Current factory loads—all of which are from Federal or its subsidiaries—are built around the 185- and 200-grain bullets; much like the current factory loads for the .358 Winchester, lighter bullets are employed. Since the 338Fed ballistics can be duplicated by downloading a standard length 338, the main purpose of the 338 is for an easy-handling, short-action rifle. For example, the 200-grain Vital-Shok Trophy Bonded Tip .338 Federal packs a punishing 1,891 foot-pounds of punch at 300 yards, yielding an only slightly lighter sting than the 2,213 foot-pounds delivered by a 210-grain .338 Win. Edit: I looked at the ballistics of the .338 Federal and it seems to outperform the 30-06 on a lot of factory loads. The new .338 Federal can be adapted to any rifle suitable for the .308 Winchester. The cartridge is simply the .308 Winchester necked up to hold .338-inch bullets, and will fit perfectly in a short-action receiver. Good round, and a real thumper at shorter ranges, but it's at it's best with lighter bullets (215-225 grains) rather than … The most common bullet weights available to reloaders that are suitable for the .338 Federal are 180, 200, 210, 215 and 225 grains. 338 FEDERAL ammunition for sale online at discount prices, including cheap ammunition, bulk ammunition, and surplus ammo. 338 Fed 180 Grain; 338 Fed 200 / 210 Grain Those Federal factory loads feature a good selection of bullets, from the American Eagle’s FMJ, to the Fusion line, to the standard cup-and-core Power-Shok, to the Federal Trophy Copper and Trophy Bonded Tip. In its product information sheet, Federal Cartridge Co. (Dept. 200 grains is particularly popular and this bullet weight is a good match for the case capacity of the .338 Federal. 200 grains is particularly popular and this bullet weight is a good match for the case capacity of the .338 Federal. OUT OF STOCK (1) Federal F338FS1 Fusion 20RD 225gr 338 Winchester Magnum. The Federal Ballistics Calculator lets you quickly determine the trajectory for any rifle or handgun load, and save data for an unlimited number of loads. The .338 Federal is the .308 Winchester case necked up to .338. advantage to the Whelen over a 338 Federal. In the accuracy department, the .338 Federal shows its parentage in that it can be a seriously accurate hunting cartridge. A 210 grain projectile can reach up to 2,630 feet per second of muzzle velocity with these rounds. The RCM's ballistics are impressive, but they come at a price. Quite obviously, the .338 Federal is not going to be as readily available or affordable as the .308 Winchester—the latter’s military origins coupled with the benefits of being .30-caliber guarantee popularity—but for a big-game hunter who wants something a bit different, the .338 Federal can handle a rather wide number of scenarios. . The .260 Remington would be the next of the clan to show up, and helped rekindle the love affair with 6.5mm bullets. We've got you covered.• .224 Valkyrie• .338-06 A-Square• 9.3x62mm Mauser• .257 Weatherby Magnum• .45-70 Government• .300 H&H Magnum• .25-06 Remington • .30-06 Springfield• 6.5 Creedmoor• .300 Remington Ultra Magnum• 7mm Remington Magnum• .470 Nitro Express• .280 Remington• .300 Winchester Magnum• .270 Winchester• .222 Remington• .45 ACP• .404 Jeffery• .44 Remington Magnum • .41 Remington Magnum• .243 Winchester• .338 Winchester Magnum• .357 S&W Magnum• 6.5-284 Norma• 8x57 Mauser• .38 Smith & Wesson Special• 7x57mm Mauser• 9 mm Luger• .35 Whelen• .454 Casull• .375 H&H Magnum• .45 Colt• .22-250 Remington• 10mm Auto• .308 Winchester, E-mail your comments/questions about this site to: EmediaHunter@nrahq.org, For questions/comments about American Hunter magazine, please e-mail:Publications@nrahq.org, You can contact the NRA via phone at: NRA Member Programs1-800-672-3888, To advertise on American Hunter, visit nramediakit.com for more information. The heavier 225 and 250 grain .338 bullets popular in the .338 Win. The .308 family of cartridges came along very shortly after the release of the parent; the .308 was issued to the hunting world in 1952, and Winchester kept the momentum going by bringing the .243 Winchester and .358 Winchester to the public just three years later. With the same bullet weight, the .338 Federal will better the velocities of the .308 Winchester by 200 to 250 fps, though the sectional density of the .30-caliber bullets will be better than the .338s. For example, the 200-grain Vital-Shok Trophy Bonded Tip .338 Federal packs a punishing 1,891 foot-pounds of punch at … Mag. rifles are typically about a pound heavier than .338 Federal rifles, and recoil from the magnum is, on average, 50 percent greater. Nosler .338 bullet designs include the 180 grain Accubond, the 200 grain Ballistics Tip, the 200 grain Accubond, the 210 grain Partition, the 225 grain Accubond, the 225 grain Partition, the 250 grain Partition and finally, the 300 grain Accubond with its very high BC of .720. 