The 338 Federal fits short-action magazine rifles like this Sako III prototype. The number of people who purchased all those boxes could be counted on one hand. I use a 200 gr plain jane bullet with tac powder ( a load i got from handloader magazine) it is a superb round and perfect for any game in alaska as long as good bullet placement is practiced. That would be boring, and the truth is that many potential moose hunters out there might already have what would be best for them. Performance Differences (Are they enough to Matter? It is a powerful cartridge that is suitable for hunting a wide range of game animals, including deer, elk, and moose. The Ruger M77 Guide Gun in .338. Considered by some ballistic experts to be the ideal cartridge for North American big game, the .338 Federal is also known for superb accuracy and stopping power in a controllable package. The .338 Federal was designed specifically for hunting North American big game from deer and black bear through moose, although it undoubtedly works just as well on game of similar size worldwide. I have one that is wonderfully light and it shoot Tikka good too. of just .342, youll have to watch the wind deflection. Thanks for all the help and when I called to grab one I was TOO LATE they used it for a leader and they didnt have them anymore!! is the Hornady 212-grain ELDX, but its not offered in a factory loading that Ive been able to find. Zero to keep all shots inside of an 8-inch target and trajectory will peak 4 inches high at 150 yards. Tactical Survivalist : Combat Gear : Survival Gear : Combat Equipment is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Endless.com, MYHABIT.com, SmallParts.com, or AmazonWireless.com. As with many of these classic cartridges, that means theyve proven themselves. In normal times ammo is everywhere, but like others, its still relatively scarce right now. I havent had a chance to work up any loads for it yet but you can bet I will try the ballistic tip. This round became known as the .338 Ruger Compact Magnum, or .338 RCM, and it promised .338 Win. Mag. Once hunters in the U.S. get to .308, theyre pretty much done. The .338 Federal is a reprieve from such nonsense. This data was gleaned from Noslers Reloading Guide 8 and Hornady 10th. After killing over 30 moose, its remained my uncles favorite moose medicine in his Winchester M70. This is especially true for the bowhunter who needs toms to be hypnotized if they want half a chance at drawing their bows. 338 Blog About Methodology The record so far Ratings of Canadian pollsters . Wish you didnt have to carry a 10-pound rifle with a barrel longer than your leg? . About the same as a 30-06. Known as an ideal cartridge for medium-sized game, the .270 is more gun that most people give it credit for. All Federal had to do was enlarge the neck to accommodate .338 bullets and a star was born. For whatever reason, the Ackley landed in a sweet spot for me. Brass is affordable and widely available. J. Scott Rupp takes a first look at the Springfield M1A Loaded rifle chambered in the popular 6.5 Creedmoor. So am looking for help in the bullet selection area. Rifle offerings in .33 caliber have been around for more than a century, dating back to the .33 WCF from the early 1900s, but it wasn't until Winchester launched the .338 Win. For the .338 Federal, you'll max out with 225-grain bullets and a muzzle velocity of about 2,400 fps. This little powerhouse fits a classic short-action, which means it cycles faster than the 30-06-length cases, if that matters to you. .35 WhelenThis round has a definite following in Alaska, and is one of friend and colleague Bryce Towsleys favorites. Ron Spomer Ill confess, I havent worn out any .338s in the field, but had the honor of dropping an elk with a Sako M85 chambered for the then-new 338 Federal. The case is narrow, so more cartridges fit into a magazine/clip than do fat, short magnums. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. A 180- to 185-grain .338 bullet is light for this caliber, but fast. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies. The ballistics are even better than that of its grandfather, and in shorter action: it will fit the action of a .30-06. Jul 26, 2021 #4 B Blkram Handloader But, for a very light kicking round, with a hard hitting bullet, this cant be beat. This efficient short-action cartridge flattens game like the hammer of Thor without kicking you in the shoulder like a stubborn mule. . I cant argue that it hasnt found use in abundance as an all-around Alaskan rifle, but I feel its overkill for some game, but doesnt quite carry the authority that big magnums (.375 and up) do. By contrast, the .338 RCM drives a 200-grain Hornady SST bullet down the barrel at 2,950 fps. Federal, in conjunction with Sako, legitimized it in 2006. There is some validity to that, but theres also the matter of responsible shot selection and meat salvage. Well, it has a couple of issues that turn many hunters off. buy from BV Outdoor Essentials. will knock the hell out of them. Now, a MV of just 2,428 might strike you as SLOW, but keep in mind this is about 200 fps faster than the famous deer-slaying .30/30 Winchester can push a 170-grain bullet. Until now. At 400 yards the load is carrying 2,027 ft.