. I use a 200 gr plain jane bullet with tac powder ( a load i got from handloader magazine) it is a superb round and perfect for any game in alaska as long as good bullet placement is practiced. Beth Shimanski of Savage introduces their all new straight-pull rifle. Ammo Choice: Winchester Expedition Long Range 190-grain ABLR. Theres only one question: What are you waiting for? The .300 WM has firmly established itself as a fine cartridge for moose (and anything else on the North American continent). At 400 yards the load is carrying 2,027 ft.-lbs. It was probably created more than 40 years ago by a wildcatter (basement handloader) who stretched the neck of the 308 Winchester case to fit a .338 bullet, then barreled a short-action rifle to match. Mag. Thats fine. Zero to keep all shots inside of an 8-inch target and trajectory will peak 4 inches high at 150 yards. Zeroed at 200 yards, the .338 Win. Once the round hits the reloading bench the numbers suffer pretty dramatically. Thats why the .243 Winchester, .260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Remington, and now .277 Fury are wildly successful. Before you decide on a 338 Federal you should really consider the 35 Whelen. with a 160-grain bullet. The ABLR expands reliably, shoots great, and is more rigidly constructed than the ELDX. Anyone wanting more thump on the target without too much more to the shoulder should give this delightfully balanced, hard-hitting cartridge a ride. These are the type that sometimes pancake on contact or break into pieces, none of which then retain momentum for deep penetration. The .338 Win. This is how we came up with ours. On that T&E, I learned a lot about stock design and distribution of rifle weight from muzzle to shoulderchoose wisely. .35 WhelenThis round has a definite following in Alaska, and is one of friend and colleague Bryce Towsleys favorites. Bullet energy doesnt fall below 1,500 ft/lbs until 330 yards, and at 500 yards its still packing 1,000 ft/lbs of energy. 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!! When a raghorn bull walked out of the snowy pines bordering Montanas Upper Canyon Ranch, I pulled the trigger. Takes a variety of bullets form 160 up. And it does it with a compact, super-efficient package. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. generates close to 4,000 ft.-lbs. On another hunt, my brother-in-law took a nice buck with a little break-action rifle from about 85 yards using a 125g projectile. Making this round questionable as an improvement on any medium bore. The RCM's ballistics are impressive, but they come at a price. Either one of these fine cartridges would be very suitable for moose hunting or for hunting of moose sized game. If it were all about penetration and power, why stop at anything short of the .50 BMG? Each of the following cartridges has one of my favorite corresponding ammunition choices listed, but there are other good choices for each cartridge, and many of these loads are available in multiple cartridges. The Ruger M77 Guide Gun in .338. The Win. Im sure this still wouldnt pass muster in Sweden, but the Creed is not-debatably the most popular chambering of any recent hunting cartridge in the U.S., and it kills moose just as well as the Swede. So am looking for help in the bullet selection area. Map. Then there are the ballistics. Ammo Choice: Hornady Match 285-grain ELDM. Ive got one and find it a pleasure to shoot in Remington 700 Stainless Steel Synthetic that I switched the factory stock out for a recoil-dampening, H-S Precision Sporter, effectively taking it from shooting 1-MOA to half-MOA with the new stock, and a switch out of the trigger for a Timney Trigger at 2.75 pounds pull. Wildcatters had been doing the same thing for yearsmost notably outdoor writer Roy Smithbut it was Federal that legitimized the round and filled the last branch on the .308 family tree. It keeps pace with popular and effective cartridges. It recoils less than a .30/06 throwing 180-grain bullets and at 300 yards drops only a measly 1/2-inch more. Its often not a good idea to shoot moose at long distances because of the hellholes they might die in. | After all, accepting the standard that it takes 2,000 ft.