I am beginning to plan my next rifle, and want a short lightweight (i.e. 7 1/2lbs. all up) "brush" gun, and am really having trouble deciding between the 358 win or the 350 rem mag. I am by no means recoil shy, but want a gun that I can readily move onto a second or third shot with, and nobody I know has a 350 rem mag. So onto the big question, which caliber is preferred by those of you who have hunted with both?
.....................In my Lyman manual and from the same barrel lengths, the 200 grainers as the maximum velocities listed for both cartridges are within 100 fps of each other, with the 350 Rem Mag owning the slight advantage.
For a brush hunting cartridge to use for short to moderate ranges, I see no real or significant advantage in the performance dept that one cartridge would have over the other. So the key would be to find the rifle that best suites your niche of a short, handy, extremely manuverable, that you can as you say, "can readily move!"
I don`t own a 358, but I do own the rifle that was chambered in a 358 Win from Ruger.
For a bolt action, assuming you`re looking for a bolt, that imo would best suite your needs, you simply cannot beat the Ruger Frontier compact. From personal experience (and I`ve handled ALOT of bolt rifles), there is no faster, manuverable or better handling bolt rifle on the planet which is as ideal for the brush. Mine happens to be chambered in the 300 WSM which Ruger discontinued.
Ruger also did chamber that same rifle in the 358 Win with the target grey stainless barrel. I`ve recently seen some NIB on Gunbroker. Some may probably still be available. My shooting and hunting friend happens to also have one chambered in the 338 Federal, with numerous hogs, 2 black bear and a bull moose to his rifle`s credit.
We go hog hunting together and very often we`re in heavy brushy areas, which is where these little carbines really excel. Sling them on your shoulder, the muzzle is well below the top of your head. Carry them by the pistol grip pointed to the ground, the muzzle is well above the ground. They balance well and really pack a punch. As my own 300 has shown and proved vs 24" 300 WSMs, the 16.5" barrels lose only between 4.2% to 4.5% in velocity to the 24" barrels in the same cartridge shooting the same ammo or reloads.
Along with using a conventional scope, the Frontier also has a scout mount should you wish to mount a scout scope. I do both. The scout mount alone also helps to stabilize the shorter barrel for free hand shooting. As opposed to the new Ruger Hawkeye compacts, the Frontiers use heavier barrels which further helps for muzzle stability.
Even for my size at 6'3" 240 lbs, the Ruger Frontier is still not at all too small. It`s 35.5" of OAL and 12.5" LOP is what makes it a great handling, very fast bolt rifle and ideal in the brush.
