I have a .308 that I'd like to rebarrel to the .338.Federal
My concern is bullet selection for Whitetail here in SC.   No doubt this round is overkill but there are some out of state hunts that it could be handy.    I know alot will think it is just a trendy boutique round and I don't necessarily disagree.  
       I just want some real world stories on performance

I think it would be a good elk round and looked into an upper.  It's not a boutique round, it's a dead round.  It never really took off. Shame.

  I reload so I don't have to worry it just is a neat round at least on paper.   I am exploring options but realize maybe this isn't a good fit for where I live .
  My other thought is a 260Rem and by another rifle for larger game out of state .   Most of my stands are lever rifle range but I do have a  new area  that could go 300 yards plus .
     I wish the .308 barrel was a shooter but it's not and it copper fowls like crazy

I'm a big fan of middle bores...  Used 350 Rem Mag a lot, and love 35 rem, 35 Whelen and 338-06.  I've never used the 338 Federal, but I really like the round.  Forget all the ballistics tables and published info on "ft/lbs energy".  The formulas used to calculate energy tend to weight velocity.  Fast rounds look good.  However, middle bores tend to have hefty bullets, and use mass/momentum more than any ft/lb energy calculation really shows....  And impact speeds are usually modest, so there isn't as much shredded and mangled meat.

I do find that there is one disadvantage to these rounds...  initial muzzle velocities are modest, and these bullets aren't super streamlined.  When you get out to 300 yards, they've slowed a whole bunch.  And while speeds and energy and momentum are all there, sometimes you start to approach the lower end of the expansion window for the bullet you are using.  Example:  My 350 would launch a 225 Nosler Partition to 2650 fps or so.  At 300 yards the impact speeds are down somewhere around 2000 fps (off the cuff estimate).  By the time that bullet gets to 325 or so, it won't open up as dramatically as you'd like.  And I saw exactly that.... I shot a cow moose twice at a laser ranges 293 yards.  First one was a shot that impacted the hinge point of her jaw, the second one centered the lungs and heart.  It dropped her in about 40 yards.  Expansion wasn't great.    If I hunted BIG game in an area where shots were always under 150 yards, I'd still use the 350.  But game doesnt always cooperate, and sometimes the 250 yard shot is the only one.  The 350 is gone, and I've replaced it with a 280 Ackley because I wanted greater impact speeds at longer ranges (but didn't want magnum recoil).

If you want to hit whitetails hard at 100 and 150, the 338 Federal is ideal.  However, those 300 yard shots, while rare, are going to disappoint some.   And there aren't a lot of really hard opening 338 bullets to load, so its not like you can use a light for caliber hard expander to make up for it.  Most 338's are going to be designed for the 338 Win Mag, or even the 338-06.  You're at a big disadvantage right at the muzzle because you are already at the low end of the sweet spot for expansion with a 338 Federal

260 freakin rocks.  Its the opposite of the 338 in every way.  Super streamlined bullets that fly far and fast.  Because the bullets retain speed well, performance at 300 yards closely mirrors performance at 100 yards.  Long skiing 6.5 mm bullets have great sectional density and punch deep too.

My take:  Use it as a dedicated deer rifle and go 260 all the way.  Its cheaper to load, easier to shoot, and very accurate.  Then, if you want a hammer for BIG game, go buy a dedicated hammer.  Get a 35 whelen or a 336-06.  The higher initial muzzle velocities will give you better bullet expansion and punch at longer ranges.

I shoot a 6.5x55 and I like it very much.  Very mild recoil and  the 139 gr soft point bullets I've been shooting kill deer dead.  I shot 3 deer last year and all 3 were DRT.

Off the top of my head, I believe .260 Rem performance is similar to 6.5x55, so IMHO a very nice deer round.

I have one, shot a couple of elk with it.  I like the round for a rifle that is a little on the light side for mountain or backpack hunting.  If you can hand load get it and try it out.  Worst case scenario, you don't like it and sell it.


As for a ballistic comparison, it really doesn't give up anything to the 308 win.  Hodgdon lists a 160gr 338@2725fps muzzle vs 308 in 165gr @ 2438fps with Benchmark.  180gr 338 2532fps at muzzle vs. 308 180gr @ 2363.  Both starting loads, and I understand that the ballistic coefficient will make some difference downrange.

I have hunted with a Tikka T3 in .338 fed. It's a good round to 200.

Rainbow trajectory though.

Actually, using Hodgdon's load data a 180gr accubond has 1.6 inches less drop at 300yds in the 338 Fed. than a 308 Win shooting a 180gr accubond.  While neither of these bullet/caliber combinations are really great "long range" solutions there is no need to feel under-gunned or to feel that trajectory should keep one from shooting to 300yds or a bit more with practice.

Load data was from Hodgdon's manual using theoretical minimum loads of Benchmark powder.

I think it is a very practical and underrated round, just like the .358 Winchester.