-lbs. N/A. A 180- to 185-grain .338 bullet is light for this caliber, but fast. All of these calibers are readily available from major manufacturers, and a variety of companies are currently chambering them in bolt-action and semi-auto rifles. This is also why the .338 Federal is capable of .30-06 velocities even though it's the .308 necked up. Ammo is certainly hitting shelves in a slowly increasing variety, but much of it is snapped up instantly. Mag. Since its inception a decade ago, Savage, Kimber, Sako, Montana Rifle Company and other manufacturers have been producing .338 Federal bolt guns, and it can be had in the AR platform as well. Mag. So it goes with moose, where the sheer size of these ungulates causes many potential moose hunters to immediately wipe a swath of effective and perfectly suitable cartridges from consideration. But you should have. Dead deer. He didnt go far. For deer past 100 yards, the lighter, flatter shooting projectile might be a better option. I'm not sure there's much a 250gr .338cal bullet will do that a 210-225gr won't. also packs a lot more punch. Mag. CARTRIDGE CLASH :: .338 Win. I personally find the .338 to be a bit of an in-between cartridge, that cant make up its mind whether it wants to be a normal rifle, or a real heavy hitter. Surprisingly, it drops only 1.5 inches more than the big 338 Win. A Potent, Rimmed .30 Caliber Cartridge Does Exist! Kimber's Hunter Pro Desolve Blak takes the firm's more affordable mountain rifle to new heights. Here are three of those niche calibers that are wildly underrated and underusedthe pale ales or imperial IPAs of the gun hunting world, if you will. I think the 200gr Interlocks were designed with the 35Rem in mind. 178. It was a successful wildcat back in the 1970s. Yes, its pretty much just the .308 necked up to take .338-inch bullets. The ELDX gets a bad rap for supposedly blowing apart on impact. Out of stock. I think the only thing I have loaded for it yet is a 200 gr SST with a BC of .455 it should be a great long range bullet. rifles are typically about a pound heavier than .338 Federal rifles, and recoil from the magnum is, on average, 50 percent greater. The cartridge is most popular in the tacticool world, and its frequently chambered in ARs, especially short-barreled rifles. Mag. Those, the old timers insist, put deer down nowhard. The .280 AI can push a 120g round about 3,200 fps (about as fast as a typical 55g .223 Rem.) In compact, mild recoiling rifles, it produces performance equal to some of the most proven, popular big game cartridges in America. That was about the time the 6.5 Creedmoor hatched. Something about getting below 2400-2500fps leaves me a little cold. The case is narrow, so more cartridges fit into a magazine/clip than do fat, short magnums. Its muzzle energy exceeds the .30-06, equals that of the 7mm Rem. Just $1 per month , This load penetrates deep and offers light recoil for a .33-caliber bullet, By up close, and its often goodbye to a deer-sized portion of meat. A prototype Sako III chambered 338 Federal dropped this Montana raghorn bull from about 240 yards. :think: I have a chance to buy one in a Ruger Hawkeye cheap and am thinging about it but cant really find jack on how people have accepted it on larger game like Moose Bears or Elk so thought I would post this as all I can find from gunwriters reviews is the standard junk of them shooting a pig or tame deer in Texas that weigh about 125lbs . This strikes me as a good option for whitetails, mule deer, sheep, and pronghorns. L-R are 30-06 Sprnfld., 308 Win., 243 Win., 260 Rem., 7mm-08 Rem. Ask most Alaskans about their favorite and the .338 Win Mag is the answer you get, next to .30-06 and .300 Win. It should work well for moose hunting with bullets up to 210 grains, which is a favorite with lots of elk hunters in the lower-48. As you might expect, the RCM has a sizable advantage in terms of energy, too. The number of people who purchased all those boxes could be counted on one hand. About the same as a 30-06. For youth hunters, user-friendly recoil, minimal shot report, and We know you already have a list in mind. Federal offers seven .338 Federal loads ranging from 185 grains to 210 grains. Mag. Access the newest seasons of MeatEater, save content, and join in discussions with the Crew and others in the MeatEater community. | Zero both for their Maximum Point Blank Ranges (MBPR). If theres anything Ive learned over the years of shooting and handling moose, its that choosing when and where to shoot them is much more important than the caliber stamped on your rifle barrel. It will handle not