That's plenty of punch for elk and moose. My reloads produce 2600 fps with 200 grain Hornady SP and 2450+ with 225 Hornady SP from a 22 inch barrel. It was a successful wildcat back in the 1970s. Hit a bull in the shoulder blade or bone of the hind quarter with a .300 RUM or even a .300 Win. Just my thoughts based upon my experiences using a 358Win. It was a successful wildcat back in the 1970s. | range, recoil figures for the .338 RCM are north of 30 ft.-lbs. This round became known as the .338 Ruger Compact Magnum, or .338 RCM, and it promised .338 Win. Theres more to it than muzzle energy, and although id make no claim that these are the best moose cartridges in every way, its a solid representation of proven choices from which any hunter can find a suitable option for them. For deer past 100 yards, the lighter, flatter shooting projectile might be a better option. I do know a guy whos killed them with his Barret M82 and a 647-grain Barnes TSX. also packs a lot more punch. I am concerned that it might blow up and not penetrate too well on elk or moose so I think my hunting load will be a nosler partition in 210 gr and a BC of .400still a good long range bullet. In my 22 years of living in Alaska, Ive tipped over around 15 moose myself and watched probably another 30 go hooves-up. I too have purchased a 338 federal in a ruger hawkeye for a short mountain rifle. All Rights Reserved. Its on the lower end of the moose spectrum, but it will tip them over nonetheless. The cartridge is more than capable of taking large game like elk and moose, but it can do so with less powder and less recoil than magnum cartridges like the 7mm Rem. The .280 Ackley Improved is a bit of an oddball, Ryan Callaghan said. About the AuthorCork Graham has been covering guns and hunting since 1983, when he asked for an LOA from his NROTC squadron at UC Berkeley, and headed to SEA to cover wars as an 18-year-old photojournalist. the .338 Federal fitsin short-action rifles. typically arent brush-busting, swamp-wading rifles, but if your style of hunting suits it, it will put moose down with authority, and is the go-to choice for several moose hunters I know here in Alaska. After all, accepting the standard that it takes 2,000 ft.-lbs. It will still get the job done plenty well on a moose. If it were all about penetration and power, why stop at anything short of the .50 BMG? You can find rifles of all varieties chambered in .300 Blackout. If my father-in-laws old 7mm named Thumpy could talk, it would tell of more moose put on the meat pole than most people could fathom. Wish you didnt have to carry a 10-pound rifle with a barrel longer than your leg? The 338 Federal fits short-action magazine rifles like this Sako III prototype. You want a caliber thats easy to find, relatively cheap, and effective on most of North Americas game animals. For that one moose, the round delivered the goods and the moose accepted the invitation to come home for dinner. Still, in the right environment, the .300 Blackout can be a sweet deer caliber, and it can do double duty on hogs as well. 's impressive ballistics come at a price. Current factory offerings include a 250-grain Nosler Partition at 3,060 fps and a 225-grain Barnes TTSX at 3,180 fps. 338 Blog About Methodology The record so far Ratings of Canadian pollsters . There's a clear . .338 Federal Think Tikka Lite in 338 Fed. But still, my initial interest in this gun was threefold. Tyler Freel .35 Whelen This round has a definite following in Alaska, and is one of friend and colleague Bryce Towsley's favorites. You might also consider a 338-06. Jul 26, 2021 #4 B Blkram Handloader It drives a 210 grain Nosler Partition bullet at a MV of 2630 f.p.s. At 300 yards the 200-grain .338 Federal TBT and 180-grain .308 Win. at 300 yards when both fire the same 210-grain bullet. In compact, mild recoiling rifles, it produces performance equal to some of the most proven, popular big game cartridges in America. Ive taken several whitetail deer with rifles chambered in .300 Blackout. If youve visited a sporting goods store lately, you know its a good idea to have guns not chambered in any of the common self-defense calibers. Many moose hunters find it odd to shoot farther than 100 or 200 yards, but for some, its the opposite. Ammo Choice: Remington 150-grain Core-Lokt Tipped. The bullet passed through the ribs/lungs and left a fist sized hole exiting the animal. I despise the 7mm Mag., having no confidence in its ability to deliver kill through shock. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The new Sako Finnlight II sports an innovative stock and Cerakote metal paired with the terrific 85 action. Dec 7, 2007. They are ultra-reliable, and once you get them broken in, the action is very smooth (I'm very attached to an M77 Alaskan in .375 Ruger that I'd already had). Last Shot Considered by some ballistic experts to be the ideal cartridge for North American big game, the .338 Federal is also known for superb accuracy and stopping power in a controllable package. Tips, techniques, and equipment are applied to these classroom discussions on how to become more proficient and successful at making long-range shots while hunting with AR-platform rifles. According to Federal ballistics data, the 338 Federal pushes a 180-grain Nosler AccuBond from the muzzle at 2,840 fps to produce 3,223 foot pounds energy. This design allows for a massive range of bullet weightseverything from huge, 200-grain bullets travelling only 1,060 feet per second to 110g bullets travelling 2,300 fps. Shoot a moose through both lungs and they die, quickly, every time. Mag. With bullet choices generally running between 125 and 200 grains, the .308 remains one of our most popular cartridges. Muzzle energy doesnt drop to 1,500 ft/lbs until about 380 yards. The 338 Federal should be a great short to medium range big game round for deer, bear, elk and moose. This efficient short-action cartridge flattens game like the hammer of Thor without kicking you in the shoulder like a stubborn mule. I have confidence to shoot large animals with this round in my rifle. If looking to acquire an automated powder-charge dispensing unit to speed up precision reloading, don't judge the RCBS ChargeMaster Lite powder scale and dispenser by its name; the Little Green machine packs a heavy-weight punch with speed and accuracy. Both the .338 Federal and .338 RCM work well in short-barreled, compact, lightweight hunting rifles, but despite their similar profiles and bullet diameters, these are two very different cartridges in terms of performance. Rifle calibers are kind of like craft beer (hear me out). was a touch over 400 yards and the single shot stuck under the hide on the back side of his ribs. Theres nothing earth-shaking about this new cartridge. You cant go wrong with any good bonded or monolithic bullet, and most soft points will get the job done tactfully. It's only killed one animal so far for me, but the black bear I shot was dead before it hit the ground. Shake hands with the 338 Federal. There will always be exceptions, like the Eskimo who thinks nothing of taking a polar bear with an AR-15, or that tiger shot in the head with a .22 long-rifle. As with many of these classic cartridges, that means theyve proven themselves. This 175-grain load typically isnt as accurate (or as expensive) as some premium options. and 338 Federal. Im not convinced a small increase in bullet diametersay from a .277-inch or .280-inch to a .308-inchmakes a major difference in killing performance, but stepping up to .338-inch should make an impression. Burris Fullfield II 3-9X scope. Hinterland #: 78050. Mag. Given the weight retention and penetration potential of the Barnes TTSX, this relative lightweight should more than suffice for whitetails, mule deer, sheep, and mountain goats. Its lighter chamberings make it easy for recoil-shy shooters to field and makes it ideal for target work, too. But you should have. With the right bullet and simple, good shot placement, the .243 is a very effective moose gun. Thanks for all the help and when I called to grab one I was TOO LATE they used it for a leader and they didnt have them anymore!! The 40-70 Sharps, 30-30 Winchester, 300 Savage, 222 Remington, 270 Weatherby, and even a 204 Ruger. For ammo, check out Federal's 150g Power Shok cartridge. Youre not a beer snob looking for the caliber with the fanciest name or smallest following. You also will not need to spend the money on premium bullets. The .308 has a wide range of bullet weights and excellent options available. Recovery was uneventful. There are tons of great calibers for youth hunters, but a brief MeatEater survey landed on three. The bullet is tough enough to handle just about anything, and the last moose I shot with it was quartering-to at a short 25 yards. That pretty much sums it up: a great moose round with a very defined following. Based on a shortened .375 H&H case and capable of fitting into standard-length actions, the .338 Win. USA (Presidential) France (Presidential) Montreal. It shoots really well with 200 gr Hornady SST (used during fire forming) and 185 . Much like its predecessor, there isnt too much to say about the .308 that hasnt already been said. The .338 is an authoritative moose cartridge in a variety of bullet weights, and most choose bullets in the 225-grain range. People knock it for rapid expansion, but the jacket is mechanically fastened to the core in two spots, and Ive had more pass-throughs than not. Mag. 47005 Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan: CPC safe hold: 47006 Prince Albert: CPC safe hold: 47007 Regina-Lewvan . For many folks, were just now getting to what they might consider the bare minimum for moose. The 6.555 Swede has certainly done the legwork of establishing 6.5mm cartridges as viable moose killers but does it in a more efficient package. There are many excellent bullet choices for the .30/06, and most will gravitate toward the 180-grain options. The .338 Fed is shooting almost right alongside the 338-06, which has a well developed reputation on big game. 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