Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 358 Winchester

I have seen the Dakota 76 in the classifieds and own a 358 Win in a Pre-64 Model 70, but I would like to know, from a practical standpoint, what you hunt with this cartridge.

It seems pretty "middle of the road" to be really good at anything?

Just looking for some input.

donsm70

I hunt deer in thick eastern mountainsides with a .358. Have killed a couple of coyotes with it as well but they were just targets of opportunity. Mine has been very accurate, excellent performance with cup/core (on deer), recoil isn't bad with 200's. Kills quickly with cup/core 200's and usually has a exit with EXCELLENT blood trails. I like the little .358 at 200 yards and under.

I can echo what JCM said.

Typical area I'll use the .358 for deer - panorama is a bit deceiving in that shots are much closer than they appear - mostly 150 yards and under (though I think the .358 is capable of 300 yards). I've used it on a couple of black bears as well. There are a plethora of chamberings that would work just as well, they're just not named .358 Winchester. *grins*

Hi Don,
I have used the .358 in levers and bolts for over 30 years. I do reload for it and have found the 180 Barnes X kills very fast on deer. Have also used 200 Hornady with great results. Remember reading a Clay Harvey article on the 358 where he used it on Mule deer in a Savage 99 @ 275 yards and was impressed.(I know all the bad Clay stories).
Anyway it is a good choice most for N.A. game if one does his part to know its drop at the ranges he might be shooting. Jay

By the same standard,middle of the road,couldn't you say that it could be used for anything?

I have used reloads with the Hornady 250 gr RN. Knocks deer dead on impact. Outstanding accuracy and not bad recoil at all in my BLR.

Killed my first grizzly with a 99 in 358 along with a half dozen moose.
back then we didn't have squat for bullets as they were mostly designed for
35 Remington but Norma had a 250gr with a copper/nickel finish that killed well.

I run a 200 gr RN at Max velocity.
Pretty sure anything that roams my part of the US wouldn't survive a solid hit.

been REALLY thinking about a rebore to .358! to me it would be an IDEAL cartridge for the "one gun man". it would be outstanding supressed with a subsonic HEAVY lead bullet. it could also be loaded to 1000fps with a light pistol bullet and be an ideal practice or small game getter. a FAST 180 would be great for deer and a 225 at 2600 should knock the snot out of the big stuff.

Deer and black bear in the east, but have yet to take a bear with it.

Gotta be rough on swine...

It seems that everyone wants a long range gun, but if I'm not mistaken more game is taken under 300 yards than over. I know where I live,I would guess 90% of deer are taken under 150 yards. At those ranges the 358 should excel as a big game caliber.

I've wanted to make a Kimber Montana into one for a while now. With the barrel cut to 20" and an illuminated 1-4 or 1-6 power scope,it would be an ideal rifle for the thick stuff I hunt along the creek bottoms. It would be ideal not because the caliber would bust through brush ,but because it would be short,light,and fast handling and should put any deer or hog down fairly quick before it could get lost in the thick stuff.or at least knock a big enough hole all the way through as to have a good blood trail.

I have taken deer and elk with the .358 without any complaints and it makes a great cast bullet gun. 250 grain Speer Hot Cor does an excellent job on elk while the 225 Sierra GK gets the job done on deer.

Short of shooting across the canyon, I want to know what it isn't good for? I love my three.

Shot a black bear this year that fell on its face with a 358 in Savage 99

Couple of whitetail and a couple of Axis does and three axis bucks. Add in a half dozen feral pigs. Biggest animal was one of the axis at 300 lbs live weight. Biggest pig was about 225. Boring cartridge really. I shot more shots finding a load than I had to take the game listed.

I've 'tried' to take it out to 500 yards. Never hit the 18" plate but I've scared it pretty well

I agree. While I have some LR guns I really like the little 358 win. Its plenty capable even to 300 yards with its 16" barrel. Like you said by far more game is killed sub 300 yards than over.

If you do go 1-4 illuminated skip right over the 1-4 SWFA....mine died in less than 30 rounds under my 358 win so now it wears a (gasp) Leupold VX-2 2-7

Great cartridge. I shot a doe at about 200 yards with the 200 Hornady and TAC. In behind the ribs and out the opposite shoulder...was hoping to catch the bullet but no such luck. Nothing in NA I'd be hesitant to take with it. I'd like to give either the 180 or 200 TTSX a run but haven't gotten around to it.

I was fortunate to get one of the Kimber Montanas in 338 Federal.......5# 4oz with scope......carries oh so nice and groups very well.

Some day I'll put one together. I've heard about the same on the 1-4 SWFA. Something like the new 1-8 Nightforce NXS at 17 ounces would be just about right if low light performance and eye box is good. I really wish they would have made it with a 32mm objective with a larger exit pupil and made sure illumination is low enough for low light. Talk about a perfect hunting scope, that could be it.