338 Federal – A Make-Sense Big Bore

Written By - SCI first for hunters - 05/24/2007

Link to Original Article here

There's no question America is a consumer nation and one where bigger is usually better. Many hunters take this attitude to the field with them when choosing a rifle to shoot. If one cartridge will take them down, then a larger one should kill them that much more dead.

As hunters get more sophisticated about their trade though, they realize that with more gun you don't necessarily get better performance. In fact, going too big in caliber can be a detriment when you consider shoulder-whopping recoil can result. And no matter how tough you are, excessive pain at the buttstock can take its toll and give you a flinch you may never shake. A flinch is not what you need to be successful and will keep you from being an effective hunter.

On the other side of the coin, heavier, larger diameter bullets do a much better job of stopping game in their tracks. This is something important to consider when hunting deer and larger game that can run off if not put down hard enough. Recoil versus effectiveness – it's a difficult medium to achieve.

That's where the new 338 Federal comes in. This cartridge provides the energy of a 7mm Rem Mag in a necked-up .308 case. It's the ultimate big game caliber designed with reasonable recoil for today's lightweight rifles. A larger diameter bullet in the shorter-action .308 case generates approximately 200 feet per second more velocity than a standard .308 with a 30-caliber bullet (when comparable bullet weights are considered).

The 338 Federal delivers the only factory-available .338-caliber load that isn't a magnum configuration. It gives big game hunters a larger diameter bullet for more weight and overall energy on target – without magnum recoil. It truly is a make sense big bore.