338 Federal

realsamthompson said:
I’m considering rebarreling a Tikka into 338 Federal with a 16-20” barrel. I have no experience in the calibre but like the look of the terminal performance.

My idea would be to shoot 180-250g monolithic bullets (Barnes TTSX, Virtus, NorthFork) predominately for red deer inside 300m but also as a potential plainsgame rifle.

Interested to hear anyone’s experience of their cartridge, especially with a short barrel!

Thanks
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@realsamthompson
My mate Ted Mitchell had a Ruger in 338 fed at one stage. I think it had a 22" barrel.
He loved it until he got bored with it (as Ted does).
His favourite load was the 185gn TTSX. Found it very effective on everything he shot including .scrub bulls and water buffalo .
Bob
 
338 Fed not a dead cartridge in any way, still lots of 200 gr factory ammo available. I’d recommend getting a rifle with a twist that handles the 200+ grainers, Federal tends to prefer to run these loadings over the 185 jacketed or Barnes.


But I’m with you @Bob Nelson 35Whelen , the 185 gr Barnes are devastating, I’ve shot deer and pigs all DRT. Unfortunately not much available in factory loads but an easy job if you roll your own.
 
I have a Ruger M77 compact magnum in 338 RCM. It is the same length as a 308 and fits into a short action. The bbl is 22" long and I chrono the Hornady loads which are 225g SST's at 2735-2750 fps. That is about 93% the velocity of a 338wm from a short, light, handy rifle. The issue is that the Hornady SST's is the only available factory load and you cannot replicate the factory velocity with handloads due to the superformance powder not being available. Still for deer the SST is a fine option and you could do worse. I have taken one deer with mine and it was a bang - flop.

The 338 RCM was engineered for short bbl rifles and is a nice round.

RCM.jpeg
 
whisk(e)y hunter said:
338 Fed not a dead cartridge in any way, still lots of 200 gr factory ammo available. I’d recommend getting a rifle with a twist that handles the 200+ grainers, Federal tends to prefer to run these loadings over the 185 jacketed or Barnes.


But I’m with you @Bob Nelson 35Whelen , the 185 gr Barnes are devastating, I’ve shot deer and pigs all DRT. Unfortunately not much available in factory loads but an easy job if you roll your own.
Click to expand...
BUFFALO BORE IS LOADING THEM NOW.
 
whisk(e)y hunter said:
338 Fed not a dead cartridge in any way, still lots of 200 gr factory ammo available. I’d recommend getting a rifle with a twist that handles the 200+ grainers, Federal tends to prefer to run these loadings over the 185 jacketed or Barnes.


But I’m with you @Bob Nelson 35Whelen , the 185 gr Barnes are devastating, I’ve shot deer and pigs all DRT. Unfortunately not much available in factory loads but an easy job if you roll your own.
Click to expand...
@whisk(e)y hunter
The only problem I see with the 338 federal despite being a great cartridge it ain't a 358.
Otherwise it's fine.
Better than its parent or siblings.
Bob
 
JG26Irish_2 said:
I have a Ruger M77 compact magnum in 338 RCM. It is the same length as a 308 and fits into a short action. The bbl is 22" long and I chrono the Hornady loads which are 225g SST's at 2735-2750 fps. That is about 93% the velocity of a 338wm from a short, light, handy rifle. The issue is that the Hornady SST's is the only available factory load and you cannot replicate the factory velocity with handloads due to the superformance powder not being available. Still for deer the SST is a fine option and you could do worse. I have taken one deer with mine and it was a bang - flop.

The 338 RCM was engineered for short bbl rifles and is a nice round.

View attachment 759333
Click to expand...
@JG26Irish_2
There's nothing wrong with the SST.
My son uses them exclusively in his 308 in 150gn
Wish they made a 225gn SST for the Whelen
Bob
Fallow shot by my son this week with his 08 and SST at 150yds.
Nice hole in and out.
Bob

Screenshot_20260408-153518.png
Screenshot_20260408-153500.png


A nice stag that was SSTed at 30 yards behind the shoulder and out the brisket. His 150s are travet at close to 2,900fps in his 08. Even at close range the gold together well and do massive damage.
His first stag on his own. Proud of him he has meant well and become a good hunter in his own right.
Would loved to have been there but knew surgery out me out for the season.
Nothing wrong with the humble SST
 
Bob Nelson 35Whelen said:
@JG26Irish_2
Sorry forgot to attach photo of his stag.. Not huge antlers but still a stag about four year old and 90kg. Lots of food meat
BobView attachment 759442
Click to expand...
Nice! I agree the little Ruger loaded with the 225g SST's has become my favorite deer rifle. Below is the heart of the deer that I took last fall from about 80-90y. It was a total Bang-Flop. Exit wound was similar to those your son experienced. I just wish I could get a bonded or copper mono option without having to reload for it.

