.358Win vs. .338 Federal

A&Shuntr

A&Shuntr

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.358Win vs. .338 Federal

My question is regarding these two cartridges. I'm wondering why the max pressure of the 358 is lower than the max listed for the .338? In the same action (Ruger M77) could you push the .358Win to .338Fed pressures?

:popCorn:
 
A&Shuntr said:
.358Win vs. .338 Federal

My question is regarding these two cartridges. I'm wondering why the max pressure of the 358 is lower than the max listed for the .338? In the same action (Ruger M77) could you push the .358Win to .338Fed pressures?

:popCorn:
Click to expand...

To answer that and any other related question, just look at the thread "comparing" the 338-06 to 35 Whelen. Be prepared to leave facts and common sense at the door, and bring lots of emotion along. The "arguments" are identical, and BTW, you'll need to substitute 308 for 30-06, as that somehow always enters the discussion as being better than both.
 
I dont want to compare both but it is important to know that the 338 Federal is parent case to the 308 so you know accuracy will be there and it is easy whit a 215gr scirocco bullet handload to get 3400 pounds ( bigs bears territory ) of energy out of it... only 150 pounds short of a 300 mag short or W.M., now in a short action that kind of power fill a gap i predict its gone be a good succes , if only TC Icon P.H. could come out in this caliber they would sell me one... Cheers. JP
 
the 358 was designed in 1955 around the lever action Model 88, the 338 Fed was designed in 2006 around more modern, predominantly bolt action rifles, and the SAAMI pressure spec was consequently higher.

When loaded to the same pressure (which you can in a M77), the 358 will push smae weight bullets faster.
 
Pardon my french, english not being my native language those mistakes are bond to happen once in a while... on the other hand you cant get close to the energy of the 338 Fed with the 358, by anyway you try the 338 Federal give you 400 pounds more energy this is considerable bonus, its almost 3 time the difference between the 308 and the 30.06, 3050 pounds is the max for the 358... 3400 pounds easy for the 338, those are numbers i know but we have to consider it... Cheers. JP.
 
caramel said:
I dont want to compare both but it is important to know that the 338 Federal is parent case to the 308 so you know accuracy will be there and it is easy whit a 215gr scirocco bullet handload to get 3400 pounds ( bigs bears territory ) of energy out of it... only 150 pounds short of a 300 mag short or W.M., now in a short action that kind of power fill a gap i predict its gone be a good succes , if only TC Icon P.H. could come out in this caliber they would sell me one... Cheers. JP
Click to expand...

I don't think so. You can get 4000 out of a 300 WinMag with the right powder/bullet combo and you'll have great trouble getting to 3500 in the 338 Federal.
Your figures comparing the 308/338/358 are totally off by the way. Check your manuals.
 
caramel said:
Pardon my french, english not being my native language those mistakes are bond to happen once in a while... on the other hand you cant get close to the energy of the 338 Fed with the 358, by anyway you try the 338 Federal give you 400 pounds more energy this is considerable bonus, its almost 3 time the difference between the 308 and the 30.06, 3050 pounds is the max for the 358... 3400 pounds easy for the 338, those are numbers i know but we have to consider it... Cheers. JP.
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You sound the same as folk who say you can't get .45 Colt close to the energy of a .44 Mag.

The only difference between .358 Win and .338 Fed is .02", both based off the .308 Win case, and in a bolt gun operating at the same pressure the difference is purely conversational. If anything the miniscule greater bullet diameter of the .358 Win works in it's favour, but again we're splitting hairs.
 
I dont have to sound..... i just take my 500 S&W when i want to get close to the energy of a 44 mag... Taken from Hodgon reloading table 300 mag 200 gr 3870 pounds....338 Federal 215 gr 3400 pounds.....358 200 gr 3070 pounds and if a gentleman own a 300 mag and dont reload and use the best commercial loads the difference is cut to 200 pounds of energy so if i am off they are off... Cheers. JP.
 
That is very true sir but that not a reason to says to somebody he is of what someone see as a difference could be less important for somebody else... we are talking opinions here... JP.
 
caramel said:
Taken from Hodgon reloading table 300 mag 200 gr 3870 pounds....338 Federal 215 gr 3400 pounds.....358 200 gr 3070 pounds and if a gentleman own a 300 mag and dont reload and use the best commercial loads the difference is cut to 200 pounds of energy so if i am off they are off... Cheers. JP.
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So where's the "only 150 ft.lbs difference" you quoted earlier? And you are way off, sorry. The hottest factory loads in 300 and 338 Fed show much more diff than 200 ft lbs .
 
A&Shuntr said:
.358Win vs. .338 Federal

My question is regarding these two cartridges. I'm wondering why the max pressure of the 358 is lower than the max listed for the .338? In the same action (Ruger M77) could you push the .358Win to .338Fed pressures?

:popCorn:
Click to expand...

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.
 
Here's a good article on the .358 Win. In a nutshell the loading data you're quoting isn't apples to apples/bolt gun to bolt gun, but rather data comparing bolt gun to older lever gun.

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/358_wcf.htm
 
They're both based on the .308 win case, one is just necked up to .338 and one necked up to .358. The .338 shoots a slightly smaller bullet with a slightly better BC, and the .358 shoots a slightly bigger bullet with a slightly lower BC. In real life they do the same job on the same animals, and you can load them to the same pressure levels, as long as the rifles are the same (i.e both modern bolt action rifles).
 
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.338 fed.

I was going to rebarrel a Win. 100 in .308 to .338 Fed. but now am worried that the pressure will be to much for the Win. action.
Anybody know if this is a reasonable thing to do, anybody done this?
Don't want to hijack this thread, so feel free to PM me.
Thanks jag
 
jag said:
I was going to rebarrel a Win. 100 in .308 to .338 Fed. but now am worried that the pressure will be to much for the Win. action.
Anybody know if this is a reasonable thing to do, anybody done this?
Don't want to hijack this thread, so feel free to PM me.
Thanks jag
Click to expand...

It will only be an issue if you want to use factory ammo.
 
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