Insane 338 federal accuracy

[theloyalsavage]

paid 389 for a 338 federal international trophy hunter from shooters surplus back in 2021.

best group 1.25 at 100

bedded, stiffened forend

one hole at 100. My son shot 3 shots into 5/8 inch at 500, yes 500 yds.

most accurate rifle We’ve ever owned

Wish savage still made this caliber.

[Turkeytider]

paid 389 for a 338 federal international trophy hunter from shooters surplus back in 2021.

best group 1.25 at 100

bedded, stiffened forend

one hole at 100. My son shot 3 shots into 5/8 inch at 500, yes 500 yds.

most accurate rifle We’ve ever owned

Wish savage still made this caliber.

Man, would love to see pictures of that! 3 shots in 5/8" at 500? Only way I could do that with ANYTHING would be to go down range and punch holes in the target with a Bic pen! Even then I`m not certain I`m steady enough at 75 to even do that!

[Dave Hoback]

From well over 1-MOA @ 100yds to .12 at 500yds with nothing more than a bedding job? Wow! That’s the stuff legends are made of. Especially since 338 Fed ain’t exactly a “Target” cartridge. Man! I want what you got. But then.. even a broken clock is on point twice a day, LOL!

[prdatr]

Post the target. The round got a lot of fanfare but was DOA. Created for niche that didn't exist.

[Whynot]

My son shot 3 shots into 5/8 inch at 500, yes 500 yds.

Oh, I see what you did there- you pressed the wrong key... you needed to use a - instead of a /.

So it should read he shot a 5-8 inch group at 500.... ;) And don't get me wrong- 5 to 8" is still good shooting at that distance with a 338 federal......

[charlie b]

Don't know what the issue is. I've shot 3 rounds into an inch at 600yd, with my .308 and my .223. Not normal but it happens. Most of the time I shoot 5 round groups. Even then a 'lucky' group can happen.

A real determination of accuracy is at least 10 rounds. Or shoot two or three 5 round groups in a row.

[Dave Hoback]

The big problem is it came out only a year before the 6.5 Creedmoor. (WHOOPS!) Also, articles written about it were really going off the rails…. “Faster than 30-06 with 180gr!” “More POWERFUL than 7mm RemMag!” “2940fps with 180gr bullets!” I mean, some really bonkers stuff. So yeah, looks good to people who don’t understand Ballistics, but the time of wider bullets had passed. Last 1.5 decades has been the time of lower Calibers. .243”, .264” & .284” have ruled the lands! A 180gr .338”?? What’s that… a flying Tuna Can? Or the 250gr+ pills where 338 should, in a 308 Case, it’s like, “No thanks! I’m not into Sub-Sonic rounds!”

However, there is obviously still a niche market of supporters, so that’s good. And barrels will always be available, brass will always be easy to get & reload for it. Just don’t be surprised when we question outlandish Speed, Accuracy, or Shooting Distance claims using this 308 off-shoot. Most of the .338 bullets in the 180-200gr range are low to mid .400’s BC. And the high BC bullets are just too heavy to effectively drive at acceptable velocity. It is a great deer cartridge though.

[charlie b]

Dug this one out of my archives.

https://i.ibb.co/b3X7hRS/small-groups-155eld-500yd.jpg (https://ibb.co/b3X7hRS)

[Whynot]

Don't know what the issue is. I've shot 3 rounds into an inch at 600yd, with my .308 and my .223. Not normal but it happens.

Yeah- my bad.... should just believe everything you see on the internet.

Not looking to pick a fight- but even the group you posted (good group) was 3 times the size- with a better performing cartridge at distance... (yours was a 5 shot group- but going off of the numbers you wrote by the impacts it wouldn't have been any smaller if you only did a 3 shot group.)

I can't say it didn't happen-- but that's a claim that is justified to be a little skeptic about--

[charlie b]

Yep, that one would not but I've had others that were 3 shots in a small group.

Why be skeptical about it? He had some good shooting and likes his setup.

[prdatr]

Dug this one out of my archives.

https://i.ibb.co/b3X7hRS/small-groups-155eld-500yd.jpg (https://ibb.co/b3X7hRS)

Very nice group Charlie. Did you feel like you pulled the third shot?

[charlie b]

No, I think I just got lucky with the other 4. A 2" group at 500yd is what I usually expect with that load (and with 175SMKs).

[prdatr]

What scope are you using if you don't mind me asking?

[charlie b]

Not at all.

Those happened to be with my Axis that is now wearing the .308 barrel from my 12BVSS (the 12 is now a 6BR). Stainless 26" fluted heavy varmint profile, 1:10 twist. Boyd's Pro Varmint stock, bedded and pillared. The scope is a Vortex Diamondback 4-16x44. I got the scope during one of Sportsman's Warehouse sales for $300. It is my cast bullet gun, but, sometimes I'll put a few jacketed through it just for fun.

https://www.sportsmans.com/hunting-gear-supplies/optics-binoculars-scopes-rangefinders/rifle-scopes-red-dots/vortex-diamondback-tactical-4-16x-44mm-rifle-scope-ebr-2c-moa/p/1516536

Cast at 500, this is one of the better groups of course. Most are 5"-8".
https://i.ibb.co/ysLnPkR/small-groups-210gn-500yd.jpg (https://ibb.co/ysLnPkR)

Sorry to the OP for the thread drift. I suppose he's gone to other forums by now.

[theloyalsavage]

Shot the savage again at 500 in preparation for an another hunt. This time 1 1/8” 3 shot. Yes not quite 5/8 but still good. And I do know their was oil in the barrel from storage.

not bragging about the rifle. Just like to drum up support for Savage to chamber the 338 Federal.

Every deer shot with th 160 TTSX drops in tracks.

[Dave Hoback]

Awesome! I’m sure all the deer were no doubt, also shot at 500yds where they dropped, yes? ;)

Just kidding.:tea: We do know you had the most accurate stock 110 in 25-06 around (when you thought 25-06 was the greatest thing ever!) & now lightning hits you twice with the most accurate one in 338 Federal anyone has ever heard about. (Once again, mysteriously along the same lines your taste has switched to liking the 338.) So, we get it.

I am with you on enjoying my Savage, and I am happy for you doing the same. I highly doubt you’ll get much support fir & even less caring on Savage’s part to chamber anything that isn’t popular. Like I said originally, 338 Fed is a Niche cartridge. And Savage isn’t big on Niche cartridges.

[big honkin jeep]

Sometimes you get a good one. I've always wanted a 338 fed because metplat makes a big difference in on game performance period.
I havent done so because the last couple of component shortages convinced me it was time to conaolidate bore diameters so I could load lots of different cartridges with like components. Mostly .308, .257, and
.223 bore diameters now.
Ive got an old factory out of the box 116 in .30-06 thats a one hole gun. Folks have been asking for decades, especially tactifools and range ninjas " What are you shooting" when they see the tiny groups. Answers always the same " just an old.out of the box Savage in 30-06"
10 shots into one.hole that measures .446 tends to turn some heads. LOL