The New 338 Federal

[shooter32]

I'm going to be handing down my 30.06 to my son.
And thinking about getting a new elk,deer gun.
My first thought was the 7mm mag but done some reading on the 338 fed and it looks good on paper.
The ammo is less than the 7 mag.

Any one out there have one?
Which way should I go?

[TAB]

do you hand load?  if so the 338 federal is NOT for you.

The powder federal uses is not commercially available.   The same can be said with most the the "short mags"... if it says X power in a smaller cases with less recoil.  Chances are pretty good they are using a powder you can not get.

[Hazcat]

Do you think you need something more than a 30-06 or do just want something different?

[tombogan03884]

do you hand load?  if so the 338 federal is NOT for you.

The powder federal uses is not commercially available.   The same can be said with most the the "short mags"... if it says X power in a smaller cases with less recoil.  Chances are pretty good they are using a powder you can not get.

Apparently they are using compressed loads in those short magnums. Tom Gresham was saying he took one apart, Weighed the bullet and powder charge etc. But could not get all the powder back in the case.

[TAB]

That very well maybe with the short mags, point is, its not something you can currently load to factory levels.

[Sponsor]

[alfsauve]

You can reload them quite well.   True you can't duplicate the factory load, but then why would I want to?   I'm very happy with my loads.  The .338-08 has been around a while before federal "legitimized" it.  People have been hand loading it for many years with no problem.   It isn't as new as the WSMs or the WSSMs.

I got the .338Fed because I wanted something a little more than a .308, but I wasn't ready to move to a "blaster" like a .338 Win Mag.

I sold off all my centerifires, a rather eclectic collection that made no sense, and decided to have some "purpose" or direction in what I replaced them with.   And what I decided was to pick a cartridge family.  I could go with the xxx-06, the WSMs, Weatherby's, or any number of other families.  I decided to go with the .308 family.  .243, .260, 7mm-08, .308 and the .338.  Only thing missing is a .22 chambering.   This gives me a 6mm, a 6.5mm, a 7mm, a 7.62mm and an 8mm, which pretty much covers it along with my .22lr and 17HM2.   

Alf

[shooter32]

Thanks for all the info guys.
I'm not sure what I will get.
Shot most of the big boomers and I don't reload, yet.
So I'm still open for ideas.