I am looking to getting a Tikka t3 in 338 Federal. I wanted to know if anyone had a Tikka t3 and how it was. I also want to know about the 338 Federal. I have spent time looking on the net but was looking to get personal opinion on them. I will also be hand loading so any advice on 338 federal would be great. Know loads. thanks
tikka t3 / 339 federal
- Thread starter hawkeyeMASH
- Start date
i own one. t3 stainless .338 fed
it shoots alright
i put the lightest scope i could find on , a burris 4x.
gun is the lightest i own. makes my 3030 feel like a golf bag
bolt is ridiculously smooth. trigger adjust easily down to 3-2 lbs, and breaks like a glass rod.
recoil is less than my heavier sako 30-06 with more jump + less sharp kick
bolt disassembles with a pair of nail clippers in 2 seconds. very simple design.
.338 fed cases arent any better than resized .308. both fit very tight.
i have had 8 or 9 out of 100 resized .308 cases that just woudn't chamber after sizing them.
I'm loading 215 gr sierras with h335 2550 fps. cheap to make and tougher than anything as these bullets were designed for 338 win mag velocities.
only down side is there are not short/long actions they are all long(.338 is a short cartridge) with different bolt stops to shorten bolt travel, a magazine and action for 223 and 300 win mag are same sizes. i guess it keeps costs down.
so i think the ruger and kimber have shorter magazines and actions and probably why the kimber is the lightest.
it shoots alright
i put the lightest scope i could find on , a burris 4x.
gun is the lightest i own. makes my 3030 feel like a golf bag
bolt is ridiculously smooth. trigger adjust easily down to 3-2 lbs, and breaks like a glass rod.
recoil is less than my heavier sako 30-06 with more jump + less sharp kick
bolt disassembles with a pair of nail clippers in 2 seconds. very simple design.
.338 fed cases arent any better than resized .308. both fit very tight.
i have had 8 or 9 out of 100 resized .308 cases that just woudn't chamber after sizing them.
I'm loading 215 gr sierras with h335 2550 fps. cheap to make and tougher than anything as these bullets were designed for 338 win mag velocities.
only down side is there are not short/long actions they are all long(.338 is a short cartridge) with different bolt stops to shorten bolt travel, a magazine and action for 223 and 300 win mag are same sizes. i guess it keeps costs down.
so i think the ruger and kimber have shorter magazines and actions and probably why the kimber is the lightest.
I have a Tikka T3 lite stainless in .338 Federal as well. It is easily the most accurate big game gun I own, hands down.
If you want to see your animals drop in their tracks and do the big quiver, buy this gun/cartridge. Ammo is a bit spendy, but well worth it in the performance dept.
Its not a magnum by any stretch but wow, does it lay the smack down all out of proportion to its size.
If you want to see your animals drop in their tracks and do the big quiver, buy this gun/cartridge. Ammo is a bit spendy, but well worth it in the performance dept.
Its not a magnum by any stretch but wow, does it lay the smack down all out of proportion to its size.
- Location
- Dah Soo,ON
Holy man theres alot of .338 Federal threads coming up lately. Thats wierd because its such a go no where, dead cartridge...
I've had three 338 fed's in the past, A t/c encore, tikka t3, and a ruger hawkeye. All have shot under an inch with factory loads but each liked a different bullet weight.
The 338 fed really puts animals down. I've shot 5 deer with this calibre and all have gone no more than 20 yds with a lot of terminal damage.
It's wicked, low-recoiling calibre that carries it's energy well.
The 338 fed really puts animals down. I've shot 5 deer with this calibre and all have gone no more than 20 yds with a lot of terminal damage.
It's wicked, low-recoiling calibre that carries it's energy well.
- Location
- Dah Soo,ON
The exceedingly famous 358Win is more better and way cooler!
Got it?
.
