338 federal

Skicat

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Anybody shot one? Anybody know somebody who shot one? I'm interested in any results yall might have seen or heard. Thanks.
 
338 Federal??? What is it? Did you mean 338 win mag? or maybe 338 RUM with fed brass? I have a 300 RUM which should kick similar to any larger 338. The kick is a little different with these bigger cartridges as it is a little slower and longer. Id recomend you not go over 30 cal unless you really have to and make sure you have at least a 26" heavy barrel.
 
Why go to 338 subsonic? I would think going the other way would be better, like a 7MM OR 6.5MM whisper or something of that sort like a BR
 
supposedly kicks like a mule. The idea was to get the same performance of a 338-06, but in a short action. Its got the perfomrance, but thumps you good in doing it.
 
Quote:
Why go to 338 subsonic? I would think going the other way would be better, like a 7MM OR 6.5MM whisper or something of that sort like a BR



I had to check. I was wrong on the .338 on the cut-down .338 Lapua. It's a .50 cal. on a cut-down .338 Lapua! I will try and post a picture of it.

The reason is to have a high-energy round that can be silenced. Same reason behind the .300 Whisper.
 
Its not subsonic. And if you were to load it down it would not be as efficient or consistent as another smaller cartridge with the same 338 bullet.
 
The 338 Fed is nothing more than a 338-08. I've had a 338-08 built on a Rem M7 action for several years. I shoot 210gr NPs in it and it doesn't "kick like a mule". In fact it feels about the same as my M7 in 308. Mine is a very handy, light elk rifle very capable of taking elk out to 250 yards. And BTW, I have only attempted one shot at elk past 300 yards in 35 years of elk hunting and on that occasion (last year)I used a 35 Whelen. Two shots through the lungs resulted in a very dead 6-point bull.

ElkMe2.jpg


As a side note -

I don't understand why folks post info about cartridges kicking hard or the accuracy or the lack thereof when they either have never fired nor own the subject of their negative remarks.
 
Elkslayer,
Very pretty bull!
Did the Whelen impress you with it's performance? If you wouldn't mind I would love to know the details of the load and reaction of the bull concerning the 35 Whelen.
 
First of all, in my opinion/experience 300 yards is too damn far to be shooting at an elk with a 35 whelen! 300 yard shots are fine IF you are shooting a ctg which will have enough retained energy to allow the bullet to perform. Let me explain...

I spotted this bull and his "twin" bedded down a couple of days prior to me taking him. I tried to put a sneak on them but got busted at about 75 yards. I caught the two out in the open very early a few days later and watched them with binocs as they were making their way back to the same timbered area to bed down.

As you can see, the terrain was very open! I paralleled them and was standing beside a fence line as they came into view. The shot was a standing proposition. There was a slight breeze, 10 mph or so from right to left. I held absolutely on top of the shoulders with the crosshairs of the Ziess 4X. I believe in "Hair never air!"

When the trigger broke on the first shot I had just been "rocked" to the left by a gust and I knew the shot was high and over the middle of his back. The two bulls didn't act as if anything had happened.

On the second shot the trigger broke and the sight picture was perfect. Horizontal crosshair ontop the shoulder, vertical crosshair in line with the front leg. The "slap" of the bullet strike was not what I am used to hearing. Instead of a resounding "wh-o-o-p" it was more like a light, higher pitched slap. Third shot broke just like the second as far as sight alignment and with the same sound.

On both the second and third shot the bull never broke stride from the walking gait he was in and he went about 20 yards and simply collapsed, dead. The two bullets had hit about 5" from one another front to back and at the same elevation.

Bullet performance -

I was using 225gr Sierra GameKings. Both bullets missed ribs on the way in. One missed ribs on the other side and the other "kissed" a rib on the far side causing it to "flatten" a bit along one side. The bullet which missed ribs on the way in and out could literally be reloaded as the only marks on it are from the rifling. A bit of the base of the lead tip is still exposed above the copper jacket!! Both bullets were recovered under the hide on the far side.


PB180002.jpg


Why was there this kind of performance by these two bullets?

Because the distance was great enough the velocity of the bullet had dropped below the performance range the bullet is constructed to perform at. My guess is the rounds were traveling at around 1700 fps. Too slow for them to open up when not hitting a bone like a rib. God forbid should I have hit the shoulder as I don't think the bullet(s) would have had enough energy to take him down.

I'm at work right now and don't have the load data or I'd list it, will update this post later this evening.

Elkslayer
 
well elkslayer I am commenting on what I have read about the round in several magazines. I hold G&A and several others in high regard, so I believe them when they say it kicks pretty good. BTW, the round has more powder in it than a factory 308, giving it that extra kick.



Chuck hawks talks about the increased recoil here.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/338_federal_first_look.htm

obviously recoil is in the hands of the shooter, but the increased power of the round in a short action rifle is of concern to many.
 
Would you mind explaining how a 308 case with the neck opened up to 338 holds more powder than a 308 case with a 308 neck?

I have fired a 338 fed ctg in my 338-08. The cases are the same with the exception of the diameter of the neck. There is no way a 338 fed holds more powder than a 308 they're the same case!
 
Elkslayer,
Thanks for the report and pictures. Glad you recovered that bull as soon as you did. I would expect Gamekings to have opened up much more than that.
The only game I have taken with my Whelen was a wild hog using 250 grain Hornady roundpoints. At 90 yards it didn't flatten the sow but it left a very strong 40 yard blood trail into the brush where she died. No bullet recovery.
I suspected that the Whelen is a 300 yard maximum round and you confirmed that in spades. Think a Nosler Partition would be a better choice?
Oh yea, Rowney, if you want to talk about recoil try sighting a 35 Whelen with 250 grainers from the bench with only a hard plastic butt plate before a recoil pad is installed! OUCH!
 
I finally got a chance to shoot a picture of that .338 ctg. I talked about earlier. There is a .300 Whisper next to it for size comp. I can't remember what the guy told me the name of it was but it is a .50 BMG bullet on a cut-off .338 Lapua case. Anyone know what the name is?

.jpg
 
I have not fired a .338 Federal but believe it would be an excellent elk/bear/deer round. I am sure it would recoil less than a .338 Win Mag which is really not bad at all using 200, 210 and 215 grain bullets. I am sure both would kick a bit more with 250 or heavier bullets.

I am thinking it is not a super long range round but more than enough at reasonable distances.
 
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