-lbs. The .338 Fed is shooting almost right alongside the 338-06, which has a well developed reputation on big game. However, if you do need to reach out there, either of those bullets will give you great penetration. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. Ammo Choice: Federal Fusion 175-grain Bonded Soft Point. Its something Ive never seen, especially at the modest velocities of the 6.5 CM. Something about getting below 2400-2500fps leaves me a little cold. They make 250-grain and even 300-grain .338 bullets, but both are just too long to get useful velocity out of this short case. The .280 AI can push a 120g round about 3,200 fps (about as fast as a typical 55g .223 Rem.) And then there's the cost factor. Federal Simulator. I'm using the .225 gr. The decision ultimately comes down to how much you are willing to spend on ammo, how much recoil you can effectively handle and the type of game you will be pursuing. That's plenty of punch for elk and moose. You pick up a bit more energy over the 180-grain bullets without substantially more recoil. Ammo Choice: Remington Premier 150-grainSwiftScirocco. Think Tikka Lite in 338 Fed. Many moose hunters find it odd to shoot farther than 100 or 200 yards, but for some, its the opposite. The 308 Winchester on left was the parent of the newer 338 Federal on right. at the muzzle. I think the 338 federal is a fantastic cartridge, also highly underated. Mag. Given the weight retention and penetration potential of the Barnes TTSX, this relative lightweight should more than suffice for whitetails, mule deer, sheep, and mountain goats. The calibers we chose are relatively common and inexpensive, but also panic-proof. Remington Premier 150-grainSwiftScirocco, Federal Premium Vital Shok 100-grain Nosler Partition, Hornady Superformance 140-grain Hornady SST, Hornady Precision Hunter 143-grain Hornady ELDX, Winchester Expedition Long Range 190-grain ABLR, Federal Premium 200-grain Trophy Bonded Tip, Federal Fusion 175-grain Bonded Soft Point. In the 11 years since it's been introduced, the .338 Federal has earned a reputation for great accuracy and stopping power. It should work well for moose hunting with bullets up to 210 grains, which is a favorite with lots of elk hunters in the lower-48. Wildcatters had been doing the same thing for yearsmost notably outdoor writer Roy Smithbut it was Federal that legitimized the round and filled the last branch on the .308 family tree. generates close to 4,000 ft.-lbs. Why aren't more writers writing about the virtues of the .338 Federal and, more importantly, why aren't more deer, elk, bear, and moose hunters shooting it? You can find rifles of all varieties chambered in .300 Blackout. Scott Rupp gets a chance to talk to Aaron Oelger about a few new products from Hodgdon and why reloading store shelves are empty. In fact, it is still the go-to rifle for many rural Alaska hunters. The 7mm is another American staple cartridge. The .280 Ackley Improved is a bit of an oddball, Ryan Callaghan said. The .338 Win. Handloaders had been toying with milder wildcat .338s for years when, in 2006, the .338 Federal became SAAMI standardized. So it goes with moose, where the sheer size of these ungulates causes many potential moose hunters to immediately wipe a swath of effective and perfectly suitable cartridges from consideration. Ive taken several whitetail deer with rifles chambered in .300 Blackout. That's about 300 foot pounds more than the .30-06 shooting a 180-grain slug and 116 foot pounds more than a 7mm Rem. and 338 Federal. This is about 100 fps faster than the parent .308 Win. Ammo Choice: Hornady Match 285-grain ELDM. USA (Presidential) France (Presidential) Montreal. Since it is based on the .308 Win. Access the newest seasons of MeatEater, save content, and join in discussions with the Crew and others in the MeatEater community. Weatherby chambers many of their rifles in the .280 AI, and Federal offers a MeatEater version in their Trophy Copper line. Hunting With Your Spouse: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, 270 Winchester, 7mm Rem. 