Take your crazy pills and go back to bed grampa
I have a 338 Fed in the TC encore. I shot a moose this year at 125 yards with the 160 grain TTSX and the results where surprising. The bullet severed the shoulder blade from the shoulder and continued through the vitals taking out a complete chunk of rib out on the near and far side of the chest just coming to rest under the hide. The bullet only lost the plastic tip. On the hit it hunched up then took a step forward and reared up on its back legs jumped up and landed flat on its back, it looked like it was suplexed. It hit him hard, his response most likely due to the fact that it took out his shoulder.
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I handload too and found the 160 TTSX are the most accurate for this gun. They run at 3030 fps. All of my loads and factory run about 100 fps faster as tested on a chrono. I attribute this to the long throat of the TC and a 28" barrel. I don't think you need the extra 100 fps, in the T3 you'll be getting one of the nicest actions and accurate to boot. In the T3 you'll be limited by the magazine in how far out you can seat the bullets. I own a T3 and it shouldn't be a problem cause it shoots almost anything well.
Good bullet selection, lots to choose from, high BC's, and comparable recoil and trajectories to the 30-06. Its a pretty efficient cartridge with no frills, just works well for those that respect doing more with less.
I handload too and found the 160 TTSX are the most accurate for this gun. They run at 3030 fps. All of my loads and factory run about 100 fps faster as tested on a chrono. I attribute this to the long throat of the TC and a 28" barrel. I don't think you need the extra 100 fps, in the T3 you'll be getting one of the nicest actions and accurate to boot. In the T3 you'll be limited by the magazine in how far out you can seat the bullets. I own a T3 and it shouldn't be a problem cause it shoots almost anything well.
Good bullet selection, lots to choose from, high BC's, and comparable recoil and trajectories to the 30-06. Its a pretty efficient cartridge with no frills, just works well for those that respect doing more with less.
Pharoah, pretty cool results.
Almost forgot to mention HawkeyeMash, pick up some AA2230 for the 338 Fed if you choose to buy one. Its the creme de la creme for this cartridge for velocity. From the Barnes manual its the fastest and by a wide margin. You'll get 80-90 fps over the next fastest powder.
160 grain 3089 fps
185 grain 2798 fps
210 grain 2570 fps
225 grain 2457 fps
Almost forgot to mention HawkeyeMash, pick up some AA2230 for the 338 Fed if you choose to buy one. Its the creme de la creme for this cartridge for velocity. From the Barnes manual its the fastest and by a wide margin. You'll get 80-90 fps over the next fastest powder.
160 grain 3089 fps
185 grain 2798 fps
210 grain 2570 fps
225 grain 2457 fps
Still begs the question as to why the big manufacturers still don't offer the .338-06 as a factory round. W'by did for a while but quit. It'll flat outshoot a .338 Federal with any bullet by a large margin, 300+ fps in some cases, outdo a .30-06 in heavier bullets for the .30, outstep the .35 Whelen with heavier .338 weights and even get within 100 fps of a .338 Mag with the right 250 grain bullet/powder combo. When Ken Waters originally did workups for the .35 Whelen his closing comments were that a .338 version would be much better, given among other things, the wide choice of bullets as opposed to the .358's limited choices. Plus the .338-06 doesn't need a long barrel. Not knocking the Federal .338 version, I'm sure it's handy in the short action, but really - what's the advantage? Again, not knocking anything here - just wondering why it's not an optional chambering. It's so obvious to those of us who use them.
the 338 federal doesn't have much competition in a med bore short action besides 358 win.
338-06 has to compete with with whelan, 300-and 338 win mag, and pretty much all the wsm and super magnum as its energy gets in their realm.
same reason the honda civic doesn't lose sales to the corvette, but if they made a car that looked like a vette, was slightly slower and got better mileage it would be a tough sell too.
you are right the 338 federal cant compete with the 338-06 but that's the point. its all marketing
I'd buy a 338-06 in a heartbeat, always wanted one and will someday build one if a factory doesn't offer it. The 200 fps it gains over the 338f may not add up to much in the field at normal hunting ranges, but it does handle the 250 grain spitzers better than the 338f.
my ruger m77 338f can get 2500 fps with two different powders & Speer 225gr BTSP
my ruger m77 338f can get 2500 fps with two different powders & Speer 225gr BTSP
