Now that the .338 Fed has been around for a while, what are your experiences in using the factory ammo:
Anyone used Sako factory ammo in .338F?
What game have you taken, and which of the Fed loadings would you recommend for your hunt(s) based on true experiences?

Have you moved to the .338F from another cartridge, if so, which? Happy? Or did you go back to your original choice?

What would be your recommendation in .338F for big game: scandinavian elk, wild boar? What about lighter game: whitetail & roe deer? Consider rather short ranges, say typically ca. 50yds.

Is there still no other factory ammo besides Federal and Sako?

A friend of mine is a gunsmith and has been making 338-08's for at least ten years. The 338 Fed is identical to his version of 338-08. He and many of his friends use them for PA Black Bear which are big and getting bigger. Now that the 338 Fed is out many of the guys use 215 or 225 gn factories in their guns. They have taken many 400+ pound bears running with one shot kills with the 338 Fed.

I've only used mine on a couple of deer so far, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it on anything the famous 30-06 is good for.

A good 200 at 2650 isn't a sloutch....

Reloader

I have no seat time with it but have been helping a friend with it. He's got the Sako 85 in a laminate/stainless finish, a fine piece of work. It hammers black bear into next week, he took 1 last spring and 1 last fall, both were dead on the spot. He's only tried the Accubond load which didn't do as well as hoped at the range so never went afield, and the 210gr Partition load from Federal which seems to be the winner. He's going to buy dies and start loading this one up with the same 210gr Partitions.

He did bring it deer hunting but the only shots he was seeing was out at 300+ yards so he took a different rifle instead, I have a feeling at short range it will hammer anything pretty well. Quite simply, with the 210gr Partition bullet it has the same performance at the muzzle (2630fps) as a .338 Winchester Magnum has at 100 yards (2601fps). Last time I checked, the Winchester round had some serious balls behind it. Bear in mind as bullet weight increases the Win Mag will pull away but the 210gr is still a pretty decent bullet to throw around.

I load the 210gr Swift Scirrocco and 215gr Sierra Gamekings and get 2600 fps. I've only shot a nice sized doe with it so far and the results were impressive.

This load gives me 2K foot pounds to 300 yards which is plenty far for where we hunt. With a 200 yard zero it drops 9 inches at 300 so I can still hold on hair with no problem. I highly recommend it if those criteria are respected.

That's an impressive velocity, I daresay!
What's the barrel length, please, Beretta96?

My rifle was a rem 700 308 sps and had it rebarreled with a 24" Lilja heavy contour. I use a 45gr charge of H4895 as per Hodgdon's site. They claim 2551 fps. I'm not sure why mine are faster. I'll bet their testing methods and equipment are better than mine so I'm sure my velocity is probably closer to theirs. Either way 50 fps is no big deal anyways.

It shoots very well but if you want heavier bullets than 215grs then I'd go to a 338-06.

Being left handed and having that rifle on hand is why I went the 338 fed way. To sell mine then buy a standard length action in left hand would have cost me too much in the long run so I opted for the Fed cartridge.

I don't regret it for where we hunt, it's more then enough gun, but....enough gun is not why we do these things!

quote:

Originally posted by beretta96:
I load the 210gr Swift Scirrocco and 215gr Sierra Gamekings and get 2600 fps. I've only shot a nice sized doe with it so far and the results were impressive.

This load gives me 2K foot pounds to 300 yards which is plenty far for where we hunt. With a 200 yard zero it drops 9 inches at 300 so I can still hold on hair with no problem. I highly recommend it if those criteria are respected.

338 Federal & 210 Grain TSX




The Damage to the Heart





I'd say the 338 Federal works..