Sorry I am late to the party! Yes. I truly love the 338 federal! No, it is definitely not a beanfield rifle. But it can and will do all things for you under 300 yards. I have a few rifles in .338. I even have an AR10 in .338 federal. I like the .308 and the .358. I feel that the .338 federal is a great compromise between the 2. The one I recently had rebored shoots lights out! But so do the others. I have shot a bunch of deer with it and for a while, it was my go to rifle for my Texas trips.

I usually shoot 200gr fusions but have recently been tinkering with 185gr Barnes triple shocks. The 200gr fusions have been very impressive on the animals I have used it on. As far is the rifle goes, I can’t think of a better treestand weapon in a short barreled rifle!

As a side note, I do appreciate all .308 based calibers (260,7-08, 358). I am also a big fan of the .308. Use it all the time. But I do feel that the .338 federal gives me more punch for larger animals. My first .338 federal was my AR10 that I bought for a Nilgai hunt. However I know it would be a great elk weapon as well.

The .338 federal is often overlooked by hunters but do a google search and you will find a lot of articles about its performance. Many outdoor writers feel like it is one of the most under appreciated rounds out there.

Hunting brings out the worst in people.