Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Guns N Gear 338 Federal

If you want a short barreled deer hammer, you might think about a 350 Remington Magnum. You can push 200 gr bullets to over 2700 FPS easily in a 18-20" barrel.

Thanks for the replies guys. I also have a 16" Ruger American 308 and I agree it is very compact and handy in the woods. I have heard of JES and have thought about going that route. Wasn't sure if the 16 " barrel was enough to get enough performance out of the Federal. I also have a Savage 11 243 that has been fired 5 times that just sits in the safe. I have thought about rebarreling it to something else and getting some use out of it. I'm thinking 18-20" barrel with a Trijicon Accupoint 1-6x24 would be a perfect woods rifle in some suitable caliber.

Any idea what kind of velocity you are getting out of the 16" barrel?

I have not had it on the chronograph. I am sure I am giving up some velocity. I honestly doubt I will ever shoot anything with it past 150 yards. If longer range will be an option, I would probably carry a different rifle. I must say I am really happy with how things turned out for this Ruger American. The rebore and cerakote gave it new life. I did my homework before having all the work done. I tend to agonize over purchases and making decisions like this. I am very OCD about all aspects of my hunting gear. Talked to a few people before making this decision.(AU338MAG) and then went for it. Very happy with the outcome.

Awesome, thanks for the input.

Actually, efficiency goes UP when you open up a case neck. Velocity does go DOWN as bullets get heavier in a given case. A 338 Fed or a 358 win will drive 180s faster than a 30 , all else equal…..just physics. Problem often is that ‘all else’ is often not equal.


However, the larger the bore vs a given case, the less shorter barrel length effects performance, as well. You can get good performance from a 358 down-to 16” and it’s possible to 18” with 308……you could get passable performance at 16” from the 338 Fed, but you’d also get farther away from the velocity window for 95% of 338 bullets, while there’s 5-10x the # of 308 or 358 bullets that’d work. If you’re gonna load, then either the 308 or 358 still has far more versatility. If you like compromise, scavenger hunts, and limitations then the 338 Fed is your baby. If you just want to kill stuff from a short barreled short action, with more thump, then running 200s in a 308 or 358 is still easier.

I don’t hate all 338s. I just think the 338 Fed is a failed exercise in marketing. Just about every other cartridge I know of based on a 308 case has far more going for it.

If it’s just an excuse to play with an oddball in a rifle you like, go nuts.

Meh

^^^^a great example logical fallacy with statistics thrown in. All else REALLY ‘equal’, then the larger bore is faster and more efficient leaving the barrel. Bullets matter FAR more than which of these the headstamp shows…..and the 308 and 358 have easily 10x the good bullets available for the given velocity windows. They are both often shown with anemic load data. The 338 can’t operate at ANY higher pressure than the 308/358 are capable of, and will reach peak before a 358….just HS physics. Getting wrapped up in BCs for the majority of hunting use, just gets most even more deluded….. I’ve also put a lot of Nosler ABs in 200 and 225gr through 358s, that’ll equal or even outperform the equivalent 308 or 338 loads to near 500 yards. I could care less what any of the three do past 350-400, and mostly inside 300…..so BC isn’t my first criteria on these.