I have hunted elk and deer with the 338 WM for quite awhile here in Idaho with excelent results. Access the newest seasons of MeatEater, save content, and join in discussions with the Crew and others in the MeatEater community. I havent had a chance to work up any loads for it yet but you can bet I will try the ballistic tip. But not everyone wants or needs magnum performance. At 400 yards the load is carrying 2,027 ft.-lbs. Like the .338-06, its a reloaders dream: beaucoup bullet options, and .308 Win. Theyre more fun to carry and shoot. You are using an out of date browser. Once hunters in the U.S. get to .308, theyre pretty much done. Current factory offerings include a 250-grain Nosler Partition at 3,060 fps and a 225-grain Barnes TTSX at 3,180 fps. Among the black bears, pronghorns, mountain goats and mule deer were eight typical and eight non-typical whitetails taken in nine different states. The number of people who purchased all those boxes could be counted on one hand. Zero to keep all shots inside of an 8-inch target and trajectory will peak 4 inches high at 150 yards. The .338 Federal's 200-grain TBT drops 9.2 inches at 300 yards when zeroed at 200 yards whereas Hornady's 200-grain SST load in the .338 RCM drops just 6.9 inches at that same range with the same zero. There are tons of great calibers for youth hunters, but a brief MeatEater survey landed on three. And then there's the cost factor. is the Hornady 212-grain ELDX, but its not offered in a factory loading that Ive been able to find. Changing neck size is standard procedure for iconoclasts who refuse to settle for what the big manufacturers offer. In the real world, the .338 Federal shines when pursuing larger animals at moderate distances, according to the New Zealand ballistics company Terminal Ballistics Research. .35 WhelenThis round has a definite following in Alaska, and is one of friend and colleague Bryce Towsleys favorites. True, I've only taken one moose with the cartridge, but that was because there were so many other options that it hasn't seen the use it should have seen. Once the round hits the reloading bench the numbers suffer pretty dramatically. But there are more .338 Win. Give a Gift I think the 338 federal is a fantastic cartridge, also highly underated. with a similarly-weighted bullet. The .338 Win. Hornady currently lists four .338 RCM Superformance loads, with bullets ranging from 185 to 225 grains. The Win. There are several great cartridges offered in 7mm, and new ones like the 7 PRC are incrementally moving the ball forward, but the seven mag can still hold its own. :think: I have a chance to buy one in a Ruger Hawkeye cheap and am thinging about it but cant really find jack on how people have accepted it on larger game like Moose Bears or Elk so thought I would post this as all I can find from gunwriters reviews is the standard junk of them shooting a pig or tame deer in Texas that weigh about 125lbs . Wildcatters had been doing the same thing for yearsmost notably outdoor writer Roy Smithbut it was Federal that legitimized the round and filled the last branch on the .308 family tree. Two shots at close range, neither 160 gr Barnes TTSX were recovered as they went through the chest broadside. A couple of my most dramatic ass-over-teakettle-flipping moose have been a result of using 150-grain Hornady interlock bullets, but the bonded 150-grain Swift Scirocco is typically more accurate and has excellent weight retention. .338-06Im writing a new rifle book dedicated to this subject, so you can definitely say Im partial to a round that delivers speed near that of a .338 Win. Ive always seen great penetration at a variety of velocities and calibers with this bullet. You also will not need to spend the money on premium bullets. Tract Toric UHD 30mm 2.5-15x44 FFP MOA Scope. It is incredibly easy to make for 308 family cases so there is never an ammo problem for handloaders. Across a variety of calibers, Ive had excellent results with Hornadys SST over the years. Regardless of caliber, youll be cussing yourself if you choose to take chancy shots through the brush or touch one off on a bull thats standing in a swamp. Cartridge information gathered from www.federalpremium.com Comments for Cartridge Sizes .30-06 verses .338 The ABLR expands reliably, shoots great, and is more rigidly constructed than the ELDX. As with many of these classic cartridges, that means theyve proven themselves. All Federal had to do was enlarge the neck to accommodate .338 bullets and a star was born. Only a few weeks later, it was gone. drops 7.1 inches at 300 