338 Federal

[yukonal]

Took me a while to look through my notes and I found 42.5 gr H-322 with 185 TTSX was a great load.
Standard 2.820" COAL 24" bbl. My notes show 2,714 fps in the summer and 2,688 in the winter and no point of impact change at 100 meters regardless of outside temp.
I necked up 308win Winchester brass, and didn't even turn the necks. It just worked.

I just went and looked at my records, and I'm at 42.4gr. 2553FPS. And the last group I shot at 100...when I settled on that load and went to 200...was 3 shots for .246"

200 yard zero, 3.25 min low at 300.

 

[Edd]

A tapered throat in most cases is just a zero freebore with a larger diameter. I dont see the starting diameter as a problem. The angle is usually a little different too. Without testing, you cant say. The original 284 win angle works really well but so often we dont test things. In this case I would not have an opinion. Myself, I would most likely pick a bullet and make dummy. Send it to JGS and have it measured with a 1.5 degree lead angle and a .339 diameter. Since this is not a competition cartridge, thats where it would end for me.

It's interesting that you mentioned the 284 Winchester. The reamer template I have sketched to send to JGS has a throat design I copied from a 270 Winchester. A 270 and a 284 have the same style throat.

 

[Darkside]

Howdy, I made a 338 Fed. Out of my Savage model 110 308 Switchback a couple years ago.
It's 18" semi bull barrel made by JES Rifles.
I've have tried 160 TTSX, 180 Woodleigh,
180 and 200 Nos Accubond, 200 Horn SST
And 186 shock Hammer. All of them inside moa to 250yds. The Woodleigh and Hammer bullets inside 1" at 200yds.
Took a whitetail doe last season with 180 Wood. just shy of 100yds, and it knock her off her legs, landed on her side. Maybe 1" entrance with 2" exit. Brass is easy to make from 308. I would love to go on a Hog Hunt with this gun.

 

[Edd]

Howdy, I made a 338 Fed. Out of my Savage model 110 308 Switchback a couple years ago.
It's 18" semi bull barrel made by JES Rifles.
I've have tried 160 TTSX, 180 Woodleigh,
180 and 200 Nos Accubond, 200 Horn SST
And 186 shock Hammer. All of them inside moa to 250yds. The Woodleigh and Hammer bullets inside 1" at 200yds.
Took a whitetail doe last season with 180 Wood. just shy of 100yds, and it knock her off her legs, landed on her side. Maybe 1" entrance with 2" exit. Brass is easy to make from 308. I would love to go on a Hog Hunt with this gun.

Do you have a standard SAAMI chamber or a custom chamber?

 

[Darkside]

Do you have a standard SAAMI chamber or a custom chamber?

It's a standard. To each his own, this is max 3 to 350yd cartridge, I will never shoot it past 200. So I'm not going to waste money on a custom reamer.

 

[Edd]

It's a standard. To each his own, this is max 3 to 350yd cartridge, I will never shoot it past 200. So I'm not going to waste money on a custom reamer.

I was intending to buy my own reamer. JGS charges me the custom reamer price for a 338 Federal even if I buy a SAMMI one.

 

[Darkside]

I was intending to buy my own reamer. JGS charges me the custom reamer price for a 338 Federal even if I buy a SAMMI one.

Manson's has them in stock. Starting at 140.00

 

[yukonal]

I think they are zero freebore, or at least they were. You have to then throat it separately with a throaing reamer, to your desired length. When I was looking, the only 338 Fed reamers available were all zero freebore.

 

[Edd]

I think they are zero freebore, or at least they were. You have to then throat it separately with a throaing reamer, to your desired length. When I was looking, the only 338 Fed reamers available were all zero freebore.

You don't have to throat them with a separate reamer. The contact point for a .338" diameter is at 2.1382" and the contact point for a .330" diameter is at 2.2529".