270 Winchester: Better Hunting Cartridge Than 6.5 Creedmoor and 30-06? The ABLR expands reliably, shoots great, and is more rigidly constructed than the ELDX. factory rifles available today, and virtually every bolt gun manufacturer offers at least one .338 Win. The .338 Win. They're heavily muscled and thick-boned, and can weigh up to 1,500 pounds, making them the largest member of the world's deer family. If you want a deer-caliber cartridge that will work on elk and moose at moderate ranges the .338 Federal will do the trick. Load 210-grain bullets in a .338 Winchester Magnum and a .338 Federal. Ive always preferred 150-grain loads in my .30/06, and the moose cant seem to tell the difference. Tactical Survivalist : Combat Gear : Survival Gear : Combat Equipment. Like many calibers, the .280 Ackley Improved (AI) is underrated only by those who have never used it. was necked down and up to become the 243 Win., 260 Rem., 7mm-08 Rem., and 358 Win. The 338 Federal should be a great short to medium range big game round for deer, bear, elk and moose. .338 FederalJJ Reich at Federal Premium introduced me to this round a couple years ago, in the Savage Arms Bear Hunter, when I was just starting to work on my rifle book about the .338-06 and was keen to try another cartridge that is also a wildcat based on a military round. The only thing a writer can do is respond with the most consistent rounds. According to Federal ballistics data, the 338 Federal pushes a 180-grain Nosler AccuBond from the muzzle at 2,840 fps to produce 3,223 foot pounds energy. The 06 is old and boring, but I cant find any way to justify it not being included in this list. Its only drawback is like that of my other favorite new offering moose-capable round, the .338 Federal: its hard to get in Anchorage, much less the bushbring your ammo with you. brass is everywherejust run the .338 Federal resizing ball through it. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. To get the most of it, Id recommend using 190-grain or heavier bullets. The bullet is tough enough to handle just about anything, and the last moose I shot with it was quartering-to at a short 25 yards. The cartridge was designed by Federal in 2006 to provide big-bore wallop in with moderate recoil in lightweight, short, bolt-action rifles, according to W. Todd Woodards excellent book, Cartridges of the World. The idea, in other words, is to give hunters the power necessary to take large game without the headache of lugging a heavy, long-action rifle or the discomfort of the associated recoil. A recent bull moose that a buddy killed took one shot through the ribs with the 150-grain .308 load, took two steps, then nosed into the ground. When selecting ammunition for moose hunting, just make sure that youre using a bullet that will hold together at the velocity your cartridge is shooting. To be effective, a moose cartridge needs to have reasonable penetration and fire a bullet that will generally hold together at the velocity it leaves the muzzle. Anyone wanting more thump on the target without too much more to the shoulder should give this delightfully balanced, hard-hitting cartridge a ride. The Win. Most shooters have no problem with short-action cartridges if they throw bullets faster than the .308. But why? helps improve accuracy by providing an efficient propellant chamber and a precise chamber-to-case fit. The 338 Federal equals my 308 loads with a 200 grain bullet. Conversely, the .338 RCM has no champions. .280 Ackley Improved It has also earned a spot as one of the top cartridges for hunting the great bears, and aside from dangerous African game, it is capable of taking any animal anywhere on the planet. As you might expect, the RCM has a sizable advantage in terms of energy, too. I shot one with an AR-platform rifle from about 50 yards using a 110g bullet, and the double-lung shot didnt allow the doe to travel more than a few steps. In fact, I dont think Ive seen a box of .338 Win. Ammo Choice: Federal Premium 200-grain Trophy Bonded Tip. In the north country, where moose live, you want a versatile rifle, so you might as well pair it with the ultimate all-around cartridge. I have hunted elk and deer with the 338 WM for quite awhile here in Idaho with excelent results. Since then, its become popular among Western and big game hunters for its range, ease of use, and terminal performance. Tips, techniques, and equipment are applied to these classroom discussions on how to become more proficient and successful at making long-range shots while hunting with AR-platform rifles. Looking to enhance your effectiveness in the turkey woods this season? It recoils less than a .30/06 throwing 