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Getting ready to send off my Mark X action to have it re-barreled into .358 Win.
Question - what barrel length? 20? 21? 22? something else?
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That is really hard to say, without knowing your overall goals. I tend to not go down to 20" except for special projects.
Have you thought about sending the 30-06 barreled action you have off and having it rebored into 35 Whelen? That would be much cheaper than a new barrel. And you could always load it to .358 velocities.
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B, years ago Francis Sell made up a .358 win on and HVA action.. He was an Oregon blacktail deer hunter.. He went with a 20 inch barrel, but he was hunting very heavy cover.. I cut my 7mm-08 to 21".. for hunting woods it is great.. But I have lots of long range rifles for open country..
Molon Labe
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I went with 21" and have no complaints. The .358 is pretty efficient with the larger bore diameter so you'll loose less per inch than you would with a .308, 7mm, .243, etc..
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I built a .358 on a LA MK X and had a Douglas 23in barrel put on by IT&D. I handled like a normal 270, 30-06 built on that action. It shot a little over half inch groups w/TTSX 200gr bullets. I built it like that so I could cut some off if need be. We hunt from stands in Texas and it was not hard to get around... so I left it. A good length for brush hunting to me would be 21in and it is one of the more popular lengths on the board. powdr
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Here's a little more detail:
95% of my hunting will be from the hill country west here in Texas. Shots range from >100 yards to over 600. Most of this hunting is from box blinds or taking a seat on the ground. The primary goal of this rifle is a solid 300 yd (or better with practice) rifle that will hold it's umph out to those ranges. Game will primarily be whitetail and axis with a possibility of an Addax. Out of state hunting will SE NM for mule deer and Idaho/Wyoming for elk and mule deer. Thinking of either the 220 grain or the 225 grain Sierra's or Nosler partitions
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While the .358 Winchester may be one of my favorite chamberings that I have used since 1966 I do not favor it at all for longer ranges.
I leave the 358's behind and use a rifle with more long range ability.
The 30-06 is the standard. I have also used a 7mm RM since it came out. Those are a couple of suggestions.
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I already own a 300 Win Mag. If I truly need to reach out an touch one, that's most likely what I'll be carrying. However, the 358 is entirely capable of taking game out to those ranges.
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My 358 Model Seven is one of my favorite handy rifles. I have never found the 20" barrel to be lacking in any way though the cartridge does lose some steam out yonder. This bull was well beyond 200 yards when I drilled him twice. I was not especially impressed with either bullet or what it did; (too much GOG involved. ) But it did work!
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I own four bolt rifles in 358 Win. 3 of them have a 20" barrel and the 4th is a 21" barrel. Haven't taken any shots out past 80 yards on deer size game.
Ken
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I had a Mark X re-barreled to .358 Win. It was accurate with 225 grain partitions but had some feeding issues. My gunsmith suggested changing it to .35 Whelen. It feeds that round very well, is accurate and gives me an extra 200 fps. I like it better.
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On that action I'd personally think long and hard before going with a 358, I'd lean towards something built on an 06 case. One thing you could do is run some 308 cases through to check feeding (if it is an 06) before committing. I'd also worry about balance with a short barrel on that action and would think hard on 22". I am also not a fan of short/fat barrels on hunting rifles. (just like women!)
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bBear with your criteria you just perfectly described a 338-06. powdr
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I had a Mark X re-barreled to .358 Win. It was accurate with 225 grain partitions but had some feeding issues. My gunsmith suggested changing it to .35 Whelen. It feeds that round very well, is accurate and gives me an extra 200 fps. I like it better. That is a big part of the reason I suggested the Whelen as well. The Mauser feeds great with a case with the right dimensions, but the fixed mag box means you have few options to improve the feeding on a case shape it does not like.
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I'd just buy a 6.5 Creedmoor, 7/08, 260, or 308 and go kill stuff. Even a 270. If you want a custom short action, carbine efficient, perhaps a 338 federal, but if you take many shots at long distance, you will have to dope drop, and hope your bullet expands and hits vitals.
