The .338 Ruger Compact Magnum or .338 RCM is a rimless, short-length rifle cartridge based on the .375 Ruger case. It was designed by Sturm Ruger and Hornady and released in 2008 and chambered in various Ruger rifles. The goal was to create a shorter cartridge than the big .338 magnums that would fit in a more compact rifle with nearly the same performance. Similar to the design ideas for the WSM cartridge family, but somewhat narrower which will frequently allow one more cartridge in the rifle magazine than the WSM equivalent. This round is designed for hunting medium to large sized North American game.
The .338 Ruger Compact Magnum uses a unique case designed by Hornady and Ruger based on the powerful .375 Ruger cartridge. The case is of a rimless design having the base and rim diameter of .532 in (13.5 mm) which is the same diameter as the belt on belted magnum cases based on the .300 H&H Magnum and .375 H&H Magnum. This allows the cartridge to have a greater case capacity than a belted magnum case given cases of equal length. As Ruger intended the cartridge to be chambered in short length bolt-action rifles the case length was shortened to 2.10 in (53 mm) which is similar to the .308 Winchester case. Unlike Winchester Short Magnum cartridges, the Ruger Compact Magnums share the same diameter from case head to body. This allowed Ruger to chamber the cartridge without extensively redesigning their M77 rifle to adopt them to the new Ruger cartridge.
338 Federal Ammo
The .338 Federal Ammo is the best elk and deer ammo you’ve probably never heard of. It flattens games efficiently without a strong recoil. It was in 2005 when the Federal Cartridge Company announced its development. The .338 Federal Ammo is based on the .308 Winchester case. The official release was in 2006, and the Federal stated that it was a non-magnum ammo boasting of magnum energy.
The .338 Federal Ammo launches the 180 to 250-grain bullets from a small, short action case. It provides more muzzle energy than a 7mm Remington and recoils less than a 30-06. It also delivers 1820 muzzle velocity and 1920 foot/pounds at 300 yards. The Federal ballistic data shares that the .338 Federal pushes a 180-grain Nosler from the muzzle at 2840 fps. It also produces 3,224 foot-pounds energy which is far more than the 30-06.
This performance is enough for a fast kill when hunting moose and elk. The .338 Federal Ammo can achieve a balance between velocity and energy when in use. The .338 Federal Ammo is ideal for games weighing over 90kg; it is a good target resistance. It is best in moderate ranges to ensure high muzzle velocity that will provide maximum trauma. It also offers considerably less recoil than the 308 Winchester.
Shot placement is key to achieving excellent performance from the .338 Federal Ammo. With well-forward shots, the .338 Federal Ammo is a fast killer of big and lean games. Sporting various projectiles, the .338 Federal Ammo is versatile and can hunt different game sizes.