180-grain bullets and at 300 yards drops only a measly 1/2-inch more. However, equally important is which Sign in to access your profile, save content and more. It either anchors game quickly or inspires a blood trail a blind house cat could follow. Mag. According to Federal ballistics data, the 338 Federal pushes a 180-grain Nosler AccuBond from the muzzle at 2,840 fps to produce 3,223 foot pounds energy. All Rights Reserved, The .30-06 Springfields European Counterpart. For many folks, were just now getting to what they might consider the bare minimum for moose. Burris Fullfield II 3-9X scope. For youth hunters, user-friendly recoil, minimal shot report, and We know you already have a list in mind. The .338 is most unpleasant to shoot unless the rifle has a muzzle brake installed (.338 ammunition costs more too). But no Federal. There are very few other calibers where you can easily buy factory ammo with bullet weights that vary by a factor of two, from 110 to 220 grains. Double Tap ammo reportedly loads this all copper hollow point to the .338 Federals top speed of 2,900 fps. And it does it with a compact, super-efficient package. 338 fed/338-06/35W would all be good choices. L-R are 30-06 Sprnfld., 308 Win., 243 Win., 260 Rem., 7mm-08 Rem. Energy stays just above 1,500 ft/lbs at 355 yards, too. in 1958 that this family of cartridges really gained a footing among American hunters. There are tons of great calibers for youth hunters, but a brief MeatEater survey landed on three. The .338 Federal pushes a 200-grain Trophy Bond Tip bullet at about 2,630 fps from the muzzle. This efficient short-action cartridge flattens game like the hammer of Thor without kicking you in the shoulder like a stubborn mule. Blowhards will tell you that the .243 will simply bounce off a mooses ribs, and that its better-suited for mice. With the number of bullets available that dwarf the list of those for the .35 Whelen, and the fact that I can send 200 grain .338 only 200 fps slower than the same bullet in a .338 Win. Coverage is the name of the game. .338 Federal In same-weight rifles of about 7 pounds, a 338 Win. grry10. Shake hands with the 338 Federal. This 175-grain load typically isnt as accurate (or as expensive) as some premium options. There is nothing flashy about it, but flash doesnt kill big bulls. Mag. Ask most Alaskans about their favorite and the .338 Win Mag is the answer you get, next to .30-06 and .300 Win. It shoots flatter and harder than a 30-06, produces more muzzle energy than a 7mm Remington Magnum, and recoils less than a 30-06. 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Some you may find surprising. Ruger built the rifles, and Hornady supplied the ammunition. Just a month before moose season a whole table in sporting goods section of a large Alaska discount retailer in Kenai was stacked with case after case of Core-Lokt .35 Whelen. Why arent more writers writing about the virtues of the .338 Federal and, more importantly, why arent more deer, elk, bear, and moose hunters shooting it? I think the only thing I have loaded for it yet is a 200 gr SST with a BC of .455 it should be a great long range bullet. Range Finding - Are You Calculating Or Estimating It? Dubbed the .338 Federal, this new compact cartridge was generated by simply necking-up the much-loved .308 Win. Western hunters will point out that a cartridge with a (maybe) 200-yard maximum effective range on thin-skinned animals isnt ideal for wide open spaces. Unless you're shooting at least a .338-inch bullet or a low-velocity round (under 2,700 fps MV), shy away from traditional cup-and-core projectiles with soft lead cores. Mag. Each of the following cartridges has one of my favorite corresponding ammunition choices listed, but there are other good choices for each cartridge, and many of these loads are available in multiple cartridges. CARTRIDGE CLASH :: .338 Win. If theres anything Ive learned over the years of shooting and handling moose, its that choosing when and where to shoot them is much more important than the caliber stamped on your rifle barrel. This is how we came up with ours. The little known Federal 338 cartridge is surprising for many surprising reasons, not the least of which are efficiency and efficacy. Two-hundred grains out of this round will put a bear or moose on the ground efficiently. At 300 yards the .338 Federal load carries 1,884 ft.-lbs., which pales in comparison to the RCM's 2,358 ft.