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First Look: The .338 Federal Rifle Cartridge

By Chuck Hawks



Illustration courtesy of Federal Cartridge.

Federal's announcement that in the spring of 2006 they would release a new .338 caliber cartridge based on a necked-up .308 Winchester case was of great interest to me. As regular readers of Guns and Shooting Online know, for some time now I have been promoting a .338 wildcat cartridge based on the 7x57 Mauser case first proposed by Jack O'Connor. I fleshed-out Mr. O'Connor's proposal in my first article on the subject, "New Woods Cartridge: The .338x57 O'Connor." (You can read it here: http://www.chuckhawks.com/338_OConnor.htm)

O'Connor's proposal was for a medium bore brush/woods cartridge of moderate recoil that would appeal to the average deer (and possibly elk) hunter. This concept appealed mightily to me, and I have done what I can to promote it.

Someone at Federal Cartridge Company apparently had a similar idea for a new non-magnum .338 cartridge, but based on the slightly shorter .308 Winchester case. (It should be remembered that O'Connor proposed his .338 well before the invention of the .308 cartridge.) This case has the considerable advantage of having been designed to work in short action rifles. Its disadvantage is that the .308 case has a shorter neck than the 7x57 and to function in short action rifles the relatively long .338 bullets must be seated pretty deep in the case.

Regardless of the pros and cons of their cases, the overwhelming advantage of the new .338 Federal is that it is a SAAMI standardized cartridge from a major ammunition manufacturer for which factory made rifles will be available. (Initially, Sako is providing the rifles.) A factory loaded cartridge is always more desirable than a wildcat. The .338 Federal is the first rifle cartridge to bear the Federal name on its headstamp, so it is an important step for the Company.

Federal took their new .338 in a different direction than the .338x57 O'Connor, choosing to maximize performance rather than control recoil. This will make for better advertising copy, which we are already seeing: "200 feet per second more velocity than a standard .308," and "provides the energy of a 7mm Rem. Mag."

But there is potential danger in that course. The price to be paid for higher performance is, of course, increased recoil. I am convinced that heavy recoil, more than any other factor, is what has limited the popularity of all the previous standard medium bore cartridges, including the .33 Winchester, .348 Winchester, .35 Winchester, .356 Winchester, .358 Winchester, and .35 Whelen. It is my hope that the new .338 Federal can escape the same fate.

Advertising hype aside, the .338 Federal is potentially a well-balanced and effective hunting cartridge. Despite all of the discussion about long range shooting and long range rifles, the reality is that most deer are killed at less than 100 yards in North America. And a brush bucking .338 cartridge is superior for woods and brush country deer hunting to a high velocity small bore.

The .338 Federal was created by the engineering and ballistics staff at Federal in collaboration with Sako rifles. As Federal's initial infomercial advises, "It gives big game hunters a larger diameter bullet for more weight and overall energy on target without magnum recoil . . . The round delivers devastating performance on game, including deer, bear and elk and we're proud to put our name on it."

Three Premium load offerings will be available from Federal in the spring of 2006:

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.
Let's take a closer look at the three announced Premium .338 Federal factory loads, starting with the bullets. All are spitzer bullets with pointed noses. Here are their published ballistic coefficients (BC) and sectional densities (SD):

180 grain Nosler AccuBond - BC .372, SD .225
185 grain Barnes Triple-Shock - BC .437, SD .231
210 grain Nosler Partition - BC .400, SD .263
The 180/.338 Nosler AccuBond is a boat-tail, plastic tipped bullet with a lead core bonded to a gilding metal (copper alloy) jacket. It opens reliably against light resistance, creating a wide wound channel. Its bonded core eliminates core/jacket separation, thus retaining more weight for deeper penetration than a similar Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet.

In this caliber and weight the AccuBond is primarily intended for CXP2 game. I see this as Federal's .338 deer load.

The Barnes Triple-Shok is an improved all copper hollow point design with terminal performance like that of its famous predecessor, the Barnes X-Bullet. The small hollow point in the streamlined nose of the bullet initiates expansion, which is accomplished by folding back the nose of the bullet in four copper "petals." Expansion stops when the bottom of the hollow point cavity is reached.

