338 federal bullet preference

[sellce]

I built my wife a 338 federal and working up loads, been getting great groups with the 175 grain cutting edge mth bullet and the 175 grain hammer hunters. I have tried the 160 grain barnes and the 185 grain barnes but getting much better groups with the other two bullets. My question is have any of you tried the mth or the hh on game in the 338 federal and what was your experience with them.
Also this gun is primarily used for elk and moose inside of 400 yards

 

[Roughrice]

Don't know what powder you are using but TAC was best for velocity and quite accurate with 185 Fusions in my 22" savage

 

[sellce]

Ive tried varget and benchmark. Getting good groups with varget

 

[MachV]

Tax and 200 Speer hot cores are the ticket in the Tikka. It hates the factory federal loads=all of them. Got some 165 Barns to see if it likes them? This unit has yet to draw blood so can not report on how it dies but 400 yards may be pushing the holdovers a bit?

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Not a 338 Federal, but a 338 Sherman (06 variant) with the 175 HH. Moving about 3200 FPS. They are killers. WT doe at about 40 yards, never even twitched. Keep your range close for high impact, should work.

 

[K.E.C. Darkside]

For Cup and Core, I like the 180gr.
180 Accubond
180 Speer Hot Core
My favorite 180 Weldcore PP SN
Woodleigh Bullet.
Powder, anything that makes a 308 work well- will work. But 8208 worked well for me.

 

[K.E.C. Darkside]

Tax and 200 Speer hot cores are the ticket in the Tikka. It hates the factory federal loads=all of them. Got some 165 Barns to see if it likes them? This unit has yet to draw blood so can not report on how it dies but 400 yards may be pushing the holdovers a bit?

Agree.
And agree that 400 yds is pushing it.
250yds is my max, but only take that shot if all the Stars line up.

 

[dogz]

Not sure why he'd want to be using holdovers with all the ballistic reticles available...easy peasy

 

[adk hunter]

No Elk experience with the federal but I did take two hunting in Montana. One liked the 160ttsx and the other loved the 210 Scirocco. I think the 210 was a serious elk choice but they are long devils.

Two WT deer were slaughtered with the Barnes 160. Gushing wounds and blood trail. A very very fat black bear results were incredibly lacking. Stuff happens but I have moved away from the Barnes.

I am all in with 175HH. Seems like the perfect pill until we get a lighter version

 

[Govlight0]

There are plenty of bullets that will work with the .338 Fed, you just have to realize the small case isn't ideal for heavy bullets. If you stick to bullets in the 160-210 grain range you'll find plenty of choices of bullets that'll work at .338 Fed speeds.the 180 grain Accubond, 185 grain TTSX, and 210 grain Partition are the bullets I'd be looking at for the .338 Fed.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

Hammer bullets have been the easiest load development of ANY bullet I have used. .050 off the lands, load 1gr increments up to pressure, back off 1.5gr. Load up 10 at that weight, five for zero and five for the chrono (unless you have a Garmin, then prolly done before that). Load development has been typically complete in about 15 rounds.

I would think 2900 would be doable in the 338 Fed.

And no, Hammer is not paying me...

 

[akmtnhnt]

I use the 200gr apex. Really extends the effective range.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

I use the 200gr apex. Really extends the effective range.

What velocities are you getting? 338 Fed?

 

[akmtnhnt]

What velocities are you getting? 338 Fed?

2650 from an 18" 338 fed.