-lbs. One 180-grain Barnes TSX to the high shoulder did the trick. There is a small amount of powder that will burn up inside the barrel and not creating a big muzzle flash and will not loose much fps in a short barrel. Which Standard Length .375 Caliber Cartridge Is Right for You? If anything, theyre a reminder that any good bullet, in a solid caliber, sent on its way with enough speed into the animals vitals can do an excellent job. The .338 Federal is the best deer and elk cartridge you've probably never fired or maybe never heard of. The ELDX gets a bad rap for supposedly blowing apart on impact. Well, maybe you do. Ammo Choice: Remington 150-grain Core-Lokt Tipped. It is also an excellent killer, as i've killed a couple of moose, 2 blackies and 2 caribou with mine with quick 1 shot kills. moose and bison. For moose, however, it does a great job, and it does that job year after year. Its hiding in the basement. The Boone & Crockett Clubs Generation Next Youth Awards, amid the organizations 31st Big Game Awards, included a remarkable 132 great animals entered. Then there are the ballistics. The .338 is an authoritative moose cartridge in a variety of bullet weights, and most choose bullets in the 225-grain range. For 80 years this Minnesota company has been loading everyone elses cartridges, but never its own. .300 H&HMaster Alaska guide and longtime outdoor writer Phil Shoemaker, owner of Grizzly Skins of Alaska, has this to say, There are no particularly bad cartridges but only improperly using them for unsuitable chores. It was a successful wildcat back in the 1970s. Many will argue about the need to penetrate feet of muscle and bone to kill a moose at any conceivable shot angle. Arguably, this spot belongs to the 6.555 Swede, but for contemporary practicality, Ill still opt for the Creed. If they could be loaded to 2400 fps that would be a marvelous load. When a raghorn bull walked out of the snowy pines bordering Montanas Upper Canyon Ranch, I pulled the trigger. The cartridge uses the same case as the venerable old .308 Win., but necks it up to accept a .338-caliber projectile. I'm not sure there's much a 250gr .338cal bullet will do that a 210-225gr won't. It keeps pace with popular and effective cartridges. If you do your job, theyll do theirs. But you should have. The .338 Federal does not. You might also consider a 338-06. 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In normal times, you can find ammo virtually anywhere, and it flat-out gets the job done. It has taken an unimaginable number of moose and continues to do so. Shoot them through both lungs and theyll usually take a few steps and fall over dead. You are using an out of date browser. I am concerned that it might blow up and not penetrate too well on elk or moose so I think my hunting load will be a nosler partition in 210 gr and a BC of .400still a good long range bullet. I really like the slight bump in velocity of the 200-grain Trophy Bonded Tip, and my rifle shoots it well. and ME of 3225 ft. lbs. Dead deer. 's impressive ballistics come at a price. Mag. with a 160-grain bullet. I loved my .280 Rem., though I didnt have much confidence with it beyond 350 yards. Lets compare ballistic data from four different bullets to pad the .338s resume. 300-grain Hornady DGX and Nosler Partitions are my favorites, making complete pass-throughs and easy-to-follow blood trails a reward, with surprisingly low meat damage. I would wager that for folks living in the more populated areas of Alaska, this might even beat the .30/06 and .243 in actual field use. Its based on the .280 Rem., which is itself an American adaption of the 764 Brenneke. Two years later it was Ruger's turn. While the .338 Federal generates recoil levels in the 20 to 25 ft.-lbs. Federal, in conjunction with Sako, legitimized it in 2006. My reloads produce 2600 fps with 200 grain Hornady SP and 2450+ with 225 Hornady SP from a 22 inch barrel. It drives a 210 grain Nosler Partition bullet at a MV of 2630 f.p.s. About the AuthorCork Graham has been covering guns and hunting since 1983, when he asked for an LOA from his NROTC squadron at UC Berkeley, and headed to SEA to cover wars as an 18-year-old photojournalist. It is incredibly easy to make for 308 family cases so there is never an ammo problem for handloaders. I figure if the magnum will kill like that at over 400 yards the federal should be great in less open country. The .338 Federal (second from right) doesnt have the popularity of other .30 calibers, but it should. A full-house load might drive it about 2,750 fps from a 24-inch barrel, somewhere in the 2,650 to 2,700 fps range from a more convenient 22-inch barrel. In a micro-second that bullet crossed 275 yards -10F air and absolutely floored that elk. But there are more .338 Win. And itll slap your shoulder with 12 ft/lbs less recoil. You can find rifles of all varieties chambered in .300 Blackout.