.338 Federal question

G

gmarr

New member
A while back I was hearing a lot about this caliber. Now is seems to have died out? I've seen it offered in an AR style platform and in the Sako rifles. Does anyone else offer a bolt action rifle in this caliber?
 
I think this was another one of those "cartridges in search of a need" kind of thing - which is why it never really took off in the marketplace. Not that it was a bad cartridge, just that it doesn't do anything new that other cartridges already don't.
 
Another answer to an unasked question. Lot of that in firearms land. The Kimber M84 came in .338 Fed. Seems to have been dropped though.
 
338 Federal is another middle bore cartridge that failed in the marketplace. North American hunters have largely ignored the middle bores.

Jack
 
Here is the problem with all of the 338's. First of all people tend to forget that 30 caliber bullets are available in weights heavier than 180 gr. The 338's are an attempt to shoot heavier bullets than are commonly used in the 30 cals, but compared to the 30's they just don't make a hole enough bigger to matter. That extra .03" is just enough to mess up the aerodynamics.

If you compare 338 Fed to 308 and 30-06 with 200 gr bullets in all 3 the 308 is slowest at about 2500 fps, the 338 Fed is next at around 2600 fps and the 30-06 will shoot them at around 2700 fps.

The extra 100 fps gives the 338 a 200 ft lb edge at the muzzle. But the better BC's of the 308 (.588 vs .415), mean they are at a dead tie at 150 yards and the 308 has a 200 ft lb advantage at 300 yards. Trajectory is within .2" at 300 yards, but the 308 has a 5" advantage at 350.

The 338 Fed can't come close to matching 30-06 at any range.

The 338 fed works. It kills stuff, but doesn't offer any advantage over 308 and won't equal 30-06. I understand why they didn't catch on.
 
If I were a bear/moose hunter in an area where shots were under 250 yards, I'd have a 338 Fed in a 20" barreled carbine. I'm not so don't need a 338 Fed.
 
its parent cartridge the .308 win has more energy with the 165gr,its another example of rifle manufactuars pushing something stupid on us to make money.

its to bad the 338-06 A square never caught on.it has less recoil than a .338 win mag and with VLD spitzer its bullistics are competitive with the .338 win mag using a partition type bullet at longer ranges.

if you have a .338-06 with a VLD spitzer it catches up with a nosler partition from the classic .338 by 300 yards.and the 338-06 has less recoil in a lighter gun.there is hope,some of the guns that never gained popularity years ago are making a comeback.i saw .264 win mag ammo in a vermont gun store a couple days ago,i thought maybe you might see that in montana but vermont

the .338 fed is worthless bullisticly
 
MTman, I agree. If the .338 A-Square had ever caught on commercially, Federal would never have tried to produce the .338 Fed. It is a much better cartridge.
 
If you want a big bore .308 sized round then the .358 would be the ticket (and even it is not real popular.)

Otherwise, a .308, particularly with superperformance powder, does fine.

Deaf
 
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