Just finished an article about the .338 federal in American Hunter mag
with a 24 inch bbl it lists a 180 at 2840, a 185 at 2760 and a 210 at 2630

My Barnes manual with a 24"bbl list the following for the .358 winchester 180/2845/200 @2742/.225 at 2576 and a .250 @ 2370
so what's the big deal except the .338's bullets might be more aerodynamic

quote:

so what's the big deal

Frankly Hard Luck.....only Federal thinks it's a big deal. They have an investment in it and need to advertize to sell the idea.

I sure don't see the public beating their door down to get one!!!!

The "selling point" of the .338 federal is that it offers a .338 dia bullet in a .308 length action. Personally, I don't see the point of such a cartrige. The .338-06 is a much better choice. Then theres the .338 win mag which is in a league of its own. Personally, I think the .338 federal is being marketed to those "boys" who can't tolerate the recoil of the large .338 mags

I actually like the idea. I could build a SA, 7#, 23"bbl. 300yd elk whacker. I have no problem w/ recoil, I just like the bore diameter. I think there is also an application here for TC chambering too.

It sounds almost like a perfect bear-over-baits round, but Winchester made the .358 a long time ago!!!

.338 Federal... I had already forgotten it!

When you look at the BC and the MV you have a very marginal gain over a 30-06 which you can buy ammo for anywhere.

The point is it offers near .338-06 performance in a short action. Short actions are very popular these days. Despite the .338-06 holding the advantage you don't see them flying off the shelves.

But mainly I think it offers yet another thing for many folks to criticize. Like they have nothing better to do.

quote:

Despite the .338-06 holding the advantage you don't see them flying off the shelves.

Z1R....they're all customs.....I don't think anyone offers a standard production rifle in 338-06!

It was and may still be.

http://www.gunsandammomag.com/long_guns/mark_v_lightweight/

The point is, they didn't fly off the shelves despite the round's ballistic superiority.

Whereas short actions are the rage. I think the Federal has a better shot as a "commercial" round than the .338-06 did.

If you are interested in a short action elk gun, you should check out the 325 wsm. It offers near .338 win mag performance at moderate ranges, but due to the 8mm's higher ballistic coefficiency, it outperforms the big mag at farther distances. The only downside is you can't find 250 gr. bullets for it.

When one says "whats the point" of a new round because so many are out there you could probably name about 5 calibers .......22-250, 243, 270, 30-06, 375 and pretty much stop there and say "whats the point of anything else?

The new 338 federal looks kind of cool to me.

I am imagining it in a BAR stalker....lightweight, short, neat to talk about.....but whats the point....I already have one in .308.

YUP---it's marketing....nothing more.....but for those of us who get satisfaction out of such a purchase....well thats' the way the business world works today!!

Of course it doesn't do anything that the 358 cant do.

In fact I would take a 358 over the 338/08.

Problem is that I have never seen a bolt action 358 win.

Of course if Federal doesn't get someone to chamber the 338 federal I may never see one of them either.

It is a round that we could easily do without,
but a decent woods round.

If I were to pick a gun to match the round, I would go for the BLR.

While I don't see the need, then again it may have some merit in semi auto's and pump guns. Also unlike the 358 Winchester, Federal is loading good bullets from the get go. As I understand it you can get one in a Sako 85. Now if I can just get a Sako 75 in 9.3 x 62!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Rod Smith:
It is a round that we could easily do without,
but a decent woods round.

If I were to pick a gun to match the round, I would go for the BLR.

It ideally fits the Savage 99

Actually, I think Sako/Federal are taking dead aim at the 325 WSM. Both are short actions, both are very close ballistically and both are almost cannons (recoil reduction).

Sako/Federal smell blood in the water from Winchester dying and not having the abilty to support the WSM.

Also, to a lot folks WSM is a disappointment and its accuracy is questionable.

Federal thinks if Sako will endorse, well Sako kinda put the 338 WM and Lapua on the map so why not the Federal?