yards, 20.7 at 400. If you're a handloader, the RCM is better suited for heavy bullets like 250-grain Hornady InterLocks, a great choice for really big, heavy game like elk, bear, moose and bison. Mag. Recovery was uneventful. Mag. Compare that to the .338 Win. It should be perfect for pronghorns, although with a B.C. Shocked by the price of a box of new Super Magnum ammo? The new Sako Finnlight II sports an innovative stock and Cerakote metal paired with the terrific 85 action. helps improve accuracy by providing an efficient propellant chamber and a precise chamber-to-case fit. .35 Whelen This round has a definite following in Alaska, and is one of friend and colleague Bryce Towsley's favorites. interlock in my .338/06 wildcat with good results, it's leaving my muzzle at 2750 fps. A Potent, Rimmed .30 Caliber Cartridge Does Exist! Ive enjoyed carrying both iron-sights lever-actions, and trust my life to 405-grain Remington Core-Lokt, and 430-grain Buffalo Bore cartridges. is the betteralbeit more expensivealternative. Bullet energy doesnt drop below 1,000 ft/lbs until well past 500 yards. There are many excellent bullet choices for the .30/06, and most will gravitate toward the 180-grain options. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. In the 11 years since it's been introduced, the .338 Federal has earned a reputation for great accuracy and stopping power. But memorize your trajectory curve, nail the range with a laser, and you should be good to 400 yards even though the bullet is dropping almost 2 feet. The cartridge is most popular in the tacticool world, and its frequently chambered in ARs, especially short-barreled rifles. Thats why the .243 Winchester, .260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Remington, and now .277 Fury are wildly successful. to accept .338 bullets. Ackley. I once tested two rifles in .375 H&H: one was the Winchester Model 70 Safari Express, which was a true pleasure to shoot. Any more bullet weight than that, you loose velocity big time, and you'd be better served to gravitate towards a 358 winchester if you intend to shoot 250 grain bullets or larger. According to Federal ballistics data, the 338 Federal pushes a 180-grain Nosler AccuBond from the muzzle at 2,840 fps to produce 3,223 foot pounds energy. The decision ultimately comes down to how much you are willing to spend on ammo, how much recoil you can effectively handle and the type of game you will be pursuing. The .338 Win. You might also consider a 338-06. Its the truth. Shooting moose at long distances can be an ill-advised venture, but some hunt in areas that are well-suited for it. If they could be loaded to 2400 fps that would be a marvelous load. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. You'll get good performance from a 20" or 22" barrel, just like the shorter .308 rifles. Send a 200- to 250-grain A-Frame, AccuBond or Nosler Partition from this round and youve got powerful moose medicine. I use a 200 gr plain jane bullet with tac powder ( a load i got from handloader magazine) it is a superb round and perfect for any game in alaska as long as good bullet placement is practiced. Mag. Nikko Stirling Laser Range Finder 603 Review, Nikon Monarch 7i VR Laser Rangefinder Review, Survival Flashlights :: No Battery Flashlights, Surefire R1 Lawman Rechargeable Variable Output LED Flashlight, AO Sight Systems :: Open Sights :: Gun Sights :: Ghost Ring Aperture, Aimpoint Red Dot Scope Review :: Evaluating Red Dot Sights, Remove, Install and Adjust Your Sights with the MGW Sight-Pro Universal Sight Tool, Double Diamonds: Australian Commandos in the Pacific War 1941-45, One Hundred Victories: Special Ops and the Future of American Warfare. Assembling a list of the best cartridges for moose a subjective task, and bigger doesnt mean best in every context. Ive always preferred 150-grain loads in my .30/06, and the moose cant seem to tell the difference. This is about 100 fps faster than the parent .308 Win. .45-70The .45-70 is my moose and bear defense round when Im at gold camp, or out picking berries. Mag. Scott Rupp gets a chance to talk to Aaron Oelger about a few new products from Hodgdon and why reloading store shelves are empty. will knock the hell out of them. Mag., has made this round a no-brainer choice for me. offers a decided advantage. I would think that a 180-grain Partition should stretch the distance some, and work on moose well. Not surprising when you stop to consider this proprietary powerhouse has a case length of 2.905 inches and a 125-grain (water) capacity when compared with the .338 