My son dumped his deer in Texas at 300 yds with a 243 w 85gr....
The 338/06 is a hammer, 200 Nosler at 2900+, in my experience it kills deer as good as a 6BR, the latter what I used at 400 yds on my longest Whitetail kill.
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Since asking for personal opinions on barrel length (and not asking for all the replies one what round you "should" use) I, myself would go with the 22 inch.
I find 2 inches "extra" barrel unnoticeable in handling between 20 and 22 inch but if I were to push the 358 out to longer ranges the small amount of extra velocity gotten with the 22 inch barrel would get my nod for ME and MY use. 2 cents.
I, also, would study my down range velocities and keep shots under whatever yardage I still had 1800 fps plus (minimum) for bullet performance with bullets of choice. I personally feel "safer" with 2000.
What any round will or will not do has more to do with the shooter than energy for the most part but bullet performance is mandatory for constant knock downs (IMHO).
There is "always another round that someone else thinks is superior". We all build and shoot what we like or else we would all be shooting the most powerful round out there....after all they "kill better".
No offense intended to a single poster but dayummmm fellas. The guy asked about barrel choices for a 358 win (and I have to wonder how many have taken game WITH one, whom replied).
The "books" don't tell the entire story, don't include one's preferences in all things that go bang and KE is not the holy grail by itself. ...........IMO from 50 years of shooting.
God Bless
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FWIW, a .358 on that action would certainly allow you to use the 225gr ABs, and have no COL issues. IF you can push it to 2600fps, this is what I get for #s:
yd. in. fps. ft-lbs. 50 0.448 2493 3105 100 0.983 2391 2856 150 0.006 2289 2617 200 -2.651 2190 2396 250 -7.146 2092 2186 300 -13.489 1999 1996
I use one of my .358s, similarly, though I don't push it that hard, and only count on about 2450 fr a 20" tube, but it still should get me to 300, with less energy, but less fuss. I don't feel a need for 2000 FPS or 2000 ftlbs for a deer or hog, with a 200+gr .358 pill.
If I was sitting on your action for a build, it'd be hard for me not to build another 22-23" 7x57 or maybe a 280/AI, for shooting from stands in TX. A new 'dream' 358 build would have a 20-21" tube and a mannlicher stock. I really think you can get all you want or need from a .358 in a 20-21" bbl, whereas a Whelen will make it's hay somewhere at <22". JMO
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"Here's a little more detail:
95% of my hunting will be from the hill country west here in Texas. Shots range from >100 yards to over 600. Most of this hunting is from box blinds or taking a seat on the ground. The primary goal of this rifle is a solid 300 yd (or better with practice) rifle that will hold it's umph out to those ranges. Game will primarily be whitetail and axis with a possibility of an Addax. Out of state hunting will SE NM for mule deer and Idaho/Wyoming for elk and mule deer. Thinking of either the 220 grain or the 225 grain Sierra's or Nosler partitions"
SO OP - do you plan to take shots to 600 - with the 358?
Steve, how much incremental fps do you see per inch, and how does that impact trajectory?
If set on a 358, the 225 Sierra is the only bullet I would run in a 358, a Partition is a great choice and if close shots on Elk or Big Bears is a good one, esp in a 350 RM or Whelen or anything faster.
I had a M77 350 in SS, shot those two bullets great, the Sierra will expand and retain, and penetrate very well. Built for a purpose, big game.
My buddy had to buy it after hammering a nice 10pt WT, but if I did again, I would buy the same rifle, and chop to 20 or 21. That is the max I want in a short action 35. A 19 would not be out of the question. I would expect 15-20fps max per inch from 19 > 22, and to me, that would not mean squat downrange in performance.
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I just got my 700 358W in A Wildcat stock back from the smith. I went with 22" on the bbl as I have shorter guns to use if needed. I thought that if I didn't like how it handled, I would get it shorter later, but I don't like anything shorter than 20".
The 22" feels fine. That 35cal hole takes out a lot of metal on the sporter contour so the balance is right there.
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Here are a few 358's to look at : Remington 700 20" / 600 21" / Model 7 SS 20" Ken
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