This bullet is noted for deep penetration for any given sectional density as it typically retains nearly all of its weight after expansion. It might be a viable choice for a combination deer/elk hunt.

The Nosler Partition is the original dual core bullet design. From the outside it looks much like a typical jacketed soft point bullet. And its partitioned lead core allows the front section of the bullet to expand much like that of a typical soft point bullet, creating a wound cavity of considerable diameter. But expansion positively stops at the internal jacket partition, which retains the rear core for deep penetration.

This is one of the best known and most successful premium hunting bullets of all time. The .338/210 Partition is entirely adequate for both CXP2 and CXP3 game. Because of its superior SD and proven performance, this is the bullet that I would choose specifically for hunting elk and other CXP3 game, or any sort of dangerous game, with the .338 Federal.

Here is the downrange velocity/energy (in fps and ft. lbs.) of the three .338 Federal factory loads based on the BigGameInfo ballistics calculator:

180 grain Nosler AccuBond - 2588/2676 at 100 yards, 2359/2224 at 200 yards, 2143/1835 at 300 yards.
185 grain Barnes Triple-Shock - 2547/2664 at 100 yards, 2353/2275 at 200 yards, 2169/1932 at 300 yards.
210 grain Nosler Partition - 2415/2719 at 100 yards, 2211/2279 at 200 yards, 2016/1895 at 300 yards.
And here is the trajectory of those loads fired from a rifle with a scope mounted 1.5" over bore and zeroed to take advantage of the +/- 3" maximum point blank range (MPBR) of each load:

180 grain Nosler AccuBond - +2.7" at 100 yards, +1.6" at 200 yards, +/-0 at 233 yards, -5.6" at 300 yards; MPBR = 274 yards.
185 grain Barnes Triple-Shock - +2.7" at 100 yards, +1.5" at 200 yards, +/-0 at 230 yards, -5.9" at 300 yards; MPBR = 271 yards.
210 grain Nosler Partition - +2.8" at 100 yards, +1.1" at 200 yards, +/-0 at 219 yards, -7.8" at 300 yards; MPBR = 258 yards.
Optimum Game Weight (OGW) is a method of estimating the killing power of rifle cartridges developed by Edward A. Matunas. It describes killing power in terms of range and live animal weight. I believe that OGW has a higher correlation with reality than most other killing power formulas. Here are the OGW figures for the Premium .338 Federal factory loads:

180 grain Nosler AccuBond - 1102 lbs. at muzzle, 842 lbs. at 100 yards, 638 lbs. at 200 yards, 478 lbs. at 300 yards.
185 grain Barnes Triple-Shock - 1068 lbs. at muzzle, 848 lbs. at 100 yards, 669 lbs. at 200 yards, 524 lbs. at 300 yards.
210 grain Nosler Partition - 1203 lbs. at muzzle, 931 lbs. at 100 yards, 715 lbs. at 200 yards, 542 lbs. at 300 yards.
According to the OGW formula, shooting the 210 grain Nosler bullet the .338 Federal is a 200 yard grizzly/brown bear load and a 300 yard Rocky Mountain elk load. That much power ought to satisfy any rational hunter.

Here are some estimated recoil energy (in ft. lbs.) and recoil velocity (in fps) figures from the HuntAmerica.com recoil calculator for those loads when fired in an 8 pound rifle:

180 grain, MV 2830 fps - 23 ft. lbs.; 13 fps
185 grain, MV 2750 fps - 22 ft. lbs.; 13 fps
210 grain, MV 2630 fps - 24 ft. lbs.; 14 fps
It has been estimated in various places that about 20 ft. lbs. is the maximum amount of recoil energy that the average shooter can tolerate. Certainly anyone can shoot more accurately with a rifle that kicks less. Recoil is the problem that has plagued medium bore rifles since the invention of smokeless powder. While the .338 Federal generates less recoil than the magnum medium bore cartridges, it is still in excess of the theoretical 20 pound limit and very similar to the existing .338-06 A-Square in rifles of average weight. In a lightweight rifle, the recoil will be considerably greater, and probably quite unpleasant to the vast majority of shooters.

