Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 358 win idea

I was posting about 35 cals a while back and was considering the whelen or a magnum but decided on 358win.

I was wondering if folks could examine my reasons

After something for medium game out to 250 yards max, can handle large game in a pinch. Can use pistol bullets of which I have a lot- at appropriate speeds on smaller game.Will handle these bullets and cast bullets better than the larger 35 cal options/magnums.Can also run pistol powder loads with cast or pistol bulllets( like the old war era guard loads of bullseye, red dot)

Was thinking its not a common calibre but 308 brass will be around as long as anything else.Not fussed on action, assume can also rebarrel a 243 win or 308, would like detach mag options which suit my style of vehicle carry/transitioning. I read the three most popular twists are 1:12, 1:14, 1:16- actuallly have a 26" long 357 blank with 1:16 twist and wondered if this twist would be okay for a 358winchester project- heard bullets 250 grains or more may not stabilise well with the longer twist but I wonder this is internet myth or not.

last question is does a 358win add much to the thump of the 308 or does it just make the hunter feel better

I learned a long time back that it is easier to ride fast horse slow than a slow horse fast, trying to make one cartridge do all is ridiculous. Build the 35 Whelen or a 358 if you got to. Your theory is full of holes waiting to happen. You did ask...mb

What are the holes then, thats what I was after. .If you meant Im trying to turn this into a 22LR- elephant gun all rounder. Nope. Fellas run rifles with cast and applicable pistol bullets for fun or whatever.

Or did you mean twist rate, 250 grain bullets, power levels, range on game? Those were questions. Happy to hear opinions from fellas who know the calibre.

I had a 1-16 Remington 700 in 35 Whelen that handled 250 Partitions well so if that’s as heavy/long a bullet you’re using you’ll probably be in good shape.

358 Win does make a lot of sense if you have that much brass around. I think it also meets your criteria of 250 yards pretty easily.

Good luck with whatever you do. Building a handy 358 isn’t a bad way to roll.

You can use Berger's stability calculator and JBM's bullet length link to figure out what heavy bullets will stabilize.

https://bergerbullets.com/twist-rate-calculator/

https://www.jbmballistics.com/ballistics/lengths/lengths.shtml#Nosler

Tried the 250 nosler partition 1.270" length with a 1 in 16 twist velocity 2250 fps zero elevation 59 degrees and it has a SG of 1.58, comfortable stability.

I have a model 7 and love shooting the lighter bullets in it with reduced loads.

A .357" barrel ain't the way to roll with .358" jacketed bullets unless you like cleaning copper fouling. Far easier to run lead thru a .358" barrel.

I have a Kimber Montana I had rebarreled using Shortactionsmokers Lilja dupe, finished at 22".

Still working on load development, but the thump over the .308 is more pronounced, as one would expect in a 6# rifle.

I hunt big woods in the Adirondacks, so the weight savings is worth the extra recoil for my purposes.

I've settled on the 225 Partition as my bullet of choice, using JB's TAC loads.

The rifle is a svelte, fast pointing carbine.

That does sound quite good. And slowing one of those 225 PTs down usually takes a bit of deer.

If you can find them, the 225 Sierra GK is a seriously awesome deer bullet. They open up to 3/4” or better and man they plow a swath.

Your dough, your show, but I see no reason to go over .30 cal unless stuff bigger than deer is routinely on your menu. Bullet selection is far less, and there are also some .30 cal lightweights in RN and HP forms that will do the same job as the .357 bullets, as well as good cast ones available if you want to buy instead of pouring your own. I’ve popped a few smaller critters with 110gr Speer HPs at about 1500, and they stay popped. Very pleasant shooting too. Used 4759 years ago, but Trail Boss works well too. Take a look at what’s available in .358 before you decide, and if you go that way, by all means get a proper barrel instead of that .357 bore. As for recoil, physics are physics; it’s gonna kick more than a .308 for certain. If you’re sensitive, or getting up there in age, it might be a problem. I’m 70, shoot a couple or three rounds of 5-Stand weekly, occasionally four, usually with a 12, and it wears on me a bit. Don’t build something you won’t enjoy, or have to brake or suppress to enjoy, unless you need the power.

Not my usual practice to throw cold water on notions, but you did ask….

A 358 is indeed a wonderful and versatile caliber in a proper rifle. I too would think a .358 groove barrel would be better. Now, when it comes to cast and pistol bullets, powders and other modifications of the cartridge; the 35's shine including the 358. Can't go wrong there. I would also suggest you go 1/14 if your buying a new barrel. 1/16 is on the edge for longer 250's and if you decide to put a 280+ Cast bullet in her, a little more stability in the air is good.
I also find the 35 whump a good bit better when hunting with Cast.

I have only taken 4 deer with .35s. 2 with a .356 Win and 2 with a .358 Win. 2 deer ran a bit spraying blood out both sides and 2 dropped in their tracks. What I noticed over the 30s is bigger blood trail with bigger exit wounds, but less meat damage. The less met damage may be due to slower velocities. I settled on the .225g Sierra and Nosler PT for the .358 and in factory loads the 250g PP in the .356. Sadly, the 250g are no longer made so have loaded up some 220 Speers (also no longer made.)

Like you I want a bolt action in .358 Win. Currently mine is a Mod. 88 .308 re-barreled to .358.

Working with the Sierras now Scotty.

I kinda like the bigger holes 225 Sierras punch through deer and as JAH mentioned, the blood trails are to die for

Have been thinking of a re-barrel to 358 Win on a Ruger American bolt gun. Part of the allure is something to shoot pistol bullets and other reduced charge loads through. This information is helpful.

I've had three or four 358s over the years and liked them all. It's a good cartridge, but as you say it really does not have anything to offer over a 308 for deer and really not that much over the same 308 with 180gr NPs for heavier stuff.

I have an old 700 308 here that I was going to get bored to 35cal, but changed my mind. I'm sticking with the 308. Can't buy 35cal bullets up here no anyways.

Well, gunszwizard should be along shortly to remind us that the .358 Win. is a 100 yard cartridge.

You might wanna give this a read. A Kimber Hunter bored and chambered by JES to 358 Win. Chop the barrel or not. Pretty simple and relatively inexpensive solution to what you want.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/15732011/1

This right here is your huckleberry for plinking and critter getting. They can be driven very fast if you really want to ‘splode stuff.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010935978?pid=336780

I had to sign up for notifications to get my last batch. The Plinkers with what looks like a tall gascheck are cheaper, but I’ve never tried them.

That was a classic.

If you really wanna stretch it