I have a .358 Win on a Model 660 action, with a 21" barrel thats a little heavier than most sporter barrels. It's a remarkably nice, short rifle - it shoots well, swings well and doesn't weigh more than I want it to. It's easy to handle in the thick stuff too. The manuals tell me I can get 2600 fps with a 200 grain bullet, juuust get 2500 fps with a 225 grain bullet, and get 2300+ with a 250. They also tell me that I have a 300 yard gun - if I sight in the 225 grain load to be 3" high @ 100 yards I'll be about 1/2" high @ 200 & 10" low at 300. It will still have close to 1700 ft-lbs of energy at 300, and plenty of bullet mass too. I've never taken a 300 yard shot in my life and maybe never will, but I can with this rifle. Mine has no recoil pad, so it becomes an issue at the bench after 10-20 rounds. I'll be adding a pad but for winter hunting I don't need one.
The numbers on the 350 mag are even better, but the 358 just doesn't leave me wanting for any more fps, and it doesn't really add much more useable range, so why take the recoil?
I like the idea of 338 Federal even more, as I'm fine with 200 & 225 grain bullets for everything, and 338's fly better than 35's. Might even get a little more velocity because people are reporting 2700+ fps (chrono'd) with the Federal Fusion 200's.
If I were doing this from scratch I would build a Model 7 or a Sako 75 in .358 or 338 Federal, and leave the 350 mag for somebody else.
Just my $.02
Cool discussion though!
Kragman1