SST.jpg
 
Built an AR10 in 338 Federal. It was supposed to be my hog hammer, but I've had nothing but gas problems and unacceptable groups with handloads. At least it's easy to neck up old 308 brass.
 
I’ve got an AR10 that I built that shoots the 225 gr Hornady spire points exceptionally well and a Ruger stainless that I shoot 185 Barnes out of. I like the cartridge, ordered a metric shit ton of brass when starline did their last run of it. It will never be a dead cartridge around my house.
 
As an update and appreciation of the help offered on this thread I thought I better update on my plan…. Having dithered over a 338 or 9.3 for this task, I’ve actually decided to dust off a Blaser R8 I have in the cupboard in .300wsm (one of my old favourite cartridges) and load up some heavy Barnes and see how we get on. Addition of a new z8 1.7-13x42 should tart it up nicely!

Hopefully will also be a good set up for plainsgame when the time comes.
 
Bullthrower338 said:
I’ve got an AR10 that I built that shoots the 225 gr Hornady spire points exceptionally well and a Ruger stainless that I shoot 185 Barnes out of. I like the cartridge, ordered a metric shit ton of brass when starline did their last run of it. It will never be a dead cartridge around my house.
Click to expand...
I'm sure you already know this, but why spend money on 338 brass when you can just run 308 brass through a resizer?
 
Old thread but I shoot a 338 Federal in a 14” Freedom Arms 2008 single shot handgun. Took it to Limpopo last year and killed 2 wildebeest, a warthog and a zebra with. All one shot kills at 150-200yds. I chose the Barnes 210gr TTSX at 2400fps. I’ll be hunting the East Cape with it next year.
Been testing a bunch of other bullets and have just about settled on the 210gr Swift Scirocco. It should give me expansion (be it minimal) out to 300yds but I don’t plan on shooting it over 200.
Here’s my Zebra I killed right at 200yds…..
 

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Bushog said:
Old thread but I shoot a 338 Federal in a 14” Freedom Arms 2008 single shot handgun. Took it to Limpopo last year and killed 2 wildebeest, a warthog and a zebra with. All one shot kills at 150-200yds. I chose the Barnes 210gr TTSX at 2400fps. I’ll be hunting the East Cape with it next year.
Been testing a bunch of other bullets and have just about settled on the 210gr Swift Scirocco. It should give me expansion (be it minimal) out to 300yds but I don’t plan on shooting it over 200.
Here’s my Zebra I killed right at 200yds…..
Click to expand...
Very cool! Thanks for sharing
 
Bushog said:
Old thread but I shoot a 338 Federal in a 14” Freedom Arms 2008 single shot handgun. Took it to Limpopo last year and killed 2 wildebeest, a warthog and a zebra with. All one shot kills at 150-200yds. I chose the Barnes 210gr TTSX at 2400fps. I’ll be hunting the East Cape with it next year.
Been testing a bunch of other bullets and have just about settled on the 210gr Swift Scirocco. It should give me expansion (be it minimal) out to 300yds but I don’t plan on shooting it over 200.
Here’s my Zebra I killed right at 200yds…..
Click to expand...
Enquiring minds want to know, what is the recoil like on that , even with the muzzle beak I’m not sure I’d like to fire it.
Gumpy
 
Not bad at all…now, I’m shooting full house 454 Casull loads with a 370gr hardcast bullet at close to 1450fps too so it’s all relative. I never fired it without the brake but have thought about trying it. The brake is obnoxious.
 
One thing that’s nice is the M+ magazine in the tikka. You will get some more COAL to play with. That magazine gets pretty small with long action calibers. There is some factory ammo that won’t fit in my 300 Win Mag.

IMG_0877.jpeg


IMG_0876.jpeg
 
In 1978 I bought a 338 Win Mag Sako Finnbear barrel and action and proceeded to set up the rifle like the 1968 winner at Wimbledon. I tried a variety of bullet weights powders, but settled on 225 Hornandy and either 4831 or 4350
 
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