~F

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

Despite the .338-06 holding the advantage you don't see them flying off the shelves.

Z1R....they're all customs.....I don't think anyone offers a standard production rifle in 338-06!

IIRC Weatherby has one, no?

I think the 338Federal answers the questions left unanswered by the 358Winchester...

The only real problem is that there aren't any questions I can think of that the 338Fed could answer that the 358Win can't.

So it's another case of making somethig just enough different so they can draw in suckers with "something new"

AllanD

quote:

Originally posted by Allan DeGroot:
I think the 338Federal answers the questions left unanswered by the 358Winchester...

The only real problem is that there aren't any questions I can think of that the 338Fed could answer that the 358Win can't.

So it's another case of making somethig just enough different so they can draw in suckers with "something new"

AllanD

Well, if something old isn't attracting buyers, you try something new. People simply weren't attracted to the .358. But the 338 fed is new, and offered in a newer rifle.

The problem with the 358 was the selection of bullets at the time. Right now I think it is a better choice than any other of the 308 cart family.
The 358=bigger holes, which = more blood loss, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by fecampbell:
Actually, I think Sako/Federal are taking dead aim at the 325 WSM. Both are short actions, both are very close ballistically and both are almost cannons (recoil reduction).

OK...Maybe...but why would one take aim at a dead horse?

Wouldn't you think one would aim at something better?

The only problem with the 358 is that no one chambers it in bolt action.

Which is still the statis of the 338 federal. The tikka t3 lite is chambered in 338 federal so we'll see.

Isn't the .358 a short action round ? aren't barnes and noslers good bullets ? Karafu rifle works offers the .358 in it's lightweight rifles. But, yeay no major mfg. offeres it in a bolt. But,Rugar once did as did Winchester. I personally think it belongs in a lever and Brownig still makes them, plus at one time, Savage 99 and Winchester 88. It;s no big trick to put a bbl on an action and have your short action bolt gun.

quote:

The only problem with the 358 is that no one chambers it in bolt action.

WELL....they did!!!!!....and no one bought them!!!

Only time will tell for the 338-08....but if the success of the 358 is any indication....it's doomed very quickly!!!

Personally I like the 338-08.....for a M-99 elk rifle it's as good as it gets. But the gun industry don't make it or break it on my sale....they have to appeal to the masses....and the .358 just didn't do that.

338 federal offers NEAR 358 winchester power, with less energy and recoil.....

358 win was chambered by
winchester
savage
ruger
browning
mannlicher-schonouer (SP)
and some others

338-06
Winchester
Weatherby
A2
Sako


338-08 .. offers none of the performance and NONE of the bullet election of the 358, and zero improvement over the 338-06

358win offers bullets from 110gr to 300, as you can shoot ALL 38/35/9mm pistol bullets in it.

The sierra 225gr SPBT is the perfect hunting bullet for the 358 win.. and for low recoil, the 158gr SP or HP is IT.

Winchester offers(ed) the 358 from their custom shop, and many gunsmiths have remarked that this is a frequently chambered round.


So, the 338 federal is a joke.. so was the 300 WSM when compared to the 300 win... but how many THOUSANDS have een sold?

jeffe

I don't understand why people think the .358 is a hard kicker. The ones I have and have had are no worse than a .308 and I've had a few poorly stocked .308's that have actually hurt me. But not any .358's and Jeff is right there are more bullets available for the .358 plus I suspect some of the bullets for the .338 are the same ones used in the .338 win mag and not suitable for the vel in the .338 federal. The bullets for .358 are made for .358 performance levels. You could hunt with the speer,barnes or nosler .225 for everything.But I use the the .250 speer as most things I shoot are up close and personal. Read Paco Kelly's articles about the .358, it will open your eyes.

Beating a dead horse never got anyone anywhere that I know of.

I don't know what the hell folks were thinking anyway when there is the perfectly cromulent 8X57. Besides, it's bona fide.

