.338 Federal vs. 8x57 mm

[lgm270]

Interesting ballistic comparison between .338 Federal (.338") and 8x57 Mauser (.323"). The 8x57 is a larger case than the .338 Fed, even though the bullet diameter is slightly smaller. As a general rule, the larger the diameter of the bullet, the more area for the burned powder gas to push against and the higher muzzle velocities.    I'm confused as to why comparable bullet weights in the 8x57  seem so much lower than the published velocities for the somewhat smaller capacity .338 Fed. 

Three .338 Federal   Premium load offerings  are published as follows:

    * P338FA1 - 180 grain Nosler AccuBond at 2830 fps.
    * P338FC - 185 grain Barnes Triple-Shock at 2750 fps.
    * P338FB - 210 grain Nosler Partition at 2630 fps.

It strikes me that you should be able to get comparable muzzle velocities from the 8x57, but this does not seem to be the case.  Does anyone have any explanation for this?   Just curious. 

[mauser98us]

Cause--- American loaded 8 mil is loaded way weak in deference to the different actions and bore sizes. 318 vs 323 You want hot,get some Norma ammo or handload your own.

[mcwoodduck]

Early 8X57 guns were .318 some of the military guns and the sporting guns from that period still have the .318 barrels.
also there is the Model 88 mauser that is a manlicher design and can not handle the hotter rounds.
While they were converted to use the stripper clips from the 98's in WW1 and 2 but were issued to reserve or support troops and were not for a steady diet of the hot ammo.
But when you get into the European loads like Mauser 98US said and the two are about equal in a modern action.
the 338 is a 51MM case based on 308 winchester or 7.62X51 Nato and the 7.92X57 is a 57mm case.
After all you are not talking a big jump in bullet diameter.  .338 Vs .323  or .015 of an inch.
the diff between 7mm and 30 caliber is greater (.024) and they are considered ballistic twins for the most part.
The big difference between the 338 and the 8mm is one was designed as a hunting rifle and the other as a military.
While the surplus of 8mm ammo is drying up there has not been a FMJ version of the 338 produced and for the most part only hunting bullets are produced for the 338.  There are some heavy 250 grain and heavier bullets made for the 338 lapua most of the 338 loading data is for 225 grain bullets and lighter.  And none are really cheap.

[chutesnreloads]

And the .338 is getting loaded with newer powders that you can't get than the 8x57.And that is just PUBLISHED velocities.Have you shot them over a chrony to see how fast they really are?

[Drilling Man]

  I have shot a lot of big game with my 8x57, and also with my .338-06.  I don't feel the Federal measures up to the .338-06 when it comes to the biggest big game, and all three are bigger than needed for deer.

  SO, i asked myself, what could the Federal do on big game for me that my 8x57 doesn't? (assumeing both in the same rifle)  My answer is "nothing", so i wouldn't switch to the other one, no matter what one of the two that i started with..

  DM

[mcwoodduck]

  I have shot a lot of big game with my 8x57, and also with my .338-06.  I don't feel the Federal measures up to the .338-06 when it comes to the biggest big game, and all three are bigger than needed for deer.

  SO, i asked myself, what could the Federal do on big game for me that my 8x57 doesn't? (assumeing both in the same rifle)  My answer is "nothing", so i wouldn't switch to the other one, no matter what one of the two that i started with..

  DM

Now for the reverse question.
If you did not have a 338-06 or a 8X57 would you look at getting a 338 Fed?

[Drilling Man]

  I have shot a lot of big game with my 8x57, and also with my .338-06.  I don't feel the Federal measures up to the .338-06 when it comes to the biggest big game, and all three are bigger than needed for deer.

  SO, i asked myself, what could the Federal do on big game for me that my 8x57 doesn't? (assumeing both in the same rifle)  My answer is "nothing", so i wouldn't switch to the other one, no matter what one of the two that i started with..

  DM

Now for the reverse question.
If you did not have a 338-06 or a 8X57 would you look at getting a 338 Fed?

  No, as the Federal is bigger than i need for deer sized game, and i'd rather have a bit more for moose on up.

  I REALLY like the 280 Rem. for deer sized game, and it has the advantage of shooting flatter than the Federal.