's impressive ballistics come at a price. Federal 338 Winchester Magnum 225 Grain Nosler AccuBond. in a rifle of similar weight. The .338 Federal was created by the engineering and ballistics staff at Federal in collaboration with Sako rifles. The maximum cartridge overall length is supposed to be 2.86", rather than the 2.81" of the .308, but Federal factory loaded ammo is reportedly being loaded to a length not greater than 2.80". But the .338 Win. In the course of telephone conversations with friends at ATK (parent company of both Federal and Speer), I learned that they also favor this bullet for reloading the .338 Federal. Ammunition Inputs. In addition to 338 FEDERAL ammo, we also carry rifle ammunition, pistol ammo, and shotgun shells from top brands like Federal Ammuni Mag. As you can see, the ballistics of the new cartridge are impressive. range, recoil figures for the .338 RCM are north of 30 ft.-lbs. The .338 Federal fires a 210-grain bullet at 2600 fps, and 180- and 185-grain bullets at 150 to 200 fps faster. I like the .338-inch bore better than the .358-inch, especially with the smaller-capacity cartridges. Is it a 1,000-yard target cartridge? It is a big game caliber designed with reasonable recoil for today’s lightweight rifles. As a result, ATK/Federal's factory load options are confined to bullet weights of 180, 185, 200 (in the Fusion brand only) and 210 grains. bullets. To make a long story somewhat shorter, after trying dozens of bullet/powder combinations, I finally settled on the Speer 200 grain Hot-Cor bullet and IMR 3031 powder. The cartridge is simply the .308 Winchester necked up to hold .338-inch bullets, and will fit perfectly in a short-action receiver. 330 Dakota 180 Grain; 330 Dakota 200 / 210 Grain; 330 Dakota 225 Grain; 330 Dakota 250 Grain; 338 Federal. The fundamental specifications and dimensions of the .308 case remain the same, meaning the .338 Federal brass can easily be formed from .308 Winchester brass. Good 200 grain bullets are offered in .338 caliber by practically all of the major bullet makers. The .338 Federal represents the first time in its long history that the Federal Cartridge Company has put its name on the headstamp of a cartridge. The Federal case has a water capacity of 44.5 grains of water. The .308 Winchester is by far the most popular out of the bunch. Most .30-06 rifles, for example, shoot 180 grain bullets very well. in rifles of the same weight, so it is more shooter friendly than either of the two older .338 cartridges. And then there's the cost factor. of muzzle energy, gives more than enough striking power. Considered by some ballistic experts to be the ideal cartridge for North American big game, the .338 Federal is also known for superb accuracy and stopping power in a controllable package. Friday, March 15, 2019. The 338 Federal makes use of the standard 308 case, necked up to the larger, heavier, 33 caliber projectile. Which one of these popular rounds will be named the best all-around black bear hunting cartridge The .338 exhibits impressive downrange ballistics comparable to 7mm Magnum or .338 Winchester Magnum class cartridges with the added ability to fit in a lightweight short action semi-auto like our BILLet-AR rifles. ST, 900 Ehlen Dr., Anoka, MN 55303; 800-322-2342; www.federalcartridge.com ) points out that the new .338 Federal cartridge has increased velocity over the .308 cartridge and heavier bullet weights. 