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Old May 17, 2017, 04:04 PM   #1
gshayd
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Federal .338 AR10 project

I purchased a Anderson AM-10 Hunter in .308 that was on sale. I purchased a barrel from Black Hole Weaponry in .338 Federal. I had to order a barrel nut from Anderson to remove the EXT Forearm. I kept the EXT forearm because the gas tube does not have to go through the barrel knot. Because of this I didn't have to play hide and seek of aligning the gas tube holes in the upper and the gas knot. The only part added was the barrel and muzzle brake. I had to purchase some MagPul 7.62x51 magazines. I only buy metal magazines. I must admit I like the way the MagPul fit and and there were no failures to load or eject. It functioned without any problems. I test fired it using Federal fusion 200 gr ammo. It was given the nickname Thumper..lol. The Anderson trigger was horrible. I squeezed the trigger to the rear till all the slack was taken up. Showtime! Only to squeeze the trigger and discover more slack to take up. First time I had a 3 stage trigger..lol. I have a new Timney 3 lb trigger on the way. The only other problem is I had a full size magazine and its a PITA to try and shoot resting it on the magazine. I now have a 10 round magazine for that.
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Old May 17, 2017, 09:43 PM   #2
WVinMN
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Looks good!

I built an LR308 using a Blackhole Weaponry barrel. I'm very pleased with the results. I've now set out to build a new upper for the platform chambered in 375 Raptor. As soon as the barrel, compensator and forend come back from the shop applying a Cerakote finish to those parts, it will be time to put it all together. I'll post some pictures when I'm done. BTW, what do you intend to do with your 338? I'm planning on taking the 375 elk hunting this Fall.
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Old May 18, 2017, 02:01 AM   #3
gshayd
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probably for hunting game larger than deer out to 300 yards
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Old May 19, 2017, 08:11 AM   #4
stagpanther
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Muzzle brake obviously not big enough.
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Old May 19, 2017, 11:44 PM   #5
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How much does that monster weigh?

I hunt elk in the back country, one of the units I have hunted in Utah has no road access so it is pack in and out. I would hate to pack that monster in and out plus gear . On horseback (the only option besides afoot), weight matters. Also, weight begins to matter when you are walking ridges at 7-8k ft elevation.

I only bring this up because I have an AR-30 .338 LM and with a full mag it is around 25 lbs, wayyy to much to pack in and out so I'd I was to hunt with it, it would be mostly me sitting on a ridge glassing the area.
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Old May 20, 2017, 06:00 AM   #6
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The 338 is simply another necked 308 win design--so it is not going to weigh anything more than any other "typical" xx308 design, my builds with 20" barrels typically come in at the 11 lb range when decked with optics. Sounds like you're comparing them to a 1 mile sniper combat bad guy zapper
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Old May 20, 2017, 11:56 AM   #7
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Quote:
The 338 is simply another necked 308 win design--so it is not going to weigh anything more than any other "typical" xx308 design, my builds with 20"

Ahh, I see. It's like the "blackout" version of the .,338. Would be a good hog Slayer. Or close range elk/mule deer.
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Old May 20, 2017, 12:45 PM   #8
stagpanther
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Ahh, I see. It's like the "blackout" version of the .,338. Would be a good hog Slayer. Or close range elk/mule deer.
Not really, the blackout involves cutting the 223 case short and reforming--so it has less capacity than a standard 223. The 338 fed is pretty much a straight-forward neck up of an otherwise unmodified 308 win case--so it's going to be more or less the same gun other than a barrel with a 338 bore.
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Old May 20, 2017, 07:30 PM   #9
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Not really, the blackout involves cutting the 223 case short and reforming--so it has less capacity than a standard 223. The 338 fed is pretty much a straight-forward neck up of an otherwise unmodified 308 win case--so it's going to be more or less the same gun other than a barrel with a 338 bore.