  DM

[swifty22]

Looks to me like two peas w/similar bullet weight/brand. MY 338-06 has a 20" bbl. so is probably a little slow but w/ equal bullet const. I have never seen any difference. I have only shot 2 elk- 338-06 260 gr LBT LFN cast and 58 cal. ML w/570 gr.  cast, each broke both shoulder joints and required a 2nd shot. 1 Moose looking right @ me w/a 308 w/Rem. factory 180 PSPCL through the top of the heart @ 100 yds, swayed around on his feet for about 10 sec. then collpsed. Shot lotsa deer w/ the 338-06, mostly w/225-250 Nosler PT's all dead within 50' or so. Am using the 8/57 tomorrow w/old 225 Speer RN's and a healthy charge of H-414, again a good blood trail to the buck w/a little luck!-Muddy

[454Puma]

I'm getting 2309 fps with 185 gr Corlok's out of my 8X57mm's -not a max load !  And it would be a very good load for what I hunt Muley's  and such.   Yea those are factory number for the .338 Fed so don't expect that speed out of your rifle unless it's an exact match to there test rifle barrel length!    I'd say cut 100-200 fps  off those numbers!

[kombi1976]

Ditto to 454Puma.
Remember, the factory ammo NEEDS to look impressive, especially with a new round.
I've got an 8x57, a sporter based on a K98 action, and the 8mm is a killer.
I can't really see much point is messing with 338.
8x57 has worked well for the Europeans since WW1 when it was hotter than 30-06 with an equal bullet mass.
You need to compare them on hand loaded velocities, not published.
My Sierra 150gr SP loads for the 8x57 clocked 2895fps and they're below max.
If you want to go seriously heavy Woodleigh make a 250gr RNSN (of which I have a coupla packs) and they're bonded core.
Woodleigh reckon they're good for 2200fps out of the 8x57.
The 338 Fed is ok but I do think it's re-inventing the wheel.

[Mikey]

Igm:  the 8mm has not gotten a fair shake in the US since WWI (post war) when Whelan, I think, tried shooting .323 bullets down a .318 bore and griped about the lousy accuracy - I believe he said the best thing you could do with a Mauser (at that time) was to rebarrel it in 30-06.

Now however we have a different story.  The 8x57 now loaded in Europe is loaded to original specs and takes a back seat to nobody's new cartridge.  Let's please also understand that the 338, based on the 308 case, just isn't going to outperform the 8 if the two are loaded comparably and what we have for the 338 is simply published velocities, not necessarily actual practice.  The 8 has suffered for years due to liability concerns but I have always felt that if you are going to shoot a European caliber you should use European made ammo.  Norma was touted as the hottest and best Euro ammo for years but never loaded anything beyond original specs. 

And I agree with Kombi that the 338 is simply trying to invent the wheel.  jmtcw.

[Drilling Man]

And I agree with Kombi that the 338 is simply trying to invent the wheel.  jmtcw.

  I agree with that statement too...

  BUT, they have to sell new rifles some how, and if that's what it takes to promote the hunting/shooting sports, then i'm all for it.  I just don't buy into the "new is superior", hype...

  DM

[lgm270]

The .338 Federal is redundant but so are many other  modern rounds.

Although not materially superior to the old 8x57,  the .338 Federal is amenable to "short" actions and the longer, 8x57 mm case is not. Moreover, the .338 Fed can safely  be loaded to higher pressures because there is not a boatload of museum pieces floating around out there designed in the days of yore, like is the case of the 8x57 which dates from the turn of the  (last) century.  There are lots of sexy .338 Fed rifles available right off the shelf and a new commercial grade 8x57 is an expensive special order proposition.  I saw a Tikka 3 I liked, but the price of a special order rifle was $1,400.00.  A lot of money to spend.   

Other examples of new modern rounds that duplicate the  optimal performance of  older more established rounds are the .260 Remington, which duplicated the old 6.5x55 mm Swedish Mauser and the 7-08 Rem, which basically duplicates the older 7x57 mm mauser.  Interestingly enough, there is no similar new  8mm round that duplicates the performance of the old, original  8x57.  Newer American 8mm rounds such as the .325 WSM and the 8mm Rem Mag greatly exceed 8x57 mm performance.

I know the 8x57 is underloaded  because of all the  old curios and relics chambered for it. But, with a strong modern rifle and creative handloading, I just don't understand why you can't get 2,800 with an .323" bullet while the smaller .338 Fed gets 2,800 with a  .338" 180 grainer.  The 8x57 is a larger case and I my impression is that loaded to similar pressures with similar bullet weights and equal barrel lengths, there should be more ballistic parity between the two rounds. 

