Should I Just Take The .338 Federal Deer hunting This Fall?

Thus far this summer and early fall, I have taken several rifles to the range and sighted them in, checked all stock screws, scope mounts, cleaned them thoroughly and then kept records of each and put them away with their chosen brand and weight of factory ammo for this fall's deer hunting.

Truth be known, it is one of my favorite pastimes because I just plain enjoy shooting, and tinkering with rifles.
I have several rifles ready to go right now including a Marlin Model 1895 45-70 & a Marlin Model 336 in .35 Rem with Hornady Lever Evolution  ammo, a Savage Weather Warrior in .308, a Savage bolt action in 30-06, and a Ruger Model 77 Mark II in .270 Win.

I haven't paid much attention lately to my Ruger Hawkeye in .338 Federal which is now sighted in with Federal's 200 grain Fusion load. It wears a Bushnell 3200 Elite scope in 3X9X40 with firefly reticle. It is easy to carry, has great ergonomic handling attributes and would be deadly out to around 300 yards or so as currently sighted in. It is also the ONLY .338 caliber rifle that is NOT a magnum.

I just enjoy carrying, shooting and hunting with different rifles as the mood strikes me and the situation, terrain, weather conditions etc. dictate. I have NOT taken any game with the .338 and I do not hand load. My two best options in factory ammo would be the Federal 200 grain Fusion load for which it is currently sighted in with, and perhaps the Federal 180 grain accubond load. The 200 grain fusion leaves the gate at around 2725fps and the 180 grain accubond at around 2830 fps. Both open up reliably on whitetails and yet hold together  well in the process. The Fusion load shoots well in my rifle and approximate drop at 300 yards is around 9 inches when zeroed at 200 yards.

.338 FEDERAL BALLISTICS
FEDERAL FACTORY LOAD Bullet Weight And Style	MUZZLE	100 yds.	200 yds.	300 yds.	400 yds.
180-gr. Nosler AccuBond
Velocity (fps)	2,830	2,590	2,350	2,130	1,930
Energy (ft-lbs)	3,200	2,670	2,215	1,820	1,480
Trajectory (ins.)	-1.5	+1.8	0	-8.2	-23.9
185-gr. Barnes Triple-Shock
Velocity (fps)	2,750	2,550	2,350	2,160	1,980
Energy (ft-lbs)	3,105	2,660	2,265	1,920	1,615
Trajectory (ins.)	-1.5	+1.9	0	-8.3	-24.1
210-grain Nosler Partition
Velocity (fps)	2,630	2,590	2,200	2,010	1,820
Energy (ft-lbs)	3,225	2,710	2,265	1,880	1,545
Trajectory (ins.)	-1.5	+2.3	0	-9.4	-27.3

If anyone out there has tried the .338 Federal on whitetails and has anything to share on its effectiveness or possible lack thereof, I would enjoy hearing from you. Also if you have a special hand load that has worked for you, I would like to hear about that.

Part of the fun is deciding and agonizing over what rifle and load to take hunting, whether it is whitetails, moose, black bears, or even woodchucks and coyotes.

Dan

"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason
Co-author of the Second Amendment
during Virginia's Convention to Ratify the Constitution, 1788