ryantowry_81 Posted November 6, 2010 Report Share Posted November 6, 2010 anyone played around with the 338 federal? from the balistic numbers looks like alot of round out of a ar platform, anyone actually shot one? i was thinking it would be nice for larger game up here in alaska, been thinking abut the 458 socom but i would perfer a little better down range the federal would give. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacBlade Posted November 6, 2010 Report Share Posted November 6, 2010 I was trying to find some info on this round? Have you found any? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madhouse Posted November 7, 2010 Report Share Posted November 7, 2010 Never handled one myself, but would love one of those Barrett 98Bs! <thumbsup> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWshooter Posted November 7, 2010 Report Share Posted November 7, 2010 Go to Federal's website, they have full ballistic data for all their bullet weights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryantowry_81 Posted November 7, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2010 Yeah there is lots of good ballistics data out there but from the reviews I have read the recoil is pretty severe. I do like the idea of the 338 I am just wondering if they have loaded the cases too hot if it will still be accurate if that makes sense. I mean they are pushing a 200 grain faster than the usual 147 grain 308 comes out so they must be loading something hot with the same case size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWshooter Posted November 9, 2010 Report Share Posted November 9, 2010 Not necessarily, the increased area of the bullet base with the larger caliber increases the pressure applied without increasing the pressure of the round. The larger bore volume also lowers pressure faster than the smaller caliber. The same weight bullet can always be accelerated faster in a larger bore, at the same pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryantowry_81 Posted November 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2010 You know now that you put it that way that makes sense, but more energy at the muzzle still means more recoil. I just wonder if it is still fun to shoot, I mean anything is shootable once but repeatedly is another story haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickwv Posted November 12, 2010 Report Share Posted November 12, 2010 The "Big Brown truck" just left my new .308 receiver to go with the 18'" .338 Federal barrel. I will be bowhunting tomorrow so I will probably put it together Sunday and hopefully shoot it next week. I will let you know how it does. I have a regular .338 magnum and it will thump you real good if you do not hold it tight to your shoulder. I also have a .450 AR and a .458 SOCOM that will limber your shoulder, especially the SOCOM over 300grs.Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryantowry_81 Posted November 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2010 oh yeah please let us know how you like it and how the balistics hold up to what they say.I really want to build a large game upper and then a long range upper out of a 243 or similar so i can have the same gun for hunting practically anything along with my carrbine upper for home defense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TacBlade Posted November 13, 2010 Report Share Posted November 13, 2010 The "Big Brown truck" just left my new .308 receiver to go with the 18'" .338 Federal barrel. I will be bowhunting tomorrow so I will probably put it together Sunday and hopefully shoot it next week. I will let you know how it does. I have a regular .338 magnum and it will thump you real good if you do not hold it tight to your shoulder. I also have a .450 AR and a .458 SOCOM that will limber your shoulder, especially the SOCOM over 300grs.RickHolly smokes!!! Lets see pics of all of those rifles!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roberts Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 I have a .358 Winchester in a Browning BLR. By history .358 rifles are also supposed to be bad kickers, but I have not found that to be the case with this rifle. I am loading a 200 grain Hornady blue nose at near 2500 fps. as I remember.(I havn't played with it much for a while.) I have only killed one deer with it. A low neck shot at approx 75 yards that broke the neck ands caused remarkably little bruising. I think for Alaska the .358 would be worth considering as it closely approximates .35Whelen energies / performance and is a barrel change for AR308 platform.Back to the issue of recoil. I would think that the straightness of the stock on the AR platform would mitigate that somewhat. Stock shape is everything, For example the Marlin lever guns are far more punishing in .44mag than In the Ruger .44 bolt rifle.Excuse me if I wander too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWshooter Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 Recoil is subjective, it depends on what you are used to. A 338 Fed has a little more recoil than a 30-06. With a little practice anyone should be able to shoot it without a problem. Of course, if you think a 30-06 is a real shoulder destroyer, you probably ought to stick to air-soft and BB guns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buc378 Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 have not seen much about this round but, what i have i would just go with a 338 win. in a bolt gun.as far as the recoil its all in practice,practice and learning how to control it.a funny story when we hit the range and the wife pulls out her 300 weatherby (180 gr ) and starts shooting i see some fellows pack their rifles up and go home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryantowry_81 Posted January 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 have not seen much about this round but, what i have i would just go with a 338 win. in a bolt gun.as far as the recoil its all in practice,practice and learning how to control it.a funny story when we hit the range and the wife pulls out her 300 weatherby (180 gr ) and starts shooting i see some fellows pack their rifles up and go home.The 338 win is a great caliber for a bolt but I really want something that I can fit in a semi auto preferably a lr-308 platform. I had looked at the 458 socom for the little ar platform but it does not have the ballistics I want in the 2-400 yard range and I feel the 338 federal could give me a little more knockdown than the 308 but still behave decent at a longer range.Ideally I want to make a somewhat lightweight 18" barrel ar I could use on moose up to 300 yards and still have the semi auto capability incase I stumble upon some angry bears in the bush for hunting and for general survival while in the bush for other activities. Granted I still carry a 44 mag most of the time for fast reaction bear sightings but I want a gun I can keep on my back or in the truck so if I break down or get stranded I have something that could kill any preditor nearby and still feed me. I have need using my 308 ar that way now but I would like a little more knock down incase I really do have that chance encounter with a grizzly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BioHazard Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Well did you build it? I am about to pull the trigger on a 338 barrel and build me a new upper.. Any feedback? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tripledeuce Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 I built a 338/308 other wise known as the 338 federal light bolt gun for a customer in about '82. it worked great on a 300# wild boar. Recoil was supriselngy light. As soon as I get my 260 rem done, on a RRA lar8. I'm building a 338. It should work real well on the local elk. Respectfully Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bore Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 I have one I built from DPMS's 18 inch barrel. I like it. So far load work up has been minor but what I have done tells me the rifle is plenty accurate. I have not found a load, yet, that will go under a MOA but almost everything I have fed it goes 1.25 to 1.75 MOA. I did have to open up the gas port a couple thousandths to get it to lock back every time but that is all. Oh, and the factory break, what a joke. I put on a Shrewd break and it is much better. I am shooting the 185 gr. Barnes TSX BT with Varget powder and getting 2485 fps with 1.5 inch groups. However, I am sure this will tighten up with more load work. The rifle feeds perfectly from DPMS and Mag-Pul P-Mags and recoil is very mild. How do these stories about heavy recoil get started? Shown with TP instead of Shrewd break. ACE M4-SOCOM long stock, fixed into position, custom CF 15 inch forend. Tactical Machine lower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Nice job brother Big Boar,looks good. <thumbsup> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robocop1051 Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Big Bore, what trigger are you using? And who made your barrel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bore Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 I always run a RR NM2S trigger tuned by WOA and set for 3.5 pounds of pull but you can buy an already tuned trigger from Legal Transfers for $85. They are not as smoothly tuned as the WOA but they are really good none the less and the price is a real plus. The last 4 RRNM2S triggers I have purchased have been from LT. The barrel is your standard run of the mill DPMS 18 inch "fluted" stainless with black coating. It comes with something DPMS calls a break but you have got to be kidding me. It is nothing more than a tube with holes in the side screwed on the end and does hardly anything at all from what I could tell. And the fluting? Seriously? It has maybe 5 or 6 shallow little flutes for abut 4 inches forward of the gas block. They are about as worthless as tits on a boar hog in regards to cooling but they do give the barrel a bit of pizzazz. I got the barrel from Midway-USA for a dealer price of $165 IIRC but don't hold me to that. I've slept since then. Still, it's a decent barrel for the price and is as smooth as glass on the inside. Even those Barnes TSX BT bullets cannot foul the barrel. By the way, if anyone gets one of these barrels and wants to remove the break, it is not glued on or anything like that, just tightened really tight. I confirmed this from DPMS before removing because I could not budge it. You must use a barrel clamp, not an action block, to remove it and then a long cheater on a rod stuck through the sides of the break. It will come off but it is put on there to stay. I'd hate to meet the gorilla they have turning these breaks on at the factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.338fedfan Posted December 16, 2019 Report Share Posted December 16, 2019 Great thread gunners! We have a lmt308mws and got THE LAST .338 Fed bbl from LMT. It's beautiful. Have been using federal msr rounds with great success. The LMT 20 inch ss barrel is showing great promise . Will try monolithic bullets like barnes soon. Any load info would be soo nice. Happy holidays to all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robocop1051 Posted December 17, 2019 Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 This thread isn’t done justice. We need @98Z5V to post up his buck slayer! I Shot the shit outta that rifle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted December 17, 2019 Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 (edited) Mine's a fucking beast. I love that gun. I started loading it with Hornady 185gr GMX projectiles, but I moved up to Hornady 225gr SSTs. It's a damn monster. 16" barrel - and it recoils less than my 16" .308 Win AR. Go figure. They're almost twins, too, as far as operational parts go. I love it... I need to paint this damn thing... For the 225s, when I changed over from the 185s, I moved to IMR 3031 powder, and its been excellent. That's the same powder I use for my 45-70 handloads, on the 405gr projectiles. Why not double-dip... Edited December 17, 2019 by 98Z5V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted December 17, 2019 Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 Here's my dope chart on that thing - you better tread cautiously if you try to duplicate this load data. I'm stating that right now. What works for me in my gun, might blow you and your gun up. You need to try your own stuff first in your own gun, and start 2.0 grains lower that what worked for me in my 16" gun, and work your way up, carefully. 16" gun throwing 1000 ft/lbs of energy at 600 yards with 6 and half mils of drop... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtallen83 Posted December 17, 2019 Report Share Posted December 17, 2019 I don't have my .338 Fed dialed in yet but loving what I am seeing, really soft shooting. Swapped that 4x16 PA scope for a Vortex 1x8, needs and deserves a paint job as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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