The problem with the 8mm was the shortage of premium bullets.  This may have helped doom the 8mm Rem Mag.

Now you have 8mm  Barnes TSX's in 160, 180 and 200 grains, Noslers in 180 and 200 grains, Woodleighs in 196, 200, and 250 grains(!), Norma 196 grain, as well as Hornady, Sierra and Speer in 150, 170, 175, 195, 200 and 220 grain weights.   The 8mm now has almost as many good bullet choices as the .308.           

 

I   

[Harry Snippe]

The American shooter  does not like the 8 MM , so if maybe the rifle makers came out with the new .323 !!
Remington chambered for the 8 MM one year and I would think if it showed interst we might have the camber offered .
There is no love for anything in 6.5 though- this too is an excellent cartridge for deer sized game
With ammo loaded a hair above the 30/30 it the 8x57 on this side of the pond is dead exept for a few handloaders and reworked Mausers .
I like the 303 B and unless your into the Ruger  single -your not doing to buy one new so chambered .
The 30Krag would still be of interst too.
There is one war time  cartridge that has stood the test of time through the two great wars , and is still considered the do it all go to gun. The odd six. Between the two .06 rifles in the box there is still room for the 338 Federal in our eastern bush. Guess like the 358 W/338F class , you never know if you like the round unless you have used the chambering and shot game with it within it's range . Beyond it's limit I guess on the eastern side of North America,I carry the 300 Winchester .With bear just under 500 LBS and moose to 800Lb and deer to maybe 250 tops that is more gun than I need .
Now if ammo for the 8MM was on the self at the 06 level of pressure , I might have a mauser so chambered . But not every one wants a heavy rifle anymore .That is where something based on the 308 case comes in.
Beyond that' you can get a nice 3006 under seven pounds and be done with it 

[kombi1976]

Where do I start with an answer to that load of tripe?!
Since when do Remington ever make revolutionary moves?
They would never have made the 8x57 a regular chambering so it is far from evidence that it was unpopular.
It was a limited run in the Classic series.
Harry, how many European rifles do you think are chambered to 8x57JS each year? TONS!!!
The 8x57 is a long way from dead and there are hundreds of thousands of standard and reworked military Mausers regularly used by hunters in the US.
How many surplus rifles have and continue to be sold in that chambering? Probably millions.
They aren't, for the most part, sitting idle.
6.5x55 is also regularly chambered in European rifles.
Yes, the only new rifle 303 Brit is chambered in is the Ruger No1 but then as far as I'm aware no one is chambering the 30-40 in any new rifles.
And the reason the '06 is so wide spread is because people like Whelen and others flogged it as the only one to own.
Like it's a surprise the '06 is popular.....the USA won WW2 and then set about making the world run their way.
Was that wrong...no, you win, your rules.
But if Germany had prevailed the 8x57 would be where the '06 is now.
Have you hunted with a 8x57JS?
I have and my mate was using a 30-06.
There was ZERO real world difference in performance.
Rifle weight is a moot point......I'm certain one of the European companies would make a lovely lightweight rifle just under 7 pounds to stop your nonsense.

I might add that I do not prescribe to the "short action" hype.
The 7.62 Nato was developed for 3 main reasons.....to create a round that provided the same performance as a 150gr 30-06 that weighed less and cycled more easily through selective fire weapons.
Are hunters carrying 100+ rounds of ammo at all times? No.
Do they use selective fire weapons? No.
Does the extra 12mm of case length slow down a practised shooter when cycling a bolt action? No.
So for those reasons I have little time for the '08 family.
All the Mauser cartridges are only 6mm longer.
They had no feed issues and were light enough and were also more powerful as military rounds.
As to the 338 Fed velocities.....have you chronographed them?
Until you have personally don't believe the hype.

[Drilling Man]

Like it's a surprise the '06 is popular.....the USA won WW2 and then set about making the world run their way.
Was that wrong...no, you win, your rules.
But if Germany had prevailed the 8x57 would be where the '06 is now.
Have you hunted with a 8x57JS?
I have and my mate was using a 30-06.
There was ZERO real world difference in performance.
Rifle weight is a moot point......I'm certain one of the European companies would make a lovely lightweight rifle just under 7 pounds to stop your nonsense.