If I were reloading the .338 Federal, probably the first thing I would do is to develop a reduced power handload that duplicates the ballistics suggested by Jack O'Connor many years ago. This would be primarily intended for hunting deer, feral hogs, black bear and similar size game in wooded or brushy country. Such a load would also offer less recoil and be noticeably more fun to shoot.

For this purpose I'd want a 200 grain bullet at a MV of approximately 2425 fps (+/- 25 fps). At the target velocity a conventional soft point bullet will offer all the penetration I'll ever need, and probably kill quicker and shoot more accurately than a premium bullet. The Speer 200 grain Hot-Cor bullet, for example, would suit my purposes.

Here are the downrange velocity/energy figures for such a load using the 200 grain Speer Hot-Cor spitzer bullet (BC .448, SD .254) at a MV of 2425 fps (ME 2611 ft. lbs.):

200 grain Speer Hot-Cor - 2242/2232 at 100 yards, 2066/1896 at 200 yards, 1898/1600 at 300 yards.
Here are the trajectory figures for that load:

200 grain Speer Hot-Cor - +2.9" at 100 yards, +0.4" at 200 yards, +/-0 at 206 yards, -10.3" at 300 yards; MPBR = 242 yards.
Here are the OGW figures for that load:

200 grain Speer Hot-Cor - 865 lbs. at muzzle, 676 lbs. at 100 yards, 529 lbs. at 200 yards, 411 lbs. at 300 yards.
What we have is a 200 yard elk cartridge and a 300 yard caribou cartridge in terms of optimum game weight killing power. For deer and black bear it is limited by its trajectory, not its killing power. And this is the reduced recoil .338 Federal woods load!

Most important, here are the approximate recoil figures for that load when fired in an 8 pound rifle:

200 grain, MV 2425 fps - 18 ft. lbs., 12 fps.
Note that this load, unlike the Premium factory loads, is below the 20 ft. lb. maximum theoretically sustainable by the average person. This would be an excellent general purpose hunting load for the .338 Federal cartridge. One could always go to one of the more powerful factory loads when a flatter trajectory or more power were needed, and that shouldn't be very often.

I would like to see Federal offer, in addition to their Premium loads, a lower priced Power-Shok load that essentially duplicates the ballistics proposed above. As we have seen, this would still deliver plenty of power for all CXP2 game while generating considerably less recoil than the Premium factory loads. It would also be more affordable to the deer hunter who is not a reloader. I believe that such a factory load could be one of the keys to the long term success of the .338 Federal Cartridge.

I hope that the U.S. arms makers will soon start offering rifles in .338 Federal. That is also essential for the long term success of the cartridge. It is a natural, not only for the myriad of short action bolt guns, but also for modern single shot, lever, pump, and autoloading hunting rifles.

In their new .338 Federal has offered hunters a nearly ideal cartridge to fill the perceived need for both a useful woods cartridge and a powerful yet controllable medium bore. We have asked for such a cartridge for many years, and now Federal has provided it.

The .338 Federal should be particularly attractive to reloaders, who can tailor loads to their specific needs. There are a variety of good .338 bullets available, and I am sure that soon reloading data will be available from all of the usual sources.

It is now up to us hunters to show our appreciation by purchasing .338 Federal rifles and ammunition. I feel that those who do will be pleased with the new caliber.

Mvh
Kim

Jeg er ikke fejlfri,men det er så tæt på at det skræmmer mig.

Fresh Tracks Indicate Rare Canada Lynx
New Hampshire Fish and Game Department

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Professional trackers have identified the tracks of an endangered Canada lynx in Jefferson, N.H. The trackers made the discovery while working on a New Hampshire Audubon project studying the behavior of wildlife crossing US Route 2 in Jefferson and Randolph.