 

[NZ_Fclass]

A good friend bought a Ruger Hawkeye when they first appeared on the market. 180g with a healthy dose of 4895 produced one ragged hole at 100m . He still hunts with it occasionally - always an accurate rifle and deadly on all NZ game (we don't have bears).

 

[Alex Wheeler]

It's interesting that you mentioned the 284 Winchester. The reamer template I have sketched to send to JGS has a throat design I copied from a 270 Winchester. A 270 and a 284 have the same style throat.

I just looked at the saami print. The 338 Federal saami throat is just a zero freebore with a 2 degree lead. But is starts at .345" so it will act a little longer. Sending out some dummies to be measured. I may end up staying with the 2 degree if needed to get the bullet closer to the rifling.

 

[SQ54]

My .338 Federal. I shoot the 200 gr. Speer with AR-Comp.

 

[gat]

15 years ago I built one from a stainless Winchester model 70 classic with Control round feed. Douglas stainless xx air gauged about a 5 contour, then fluted, crowned at 21". Doc @ MPI stocks sent me a winchester style feather weight stock with the little rollover at the end but 2.5 inches shorter in forearm than factory. Have never had to load for it. Bought about 20 boxes of same lot number Federal 200 grain soft points, you know the "cheap un's in the blue box" . Mind was blown! Rifle shoots spot on at 100 yards and I mean 5 shots into the high.3's. One the most accurate above 30 caliber rifles my shop ever built. About an inch at 300 but alot has to do with aging eyes!! Murder on whitetails, gonna carry on moose if I can get drawn again!

 

[Archer79]

Great caliber deadly on game and super forgiving to load...starline makes brass...like mine enough I have 2

 

[yukonal]

Getting ready to go on an upcoming elk hunt, and taking the 338 Fed. I have not had a chance to shoot it at 400 yet, so today I got out to the range and ran some rounds thru it. Conditions were 10 degrees, with a 5-10 mph wind out of the NW. Invigorating...lol

Shot moa at 400 off of a bipod, no rear rest. I'd say that is minute of elk. Also ran some rounds thru it trying out my new BOG Death Grip at 200. Very steady, and shot great. Quick pic of "The Big Thumper"...lol

 

[H2OBUG]

I have Savage builds in both 338 Federal and 338-06. The 338 Federal is on an old stagger medium action. Mine has a Shaw 20” varmint taper barrel. It’s in a Boyd’s Thumbhole Variant stock. This gun shoots 160 TTSX bullets over H4198 in one hole. The only deer I have shot with it to date went about 6 ft and it looked like a murder scene. I also have a Speer 225 SP load for it but it is not near as accurate. Absolutely love mine.
My 338-06 is a long action with a Shaw 24” mag taper barrel. This gun shoots 180 ABs over H4895 very well also. I am considering trying the Barnes bullets in this rifle. Not very happy with the 180 AB performance on deer.

 

[gat]

This is the little Winchester I told you about earlier in this thread. Love this rifle not so much love for the scope. Holds zero like nobody's business. Just not a low end Nikon fan. The little beaver tail on the forend is as sexy as socks on a rooster!

 

[thatguyshm]

338 Federal is one of my favorite rounds. The Ruger shoots either 180gr NABs with 335, or 200gr Fusions with 2000MR. I've tried all sorts of combinations over the years. Nothing really walks away from a 200gr HotCor either. I'm always looking to add another to the collection

 

[Darkside]

STARLINE BRASS has released 338 Fed.
Brass. It's been available at different locations.

 

[Fire Dog]

And that is exactly what I did. JGS was wonderful to work with. We tweeked their prints twice, and came up with exactly what I wanted.

Still having problems sending anyone a PM on this site as they have initiated some sort of program that won't let one be sent if you are using a VPN....
I can respond to a PM but not send/initiate one... {:~/

Hello,
Would you mind sharing the reamer print number?
I am thinking about a build on a Tika T3 or a Rem action and about to order up a reamer for the project.
I have bought reamers from JGS in the past and have been pleased with their service and product.
Regards,
FD