  I agree with most of what you said, BUT i don't agree that the 8x57 and the 30-06 perform exactly the same, at least NOT on the toughest big game.  From my experience, the 30-06 loaded with 200NP's out performs the 8x57 loaded with 200NP's.  And, the 200NP is the best all purpose bullet in 8mm.  I do agree they perform very much the same on other big game on down though.

  As for why the reason the 30-06 is more popular here?  I don't agree it's because of the war.  I remember back when i was a kid, there were a lot of folks shooting both cartridges around here.  The 30-06 won because the 30-06 out performed the 8x57, no question about it.  That's really not the 8x57's fault, it's just plain a fact that you could always get MUCH better ammo for the 06 and performance was what EVERYONE was after!

  I don't crawl through the alders looking for brown bear any longer, but i do enjoy whitetail hunting, so these days my 8x57 works out perfectly for me, and even though i own several 06's, i took a couple deer the other day with my 8x57

  BTW, my 8x57 weights right at 7 pounds.   

  DM

[Harry Snippe]

Kombi 1976

Sorry to crap in your corn flakes .

It is indeed a free country and if that is what you want to shoot so be it . But I don't really understand why you would crap the 338 F . It serves the need as well as someone who still has the 300 Savage,3040K 303Bor the old 30/30 .
I don't question the killing power of the 8MM but by the same how many animals have you killed with the 338 F?

I have shot two deer in two years , both Bang , Flop Dead with lead core bullets , so what more is needed as I could not shot the animals more dead with one shot ?Should I used the 300WM with a better bullet ? Well the 30/30 would have got the job done too, So I probably was over gunned .
Yes!! if the 8 MM was loaded as per oversea's levels ,and new rifles were on the rack things might be different , but I have not come across any . Don't live on the other side of the pond since I was four years old .
A lot of folks enjoy putting their own rifles and loads together and take pride . it's a hobby.
I do reload too, so if your friend  would come with the 9.3 X57 , you with the 8MM JS,some else with the 7.62x54 I would think nothing of putting the crappy ol' 338 F in the same rack at the deer camp .Do your part - If it is brown it's down.

[kombi1976]

Ok, first things first.
Drilling Man, I have the utmost respect for you and your experience but your cartridge, if I'm not mistaken, is the 8x57JRS, rimmed version made for drillings and doubles. That means the pressure is limited and by Norma's online data it will push a 196gr Oryx at 2421fps with a max load. That puts it 141fps behind the 8x57JS's max load performance for this bullet......2562fps. In the real world it probably isn't a huge difference but it makes a difference all the same. And what is right for your drilling in the 8x57JRS round may not be ideal for 8x57JS rifles. I'm not going to comment on brown bear hunting because I've never done it. Interestingly Norma's top load for a 200gr 30-06 pushes it out at 2618, only 88fps faster than the max 200gr Nosler PT 8x57JS load.

Harry, the cornflakes crack makes no sense. You were the one that said that 8x57 is virtually dead in the USA, something a lot of milsurp lovers would probably beg to differ. And where exactly do I bash the 338 Fed? Ok, so I said I don't believe that short action logic is applicable to hunting rifles but I never impugned the 338 Fed's ability as an effective killer. You also made some inexplicable comment about if US ammo was made to European standards and you could buy a new rifle in it then the 8mm would be different prospect. They make new rifles in 8x57JS and you reload.......nothing's holding you back on those grounds. No one I know owns a 9.3x57 or a 7.62x54R. I own and use a 9.3x62 but that's in a different league. If you want to call your 338 Fed crappy then go ahead. But don't hang stuff on me that I didn't write.

[ratherbefishin]

isn't the 338 federal to the 8x57 what the .260 Remington is to the 6.5X55 Swede?Apart from the length of action,I'm not sure there is much diference-or advantage.Apart from wanting a ''new'' rifle-I'm not even sure what you gain .Of course,I admit to being  an admirer of the Swedes craftsmanship in any of the variations of the small ring mauser in 6.5x55, 8x57,9.3x57 and 9.3x62-and one thing often overlooked is the swedes used the very finest steel in their rifles and just because a rifle is''new'' doesn't mean its ''better''.Some of these are reloading propositions-but so what?