338 Federal Powder Minimum Maximum Charge (grains) Velocity (fps) Charge (grains) Velocity (fps) IMR 4198 34.0 2221 37.0 2382 RL 7 33.0 2151 36.0 2329 Benchmark 40.0 2347 43.0 2491 H322 38.5 2293 42.0 2459 *X-Terminator 40.0 2313 43.5 2485 A-2230 42.0 2388 46.0 2570 338 Federal … Federal Fusion 338 Federal 200 Grain Details: The Federal Fusion Ammunition is loaded with a specialized bullet, perfect for deer sized game, that features an electrochemically bonded lead core to copper jacket, eliminating the possibility of a … And despite the .338 RCM's impressive numbers, the .338 Federal is … I shot a large water buffalo bull with my 7mm rem mag and apparently the 338 federal is similar ballistics with a heavier pill.I just wish to have a custom rifle that I can show off and its a recognised chambering.I like the idea of having a 8.6 rifle.22 winchester .22hornet .222 .243 7mm rem mag cbc 12g. Ballistics data bears this out. All rights reserved. 338 Federal. Standard offerings from Speer, Sierra, Hornady and Nosler will perform very well. For the handloader, there is a huge number of projectiles to choose from, including the classic Nosler Partition, the lighter mono-metal Barnes TSX and Cutting Edge Raptor, North Fork semi-spitzers, Sierra and Hornady cup-and-core bullets, and many more. The 338 Federal is a non-magnum 338 round, it produces moderate recoil and a high velocity heavy payload. Hunters who feel a need for a medium bore rifle cartridge will find that the .338 Federal kicks a little less than the .338-06 A-Square with the same weight bullet at the same velocity, because the .338 Federal burns less powder to achieve the same pressure. Thompson/Center offers the .338 in their Encore single shot rifle and Sako, Kimber, Ruger and Steyr/Mannlicher offer repeating rifles in the caliber at the time of this writing. I would probably use a 30-06 over the .338 Fed, but I would load hot handloads for it. I’m not really sure why, because my experiences with the cartridge has been nothing but positive. A variety of medium burning speed powders are suitable for the .338 Federal, including IMR 3031, IMR 4064, IMR 4895, H335, BL(C)2, Varget, W748 and similar offerings. If that demand is real and consumers step up to the plate with their hard earned dollars, the .338 Federal may be around for a very long time. 338 Federal Load Data; 338-06 A-Square Load Data; 338 Winchester Magnum Load Data; 330 Dakota Load Data; 340 Weatherby Magnum Load Data; 338 Remington Ultra Magnum Load Data; 338 Lapua Magnum Load Data; 338-378 Weatherby Magnum Load Data; 358 Winchester Load Data; 350 Remington Magnum Load Data; 35 Whelen Load Data; 358 Norma Magnum Load Data vs. .338 Federal vs. .45-70 Govt. OUT OF STOCK (0) Federal Premium 338 RUM 210 GR Nosler Partition 20/bx. Battle of the Black Bear Cartridges: .308 Win. Like its older, larger brother, the .358 Winchester, the .338 Federal has trouble handling the heaviest bullets within the caliber, but with bullets weighing between 185 and 225 grains, it can be a very effective choice. are pretty long and the Federal engineers felt that they took up too much internal space in the case, unacceptably reducing powder capacity. With a case length of 2.015 inches and a cartridge overall length of 2.820 (nearly identical to the .308 Winchester), the .338 Federal maintains the parent shoulder angle of 20 degrees; steep enough to give positive headspacing, yet gentle enough to feed smoothly and reliably from all magazines, including the MSRs. Here are the published ballistics for the Federal Premium factory loads (taken in a 24" test barrel): As you can see, the ballistics of the new cartridge are impressive. As Federal's initial infomercial advises, "It gives big game hunters a larger diameter bullet for more weight and overall energy on target without magnum recoil . The .308 met some opposition from the .30-06 crowd, but the .243 certainly earned a devout following, and the .358 Winchester—though now a rarity—was once a popular woods gun for larger game. Trophy Copper 338 Federal Important Safety Information WARNING: Discharging firearms in poorly ventilated areas, cleaning firearms, or handling ammunition may result in exposure to lead and other substances known to the State of California to cause birth defects, reproductive harm, and … Even in the big cases, both bore diameters tend to top out at 300 grains, but at 180 or 200 grains, between .33 and .35 caliber, I prefer the additional sectional density of the .338, as the .35s at this weight can be rather short. One of the nice things about the .338 Federal is that its velocity envelope does not require premium bullets. Released in 2006 as a joint venture between Federal and Sako, the .338 Federal may be one of the wisest choices that the big-game hunter who likes a