Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 358 Winchester Loads

I shoot the 225 gr. TSX at 2710 FPS from my .35 Whelen and it sure as hell opened up on a cow elk at 350 yards laser measured. I did not recover the bullet and it may still be traveling along. I've shot five elk with that load so far and have not recovers a bullet. Shots have ranged from 150 to 350 yards.
I think that 200 at 2700 FPS or close to it should workOK to 300+ yards.
Paul B.

Yeah I was thinking the 200 @ 2700 was a good one for the 358.

I m hoping to work up a 200 Accubond in that neighborhood as well.

Good to here they are working for you!

Quick update, I ran the TAC with a 225 Nosler out of my 358 today. Temp was about 22 degrees out overcast with a decent breeze. I didn't shoot for serious accuracy I simply wanted to get to the load printed in the article.

I had to sub CCI 250's for Fed 215's as there are none to be had around me and I also had 1000 of the 250's.

So, I was able to print 2531 fps and 2524 fps with 225's pushed by 49 grains of TAC. My COAL was 2.71"

No pressure signs and extraction was supper smooth!

Wanted to thank everyone that helped. I have some 200 grain loads to work up (trying for 2700+) and some 225 accuracy testing to do.

Cheers

Might not be super helpful but I recently got a 358 win that I had cut down to 16". I loaded up 225 NPTs with both TAC and RL-10. Only shot the RL-10 so far but it gave me best grouping at just over 2400 (2408 fps average) out of my 16" barrel. Will see what it does with the TAC next week.

That is quite interesting actually. I have more work to do with mine. The data I collected suggested that for every .5 grain of TAC I was an average gain of 25 fps. I landed on the published load without any issues of 49 gr of TAC.

Since it was 22 degrees out yesterday I figured I was close enough at 2531 fps. I also had to sub CCI 250's for the Fed's. No biggie as the CCI tends to be more accurate anyways just not as hot. That Reloader 10 does seem to be a decent choice for the 358 no doubt

And TAC meters so nicely.

Note to self, buy some TAC..........

I went with RL-10 because all Western Powders [TAC] is unobtanum in these parts.

That it does...looking forward to seeing how my 358 likes it. I have no doubts the velocity will be as good or better. Just a matter if it will group as well. We shall see I guess.

Yeah it does! I m very happy with my initial work with it.



That's an excellent idea!



Bummer.............but reloader 10 is good!




I think accuracy is subjective. After spending lots of time and money chasing tiny groups I've gone to a different way of judging accuracy. It's all based on hunting or minute of deer as some say. What I do now after developing a good load that show potential accuracy during testing I load a bunch and hit the field and shoot steel.

I decide if a load is accurate enough for hunting by shooting from field positions out to 400 yards. If I have a hard time keeping a load on an 8 inch steel at 400 it is scraped. I shoot for kill shots now.....I have learned that if far more important than tiny groups. Also a rifle and load combo that does that constantly will do the same at 100 so 1 - 2 MOA is plenty for me.

Just my two sense

I shot ALOT of groups using 4320 and 4895 before trying TAC.

velocity definitely better with TAC.

Group size didnt shrink though. Most groups in the 2-3" range. my BLR just doesnt seem like it wants to produce a stellar group.

all that said.... out to 200 or so, it's ample for anything I'll hunt.

most of my groups were fired using the 225 PT.

the 225 AB didnt work for me because the bullet has so much taper that it has to be seated really deep in the case in order to fit in the box magazine.

I shot the 200gr Horn SP too. No gains there.

I've had good results using Ramshot TAC with 225 gr. NP's in my Ruger M77. I've gotten .75 MOA or below at 100 yards with 3 shot groups several times, and it is close to MOA at 200 yards. I don't have a chronograph but, this load is near max so I'm guessing somewhere around 2,450 fps. The recipe I use is:

46.3 grains TAC (and yes, it meters nicely)
WLR Primers
COL 2.780
Winchester Brass

Cool Biggs,

47 grains of TAC ran 2400 with a 225 partition out of my rifle. That's what the chrony said anyways.

I m thinking your load may be closer to 2350 - 2375 based on my data I collected the other day.

It's supper accurate so I certainly wouldn't sweat it

Good Stuff!

Had a guy reload for my BLR 81 in 358 years ago. Could only get 2.5 inch groups with any 200 gr factory loading, including the newer Hornady. It shoots half inch all day long at 80 yds with this load. 250 gr Hornady RN bullet. CCI 200 primer. 41.1 grains of IMR 4320. And drops deer dead. It did take awhile to figure this out. Don't know what FPS it moves at.

I've said it before here BLR, my 358 is the fastest killing round I've ever had and can't put my finger on why, it's certainly not the biggest and by far from the fastest.

The dozen and a half or so deer, and the five or six pigs I've hit with it either die where they stand, or do a 15 yard death sprint with a face in the dirt landing, beats all I've ever seen.

I've blown cantaloupe sized holes through a deers ribcage with 300 WM and 7mm STW's completely eviscerating everything and still have them run near a hundred yards.

I'll keep using my little Hawkeye 358, I gotta get to the bottom of this abnormality.

Only reason I quit hunting with it was because it was my father's and I will have to pass it down someday. Now I use a 257 Weatherby. The 358 may be a bulldozer but that 257 is lightning!!!

Noble cause, and yes, I hunt with a close to 257 WM 25-06 AI, "lightning" is right!

Gunner, I may have to give that sucker a try in my BLR. My current load is W748 and 225 PT's. Does about 2450 and hammers stuff pretty well, but I have really worked with the 358 in a few years. Might be time to break it out and give it a try.

I agree about the 358 hammering deer. Nothing much better in the deer woods in my opinion. I haven't had any problem running it out to 300 yards on 8" plates.. Seems to whack em pretty hard..

I agree...this is a 358 win for crying out loud. For me its going to be a 300 yard and in gun at the very most. I am happy with 1.5-2 MOA for most of my hunting rifles as I simply don't shoot game beyond 300 yards all that often. But when I get a new rifle I still work up loads with a few powders and bullets to see what it likes best and go from there. Usually something always shoots 1.5" or better @100 which is just fine with me.

200 gr Interbond, 47.5 gr IMR4064. Not the fastest I've shot but puts 3 in 3/8"