Wide bullet. Once the round hits the reloading bench the numbers suffer pretty dramatically. Throwing them to the wolves with a .300 Winchester Magnum might make for a funny story when theyre older, but its a terrible way to recruit a future hunting buddy. 338 Blog About Methodology The record so far Ratings of Canadian pollsters. This is especially true for the bowhunter who needs toms to be hypnotized if they want half a chance at drawing their bows. Moose are generally wimps, and you dont necessarily need a heavy magnum rifle to get the job done quickly and efficiently. As I recall I was shooting a 185-grain Barnes TSX. to accept .338 bullets. That's plenty of punch for elk and moose. Theyre more fun to carry and shoot. Mag. It will still get the job done plenty well on a moose. typically arent brush-busting, swamp-wading rifles, but if your style of hunting suits it, it will put moose down with authority, and is the go-to choice for several moose hunters I know here in Alaska. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. There are many excellent bullet choices for the .30/06, and most will gravitate toward the 180-grain options. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. I loved my .280 Rem., though I didnt have much confidence with it beyond 350 yards. This is based off my extensive loss of bloodshot moose meat and core separation when I used a 200 grain interlock on a moose in a 358 winchester which would be similar. Lets compare ballistic data from four different bullets to pad the .338s resume. If you do your job, theyll do theirs. also packs a lot more punch. The .338 Win. Introduced in 1965 with the .444 Marlin cartridge, the Model 444 was the most powerful lever action of its day. Well, it has a couple of "issues" that turn many hunters off. The Ruger M77 Guide Gun in .338. Initially, the .338 Federal will be offered in three loadings: the 180-grain Nosler AccuBond bullet (rated at 2840 fps with 3223 ft-lbs of muzzle energy), the 185-grain Barnes Triple-Shock bullet (rated at 2760 fps and 3129 ft-lbs), and the 210-grain Nosler Partition (rated at 2630 fps and 3225 ft-lbs). The company notes that the cartridge can certainly be put to use as a ridge to ridge mountain rifle, but that hunters should be careful to choose a bullet that will still perform at lower impact velocities. But why? Thanks for all the help and when I called to grab one I was TOO LATE they used it for a leader and they didnt have them anymore!! It doesnt garner much attraction from todays tinkerers and cartridge snobs, but its still one of the best all-around choices. Special and .35 Remington have killed a lot of moose in the hands of good hunters (particularly subsistence hunters) who wait for the right angle at short range (within 100 yards). 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. Maybe a .22LR, .223 Rem., or a .30-06. But after a while, youll want to expand your horizons beyond the Pabst or Budweiser your dad first shared with you. The .338 Federal pushes a 200-grain Trophy Bond Tip bullet at about 2,630 fps from the muzzle. Shooting moose at long distances can be an ill-advised venture, but some hunt in areas that are well-suited for it. Give a Gift
Double Tap ammo reportedly loads this all copper hollow point to the .338 Federals top speed of 2,900 fps. The American .30 calibers, from the .30-30 and .308 through the .30-06 and various .300 magnums with all the great bullet choices available, seem to be less affected by those problems than most other calibers. For more on his articles and books, visit his official site here. Mag. If that doesnt impress you, look at it this way. At 300 yards the .338 Federal load carries 1,884 ft.-lbs., which pales in comparison to the RCM's 2,358 ft.-lbs. of wallop at that distance. Even Ruger no longer chambers current production guns for it, although you can still find Guide Guns and Hawkeyes in .338 RCM on dealer shelves and online. Muzzle energy doesnt drop to 1,500 ft/lbs until about 380 yards. Mag. There are very few other calibers where you can easily buy factory ammo with bullet weights that vary by a factor of two, from 110 to 220 grains. of energy to cleanly kill an elk, the .338 Federal is capable of doing so out to nearly 300 yards. For ammo, check out Federal's 150g Power Shok cartridge. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. I have one that is wonderfully light and it shoot Tikka good too. J. Scott Rupp takes a first look at the Springfield M1A Loaded rifle chambered in the popular 6.5 Creedmoor. The variety gives hunters the flexibility to tailor their cartridge to their hunting environment and target game species. in 1958 that this family of cartridges really gained a footing among American hunters. All Rights Reserved, The .30-06 Springfields European Counterpart. I think the 338 federal is a fantastic cartridge, also highly underated. Zeroed at 200 yards, the .338 Win. This efficient short-action cartridge flattens game like the hammer of Thor without kicking you in the shoulder like a stubborn mule. Although i've shot a large number of various factory rifles, i say unequivically that the ruger hawkeye is the finest factory rifle for the best price in the world. Surprisingly, it drops only 1.5 inches more than the big 338 Win. The 338 Federal equals my 308 loads with a 200 grain bullet. It looks like a .30-caliber projectile stuffed into a .223 Rem. Factory-loaded with 180-, 185- and 210-grain bullets, it delivers between 1,820 and 1,920 ft-lbs at 300 yards, with an average bullet drop of less than nine inches (200-yard zero). Ammo Choice: Winchester Expedition Long Range 190-grain ABLR. There are arguably more efficient long-range cartridges that are excellent for moose, but I can tell you for a fact that the .338 Lapua Mag. They're heavily muscled and thick-boned, and can weigh up to 1,500 pounds, making them the largest member of the world's deer family. Just $1 per month , This load penetrates deep and offers light recoil for a .33-caliber bullet, By I know of a lot of moose, and even several big Kodiak bears, that met their end quickly with the .308. As you might expect, the RCM has a sizable advantage in terms of energy, too. Mag. Moose do present shot angles that are deep and tough to penetrate, but if you practice any bit of ethical restraint, youll often have the option of either a direct frontal shot into the soft stuff at close range, or a broadside shot at a mooses exceptionally large lungs and easy-to-penetrate ribs. This powerful little shorty just gets it done. I would think that a 180-grain Partition should stretch the distance some, and work on moose well. 47005 Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan: CPC safe hold: 47006 Prince Albert: CPC safe hold: 47007 Regina-Lewvan . The .338 Federal does not. