I am deciding on my next rifle and I would like a medium bore, something from .323 to .358 cal. I have considered the 8mm, 35 rem, 35 whel. and 358 win. Now I am seriously considering the 338 win mag because of it's high end ballitics potential. But I would mostlikely load it down for 90% of the time for practice and deer hunting; ie. 200 gr. bullets at around 2600 fps. Thereare some loadings in my reloading manuals for this, but does anyone have any real world experience with this cartridge down loaded, or am I better off to go with one of my other choices?

There is a world of difference in the rounds guns you have indicted. 35 remand 35 whel would be either lever action or pump guns, 8mm and 358 would be custom in less your talking the 8mm mag. The 338 mag can be loaded down easy enough and is fine for deer, black bear, and hogs. I like the 338 and will get one shortly after some years, I didn't reload when I last had one and ammo was just too expensive.

Yeh...I know there is a world of difference in these rounds, I have studied them all to a fault. Just wanted to know experieces with people that loaded down a 338.

I played around with a wildcat a few years ago where I necked up a .308 Winchester to .338. It was a pleasant gun to shoot (compared to a factory .338 Win.) and was very accurate. The bullets I tried (210 Nosler Partition and 225 gr. Hornady) didn't expand a whole bunch, but gave a lot of penetration. Speed was about 400 fps below the .338 Win Mag.

that wildcat is now the 338 federal. Might be worth checking out.