For whatever reason, there are very few calibers over 30 in the US that have been populary accepted and have stood the test of time. In rifle chamberings I can think of 4, 338 win, 35 rem, 375 H&H and 45-70.

Any new chambering greater than 30 is most likely going to die on the vine.

Federal was trying to sell more ammo plain and simple. Don't know if they'll recoup their investment back or not. I guess with the number of hunters declining, the only way to make a buck is coming out with something new.

quote:

there are very few calibers over 30 in the US that have been populary accepted and have stood the test of time. In rifle chamberings I can think of 4, 338 win, 35 rem, 375 H&H and 45-70.

And further if you add all the currently used guns over 30 caliber mentioned above the total annual ammo used by all of them combined does not begin to compare with the rounds fired by the 30-06 alone.

Vapodog,

You can't tell me that no one bought them.

I have never seen a used one either. Seems that they are held on to quite dearly by those that own them.

They are not cheap to put together either. By the time I could put a rifle together it would be well over $600.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=52232029

Yeah, what jeffeosso said!

If ya gunna slam the .338Fed, you may as well slam a whole host of other rounds in the process.
cause Outside of original rounds like 22lr,222rem,250/3000,7x57,9.3x62,404j,470ne,and what can be done with these using modern powders,guns and advanced design projectiles, I see the need for little else.
And to be honest, I could reduce that number to about 3 of the above and still get by very well.

quote:

Originally posted by RMiller:
Vapodog,

You can't tell me that no one bought them.

I have never seen a used one either. Seems that they are held on to quite dearly by those that own them.

With all due respects friend.....if folks had bought them I'see ammo for them in local stores.....and I don't.

Further if people was continuing to buy them the manufacturers would still make them.

The reason we don't see them often on the used market is simply that they just don't exist in numbers. Further, the only reason they are coveted is that they're rare.....and of course...because no one bought them!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Woodjack:
If ya gunna slam the .338Fed, you may as well slam a whole host of other rounds in the process.
cause Outside of original rounds like 22lr,222rem,250/3000,7x57,9.3x62,404j,470ne,and what can be done with these using modern powders,guns and advanced design projectiles, I see the need for little else.
And to be honest, I could reduce that number to about 3 of the above and still get by very well.

Woodjack,
(with humor) you kinda mixed a couple secondary rounds with the originals.
22RF (not LR)
12ga
300 sav
8x57
30-06
9,3x57
450 NE, not 470NE

jeffe

It seems to me that alot of new rifles that are coming out are for those that don't like alot of recoil. They seem to be making almost the same level of recoil in the recent ones and almost the same FPS just different DIA. bullets with the same killing power.

I don't think we really need them but someone might = not a big mover.

I think federal needs to get this this round in the remington SPS and ruger and savage rifles and I think it might do alright.

Federal is my favorite factory ammo. They could have probably given the 358 win a little bit of a revival if they came up with some modern loads for it.

The 338 Federal had to be offered.

Got mine.

It rounds out my 338/06, 338 Win Mag, 340 Wby, 338 RUM, and 338/378 Wby.

Hammer

I just read the article in Man Magnum about the 338 Federal and have difficulty in believing all the claims that are being made for the cartridge. I cannot see the SA reloader achieving those velocities with our local powders. The idea of bumping bullet weight in a smaller case does not grab my imagination.

If I need to down-scale a 338 Win Mag, I will opt for a 338-06, which has a smaller case (like a 30-06). Going to a .308 Win case just to fit the case into a short action has no appeal for me. The apparrant benefit of the marginal shorter action is an imaginary one for me - I cannot see any practical benefits.

I would not be surprised that time will tell that it was only a flash in the pan. Why increase the bore size to shoot light-for-caliber bullets and henceforth reduce SD's and resultant BC's (BC = SD/i)?

Chris

The 308 is selling well even thogh we have the 30-06 and 300 WM. So we'll wait and see how the 338 Fed does. I'd like to have one in a Cooper or Kimber for a Mtn rifle.