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338 Federal load info?
DONDALINGER
Member Posts: 1,541 ✭✭✭
I picked up a 338 Federal Tikka T3 and have the dies on order.
Anybody have any good load reccomendations?
I was thinking along the lines of IMR4350 or H4831 may be a good powder for this round.
Any info much appreciated.
DON
Anybody have any good load reccomendations?
I was thinking along the lines of IMR4350 or H4831 may be a good powder for this round.
Any info much appreciated.
DON
Comments
http://www.gunsandammomag.com/reloads/0702/index1.html
.338 Federal
For testing the .338 Federal, two methods were used. At the range I used one of the new Model 84M Kimbers with a 10X Leupold target scope to help get the best accuracy out of the rifle. After the loads given in the accompanying chart were developed, I made a visit to Nosler's Ballistic Lab and--with the help of Federal ballistician Eric Hansen--shot each of the loads through a pressure test barrel to make sure each was below the SAAMI maximum chamber pressure of 62,000 pounds.
With the loads developed, both factory .338 Federal and resized commercial .308 Winchester brass from Hornady, Winchester and Nosler were used. Brass was interchanged with the different bullet, powder and primer combinations, and it didn't seem to make any difference which was used. There was no favorite. Each performed equally well.
Powders in the midrange burning rate worked best. Each rifle performs a little differently from the next, and the new Kimber was no exception. It seemed to shoot Wincheser 748 a little better than other powders used. Others, such as Hodgdon 4895, Reloder 10X and Varget, seemed to be ideal also; it was just that the Winchester 748 shot well with all the different bullets tested. The other thing I noted with this particular rifle was the point of impact changed noticeably with the different bullet weights--as much as three inches in some cases.
The ideal bullet-weight range for the .338 Federal is 180 to 225 grains. Weights of 250 grains or greater were not tested, as they would have taken up too much powder capacity for optimum efficiency. All loads shown in the chart shot exceptionally well in the Kimber Model 84M. Each shot an inch or less at 100 yards with chamber pressures that were less than the SAAMI specified pressure of 62,000 pounds.
During the time I was shooting the .338 Federal I had the opportunity to take an extra-long weekend and take advantage of a New Mexico antelope tag. This was a great chance to see how both the Kimber and the .338 Federal performed on game. At 190 paces, with Whittington Center Director Mike Ballew looking over my shoulder, the 180-grain AccuBond was impressive. The sound of impact sounded like a watermelon having a disagreement with a baseball bat. The buck was knocked down without taking a step. With that type of performance, the .338 Federal is up to the task for most anything except the big bears if shots are kept within a reasonable range.
.338 FEDERAL LOAD DATA
Bullet Bullet Weight (gr.) Powder Powder Charge (gr.) Primer Case Muzzle Velocity (fps)
Nosler AccuBond 180 Reloder 10X 40.0 Federal 210M Resized .308 Win. 2,650
Barnes Triple Shock 210 Winchester 748 47.0 Federal 210M Resized .308 Win. 2,500
Sierra GameKing 215 Winchester 748 46.0 Winchester LR Resized .308 Win. 2,500
Nosler Partition 210 Reloder 15 46.0 Federal 210M Federal new 2,520
Spper Hot Cor 200 Hodgdon 4895 43.5 Winchester LR Federal new 2,550
Hornady InterLok 200 Hodgdon 4895 43.5 Federal 210M Resized .308 Win. 2,750
Hornady INterLok 225 Varget 45.0 Federal 210M Resized 210M ,2450
Swift A-Frame 225 Varget 44.0 Winchester LR Federal new 2,400
Notes: All loads shot into an inch or less at 100 yards from a Kimber 84M with chamber pressures that were less than the SAAMI-specified maximum pressure of 62,000 pounds.
This is a great little cartridge that has the advantage of a large bullet selection, a lightweight rifle and moderate recoil that most any hunter or shooter can handle. Federal's first proprietary cartridge is a good one, and I can't wait to see what it comes up with next.
WARNING: The loads shown here are safe only in the guns for which they were developed. Neither the author nor Primedia assumes any liability for accidents or injury resulting from the use or misuse of this data.
it hates Nosler ballistic tips (old style maroon tip) but shoots Hornady, Speer and Nosler 210 Partions great. Mine likes Max loads of Win 748 or RL 15
Groups consistantly in the same place trip after trip to the range.
It's a nice rifle for the money and a pleasure to haul around in the woods
Speer and Nosler #6 have data in their new books and the Nosler book velocities are right in line with my chronograph.