.358Win vs. .338 Federal

[Brutus]

The .338 Fed is new, so only new rifles with strong actions are chambered in it. The .358 has been around a while and has some lever actions chambered in it, so pressures in factory ammo are less. With handloads, you can increase the pressures as long as they are still safe in your rifle.

These two slightly differing cartridges are so close in ballistics, it's not even worth disputing the minor differences.
To compare factory ammo versus handloads is not kosher.

 

[blargon]

You are not making a fair comparison. Also AFAIK, 338 Fed is also pushed in leverguns primarily. The 358 leverguns I remember are BLRs, Winchester 88s and Savage 99s.

There are no factory made lever guns in .338 Federal. Only modern actions, ie Sako, Tikka, Kimber and Ruger, and a few AR15 platforms.

Federal loads their ammo at higher pressures to match the .30-06 in same weight bullets, and they don't have to worry about blowing up an old Savage 99, rem 7600 or any other action that doesn't cam as well.

 

[Brutus]

There are no factory made lever guns in .338 Federal. Only modern actions, ie Sako, Tikka, Kimber and Ruger, and a few AR15 platforms.

Federal loads their ammo at higher pressures to match the .30-06 in same weight bullets, and they don't have to worry about blowing up an old Savage 99, rem 7600 or any other action that doesn't cam as well.

My mistake, I was thinking about the 338 Marlin Express.

sorry!

 

[caramel]

The Nemesis Vanquish 308 offer the option of a 338 Federal Barrel ( that is the rifle that fit in a back pak )... JP.

 

[Homesteader]

There are no factory made lever guns in .338 Federal. Only modern actions, ie Sako, Tikka, Kimber and Ruger, and a few AR15 platforms.

Federal loads their ammo at higher pressures to match the .30-06 in same weight bullets, and they don't have to worry about blowing up an old Savage 99, rem 7600 or any other action that doesn't cam as well.

Yeah because we've all heard about the 7600's that are blowing up right

 

[Obtunded]

Actually. the pressures in the 338 federal are not high unless you use powders that are faster burning than they need to be. There is no such thing as a "weak" action on the market. Old actions and Milsurps can be a big exception. The only time you will have a bolt actioned rifle action fail is if you load the cartridge far beyone the point where the normal indicators of excessive pressure would show such as primer extrusion or piercing, flattened primer and or case base, sticky bolt lift etc. A flimsy primer on a factory firing pin hole will fail tens of thousands of pounds sooner than a barrel chamber, shank and action.

Trust me, your rifle action has been proofed at FAR higher than you will ever get with a responsible reload. Work up a load and back off when you see pressure signs. I use 185 triple shocks and 47 grains of Varget. 2600 fps and I have taken moose at 150 yards and they dropped on the spot. Good shot placement trumps everything.

 

[blargon]

Yeah because we've all heard about the 7600's that are blowing up right

Blowing up is not the right term. I had one built on a 760 and there was enough of a pressure increase that it wouldn't extract factory ammo. They just don't have the camming power of a bolt action. This is why you will not see it chambered in a Rem 750 or 7600...

Actually. the pressures in the 338 federal are not high unless you use powders that are faster burning than they need to be.

I am only talking about factory ammo.

The factory federal ammo is 5000 psi higher pressure than factory .308 ammo, and it is enough to make a difference in some actions. My point was that Federal doesn't care about any other actions, as the round is new, so only new rifles are chambered in it.

 

[shortaction]

Blowing up is not the right term. I had one built on a 760 and there was enough of a pressure increase that it wouldn't extract factory ammo. They just don't have the camming power of a bolt action. This is why you will not see it chambered in a Rem 750 or 7600...



I am only talking about factory ammo.

The factory federal ammo is 5000 psi higher pressure than factory .308 ammo, and it is enough to make a difference in some actions. My point was that Federal doesn't care about any other actions, as the round is new, so only new rifles are chambered in it.

Hmmm, what is the pressure difference between a factory loaded 270win and a 338fed?

 

[blargon]

Hmmm, what is the pressure difference between a factory loaded 270win and a 338fed?

Good question. I've been comparing it to the .308 and .30-06, but the .270 also has higher pressure. The max pressure peak, and the duration of the pressure peak and curve could be much different between the two, though.

I'm not a scientist, but I do know the 760 would not extract factory ammo. Handloads worked excellent.

 

[shortaction]

Good question. I've been comparing it to the .308 and .30-06, but the .270 also has higher pressure. The max pressure peak, and the duration of the pressure peak and curve could be much different between the two, though.

I'm not a scientist, but I do know the 760 would not extract factory ammo. Handloads worked excellent.

Sorry, I wasn't disputing your info on the extraction. Just wondering why the 760/7600's handle the 270win ok?

Maybe your 338fed had a tighter chamber than remington uses on their pumps as it was a rebarrel? Not sure if that would do it? Just guessing?

I know there was some extraction problems when the 300WSM first came out as Winchester was trying to "get a little extra", maybe Federal was doing the same? Where you able to get factory ammo velocity with your handloads?

 

[Traps]

My handloads are chronographed as follows:
185 TSX - 2850 fps 1.5 grains below max
160 TTSX - 3030 fps two grains below max
210 TTSX - 2600 fps one grain off max