.338 Federal????

[Lefty Savage]

Does anyone have any experience with new round. I googled it and found some really pleasing info. I've been wanting a larger caliber but not a big fan of long action or magnum rifle recoil. Savage isn't making it yet, guess I'll have to keep my eye out for another action.

[Uncle Jack]

"............but not a big fan of long action or magnum rifle recoil."

Not sure what you mean. Any size cartridge that will propel a projectile of a given weight at a given velocity will exert the same amount of recoil. Be prepared....any .338 driven at max velocities will thump you a bit more than a .308 or a .264 etc. etc.

uj

[deerkiller]

A 338Fed is a 308Win necked up, nothing more.
Using bullets of similar weight & loading to similar velocity you'll get
similar recoil. :o

I built one to use in California's Condor/non-lead/copper zone.
I chose it for it's larger diameter & excellent bullet selection.
I believe the 338Fed will hit much harder with non-lead bullets
than 308Win loaded with non-lead at the distances I intend to shoot.

dk

[1Shot]

...The Nosler 200gr CT's are for deer...The Barnes 160's are lead free...Not much more recoil than a .308 IMO..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v692/sqek/brs.jpg

[Hoot]

"............but not a big fan of long action or magnum rifle recoil."

Not sure what you mean. Any size cartridge that will propel a projectile of a given weight at a given velocity will exert the same amount of recoil. Be prepared....any .338 driven at max velocities will thump you a bit more than a .308 or a .264 etc. etc.

uj


Educate me please.

Part of recoil is due to the gas exiting the barrel immediately after the projectile leaves the barrel "rocket effect".

The larger the hole (caliber) down the barrel, the less resistance to the flow of the gas.

The less resistance to the flow of the gas, the greater the amount of gas that will exit the barrel immediately after the projectile leaves the barrel.

Ipso Facto, wouldn't the same projectle weight moving at the same velocity, but out of a larger caliber have more recoil from increased "rocket effect"?

Hoot

[Lefty Savage]

I read the recoil was less than a 7mm mag., thats why it got my curiosty. I understand .338 Fed is nothing more than a .308 necked up, another thing the article mentioned.

[tammons]

Like said above a 308 with the same weight bullet will have roughly the same recoil.

No big deal really.

That said the 338 fed is more efficient than a 308 due to the piston effect, IE larger diam bullet.

I have a 19" barreled 338/284. Slightly ahead of the 338 fed, but not by a mile or anything.
Recoil is stout with heavier bullets, but more so because of the 19" barrel than anything else.
When I went from 24" to 19" the jump increased a lot.
Still very manageable though.

It will DRT a pig like you would not believe with barnes bullets.
I have been using mostly 210 gr tipped TSX bullets, but even a 160 TTSX would TKO a hog right on the spot.

A 338 TTSX round will open up to about .67" and thats a big hole.

Its a good round.
Midwayusa sells 338 fed A+B barrels for like $130. I reamed one and chopped it to make my 338/284 barrel.

[BillPa]

I understand .338 Fed is nothing more than a .308 necked up, another thing the article mentioned.


Yes, in fact Federal was good enough to retain the old wildcat 33-08 dimensions, even the cartridge OAL , the 308 simply necked up to 338 caliber.

Recoil? My rifle weighs in at 9-4 with the lam stock and mag sporter taper barrel( 22"), so it just kind lays there and goes bang.

Bill

[LongArm]

very interesting, how are the ballistics compared to a 7-08?

[1Shot]

Its a good round.
Midwayusa sells 338 fed A+B barrels for like $130.


...Yup, she's just a cheap Stevens that'll shoot min. of deer easy..lol.. ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v692/sqek/338st.jpg

[Lefty Savage]

Whats a A+B barrel?

[tammons]

Adams and bennet barrel.

Well they are out again. These were in stock just a few weeks ago.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=179678

[tammons]

Not even close due mostly to BC, but not bad either. It will shoot out to 500-600 yards with the right bullet.
Will pretty much match a BTC scope retical with the right load.

FYI if you load it hot it will shoot a 160 gr TTSX out of a 24" barrel at close to 3000 fps.

Zero at 200 yards, 1.5" max ht, 40" low at 500 yards.
A leupold LR retical lines up perfectly, IE 1st dot 300 yds, 2nd dot 400 yds, top of bar 500 yds.





very interesting, how are the ballistics compared to a 7-08?