[Drilling Man]

Ok, first things first.
Drilling Man, I have the utmost respect for you and your experience but your cartridge, if I'm not mistaken, is the 8x57JRS, rimmed version made for drillings and doubles. That means the pressure is limited and by Norma's online data it will push a 196gr Oryx at 2421fps with a max load. That puts it 141fps behind the 8x57JS's max load performance for this bullet......2562fps. In the real world it probably isn't a huge difference but it makes a difference all the same. And what is right for your drilling in the 8x57JRS round may not be ideal for 8x57JS rifles. I'm not going to comment on brown bear hunting because I've never done it. Interestingly Norma's top load for a 200gr 30-06 pushes it out at 2618, only 88fps faster than the max 200gr Nosler PT 8x57JS load.

  Yes it's an JRS, but i as i've mentioned many times before, i handload the 200NP's to 2,550, and that's a chronographed load, not a guess.  I've been shooting this same load since the early 80's, and it's very accurate.

  I couldnt care less what Norma loads, i don't care for their brass, and most of their bullet line are poor performers in my book.

  When i comment on 8x57 vs the 06, all i'm saying is, the 06 200NP out performs the 8mm 200NP, and the 8mm NP is the finest ALL AROUND 8mm bullet i've found.

  I say "all around" because when i hunt, i don't have time to carry one bullet/load for this, and another for that, trying to switch when i see the animal.  I want something that works on EVERYTHING i hunt with my JRS, EVERY TIME and the 200NP does this very good.  AND they are still working for me, just fine,

 


  DM

[Harry Snippe]

Most of the 8MM rifles I have seen where reworked Mausers , although there are still many as issued rifles with good bores out there , So agreed there is a strong following .
I have had reports  that an animal shot with the 8X57 tend to run for a bit before falling , but personly I have had no experiance . So it is just a statment. I hunted one year with a lad who carried a Model 96 in 8 Mil , but he plain just missed the deer .At least we saw no blood .
I see now there is more of a selection of 323 or 8MM bullets than there was before, which is good .(Had that been so when I was a kid we might have used a 8MM Mauser instead of the 303 B which could have been bought at sears for arround 15 bucks).Only because the enfields were so cheap and folks could by hunting ammo for these rifles , was the reason these rifles were carried for moose bear and deer in the fifties , sixies and some to this day here in Canada. The round did it's job.
Now had we the pleasure of the loadings they had oversea's for the 8MM , and we knew the differance between the 318 Vs the 323 bore , history might have been different ,and some gun maker would have picked up on this cartridge.


 How ever other than Remingtons classic one year run , I see no american production rifles here , And would think to import one would be $$$.

Here in Central Ontario there is a cult loading the 358 W , so there is hardly ever a used 358 W on the used racks , more than the day . Being a country of mixed farms and bush lots the round is very affective on bear .Winchester is the only one loading cartridges with one bullet , so it has become a reloaders cartridge .
Think the sister to this round -the 338 Federal, started out as a reloaders caliper since Federal was the only one loading this round and ammo was not cheap. Now that has changed .

Do we really need all the new calpiers the gun makers are presenting is with?
Well I probably would never wear out the odd six, and then never bought another gun.

[ratherbefishin]

frankly-unless you are shooting very long distances,I consider EITHER the 338 federal OR the 8x57 WAY OVERKILL for deer.Black bear,yes,but deer?I've dropped over 30 with my 6.5x55 swede-INCLUDING a couple of black bears,all one shot kills and nothing went farther than 20 yards max.Even at distance-the little swede can reach out farther than most guys can shoot.As far as deer ''running''after being shot-I suggest most,if not all  of that would be attributed to bullet placement-not using an 8x57....

[Drilling Man]

  I've shot more than 20 deer with a 8x57, and if i didn't hit the CNS, they all ran from 30 feet to 125 yards.

  DM

[nomosendero]

Awwwww, if dead Deer could talk!!! If Deer could talk, those 2 fat Does that DM harvested could have raised
their heads & said OVERKILL in their dying breath. Last week, I shot a Buck with my 300WM. I use it out West, for Deer on rare occassions but decided to carry it instead of my 270 or 25-06AI. The deer didn't say squat, just went down on the spot. Works for me.

Today, I took my XLR45/70 into some thick stuff with my climber. I shot a Coyote,(hate it, but we have a Coyote problem) overkill, yea & who gives a crap. I don't, he didn't either, on second thought I did see something out it's backside, hmmm.  

Overkill is an old gunwriter term thats a joke in my view. If you handle the gun well & want to use it, who cares. It's not like DM said you need a 8mm to kill a Deer (I don't think anyone even hinted that), I figure it's the weapon he wanted to use.

