.338 federal AR
 

I'm going to get a .338 federal DPMS for a deer driving gun. Does anyone have any hunting experience with one? Or experience with the cartridge? Thanks

I have only seen 1 rifle and it was in the used gun rack
I looked up the round and it looks like it should be a great
All around rifle. Haven't seen any ammo in wal- marts
For it yet.

I have a .338fed barrel for my TC and I absolutely love the cartridge for Elk, but honestly that is WAY too much cartridge for Whitetail. Get that DPMS in 7mm.08 ESPECIALLY for deer drives where multiple shots will more than likely take place. MUCH less recoil. Unless the deer in your area have grown armor plating, you really don't need a cartridge that size. Why go through the recoil and cost (the .338 aint cheap unless you reload and even then it's more expensive than alot).

In an AR based rifle, a good AR10 in 7mm.08 is just what the doctor ordered for a deer driver.

Thanks for the info guys. I'm pretty much set on the AR .338 fed, I already have a 6.5 Creedmoor DPMS, and will get an upper or another complete gun. I read a couple articles on the .338 fed's abilities as a White-Tail woods gun and was impressed. I do reload as bullets are costly. My main White-Tail gun (long open shots) for the last 15yrs is a Browning non boss .300 RUM with 200gr pills, so the semi auto .338 fed isn't to much for recoil, for me, each to there own in that debate. I agree the quick follow up shot on a drive will be nice as my current drive gun is a bolt 12 gauge 3" slug. Superhunt54 why do you think the .338 fed is WAY to much cartridge for White-Tail? Anyway i was wondering if any of you guys have used the .338 fed on White-Tails? Thanks.

I dont think its to much, I used to hunt WT .
With a 416 rigby. That I reloaded for and used
41 mag pistol bullets in worked fine.
They were my varmit. Load.
If I get digging around my forward magazine I will
Will look to see if I have any left and will take a pic
Of my varmit. Load. A guy used to make them for me
He poured a plastic like stuff in the hollow point he called them his Polly ball tip
They came out around 198 grain.
I can tell ya, there wasn't much lunch meat left around the area were
That bullet went tru.

big bullet / little bullet
 

I found my rigbys in the aft. Magazine, not the foreward
Just kidding.
See if you can tell witch shell is the Biggin.
The 35 rem 200 gr is on the left
The smaller 41 mag 198 gr. Is in the middle
The barns x 300 gr is on the right
And my reload info says the varmint load was only pushed with
103 gr. Of R 22. But it still did the job.

You already answered part of your own question gjersy, Followup shots. While no the .338fed isn't that harsh, it does in fact have a fairly good wallop and every rifle I have fired chambered in that round (several) had a pretty dang high "rise" so followup shots are going to be difficult.

As far as my feelings on the .338 being "too much gun" for whitetail, for shots that you know are more than likely going to be 100 or so yards or less, you don't need that much cartridge. As I said, I have one and know full well the capabilities of the cartridge and they are wonderful to say the least. But there is a HUGE problem of people over gunning themselves for whitetail. I'm not saying you are one of these people, but there are way to many people out there that think bigger is better and they can take lower percentage shots thinking that some all powerful magnum will make up for a poor shot.

You asked for opinions from people with experience with that particular cartridge. Mine is, while yes it is a fantastic cartridge, it isn't the greatest for close in drive hunts for whitetail.

Thanks for the replies guys. Thats an interesting load for your .416 Rigby, My Step son got a .416 Rigby with a bunch of reloads from his Dads late bud, now thats a fun gun to shoot with his 400gr hot-loads! If he decides to sell it i get 1st dibs on it. I'm a fan of the .308 cartridge and it's offspring, also a fan of the DPMS, the problem is the dealer has know idea how long it will take to get here.

I think that 6.5 creedmoor would be a good deer drive gun. Have no experience with the 338 feed. I know people that have used the 358 win for deer and their neither was a problem with to much gun. A good friend has a dpms in 308 and really likes it used it last year deer hunting. Me personal would like a ar 10 in 7mm/08. Sounds like you are set on the 338 Fed. Me personally I would like two.complete guns then one lower and two uppers.

The problem with my 6.5 is it has a bull barrel and a target scope, i have used it deer hunting on a field but thats it.