Very well then, it is the short action version of the .338 A-square. (.338-06).
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Old May 20, 2017, 07:41 PM   #10
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Very well then, it is the short action version of the .338 A-square. (.338-06).
OK
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Old May 23, 2017, 06:41 PM   #11
gshayd
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It is a .308 case necked up to .338. It is not light nor the heaviest I have. This is heavy
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Old May 23, 2017, 11:33 PM   #12
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The 308 is the parent case for many rounds. The case has been necked up or down to create 243, 260, 7-08, 338 Fed and 358 Win. Probably a few lesser known cartridges I either forgot or never knew existed.

Rifle loonies do things to be different, and the 338 Fed is different and will suit your stated goals of game larger than deer out to 300 yards. But the only thing it thumps is the trigger puller. Recoil is almost exactly the same as 30-06 with the same bullet weights.

A 200 gr 338 caliber bullet is a stubby little bullet with poor aerodynamics that doesn't penetrate any better than most anything else. It is not bullet weight or diameter that determines penetration, but bullet LENGTH in relation to diameter. It is LONG bullets that perform well on larger game. In the same caliber heavier is always longer, but when comparing different calibers things get interesting.

Assuming equal bullet construction a 243/100gr, or 308/165 will penetrate just as deep as a 338/200 gr bullet. Any of the 26 caliber/140gr loads or 308/180gr bullet will penetrate deeper on larger game than 338 Fed. And do it at longer ranges with 20-50% less recoil.

I'm sure you AR is a fun rifle to shoot, but I don't think an 11 lb rifle is going to be fun to carry anywhere I hunt. Somewhere between 7-8 lbs including optics is as much as I want to carry.
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Old May 24, 2017, 08:29 AM   #13
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Assuming equal bullet construction a 243/100gr, or 308/165 will penetrate just as deep as a 338/200 gr bullet. Any of the 26 caliber/140gr loads or 308/180gr bullet will penetrate deeper on larger game than 338 Fed. And do it at longer ranges with 20-50% less recoil.

I love this topic. The example I always use to folks who don't pay as much attention to this stuff is to imagine a needle that (somehow hypothetically) weighs 200 gr. going 2500 fps, vs a ball of say .40" diameter with the same weight and velocity...which will penetrate deeper? The needle of course.
BUT! Which one will impart more energy on the target when hit in the vitals? The ball of course because the needle will pass right through.

What we are trying to achieve is then some balance where it penetrates through just enough to literally fall out of the other side of the animal or get stuck in the hide on the far side, while doing maximum damage to vitals. In this way, you have imparted ALL the energy the bullet has on the critter, and sufficiently damaged the vitals to achieve a quick kill.

The term sectional density comes into play here. JMR40 is correct though, there are optimal caliber/weight ratios for hunting, depending on what you hunt. And like he said, with a 180 gr bullet, a 30 cal will have superior sectional density. In general, a .33 cal bullet that is 180 gr will have a sectional density of around .220, while the .30 cal will be .271. Of course the .30 cal will always have greater sectional density at any weight, but once you get to 225 gr, most .30 cal cartridges start losing a lot of velocity and the .33 cal becomes the better option, IFF you chose a cartridge like the .338 win mag that holds lots more powder and can push it.

Its kind of like that .50 beowulf cartridge, the bullets are big, slow, heavy, and short. Its a big pistol chambered rifle (the .50 beowulf is akin to the .500 smith and wesson).

Some neck ups really work well like the .338-06 and .35 whelen, both offspring of the .30-06. But those are built on a long action and the cartridges can hold a lot of powder compared to the .308.

Everyone can do what they want obviously as my opinion means less than the paper it is written on. And for target shooting, I say do whatever you want. But when it comes to hunting, I have done it enough to know that getting creative with your chambering/bullet selection often doesn't end the way you hoped.
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Old May 24, 2017, 08:10 PM   #14
gshayd
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I like to think of the .338 Federal as not another short and fat round that will not give you whiplash from the recoil and will shoot a 210 gr bullet at respectable velocities for hunting elk and moose.
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