[Cheesehead]

The 8mm mauser is alive and well in WI. My young nephew shot a deer last week with an original 98K his grandfather brought back from Germany. Corelock 185 grain over a max charge RL-15. One round through the front shoulders, DOA. I butchered the deer and have great respect for the round and the rifle.

Cheese

[kombi1976]

  I've shot more than 20 deer with a 8x57, and if i didn't hit the CNS, they all ran from 30 feet to 125 yards.

  DM

My same experience with goats.
But then they reacted the same way when hit with the 9.3x62 and that really IS overkill!!

[Harry Snippe]

frankly-unless you are shooting very long distances,I consider EITHER the 338 federal OR the 8x57 WAY OVERKILL for deer.Black bear,yes,but deer?I've dropped over 30 with my 6.5x55 swede-INCLUDING a couple of black bears,all one shot kills and nothing went farther than 20 yards max.Even at distance-the little swede can reach out farther than most guys can shoot.As far as deer ''running''after being shot-I suggest most,if not all  of that would be attributed to bullet placement-not using an 8x57....

I agree the 6.5x55 is one sweet cartridge . Low on recoil and sure bucks the wind well.(I wonder why Tikka is no longer imported in this round ?)
As far as running deer after being shot - I shot the top of the heart out and out the far shoulder with the 308 W . The doe still managed to run about seventy yards before she fell.

[mcwoodduck]

frankly-unless you are shooting very long distances,I consider EITHER the 338 federal OR the 8x57 WAY OVERKILL for deer.Black bear,yes,but deer?I've dropped over 30 with my 6.5x55 swede-INCLUDING a couple of black bears,all one shot kills and nothing went farther than 20 yards max.Even at distance-the little swede can reach out farther than most guys can shoot.As far as deer ''running''after being shot-I suggest most,if not all  of that would be attributed to bullet placement-not using an 8x57....

6.5X55, 7X57, 8X57, 30-06, 303, 8X50R (take your pick of Siamese, French or Austria all are the same length slightly different cases and bullets), 7.65X53, 30-40K, 7.62X54R, 6.5X50R 7.7 Jap,  are all answers to the same question.  What should our late 18th, early 19th century army use as a military cartridge.
If you look at all of them thyr range from .264 to .323 with just a few steps of .284, 308, 311, 318, and 323.
All throw similar weight bullets from 140 to 175 grain about the same speeds of 2500 to 3,000 FPS.  All generating about the same foot pounds of energy give or take a few hundred.
All were pressed into hunting rounds as empires expanded or surplus rifles were made available post wars.
Saying one is greater than the other or over kill for deer is folly.  All generate about the same foot pounds give or take.
With some actions being stronger than others it has allowed experiments with some of the loads and cases.
The Mauser 98, Arasaka, and Springfield actions being the strongest and able to handle sportsmen making the actions and cases do more than it was designed for.  The 94, 93, 95 and 96 mausers being the next weakest and the open top actions like the Enfield, Manlicher, Mosin, Kraig being the weakest.
Arguing the 338 over the 8X57 mauser in a sporting load is like arguing 280 Remington Vs 30-06.  Same basic case similar bullet designs and weights moving at similar speeds.
Don't get me wrong I like 6.5X55.  I also like 308 Win and can not tell the difference between them down range.  Bang, flop- sometime a stumble and a return to their feet for a short run to go find a better spot to take the nap.
There may be some bullet and cartridge combinations that are marginal for deer but there is nothing over kill.  Meat damage is another topic but again similar bullets weights and diameters at similar speeds are going to cause the same kind of holes.

[kombi1976]

Awwww!
You're taking all the fun out of it, mcwoodduck.

[mcwoodduck]

Awwww!
You're taking all the fun out of it, mcwoodduck.

Sorry.
Never mind.  The 338 would get my vote if I had to pick one over the other.
Only because all actions chambered for it are strong enough, if it gets hot rodded a little and pressed into a Bear, Elk, or Moose rifle.
And all barrels are .338 not something just off like .333.
With the 8X57 I do not have to worry about it being a 318 bore and over pressuring the gun even if it is a 98 action.  This is why Remington loads their 8X57 to a glorified 30-30 or more 32 Win Special speeds.  Well that and the Mauser 88 that was an open top manilcher action.