Mark Elbroch, lead tracker for the N.H. Audubon project, and Rose Graves, project assistant, say the tracks show that the lynx crossed the highway on the night of January 26, 2006, heading north. The trackers spotted the cat's tracks in fresh snow the following morning, and followed the trail leading to and from the road. "Based on the characteristics of the trail, I'd say this lynx was probably just passing through the area," said Elbroch, who has tracked professionally for many years. There is no evidence that the lynx that created the tracks is a New Hampshire resident.

Canada lynx, which are listed as "endangered" in New Hampshire and as "threatened" under the federal Endangered Species Act, occurred in small numbers in New Hampshire through the 1960s. Michael Amaral of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service notes that the nearest known breeding population of Canada lynx is in Maine; he said that some radio-collared Maine lynx "have been radio-tracked more than 200 miles, so New Hampshire is well within the dispersal distance of known lynx populations in Maine." The last documented lynx in New Hampshire was a road-killed animal found in the early 1990s. Amaral has made a couple of tracking trips in recent years to follow up on credible reports of lynx in New Hampshire; of the recent track discovery, he said, "I wish it had been me!"

Amaral describes prime lynx habitat as being primarily forested landscape with a diversity of (tree) age classes. "Lynx require snowshoe hare, so habitat like beaver flowages with shrubby edges that support snowshoe populations are key to their survival. The most important habitat factor is regenerating forest -- whether it's been harvested or naturally set back by fire, insect outbreaks, or gaps created by old trees falling." New Hampshire still has substantial habitat fitting this description; so, although the entire state is at the southern end of the Canada lynx's natural range, it's not impossible that they could once again become established here in small numbers.

At about 3 feet long and 15-30 pounds, Canada lynx are at least twice the size of the average house cat. They have long, strong legs; short tails; prominent ear tufts; and long sideburn-style hair on the sides of their face. Lynx are often recognized by their huge, furry paws, which help them travel over deep snow.

The US Route 2 and State Highway 115 Wildlife Crossing Investigation has been funded to date by the Merck Family Foundation. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and the N.H. Department of Transportation have pending fiscal and Governor & Council requests to continue the N.H. Audubon project. The purpose of the project is to gain information about wildlife movements up to, across and away from US Route 2 and Route 115 within the study area. This information can then be used to help reduce traffic/wildlife conflicts in the area and other parts of Northern New England with similar habitat and traffic conditions. The project began in December, 2005, and data will be collected through June, 2006. To date, more than 3,000 highway crossings have been recorded in the study area by a combination of deer, moose, coyotes, red fox, grey fox, fisher, bobcat, otter and now Canada lynx.

New Hampshire Audubon is an independent statewide membership organization whose mission is to protect New Hampshire's natural environment for wildlife and for people. It operates five nature centers throughout the state that provide educational programs for children and adults. It is also involved in statewide conservation research and wildlife monitoring projects, protects thousands of acres of wildlife habitat, and advocates for sound public policy on environmental issues. For information on New Hampshire Audubon, including membership, volunteering, programs, and publications, call (603) 224-9909 or go to http://www.nhaudubon.org.

Mvh
Kim

Jeg er ikke fejlfri,men det er så tæt på at det skræmmer mig.

http://www.serengetirifles.com/

http://www.scorehi.com/main.htm#Pro-Bed%202000

Mvh
Kim

Jeg er ikke fejlfri,men det er så tæt på at det skræmmer mig.

WWF vil importere flere ulv til Norge

WWF-sjef Rasmus Hansson vil importere ulv fra Russland og sette dem ut i norske skoger.

- Vi foreslår å hente inn litt ulv fra Finland eller Russland og sette ut i den sørskandinaviske bestanden. Alternativet er å la bestanden vokse mye mer sånn at den kan vokse seg ut av de genetiske problemene sine. Så her kan ulvemotstanderne velge mellom få ulver med friske gener eller mange med dårlige, sa Hansson.

Miljøvernminister Helen Bjørnøy (SV) sa forrige uke i Stortinget at det ikke vært noen økning i antall ulv de siste syv årene.
- Valget står mellom noen flere eller mange flere ulver enn i dag. Det vil bli flere ulver enn i dag, det må bare ulvemotstanderne innfinne seg med, sier Hansson til avisen Nationen.