only whitetails, but black bears, elk, and moose as far away as anybody is likely to hit them. The author with a bull moose taken at 25 yards with a .338 Win. Shake hands with the 338 Federal. The .338? with the 338M I only have ever recovered one bullet that did not completely pass threw and that was about a 50 yard shot on a big muley. Once you insert bullets heavier than 210 grns in it the ballistics don't come near the 338-06 or Whelen. In the 11 years since it's been introduced, the .338 Federal has earned a reputation for great accuracy and stopping power. All RifleShooter subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. After killing over 30 moose, its remained my uncles favorite moose medicine in his Winchester M70. 's cavernous 76.8-grain capacity. in 1958 that this family of cartridges really gained a footing among American hunters. Now personally, I prefer the .338-06 just because I have more space to work with powder loads. buy from BV Outdoor Essentials. To prove all this to myself, I shot a Montana bull elk from 275 yards with a 338 Federal. The bullet wont drop 4 inches below point-of-aim until about 290 yards. 's impressive ballistics come at a price. However, its another of those quiet cartridges, and a favorite of many Alaska natives, that has put moose down for decades. Are there any Alaskans using the 338 Federal for Bears or Moose ???? Ive even nicknamed it Thor, because I love carrying and shooting it so much. Add the ability to be used with a SA and that's enough to consider it a viable chambering IMO. This is especially true for the bowhunter who needs toms to be hypnotized if they want half a chance at drawing their bows. But even if you handload to just 2,800 fps, this is the ultimate flat-shooter for the .338. That pretty much sums it up: a great moose round with a very defined following. Contributing Editor for RifleShooter Magazine, Brad Fitzpatrick gives us a review of this modernized version of an iconic favorite. case can push its more aerodynamically efficient 180-grain bullet. Ammo Choice: Federal Premium 200-grain Trophy Bonded Tip. Assembling a list of the best cartridges for moose a subjective task, and bigger doesnt mean best in every context. For many folks, were just now getting to what they might consider the bare minimum for moose. This cartridge is no longer a flashy new magnum, but it will still cut gravy. In normal times, you can find ammo virtually anywhere, and it flat-out gets the job done. While the 300 Blackout has enjoyed broad appeal across a wide range of hunters and shooters, the .338 Federal is designed for one specific application: mountain hunting. The thing that most will not agree on is my pet load is a 200 gr. Federal Simulator. 338 Blog About Methodology The record so far Ratings of Canadian pollsters. 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. Trajectory suffers slightly, the bullets peaking 4 inches high at 125 yards and falling 4 inches low at 278 yards. Think Tikka Lite in 338 Fed. You pick up a bit more energy over the 180-grain bullets without substantially more recoil. As with many of these classic cartridges, that means theyve proven themselves. Still, in the right environment, the .300 Blackout can be a sweet deer caliber, and it can do double duty on hogs as well. Its that easy. the .338 Federal fitsin short-action rifles. This is our heavyweight for the .338. Mag. There is nothing flashy about it, but flash doesnt kill big bulls. The .338 Federal, however, boasts an additional 100 ft.-lbs. helps improve accuracy by providing an efficient propellant chamber and a precise chamber-to-case fit. The .338 Federal from Wilson Combat is ideal for any medium-large game hunting in North America including trophy wild hogs, elk, moose and bear. Hinterland #: 78050. This is a good bullet weight for delivering reasonably flat trajectory. When given the option, Ill admit, realistic decoys are worth every penny. The .338 Federal's 200-grain TBT drops 9.2 inches at 300 yards when zeroed at 200 yards whereas Hornady's 200-grain SST load in the .338 RCM drops just 6.9 inches at that same range with the same zero. is the Hornady 212-grain ELDX, but its not offered in a factory loading that Ive been able to find. Muzzle energy doesnt drop to 1,500 ft/lbs until about 380 yards. I think the 338 federal is a fantastic cartridge, also highly underated. To be effective, a moose cartridge needs