I think the .338 Federal is a great idea, its just, it should be available from all of the big rifle manufacturers, and allow the rifles to be priced very cheap and affordable, if that happens, I think this cartridge can be around for a long time.

Thats a good question for someone like Roskoe. I would quess that opening up the mouth effects the shoulder as well and maybe adds a little more powder space. However although I have read the ballsitics, I don't remember them right now. Its not a high velocity cartridge though. I think it has a 210 grain bullet and a 180 grain bullet in its factory loads. The factory, using blends of powders that are not available to handloaders give the an edge to start with at least.

case volume isn't much different but since you have a larger diameter bullet you have more cross sectional surface area... and F=P*A... so for the same mass... you move the bullet a bit faster... there will be some frictional things to consider since you also have a larger circumference so more bearing area on the bore...

It doesn't kick like a mule, but morelike a 3006 if the rifle weights are similar and useing similar weight bullets...


The expansion ratio is different...... I guess another way to explain it is, the .338 bore is bigger than a .308 bore, so you can use a bit more powder to fill the space...

Here's another thing though... All else being equil, you have to use a "heavier" bullet in .338 to get the same penetration as a .308 bullet... So, a 180 grain.308 bullet is going to out perform an 180 perform.338 bullet...

Next problem, if you use heavier bullets in the .338 Federal, like 250 grain bullets your not going to be able to push them fast enough to get them to expand properly as they are designedfor a higher velocity than the .338 Federal can push them.

DM

Dont forget.....this may not make a big difference but the 338 bullet has a little more surface area than the .308 at the base of the bullet to be exposed to burn thrust. Not a scientific explaination of course but it does make a difference..lol. Kinda like a flat base bullet making more velocity than a boattail with equal powder charges?

With all of the 08 cartidges and the intro of the .338 Fedral, for me this makes 'ye olde 308' that much more appealing.

In a gun of equal weight, it should give less recoil than a .358 Winchester......

I'd sure like to see one in a BLR!

I don't know about th flat base vs boattail comparison, but you can push a bullet of a given weight faster if it has a bigger cross-sectional area for the powder gases to push on. This was one of ol' P.O. Ackley's major arguments against the use of increasingly smaller bore diameters in the wildcat business.....

I just read up on the .338 Federal in American Rifleman. I guess I am just one of those that go against the grain in the new short magnum and ultra magnums craze!
But the .338 Federal does look like a darn good hunting cartridge to me!

I just don't like the "Federal" after .338, sure I like Federal Ammo as it is my prefered factory ammo for several of my rifles. But It would be more appealing if it was like .338 Remington, or .338 Winchester Short Action.