Win. Mag. Each of the following cartridges has one of my favorite corresponding ammunition choices listed, but there are other good choices for each cartridge, and many of these loads are available in multiple cartridges. | Mag.'s 2.5-inch case and 86-grain capacity. of energy and shoots flat enough to be considered a genuine long-range hunting cartridge for tough game like elk and moose. For youth hunters, user-friendly recoil, minimal shot report, and We know you already have a list in mind. Federal Premium offered its first namesake cartridge to the world in 2006. I loved my .280 Rem., though I didnt have much confidence with it beyond 350 yards. By 400 yards the drop is about 22 inches, so this isnt the best long-range, open country projectile. It will still get the job done plenty well on a moose. There's a clear . Surprisingly, it drops only 1.5 inches more than the big 338 Win. So it goes with moose, where the sheer size of these ungulates causes many potential moose hunters to immediately wipe a swath of effective and perfectly suitable cartridges from consideration. Its been around a long time and carries some station with just about everyone. While the .338 Federal generates recoil levels in the 20 to 25 ft.-lbs. JavaScript is disabled. For the .338 Federal, you'll max out with 225-grain bullets and a muzzle velocity of about 2,400 fps. Two years later it was Ruger's turn. ). Its muzzle energy exceeds the .30-06, equals that of the 7mm Rem. It was the most consistently accurate factory hunting ammo I tested, and the mechanically fastened core and jacket seem to hold together well. Believe it or not, a 180-grain bullet from the smaller 338 Federal cartridge will drop a half-inch less than a 180-grain from the 30-06 at 400 yards. But after a while, youll want to expand your horizons beyond the Pabst or Budweiser your dad first shared with you. It too met a quick fate and, like my doe, it had minimal meat damage. But no Federal. Mag. If you have concerns, use a bullet like the 270-grain ELDX. Several manufacturers make bolt-action rifles chambered in .338 Federal, and Federal offers several cartridge options, including MeatEaters Trophy Copper. Burris Fullfield II 3-9X scope. Ammo Choice: Winchester Expedition Long Range 190-grain ABLR. of energy while the Federal drops to 1,581, and that can make a difference on large, tough game. on the shelf in a couple of years. The .338 Federal, however, boasts an additional 100 ft.-lbs. My reloads produce 2600 fps with 200 grain Hornady SP and 2450+ with 225 Hornady SP from a 22 inch barrel. For 80 years this Minnesota company has been loading everyone elses cartridges, but never its own. Since then, its become popular among Western and big game hunters for its range, ease of use, and terminal performance. .280 Ackley Improved I don't think it fares as well with heavier bullets, but that's up to you. grry10. The .338? 47005 Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan: CPC safe hold: 47006 Prince Albert: CPC safe hold: 47007 Regina-Lewvan . In same-weight rifles of about 7 pounds, a 338 Win. The CZ 600 Trail proved to be a handy rifle that can down game in hard-to-find places, all without alerting everything with fur that you have moved into the woods. I typically wouldnt recommend match bullets for shooting moose, but this is one exception. But you should have. The .300 WM has firmly established itself as a fine cartridge for moose (and anything else on the North American continent). Unless you're shooting at least a .338-inch bullet or a low-velocity round (under 2,700 fps MV), shy away from traditional cup-and-core projectiles with soft lead cores. Mag. Were not talking anything too crazy. .338 Winchester MagnumI dont know about you, but for some reason, next to a .50 BMG, I seem to get my noggin rattled by just about every rifle Ive shot this in, except for the Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS Ive learned to love because of a well-designed Bell & Carlson stock that makes it a pleasure to shoot. Wish you didnt have to carry a 10-pound rifle with a barrel longer than your leg? Mag. rifles are typically about a pound heavier than .338 Federal rifles, and recoil from the magnum is, on average, 50 percent greater. The .338 Federal from Wilson Combat is ideal for any medium-large game hunting in North America including trophy wild hogs, elk, moose and bear. At 400 yards the load is carrying 2,027 ft.