anyone have any experience with this caliber

Not with the 338fed but lots with the 358win. If you want a gun in a short action thats great not just for deer but elk/moose sized game as well, and with out the recoil of a 7/300mag, but good for 300 yards shots at them all. The 338fed is for you and 98% of all hunting done in the US and Canada.

Used it this year on elk, 185 grain Barnes-X - TSX. T/C Encore 338 Federal Barrel. Two shots, complete penetration and dumped my elk like a sack of rocks. Shot placement, premium bullet and practice all pay off. I was very pleased with this cartridge. Haven't done any hand loading for the 338 Federal yet but have enough brass now to play around a little with it.

I wanted to try it out on a mullie but work and weather got my deer hunt all wacked out.

The recoil on the 338 federal is very pleasant compared to the magnum's. I have used my 338 Win mag up til this year, when I switched and I don't anticipate going back to my 338 win mag anytime soon after the performance with the 338 Fed.

I agree here; it is the .358 Win., only better because of the higher SD in the .338" size bullets!

What gun manufactures offer this caliber?

My gun is a Kimber 84m and I love it.



Have not taken it to the field yet, but will this year. I am reloading it an using the 215 gr. Sierra, along with IMR 4895 powder and am gettiing so-so results with it (1.08"). I also have loaed up some Hornaday 200 gr.using Win 748 powder and also getting only one inch groups.

I know I can get better groups with this Kimber and will keep trying.

Has anyone done any better with other powders???

Manufactures, Sako 85 (no longer in production but a bunch around), tikka, ruger, Kimber after that I'm not sure. I've got a savage 110 that I rebarreled with a ER shaw kit that's 1 1/8 or less at 100.

I've been considering buying a rifle in this caliber. Do y'all think it would be a good round for black bear? I would like to make it out west for an elk hunt eventually as well.

Here you go.




http://www.chuckhawks.com/338_federal_first_look.htm




Hope this helps

I know this thread is a decade old, but I don't care. I LOVE this round. Alas, it appears to be on its way out.

So, if anybody out there has experience with it, I'd like to hear about the various, no-longer made guns chambered in it. To my knowledge, only Savage, Wilson Combat, and DPMS still chamber guns in .338 Federal. Most of what I read are old posts back when Sako, Kimber, and Ruger were making them. Surprisingly, I've read a few who felt the Sako grouped poorly.

I have a .338 Federal Savage Model 11. Good gun, but a bit heavy, non-stainless, and not bedded. I was thinking about getting another, and I'm a bit Savaged-out. Yes, I could probably get a custom, and maybe I will, but the occasional used model comes up, so if anybody has knowledge about them, please chime in.

If Savage's new High Country came in .338 Federal, I might have gone for it, but given the stated purpose of the gun, I can understand why they didn't.