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I am a new member, but long time reader. I have an extra AR-10 lower I want to build a hard hitting hunting AR-10. I have it narrowed down to either.338 RCM or .358 Winchester. What do you guys think?

I knew a fella that went with the 338 Federal.

Wilson Combat has 358 win barrels for the AR-10…. Under 250 it saves meat big time, and penetrates around 2-3 feet easily.

I just checked their site, that is a killer sale! Looks like they only offer it in 16" though. Isn't that a bit short for the .358 win to perform properly?

I had and sold a .338F

I have and run several .358W

BUT... If you want a real MONSTER... .375 Raptor

https://www.x-caliber.net/ar-10

https://www.375raptor.com/resources/

200s at 2,700 FPS

https://www.375raptor.com/load-data/

We are actually beyond that but the data is private.

Arne is a genius...

I looked very hard into the .375 raptor and really wanted to build one. The big problem is there is nothing available to support it be I couldn't even find reloading dies for it.

I just found a company that would make a .325 wsm AR-10 barrel. How would the .325 wsm preform with a 20" barrel?

It really amazes and disappoints me that there is no longer any support (ammo and reloading components) for any of the short action magnums or even the .450 marlin. There are so many possibilities for great hunting rifles on the Ar-10 platform with these cartridges...

You might take a look at the 50 Krater. You would need a 50AE expander and seat die and a RUM sizer to load it. 300gr FTX at 2650fps.

Tony

Sweet bejeebers, ever hear of the .308/7.62x51. Look into it. Several brands of dies. I hear there’s a little load data around. Bullets can be had if you know a guy. Some folks claim it’ll kill stuff. YMMV

The 7.62x51/.308 is a great caliber. I however already have an AR10 chambered in it infact that's what I have been using deer hunting sofar this year lol. Because I already have the .308, I was looking to do something a little different this time

I was chatting with Kyle yesterday and he offered me a .375 Raptor upper we built a few years ago (we built a dozen or so)... He brought it up not me...

Drop me a PM with a text number (if you like) and I will get y'all connected. I suspect he can get you straight on dies as well.

He is located in Bowling Green, VA.

This is a 10" or 12" .358W SBR.

With pistol bullets I can hit 3,400 FPS IIRC.

We did these as 10s, 12s, 16s, 18" and 20s IIRC, plus a bunch of Remington 700s.



*All NFS Stamps are in place.

Lotta fun with medium bore stuff.

It's sounding more and more like maybe the .358 win with a short barrel might be a good set up. I'm hearing from guys that have them really love them

Did you call CH4D? The support page said CH4D has them. IIRC it's based off the .308 case so it should be fairly easy to support the cartridge once you get dies.

I made myself a "AR10" in the 308 and added an additional upper in 358. Using 180- 220 grain bullets my 358 outshoots my 308.
I have yet to kill anything with it, but I have made a number of 358s in bolt actions for customers over the last 40 years and all of them loved the guns and the results on game. One man I made a 358 for over 30 years ago lives in Jackson Wyoming and he uses it for all hunting including antelope. He is in love with the gun and the cartridge.

I would give a tip: Use a 1-12 twist instead of a 1-14. Mine had a 1-14 and with the 225 grain boat tailed tipped bullets it's not doing the job for me. I use a 180 of 220 grain flat base flat points or round noses and the same barrel is shooting 3/4" to 7/8". With the 225 gr AccuBonds I was getting about 8' to 9" and many holes were not round, showing me a yaw in flight. I have no other explanation but twist rate.

The boat tail and the plastic tips make for very long bullets for the specified weight and it looks as if 1-14 is simply not doing the job. Since I made that upper I have stopped using any 1-14 twist barrels on any other 358s (and 35 Whelens too) and using 1-12 has done all I want in every gun since, with no down side.
So from what I have seen, all you can do with the 1-14 you can do as well with a 1-12, ----but the reverse is not true.

What barrel length did you go with for the .358 upper and are you happy with the performance of it?

My 358 is cut at 20". With the shorter bullets I am happy so far, but as I said I have yet to make a kill, so the jury is still out. Accuracy has been just fine.

220 grain bullets clock at 2428 FPS for a 5 shot average. 180 grain bullets gave me 2698 FPS average. I had some 200 grain round noses that shot even better then the 220s, but I never chronographed them so I can't say what speed they averaged. I hope to get a crack at some deer and antelope and maybe an elk or 2 in the next season.

The 20" is what I was originally thinking of. I priced out having one built but McGowan and I didn't think it's too bad. I'm glad you said something about the twist rate, I was just about to order a barrel from Wilson combat just because they have a good sale, but it's 1:14 twist. I'm going to use it for black bear here in Michigan, so I want it to be able to accurately shoot heavier bullets

This ⬆️
After the ammo and components we have been dealing with, still dealing with, I wouldn’t take a rifle that is this capable, and this easy to feed, and set myself up for a headache
Buy a 18”-20” barrel on the Wilson sale and put it together. I guarantee I can walk into any gun shop within 20 miles and come out with .308 ammo.
Something that can’t be said about 90% of other calibers out there

Ok, I just saw you are hunting black bear. And maybe deer. Michigan doesn’t have that big of anything out there, do they? I could be showing my ignorance, sorry.
If it were me, I would sell that lower and buy a 15 lower and set yourself for 6.5 grendel. I have 3 of them and it is a very capable cartridge and easier to pack around. Deer and black bear aren’t that tough of critters so you should be good there.

You are right, there is nothing that big her in Michigan. The average black bear is 250-300 lbs. The 6.5 grendel is a great caliber! I shot my deer with my 1st are build which is a 6.5 grendel. I also already have a .308 Ar-10 (my 2nd build) I just wanted to do something a little different this time and figured might as well build a cannon lol

We do have 500lb plus black bears, here in Michigan. Had one put down About 4 miles from me 2 months ago. Was over 400, kept getting into bee hives. And a buddy took a 600 lb one 10 years or so, think it's still the biggest taken with a muzzleloader.

I know they can get up in the 500-600 lb range especially in the up over towards Wisconsin, but the average bear we see when we hunt are in the 250-300 lb range. I would love to come across one of those 500-600 pounders! Just haven't yet

358 works well in short barrels and you can buy factory ammo and it knocks the snot out of deer.

If you want to load your own, .358 bullets are widely available in various appropriate weights. Starline brass is plentiful and excellent and can be loaded right out of the package.

I like an 18" barrel if I'm not running a suppressor. I'd go 1:12 twist.

I have a 35 Whelen, big brother to the 358. 358 ammo would be easier to find than other calibers. You can also make 358 out of 308 brass. Another idea, clear my throat, is the 6.5 Creedmoor. 358 would hit harder, especially on larger game if you went out west or Alaska. If you already have a 308, I would say the 6.5 would be out.

Depending on what State you are in anything smaller than .357 is unlawful for deer. I personally would go with the .358. I would also bet that some 7.62x51 military brass that has some extra metal at the neck and annealed nice and soft could be transformed into .358 brass. I see the price of .358 ammo is pretty expensive.

kwg

Until a man hits an animal with a medium or big bore bullet...

They simply will not understand the "Authority" that medium or big bore bullets impart.

I'm definitely going to go with the .358 win. I think I'm going to have McGowan make me a 18" or 20" barrel for it.

Who makes the better barrel, McGowan or x-caliber

Here ,here honest to God entry level KISS PRINCIPLE. Ammo everywhere. Mb