Mvh
Kim

Jeg er ikke fejlfri,men det er så tæt på at det skræmmer mig.

Hej jeg går og overvejer et købe af denne lækre riffel.... jeg har søgt på nettet og fundet den på Triebel til 3295 euro (Grøn/.338lm).
Ville så lige høre om der er nogen af jeg der har kendskab til steder hvor den fåes billigere?

og om der er nogle der genlader .338lm og som vil sælge til mig? og dele ud af erfaringer.

Nok mest til dem der har jagt i sverige.?

Hva må dette ca koste om året?

Härjedalen, Eggarna
Ejendommen er et samlet skifte beliggende ved sø på ca 515 ha i det sydlige Jämtland. Der er mulighed for at bygge hus. Jagt på egen mark med elglicens.

Det er pt. de eneste oplysninger jeg har i øjeblikket.

En snegl uden sneglehus? er den Hjemløs eller nøgen?

Hej, jeg har lige siddet og nærlæst jagtloven ang. jagtret.

Sådan som jeg læser det, så kan man som EJER gå på jagt på sit areal, såfremt arealet sammelagt er str. end 1 ha.
Det forstår jeg således at hvis man har flere stykker jord herunder et stk. på 0,9 ha. som ikke ligger op til et andet stykke som man ejer eller har jagtret på, så må man ikke gå på det stykke ???

Er i enige så langt ??

Det næster er så det med gæster/udlejning.

Nu er jeg med i en lille klub, hvor vi er nogle venner der tilsammen har lejet knap 1oo ha. jord, fordelt på forskellige marker. Har jeg så forstået det korrekt at hvis de sammenhørende stykker jord er mindre en 5 ha. så må vi ikke drive jagt på det ??

Lani

Its better to have a need not, than to need a have not!!!

Næsehorn jagt i Sydafrika
Det er glædeligt at vi nu kan konstatere at legal jagt på det hvide næsehorn er muligt. Næsehorn bestanden har i mange år ligget under grænsen for at der kunne tillades legal jagt på dette fantastiske dyr.

Omvendt har krybskytteri, med formålet at skaffe næsehornpulver, der i østen anses for at styrke potensen, været meget udbredt. I de fattige afrikanske lande har næsehornet været opfattet som en slags omvandrende lotto gevinst og har derfor være meget efterstræbt.

Det hvide næsehorn er nu - heldigvis - igen udbredt og bestanden kan tåle en lille afskydning.

Har du lidt lommepenge og tid tilovers tilbyder en dansk jagtrejse operatør lige nu muligheden for en næsehorn jagt!

Se mere på http://at-jagtrejser.jagtguiden.dk/

jagtmagasinet

Mvh
Kim

Jeg er ikke fejlfri,men det er så tæt på at det skræmmer mig.

Så er turen booket....

Jeg skal ned og teste min .376Steyr på de polske grisebassowitcher[]

Diesellokomotivet ruller sydpå og til venstre på Lørdag...

Med i tasken er ladninger med Hornadys 270 grains RN Interlock og Nosler 260 Grains Interbond.[^]

Så må vi jo se hvordan de virker på de polske måneskins-øffere!

Sne--- fuldmåne og sorte grise.... []

Der kommer en beretning når vi vernder hjem igen!!

Hilsner
Dravis aka:FMJ
"Sapere Aude: Dare to KNOW!" Nu med .376Steyr

Får skyte mer gaupe
Gaupekvoten i Telemark og Buskerud blir utvidet med ett dyr.

Jegerne i de to fylkene får dele på den ekstra kvoten, har den regionale rovviltnemda bestemt.

Kvoten på fem dyr er alt fylt i de to fylkene, etter at to hanner ble skutt i Telemark, mens en voksen hun og to årsunger er felt i Nore og Uvdal, melder NRK Buskerud.

.....når bare man har nok penge og krudt.....så går det ikke aldrig helt galt :-)

Favourite Quote: Vi løser ikke vore problemer ved at tænke på samme måde, som da vi skabte dem.....(Albert Einstein)