lightweight, sweet-shooting short-action rifle could make. That’s about 300 foot pounds more than the .30-06 shooting a 180-grain slug and 116 foot pounds more than … The rim diameter is .470", rim thickness .049", base diameter .470", shoulder angle 20 degrees and case length 2.015." It was created by Federal Cartridge and Sako in 2006 and intended as a big game cartridge with reasonable recoil for lightweight rifles. Ballistics data bears this out. However, the larger frontal diameter certainly makes a difference on game animals; much like using a round nose bullet, you can see the difference with larger diameter bullets on game animals. To qualify statements, the the .338 Federal was promoted as having more muzzle energy than the .30-06 and that the .338 generated 200fps more velocity than the parent .308 Winchester cartridge with bullets of equal weight. Naturally, it kicks a lot less than the .338 Win. 330 Dakota. Nikon's Spot On Ballistics Calculator gives the 35Whelen a 400 + Ft Lb. Magnum. The lighter 185- and 200-grain bullets—at a muzzle velocity of 2750 and 2630 fps, respectively—work very well on deer, bear and elk, and those premium 225-grain bullets (lately reserved to the handloading community) will handle even the large northern bears. It represents a happy medium between the factory loaded offerings of 180 and 210 grains. The .338 Federal from Wilson Combat is ideal for any medium-large game hunting in North America including trophy wild hogs, elk, moose and bear. Mag. While the .338 Federal generates recoil levels in the 20 to 25 ft.-lbs. The .338 Federal is a reprieve from such nonsense. A 338 Federal will not hold a candle when compared to a 35 Whelen pushing 225 Gr. Reloaders can extend that range to include at least some 225 grain bullets, but due to the restricted capacity of the basic .308 case it is probably wise not to exceed that weight. Get the American Hunter Insider newsletter for at-a-glance access to industry news, gear, gun reviews, videos and more—delivered directly to your Inbox. Looking for previous installments of our "Behind the Bullet" series? The .338-06 is a cartridge based on the .30-06.It allows heavier .338 caliber bullets to be used from the .30-06 non-belted case. No, the .338-inch-caliber bullets that are launched by the .338 Federal case are less than desirable for long-range target work, but for a hunting cartridge—especially in a trim, lightweight hunting rifle—with a maximum range of 300 yards or so, it does quite well. The 338 Federal can be loaded with bullet weights as light as 160 grain and most load sources only go as heavy as 225 grains. The .338 Win. The .338 Accubond bullets must be considered very carefully. It’ll easily launch the 225 grain versions of those bullets at 2500 fps. .338 Federal. . Units of Measure. Federal's offering is based on a .308 Winchester case necked-up to accept standard .338" diameter bullets. The .338 Federal is a rifle cartridge based on the .308 Winchester case necked up to .33 caliber. It can also light up the 160 grain Barnes TTSX at 3,000 fps. Most .338 Federal factory loads have more kinetic energy than the .358 Winchester at all ranges. If you are using factory ammo, I think you will be good. For decades there has been a perceived need for a medium bore woods and big game cartridge more powerful than the .35 Remington, but with less recoil than the .338 Win. According to Federal ballistics data, the 338 Federal pushes a 180-grain Nosler AccuBond from the muzzle at 2,840 fps to produce 3,223 foot pounds energy. The .338 Federal will throw a 250 grain Nosler Partition or Swift A-Frame at 2300-2400 fps. Re: 338 Federal The 338 Federal is by no means a 600 yard cartridge. Considered by some ballistic experts to be the ideal cartridge for North American big game, the .338 Federal is also known for superb accuracy and stopping power in a controllable package. duncan61 The .338 Federal was the first cartridge to bear the Federal name, and while it certainly made a splash when first released, the .338 Federal seems to be fading into obscurity. The 338 Federal is a very interesting cartridge and I hope it gets more attention from the industry over the next few years. If you choose to go with a 225 grain bullet, avoid boat-tail and plastic tipped designs, which are inherently longer than flat base soft points. 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