-lbs. Federal, in conjunction with Sako, legitimized it in 2006. The 338 Federal should be a great short to medium range big game round for deer, bear, elk and moose. The .338 Federal is a reprieve from such nonsense. Initially, the .338 Federal will be offered in three loadings: the 180-grain Nosler AccuBond bullet (rated at 2840 fps with 3223 ft-lbs of muzzle energy), the 185-grain Barnes Triple-Shock bullet (rated at 2760 fps and 3129 ft-lbs), and the 210-grain Nosler Partition (rated at 2630 fps and 3225 ft-lbs). Here is a potent cartridge that fits the popular, light, handy short-action rifles. Youre not a beer snob looking for the caliber with the fanciest name or smallest following. That would be boring, and the truth is that many potential moose hunters out there might already have what would be best for them. 's cavernous 76.8-grain capacity. Im not convinced a small increase in bullet diametersay from a .277-inch or .280-inch to a .308-inchmakes a major difference in killing performance, but stepping up to .338-inch should make an impression. Handloader. I dont always abide by the what worked for grandpa theory, but in this case, I do. I think the only thing I have loaded for it yet is a 200 gr SST with a BC of .455 it should be a great long range bullet. For factory moose ammo, I find Winchesters 190-grain ABLR load to be tough to beat. in a rifle of similar weight. But the .338 Win. generates close to 4,000 ft.-lbs. also packs a lot more punch. The .338 Federal's 200-grain TBT drops 9.2 inches at 300 yards when zeroed at 200 yards whereas Hornady's 200-grain SST load in the .338 RCM drops just 6.9 inches at that same range with the same zero. This is especially true for the bowhunter who needs toms to be hypnotized if they want half a chance at drawing their bows. Before we dive more deeply into why this cartridge gets no respect, lets outline what it does. Try the new 338 Federal. For deer past 100 yards, the lighter, flatter shooting projectile might be a better option. At 300 yards the Federal will drop just 1.5 inches more than the Winchester Magnum. Subscribe to OL+ for our best feature stories and photography. case can push its more aerodynamically efficient 180-grain bullet. | Looking to enhance your effectiveness in the turkey woods this season? Subscriber Services. With bullet choices generally running between 125 and 200 grains, the .308 remains one of our most popular cartridges. The 338 Federal equals my 308 loads with a 200 grain bullet. On another hunt, my brother-in-law took a nice buck with a little break-action rifle from about 85 yards using a 125g projectile. Jul 26, 2021 #4 B Blkram Handloader But why? Later, I borrowed a delightfully short, light, balanced Kilimanjaro bolt-action in .338 to drop a big Missouri feral hog and a small deer. When the Alaska gold rush picked up in earnest with the Klondike in 1899, those who had the money and wisdom brought their Winchester 1886s and Marlin 1895s: they shot a much better round for putting moose on the table than the .30-30 and .38-55, and such, of the time. of energy while the Federal drops to 1,581, and that can make a difference on large, tough game. Federal's sister company, Savage, offers 14 bolt rifles chambered in this round as well as an AR-10, and there are still some Sakos and Kimbers available on used gun racks. 47005 Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan: CPC safe hold: 47006 Prince Albert: CPC safe hold: 47007 Regina-Lewvan: . It operates at higher pressure than the 358 winchester and is therefore better at 2oo + yards. 373. This strikes me as a good option for whitetails, mule deer, sheep, and pronghorns. However, its another of those quiet cartridges, and a favorite of many Alaska natives, that has put moose down for decades. The truth is, most hunters will capitalize on every advantage they can buy. Gird your loins, is the warning given any writer attempting to list the best cartridges for any type of hunting. It looks like a .30-caliber projectile stuffed into a .223 Rem. But you should have. Mag. You must log in or register to reply here. The 06 is old and boring, but I cant find any way to justify it not being included in this list. Federal offers seven .338 Federal loads ranging from 185 grains to 210 grains. The case is narrow, so more cartridges fit into a magazine/clip than do fat, short magnums. The .338 Federal is the best deer and elk cartridge you've probably never fired or maybe never heard of. Double Tap ammo reportedly loads this all copper hollow point to the .338 Federals top speed of 2,900 fps. Mag. This cartridge is based on a necked-up .308 Win., and factory loads are available from 180 to 210 grains.

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