338 fed.

[hog killer]

looking into a 338 fed. rifle to hunt .338rum &338wm tomuch recoil to be accurite for me

 

[nastynatesfish]

so whats your question?

 

[hog killer]

wanted some input to the cal. and has any used one hunting.I have heard good and bad things about this cal. I thank it should be a good cal. to hunt deer to bears.

 

[targetback]

338

I have one. But it is a 15" encore handgun . It is a necked up 308, the bullet I use is a 180 GR Nos Acubond , I reload, I think it would be good for deer, in a wooded area.

 

[hog killer]

338fed.

I feel it would also.Will start looking for one in left hand rifle.I have two 300wm.and 300rum.I have shot a 338 win.mag and it's recoil is more than my 300rum.but the rum has is a sendero with weight added to butt of stock and weighs 15#s.recoil not bad,but more for been feilds here in SC.338fed.should work for my swamp hunting pigs and deer.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I've got both a .338/06 and a .338Marlin Express. The .338 Marlin is very close to the .338Fed.

I don't think you'll find the recoil any different than a .30/06 with similar weight bullet. ie; a 200gr bullet.

My .338/06 is a bit more gun in that I handload it to top velocities. ie; a 180gr bullet to 3,000fps, a 200gr to 2,800fps and a 250gr to 2,550fps. It correlates closely to a .300winmag for energies.

I've killed two deer so far with the .338Marlin Exp. Both have been bang-flops, the second wasn't even hit in the spine.. about 1" under the spine through both shoulders.

For anything except for the great bears, (and even those with the right bullet), the .338Fed will do anything you can ask of it.

But, for most people, you'll be better off with "just" a .30/06... Adequate likewise with the right bullet. ie: a 200gr Swift A-frame @ 2500fps will probably do anything a .375H&H will.