to have reasonable penetration and fire a bullet that will generally hold together at the velocity it leaves the muzzle. So why, then, does the .338 Federal languish in obscurity? The .338 Federal is the best deer and elk cartridge you've probably never fired or maybe never heard of. The .338 Fed is shooting almost right alongside the 338-06, which has a well developed reputation on big game. The 338 federal is a great round and would be best with a 225 grain partition or swift a-frame. Although i've shot a large number of various factory rifles, i say unequivically that the ruger hawkeye is the finest factory rifle for the best price in the world. The .338 Federal is the best deer and elk cartridge youve probably never fired or maybe never heard of. The little Federal achieves this with considerably less powder, too, and that means less recoil. Mag. on the shelf in a couple of years. 10 Great .22 Mag Bolt-Action Rifles Right Now, Browning SA-22 Challenge Semiauto Rimfire: Its History and a Review, Benelli Lupo Bolt-Action Rifle Line Expanded with New Chamberings, .45-70 vs .450 Bushmaster Cartridge Clash, Mossberg Patriot Long-Range Hunter Bolt-Action Rifle: Full Review, 6.5 PRC vs 6.5 RPM What You Need to Know, Strasser RS 14 Evolution Consul III Bolt-Action Rifle: Full Review, Kimber Hunter Pro Desolve Blak - A Lightweight Heavy Hitter, Browning BLR Lightweight '81 Stainless Takedown Lever Rifle, Mossberg Patriot Predator 6.5 PRC Rifle Review, Review: Springfield Armory M1A Loaded Rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor, RCBS ChargeMaster Lite Review: Not 'Lite' on Ability, Remington Model Seven SS HS Bolt-Action Rifle Review. buy from BV Outdoor Essentials. All Federal had to do was enlarge the neck to accommodate .338 bullets and a star was born. Blowhards will tell you that the .243 will simply bounce off a mooses ribs, and that its better-suited for mice. Mag. I have confidence to shoot large animals with this round in my rifle. Its lighter chamberings make it easy for recoil-shy shooters to field and makes it ideal for target work, too. was always easy to find ammo for here in Alaska, but thats no longer the case. It either anchors game quickly or inspires a blood trail a blind house cat could follow. Based on a shortened .375 H&H case and capable of fitting into standard-length actions, the .338 Win. Mag. In short, the RCM produces true magnum performance. Two-hundred grains out of this round will put a bear or moose on the ground efficiently. Give a Gift 47005 Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan: CPC safe hold: 47006 Prince Albert: CPC safe hold: 47007 Regina-Lewvan . But there are more .338 Win. If you find that underwhelming, sorry. This list might not require you to go buy the latest rifle or booming cartridge, but its full of proven performers. Its only drawback is like that of my other favorite new offering moose-capable round, the .338 Federal: its hard to get in Anchorage, much less the bushbring your ammo with you. Two years later it was Ruger's turn. If they say otherwise, theyre probably lying. and a 175g round about 2,700 fps (just 100 fps shy of the 7mm Weatherby Mag.). Just $1 per month , Bigger isnt always better when it comes to picking a cartridge for moose hunting, By Why aren't more writers writing about the virtues of the .338 Federal and, more importantly, why aren't more deer, elk, bear, and moose hunters shooting it? Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Its one of those cartridges that fits the bill for someone who only wants one big-game rifle. There are many excellent bullet choices for the .30/06, and most will gravitate toward the 180-grain options. 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. In the north country, where moose live, you want a versatile rifle, so you might as well pair it with the ultimate all-around cartridge. With a 200 gr AB or 210 gr PT, should work well from deer to moose out to 300 yds. My favorite bullet in the cartridge is the 143-grain ELDX, and scientists are still trying to figure out whether that bullet in my Winchester XPR in 6.5CM, or climate change has done more damage. Mag. Hit a bull in the shoulder blade or bone of the hind quarter with a .300 RUM or even a .300 Win. and 338 Federal. A recent bull moose that a buddy killed took one shot through the ribs with the 150-grain .308 load, took two steps, then nosed into the ground.