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Since I discovered the advantages of monometal bullets, it seems such short action cartridges such as 7-08, .308 Win, and the 338 Federal (just to name a few) are now gaining acceptance in my gun safe. Not that they were ever shoddy performers....in fact they all were pretty darn good.....however, I can now shoot monometals of about 15% lighter weight with a bit better trajectories and still get excellent terminal performance. I'm now thinking my next project will be a .338 Federal using 160 grain Barnes for deer and possibly even for elk..... What's the opinions here? /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | ||
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You obviously know I love the 338 Federal. I've used 180 Ballistic Tips (now discontinued). I've killed Axis, Black Buck, Hogs. This year I lent it out a buddy that had rifle trouble and he killed 3 deer, a hog and a Javelina. You can get 3000 FPS with AA2230 with the 160 TTSX. That would be enough for just about any non dangerous game. | |||
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Here is the one of the bucks he shot with my Federale earlier in the month. He went about 6 yards.  | |||
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The .338 Federal (former .338-08) is quite a nice-looking cartridge that is easy to reload for, and in my view just a perfect .308 designed for hunting, specially now with a great number of .338-caliber bullets on the market. Bullet design relating to construction and performance has come a long way in recent years. Go for it, and build the .338 Federal rifle you want, keeping in mind that there is a great number of .338-08 reloading data for it. | |||
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Ballistics are very similar to 318 Westley Richards, which has proven itself for a long time. | |||
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The 318 WR made its reputation with 250 grain bullets. The ballistics are very close to those available in the .338-08 and .338-'06. | |||
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Ive always taken into consideration that I can load my 338 Win down to any of the mentioned caliber but they cannot load their calibers up to my .338 Win..I especially like my new Ruger no. 1S with 26 inch barrel, iron sights, and a alex Hendry forend..It handle well for standing or off hand shooting..andI have a Ruger AFrican but the No. 1 is taking over my soul, and I have a 338 SS boat paddle plastic stock for the snow days...I probably need to sell off a couple of those Ruger bolt guns.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I don't think anyone buys a 338 Federal thinking they can load up to a 338 win mag. By your logic people should only be shooting magnums so they can load up or down. | |||
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I think I would be partial to 185 TTSX. Mike  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Excellent buck! North West Texas deer?
Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can. | |||
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well said Scott.....my interest in the .338 Federal is for the short action and lighter gun. The ballistics with the TTSX is all I want in a big game round.....and I now have full confidence in the monometals /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." Winston Churchill | |||
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It was near Laredo, practically in Mexico. My buddy is on an MLD property. He shoots deer like this every year. | |||
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I agree with your post for the most part partically for deer..no argument here, Its just my opinion and I hunted undergunned most of my life..But for the big stuff like elk or Moose I like to be a tad over gunned, and can load down for deer..just the opposite..I see no real need for a smaller .338 that the Winchester..To each his own. Im only addressing elk. When I hunted elk as a kid, I used a 25-35, and later on a 250-3000, but I was limited by range and shot angles, and let a lot of big bulls walk away... Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Wish I could find a place to hunt like that. Thanks Scott. CB
Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can. | |||
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That area is locally known by Texans as the "Golden Triangle" and I have some pictures of deer from that area of big 30.000 acre ranches with low fences that kill a number of 160 to 200 plus whitetail deer every year..Bigger from high fenced ranches but those deer are not allowed in B&C and not particularly sporting IMO.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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If you can achieve 3000 FPS with 160 grain TSX or 2800 FPS with 185 grain TSX out of a rifle that can come in scoped around 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 pounds sounds like the perfect all around North American hunting rifle to me. Thanks (sarcasm) for bringing this to my attention just when I had resigned myself to filling by hunting needs with my .270 Win and 375 H&H. Somewhere there’s a barrel maker and gunsmith that should be sending you a commission check or at least a thank you note. All We Know Is All We Are | |||
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Thanks Ray. I consider a ranch of that size fair chase and sporting unless it has feeders everywhere. Hogs are one thing. Deer, must be wild and feed off of natural forage.
Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can. | |||
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There is a world of free range deer hunting in Texas, West Texas from the Pecos River to El Paso, North of pecos, midland and Odessa, to Hobbs New Mexico and the pandhandle of No. Texas, even So. texas has large ranches with low fence.... A lot of high fence ranches and they got Texas a false reputation, Try the mule deer hunting in Texas, its great.. I don't care for high fence hunting for anything, but don't deny anyone else that..whatever blows ones skirt up... I should add that there is country in texas that's virtually impenetrable loaded with thrones and feeders are simply the only way to hunt...so pick your spot with that in mind..also have some of the largest bucks, but a stand can be in the crotch of a tree, not all stands are deluxe with hot tubs and a bar. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I never understood the mind set that a 160 gr. monolithic in a .338 bore..Just because its fast at ground zero is meaning less and that applies to all calibers, a 110 gr. in a 30-06 or a 100 gr. in a .270..it rates right up their with a round ball IMO..loses velocity very quickly and become ineffective at short range..Have we forgotten ballistics 101?? I realize that a 165 gr. monolithic in a 30 caliber is as deadly and flat shooting as a 180 cup and core or even a Nosler partition but I don't agree that a 130 gr. monolithic is even close to the effectiveness or range of a 180 Nosler..You can drop some weight but we always have to go to the extremes, and hunting rifles and loads, like most everything else seeks "moderation", and that applies to heavy bullets as well, a 250 or 300 gr. bullet in the 30-06 or a 350 gr. in a 338, is questionable for sure.. Just my two bits and Im sticking to it.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I am going to put together a 338 federal ar 10 for hog hunting .I think it's a very underrated cartridge .I think it should be good with 200 grain bullets .I wanted a ruger 77 tang safety 338 federal but the 260 rem won out on that deal . | |||
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My interest in 338's started with the .338/'06 when a Nilgai hunt was a strong interest. The .308 cased .338 Fed became more logical, mostly due to the smaller case volume. Having the powder filled all the way to the bullet base is just one more personal preference. Then picking the powder with the proper speed & displacement to get decent groups would be the fun part. Of course matching the bullet weight to the barrel twist is another preference. Neat caliber. Great bullet availability too. Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can. | |||
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I agree the 200 gr. makes since, the 210 Nosler might be even better..It performs at any range or so I found it so in the 338/06.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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200 grain bullets out the 338 Federal at +/- 2650 fps is pretty ideal. 200 grain HotCors and Interlocks act like premium bullets at that speed. | |||
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I love the 338 Federal!! It is such a natural for the 308 case. When you consider knock down power, recoil, and efficiency; I cannot think of anything better for deer hunting under 300 yards. I have only shot a couple of deer with it but it hits them hard!! I also agree with Ray on downloading the 338 W.Mag. I am a endless experimenter and like to experiment with reduced loads. Several years ago, I shot a couple of deer with my 338 W.Mag with Nosler 180g BT's loaded down to about 2300 fps. I never seen a deer go down any faster! The load was accurate and recoil was about like a 308 Win. | |||
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Some years ago I did that exact same thing with my 338, 375 and a 458, all with light bullets at 2200 FPS, on Hill Country white tail culling, put clean holes thru them if you kept the shots of bone and knocked them down at the shot most of the time..I also used the 222 with the same results..Year before last I use the 200 gr. Accubond in my 30-06 an it worked as well much to my surprise. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Medium Bore Rifles 338 Federal discussion
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