Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters .358 Winchester

I'm thinking I need a 358 Winchester as my state allows bottleneck cartridges at or above .35 diameter for deer (typically a slug state, then went straight wall, now this). Any factory rifles available or would a Savage .308 and a .358 prefit barrel be easiest. Can't see shooting much over 200yards. I will need to research bullets before I get too deep in this, too.

I think Browning BLR was the last available but it's now discontinued. At 200yds and less you could easily get away with using cast alloy and it's still effective. Lyman has their cast handbook with that data.

BLR

If you could find a Ruger American in .358 Win that would be a good one to snag.

A 35 Remington works almost as well. I've been seeing 336 Marlins available in 35 Rem. Great moderate range deer caliber. Otherwise any short action can be sent to JES rebore for an upgrade. Anything 35 cal is an automatic upgrade. Sometimes a WTB add helps in the classified down below. I'll bet you'll find someone willing to turn one loose. I've also seen Savage 99's in 358 Win.

First off thanks for all the replies. I probably will not get into the cast bullet rabbit hole if possible, but good suggestion. Right now only looking at bolt actions, but may reconsider later. I have read a little about the rebore route, too. It does sound interesting if I can’t find a factory chambered rifle. I hate buying used rifles by pictures, but may have to start looking online.

How about 50 BMG?

Laws are laws no matter how ridiculous. I have a 264 Win Mag I can’t use.

What do you use?

I have a 358 that I made. It's actually just an upper for a DPMS pattern AR, and it shoots very well. In fact it's a bit more accurate then the 308 upper I have for the same rifle.
And it looks as if Browning is still making the BLR in 358
Lookie here>>>>>

https://www.browning.com/products/firearms/rifles/blr.html?q=&prodLine=RIFLE&productionType=Current%20Production|Exclusive%20Availability|Shot%20Show&subbrandDesc=BLR&sortOrder=default&caliberDesc=358%20Win

Your AR is based on an AR-10 platform I assume? Haven’t considered that. I’ve built a couple AR-15’s, or I guess put them together.

Living in a relatively free state I can use just about anything I want to. So far this year I've killed deer with a .223 in an AR and a .44 mag revolver. Last few days I've used a 6.5X55 but didn't shoot anything. Next will probably be 7X57 or .223 bolt gun, maybe .41 mag revolver.

If I lived in one of those states with the weird regs I'd love to be playing around with one of the new generation of straight wall stuff just to see what I could get out of it.

In your circumstances, I'd probably prefer .358 Winchester. I'd also consider .35 Remington and .35 Whelen. I'd not be opposed to using a .375 H&H or .375 Ruger, either.

Pick up a "cheap" used 700 short action and do it yourself. I've read some good things about X-Caliber barrels and they offer a 358 Winchester option.

https://www.x-caliber.net/remages

If you're open to trying a single shot rifle they may offer more flexibility for a 358 Win rebore. You won't have to worry about the magazine, bolt face, or action length. My 358 Win endeavours started with a 22 Hornet Handi Rifle that was rebore and rechambered. I had a rim counterbore cut in the barrel and often used 356 Win brass.

It’s really funny, but that’s Iowa…I have thought about what their rational might be that you can use a 358 Norma or STA, up to a 50+BMG, but a guy’s 30-30 or or 260, or anything below .358 cal is a no-no.

Never having had a 358 Win, I found a Ruger American in that chambering here in the Classifieds. I wouldn’t worry too much about bullets for deer in the 358.

There is a rebarreled Savage 110 in GB right now for $890

If you can’t find the 358 you’re looking for, I recommend going with a JES rebore. I think going that route is much easier than rebarreling.

I’d also encourage you looking into commercially available cast bullets, if you’re a reloader. I have found a cheap, but effective and accurate bullet for my 358. At 2100 fps and 250 grains, it’s a stomper on pigs. I’ll try it on deer this year, but I’m sure it will be great.

Thanks for everyone's help, I basically know my options now.

I just got a JES rebore .358Win back in less that 30days for $350. It's at my smith's now waiting to become a Rem 7600 carbine.

I've got a .358 X Caliber pre fit for a Tikka in my pile of stuff that I haven't gotten around to bolting together.

You might be able to find a Savage 99 in 358