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. There are several great cartridges offered in 7mm, and new ones like the 7 PRC are incrementally moving the ball forward, but the seven mag can still hold its own. Federal polls. The .280 Ackley Improved is a bit of an oddball, Ryan Callaghan said. Burris Fullfield II 3-9X scope. In normal times, you can find ammo virtually anywhere, and it flat-out gets the job done. I figure if the magnum will kill like that at over 400 yards the federal should be great in less open country. So why is it so uncommon? Mag. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. Several manufacturers make bolt-action rifles chambered in .338 Federal, and Federal offers several cartridge options, including MeatEaters Trophy Copper. .338 Federal Combine those into a controllable package offering less recoil than other calibers with similar capabilities, and you have an all-star big game caliber. Rifle and ammunition manufacturers have been creating and christening centerfire rifle cartridges since 1860. My reloads produce 2600 fps with 200 grain Hornady SP and 2450+ with 225 Hornady SP from a 22 inch barrel. Mag., has made this round a no-brainer choice for me. Now personally, I prefer the .338-06 just because I have more space to work with powder loads. The .338 Federal is 9.2 inches low at 300 yards and 26.3 inches low at 400 when zeroed at the same distance with the same 200-grain bullet. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association, Cork Graham has been covering guns and hunting since 1983, when he asked for an LOA from his NROTC squadron at UC Berkeley, and headed to SEA to cover wars as an 18-year-old photojournalist. It is incredibly easy to make for 308 family cases so there is never an ammo problem for handloaders. Federal offers seven .338 Federal loads ranging from 185 grains to 210 grains. Federals under-sung little .338 certainly deserves more attention than its gotten thus far. A recent bull moose that a buddy killed took one shot through the ribs with the 150-grain .308 load, took two steps, then nosed into the ground. Compare that to the .338 Win. All of this should impress the many North American hunters who celebrate the mid-caliber deer rounds of the good old days, like the 32 Winchester Special and 35 Remington. For that one moose, the round delivered the goods and the moose accepted the invitation to come home for dinner. The ballistics are even better than that of its grandfather, and in shorter action: it will fit the action of a .30-06. This caliber was developed in the early 2010s for military applications. Hornady 338 Win Mnag 200 Grain SST $65.00. The decision ultimately comes down to how much you are willing to spend on ammo, how much recoil you can effectively handle and the type of game you will be pursuing. Known as an ideal cartridge for medium-sized game, the .270 is more gun that most people give it credit for. Here is a potent cartridge that fits the popular, light, handy short-action rifles. The .338 Federal generates 3,071 ft.-lbs. Send a 200- to 250-grain A-Frame, AccuBond or Nosler Partition from this round and youve got powerful moose medicine. RifleShooter Magazine editor Scott Rupp breaks down all the features of the Mossberg Patriot Predator rifle chambered in 6.5 PRC. For the .338 Federal, you'll max out with 225-grain bullets and a muzzle velocity of about 2,400 fps. Tyler Freel Given the weight retention and penetration potential of the Barnes TTSX, this relative lightweight should more than suffice for whitetails, mule deer, sheep, and mountain goats. But you should have. The Hornady 200 gr Interlock SP has an excellent reputation on game in the 338/06, so at 100-200 fps less it should really penetrate well, and costs less than half what their GMX bullet does. He didnt go far. | grry10. Recovery was uneventful. You want a bullet that will expand rapidly but retain weight. In the real world, the .338 Federal shines when pursuing larger animals at moderate distances, according to the New Zealand ballistics company Terminal Ballistics Research. In compact, mild recoiling rifles, it produces performance equal to some of the most proven, popular big game cartridges in America. The company already had a parent cartridge, the .375 Ruger, that provided plenty of case capacity for the creation of a new, short .338 round. ). It is incredibly easy to make for 308 family cases so there is never an ammo problem for handloaders. Last Shot About the same as a 30-06. In my 22 years of living in Alaska, Ive tipped over around 15 moose myself and watched probably another 30 go hooves-up. The 7mm will retain more energy past 100 yards and shoot flatter, but the 30-06 will not. Ruger built the rifles, and Hornady supplied the ammunition. The .338 Federal is indeed a neat cartridge because of the short action. Ammo Choice: Federal Premium 200-grain Trophy Bonded Tip. Out of stock. Yes, you are reading this correctly. N/A. Why aren't more writers writing about the virtues of the .338 Federal and, more importantly, why aren't more deer, elk, bear, and moose hunters shooting it? Beth Shimanski of Savage introduces their all new straight-pull rifle. Bolt-Action rifles chambered in.338 Federal, you & # x27 ; ll max out with 225-grain and! 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