You're really thinking way to much into this buds. Load cool looking round into chamber. Point rifle at organs of animal that aid it in living. Pull trigger and repeat as necessary until animal ceases living. I don't know a deer that gives two sh!t$ about calculations or sectional density.
Ardent said:
How does it do with 250gr? I only shoot the high SD / heavy end of bullets for a caliber, and I'm concerned the .338 Fed just does .308+ performance, seeing as it's 200gr numbers for speed are within 100-150fps for typical loads to a 200gr .308- but you're dropping from an SD of .300 or a hair more to one of .250. I'd rather have the sectional density than the extra smidge of velocity, as at hunting ranges, zero difference in trajectory. The 200gr .308" bullet's slipperier too and likely even keeps the long range numbers close enough too, though I haven't run a calculation.

I'm not a particular fan of either cartridge, and only know the .308, which is a very good short action hunting round needless to say. Just trying to see why / where the .338 Federal has a strong calling.
Click to expand...
 
Ardent said:
Just trying to see why / where the .338 Federal has a strong calling.
Click to expand...

Readily available quality 308 brass
Good selection of quality bullets
Within my max range of 300 yards and its still going over 2000 fps
Little meat damage
Low recoil
Moderate speeds
Short action
 
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