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Old 03-28-2020, 01:43 AM
caged caged is offline
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Default 338 Federal VS 358 Win

I have a 7mm-08 I was thinking about getting re-barreled. I just can't decide on what to get it re-barreled to. The rifle is a Kimber Montana and shoots ok, but I have 3 7mm-08 that are Model 70 FW that I prefer over the Kimber. I have it narrowed to either a 338 federal or the 358 win. The rifle would be used for caribou, black bear, moose at 300 yards and under. I would like to keep it at a 22 barrel. Does anyone have any real-world experience with either one of them? Decisions, decisions.
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Old 03-28-2020, 05:51 AM
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Jerry D Jerry D is offline
 
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210 gr partition in .338 or a .225gr partition in the .358

Recoil wise, the 358 has more. Larger bore will help bullets get to speed faster. Both shoot 200-250 gr bullets.

.338 may have better BC...

I remember comparing a .30-06 with 180gr bullets and didnt feel I was loosing much to the .338 federal other than efficiency.

I would call both rounds 300 yard hammers on game for sure!
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Old 03-28-2020, 05:57 AM
bubba300 bubba300 is offline
 
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I take it that you reload,I had a 308 bored to 358,I wanted to do a 338 but gunsmith talked me into 358.I would go with 338 there are more bullets in that cal. to choose from and 338 is plenty big for what your after.Just my 2 cents worth.
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Old 03-28-2020, 06:49 AM
southernman southernman is offline
 
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I've got a couple of . 358 win, one BLR takedown and one ruger 77, like the ruger a lot, very accurate, serria 225 gr at 2500, 200 gr accubonds at 2650 fps,
I doubt there is much performance field wise, between the two,
The .358 has a good selection off bullets designed for moderate speeds, due to the .35 Remington, .356, .358. 357 mag etc
The .338 bore has a lot of powerful mangum's, so a bit of care not to pick a bullet designed for them, and thus get a lack of expansion at moderate speeds.
Neither have lots of ammo choices, but the likes of prophet river and P& D likely have a few choices on hand.
Personal preference, no wrong choice.
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Old 03-28-2020, 10:56 AM
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Flight01 Flight01 is offline
 
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I am mulling over a similar situation. I have a 308 mowhawk (model 673) and while 308 is great and has taken bear , deer and moose , I feel like something different. I’ve talked myself into getting it bored out to .358 win if the smith thinks it’s doable, if not then I’m settling for 338federal
You are planning to re barrel. So my suggestion is for caribou and bear .358 win sighted in to be 2” high at 100 yards . Roughly zeroed at 175 yards with a 225 grain cup and core spitzer of your choice at 2300 ft/sec
Factory ammo is scarce.
If I get the 358 I will reload it. If I weren’t Reloading then I’d buy buffalo bore 225 grain at 2500 ft/sec. $45 American per box though...
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Old 03-28-2020, 11:30 AM
Desert Eagle Desert Eagle is offline
 
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I would go with the 338. I feel there is better bullet selection, and the cases just seems right.
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Old 03-28-2020, 12:15 PM
Salavee Salavee is online now
 
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If you decide on the .338 caliber, I have a brand new S/S Jury barrel 1:10T (unchambered&unthreaded) available.
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Old 03-28-2020, 12:26 PM
Positrac Positrac is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flight01 View Post
I am mulling over a similar situation. I have a 308 mowhawk (model 673) and while 308 is great and has taken bear , deer and moose , I feel like something different. I’ve talked myself into getting it bored out to .358 win if the smith thinks it’s doable, if not then I’m settling for 338federal
You are planning to re barrel. So my suggestion is for caribou and bear .358 win sighted in to be 2” high at 100 yards . Roughly zeroed at 175 yards with a 225 grain cup and core spitzer of your choice at 2300 ft/sec
Factory ammo is scarce.
If I get the 358 I will reload it. If I weren’t Reloading then I’d buy buffalo bore 225 grain at 2500 ft/sec. $45 American per box though...
I was looking at doing the same not long ago. I have a very nice Ruger M77 Hawkeye compact stainless laminate in 7mm-08 that I was looking to re-barrel in 338 Federal. The 16-1/2” barrel was a bit thin to re-bore it, although that would have been my first choice if it could have been done. I also wanted the barrel a bit longer, say 20”, in order to get a bit more out of the Federal.

I had a 338 Federal in a Sako 85 Greywolf that I sold a few years back. It killed everything I pointed at it and I kind of wish I hadn’t gotten rid of it. I figured the compact Ruger in 338 Federal would have made a great under 300 yard moose and elk gun.

In the end I just bought a like new Browning X-bolt stainless fluted carbon fibre in 30-06 with Talley’s for about the same money as the Ruger would have cost to re-barrel, and I still have the Ruger. It was a predictable, although somewhat boring decision...
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Old 03-28-2020, 12:30 PM
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I had a 338 Federal in LH Tikka T3 Lite. Great gun, very capable on all NA game. Also a very accurate gun. The large selection of 338 bullets, from 160 to 250 grain and the superior Ballistics is what decided me on it over a 358. If I was clambering a long action I would have done it in 338-06. The 35 Calibers to me are neither fish nor fowl. Since I have 375 in the lineup I din't see any point to have something that isn't really a true large bore and doesn't have enough capacity to get good speed out of it. I don't consider 2450 FPS with a 200 grain bullet a very good option when the 338 Fed will easily give you an extra 2-300 FPS.
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Old 03-28-2020, 12:39 PM
Salavee Salavee is online now
 
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Bewildered that no one has considered the .35 Whelen .
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Old 03-28-2020, 12:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Salavee View Post
Bewildered that no one has considered the .35 Whelen .
I think you probably missed that the rifle he is converting is a short action, Kimber Montana in 7-08. To do the Whelen he would need a long action.
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Old 03-28-2020, 12:49 PM
caged caged is offline
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I should have added I do hand load and already have a 338-06. I really don't need either nor, but we all know how that goes. A light weight 358 win with a 22 or 20 barrel would sure be handy the more I think about it.
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Old 03-28-2020, 12:56 PM
Salavee Salavee is online now
 
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I did miss that , sorry, but I did mention it was unchambered and not threaded
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Old 03-28-2020, 01:33 PM
Salavee Salavee is online now
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Salavee View Post
I did miss that , sorry, but I did mention it was unchambered and not threaded
That was a senseless response on my part . Chalk it up to senility.
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  #15  
Old 03-28-2020, 04:23 PM
Blockcaver Blockcaver is offline
 
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Default .338 Fed

I have a Kimber Montana in .338 Fed (and another in 7mm-08). Nice pair. Since I bowhunt 98% of time they see little use by me short of backup camp guns, for packing meat or trailing an arrowed bear. But my comments anyway:

A buddy I picked up at the airport that traveled without a firearm used my .338 Fed for moose a couple yrs ago. He shot a nice N BC bull moose at 15 yds with a handload with the 160 gr Barnes TTSX. Two shots in the chest broadside, both bullets passed thru. Moose down and dead.

In working up loads I found the 160 gr TTSX most accurate in the Montana. I also tried 180 gr Nosler Accubond, 185 gr Barnes TTSX and 200 gr Hornady Soft Points. Also the recoil was lightest with the 160's and they made over 3,000 Ft-lbs of muzzle energy.
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