338 Federal

[dannyfro]

I was wondering if any of you out there had any experience with this round it seems very efficient and effective. Thanks for your input.

Dan

[Thebear_78]

My buddy built an ultra light sportier in this round.  Rifle weighed in just under 5 pounds scoped and loaded.   With barnes 185gr TTSX it shot well and cleanly took a bull moose at just over 60 yards.  Bang/flop.   I think for a light weight rifle its pretty hard to beat the 338 Federal as a do all cartridge.  bullet weight from 160-225gr work pretty well.  Anything over 225 and your eating up way too much capacity.  Its also pretty efficient out of a short barrel.  We were getting 2700fps out of the 185s in a 20" barrel.

[dannyfro]

That is truly impressive being based of the 308 case it sure showing its efficiency. Hows the recoil out of something that light?

Dan

[Thebear_78]

Recoil wasn't bad at all.   A good soft pad and nice straight stock help.  It jumps a bit but so will any sub 5 pound rifle.

[dannyfro]

Thats a beautiful looking rifle and The lightest I've ever seen. That is impressive. Thanks for the photos I love seeing new guns. What would a rifle like that cost a guy?

Dan

[Harry Snippe]

 
I have a 338 F chamered Tikka . I find the rifle very enjoyable and have shot a few deer with it with very good results .  Reloading is easy with 308 reformed brass , just make sure you lub the inside of the neck. Shot once in my rifle I then just neck size the case leaving just a bit of a shoulder on the neck to form the case to my rifle's chamber .
 
I reload the cartridge with 200/215 Gr bullets and found reciol a bit heavy with the factory recoil pad , so this was resolved by adding a limbsaver pad . Recoil is more in line to the 308 now allowing an afternoon at the range with no regrets .
 
Hope you like your rifle as I do mine .

[anweis]

I have a Sako 85, deluxe walnut and stainless, Zeiss Conquest scope. Last week i shot a 9 shot group at 200 yards that measured 1" with Hornady Bullets and reformed Lapua brass. I did wait 1 minute between shots.
Any 200-215 grain bullet shoots very well.
The stock is straight and the recoil pad is good. I do not think that it's too much recoil, in fact, on the last 4 kill shots, i clearly remember seeing the hit through the scope and calling my shots.
I am very happy with the caliber and rifle and it is easy to reload for.
In October i shot a 200 lbs feral hog frontally, in the chest, the bullet expanded and exited though the ham, dropping the hog on the spot. That was a good thing, because it was at 7 yards away and going toward me.
It is a good cartridge and i found that with mild reloads (starting charge) it is more pleasant to shoot than a 30-06 and it kills really well. I like 200 grain bullets at 2500 fps better than 165 grains at 3000 fps/ At lower speed bullets penetrate better and don't blow up and/or ruin meat. 
My only regret is that there is no 200 grain flat nose or round nose bullet out there for it, because i hunt a in heavy brush and dense forest. I did shoot a doe last year, the bullet went through a 5" oak before hitting her. I did not find the bullet, whatever hit the deer stayed on course and exited.

[anweis]

I have a Sako 85, deluxe walnut and stainless, Zeiss Conquest scope. Last week i shot a 9 shot group at 200 yards that measured 1" with Hornady Bullets and reformed Lapua brass. I did wait 1 minute between shots.
Any 200-215 grain bullet shoots very well.
The stock is straight and the recoil pad is good. I do not think that it's too much recoil, in fact, on the last 4 kill shots, i clearly remember seeing the hit through the scope and calling my shots.
I am very happy with the caliber and rifle and it is easy to reload for.
In October i shot a 200 lbs feral hog frontally, in the chest, the bullet expanded and exited though the ham, dropping the hog on the spot. That was a good thing, because it was at 7 yards away and going toward me.
It is a good cartridge and i found that with mild reloads (starting charge) it is more pleasant to shoot than a 30-06 and it kills really well. I like 200 grain bullets at 2500 fps better than 165 grains at 3000 fps/ At lower speed bullets penetrate better and don't blow up and/or ruin meat. 
My only regret is that there is no 200 grain flat nose or round nose bullet out there for it, because i hunt a in heavy brush and dense forest. I did shoot a doe last year, with a 200 grain Hornady spitzer Interlock, the bullet went through a 5" oak before hitting her. I did not find the bullet, whatever hit the deer stayed on course and exited.

[dannyfro]

That would seem acceptable in anyone's book. I've got a Sako 75 stainless synthetic in 300wsm and its by far the best shooting rifle I own.

Dan

[Thebear_78]

A rifle like that would probably go around 3 grand or so depending on options.

[dannyfro]

I run a Leupold VX-3 4.5-14X50mm On my Sako I love it its killed a few deer with devastating results....actually killed two in one day on the second day of season. My buddy was using his old ladys 30-06 and it just so happened to miss a deer and on paper come to find out later on it was almost a foot high and to the right. So I let him take a crack at the next deer we crossed which happened to be a good Forkhorn at around 100 yards he pulled up shot and at the crack of the gun it was down instantly he neck shot it and it did the trick. We got it gutted and took it home to skin it and get it hung we get finished and he looks at me and says what do you say we go fill your tag? I laugh its rare to get two deer in a day but sure enough we go out for the evening and I run across a little forkhorn at about 20yds and drop it on the spot. That was a good day of hunting if you ask me! If I can talk myself into it I will get a Tikka T3 in the 338 Federal.

Dan

[Harry Snippe]

I run a Leupold VX-3 4.5-14X50mm On my Sako I love it its killed a few deer with devastating results....actually killed two in one day on the second day of season. My buddy was using his old ladys 30-06 and it just so happened to miss a deer and on paper come to find out later on it was almost a foot high and to the right. So I let him take a crack at the next deer we crossed which happened to be a good Forkhorn at around 100 yards he pulled up shot and at the crack of the gun it was down instantly he neck shot it and it did the trick. We got it gutted and took it home to skin it and get it hung we get finished and he looks at me and says what do you say we go fill your tag? I laugh its rare to get two deer in a day but sure enough we go out for the evening and I run across a little forkhorn at about 20yds and drop it on the spot. That was a good day of hunting if you ask me! If I can talk myself into it I will get a Tikka T3 in the 338 Federal.

Dan

IF YOU NEED FURTHER PROOF ??  First deer I shot with the federal went maybe fifteen yards and was down . The second one two days later did about the same .The calipier  leaves a nice hole  going through and the animal bleeds out fast .
Not bad for the tikka 338 F.I own two tikka's now and wouldn't trade .
 

[dannyfro]

You can't go wrong with a Tikka there one of the best rifles you can for the money in my honest opinion. Several of my buddys have them and they are all tack drivers.

Dan