Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Favorite BLR caliber?

I have a 358 Win Winchester but you need to reload to keep it fed. It does drop deer reliably.

Dan

I had a 358 for a short while. Savage 99. Never really took to those. I even tried again with one in 308 Win.
Never did get to shoot a deer with it. But I have never killed one with a 308 either. I tend to run bigger cartridges. Over the years I have killed deer with 33WCF, 338ME, 35 Rem, 30-06, 44 mag Marlin, 45-70 (in Trapdoors, Winchester and Marlin levers, Ruger No 1), 450ME, 50-70 Govt.

I harvested a small cow elk three years ago with a ,356 {( a .358 with a rim) 250 grain older cup/core }the shot was 20 yards the elk went 50 feet.

I harvested a medium sized cow at 45 yards with a .308 BLR (180 grain Nosler BT). It went 60 yards.

The shot placements were similar on both elk.

As I have read here on the campfire. I believe it was an Elmer Keith quote.

“ U could eat right to the hole”.

The .35 caliber bullet did exactly that.

The .308 there was some meat loss in the front leg area.

My only one was an early 358 and I had a spare magazine. I liked that rifle. However, a friend with lots of $'s carried it home.

So, I built a short barreled 700 358 Win.

.284 W

I find it interesting that short action cartridges seem so much more popular than others. Makes me think that the shirt action and the 20" barrel offer a more popular rig

Triggers don't really mean a whole lot on a bush hunting rifle. They're not all "that" bad anyway. Some leverguns have great triggers, some, so so. Unless you have spent a lifetime as a Competitive shooter of some sort AND have OCD, a mediocre trigger is just fine on a hunting rifle.

I called my LGS about ordering/ price. Their distributor has none in 308 or 358, blued or stainless. One of the clerks claimed that Browning stopped making them. I contacted Browning and they advised that they are making them but are behind in production and are trying to catch up.
The guy that claims to have a used 358 coming in told me that the guy is still supposed to be in this week.
In the mean time I keep looking at them on the auction sites. No real bargains vs waiting on Browning.

Mine is a .358 and is one rifle I will never get rid of . Mine is steel which I much prefer to the lightweights.

Same with mine. Deer, Bear and Moose thumper. never gonna let it go.

I have 3, all Miroku....243 win, .270 win and a .450 Marlin...takedowns and only the .450 is a pistol grip model.
I prefer the takedowns, but use scout scopes on them all. Miroku stuff is well made, imo

Well the LGS send me an email last night. The guy stopped in but the shop told him his price was too high...he wanted $1250 for a LW, blued, 358 Win BLR.
I asked the shop to have him contact me directly. Who knows if that will happen. Looks like a 358 BLR is not happening for me.

Supposedly the guy traded it (358 Win LW) at another shop. I called them and they don't know anything about it...
I found another. Didn't screw around and bought it.
Browning is still making them but 358 Win is discontinued .
Now for dies and brass...

i own 5 different cartridges in BLR rifles but my favorite is a take-down S.S. 30-06 main reason is a person can find or buy ammo for this 30-06 cartridge any place in the word and being S.S. won`t rust as easy as a blued BLR rifle. it always goes to camp with me its my back up rifle and blood trail rifle if its needed.

I really like the SS models. Had I not been able to get the LW in 358Win, the SS LW in 308 was my other choice.
I have always gravitated towards the larer bores.

I've shot my buddy's BLR in .308, and it's a great combo, but one in 7mm-08 or .358 Win would be a step up depending on where and how you hunt. The 7mm-08 would probably win in the all around category, but .358 would be great for woodlands.

ive got 2 358 winchesters i have one 243 the 243 is the belgian made gun that was only made for one year i believe (if im wrong no worries i have been before) they have been excellent rifles all 3 shoot very well, the 243 will put three factory core lokts into a nickel at 100 yards the two 358's are sub moa and moa rescpectively with hornady and winchester factory loads, i do love the 358's

I have one in 308 , 243, and 30-06 they all shoot fine. the triggers are a lil stiff but to each their own . the 30-06 I cut it down to 19 3/4 inch and put a 11.5 degree inverted crown on it . off a bench rest that gun will shoot better than I am capable of shooting. I had one in 223 but it would not group for chit. never did get it figured out. sent it away .

I bought one in 1989. Still have the bill of sale. I have killed more game with that gun than any single gun I have ever owned. My father killed his last buck with it. I gave it to my son about 10 years ago and he has killed deer, axis, antelope and bear with it.

When I bought it I wanted a 284 Win but they were back ordered and I needed a gun to hunt that season in Pa so I bought a 308 and never looked back. I've been hunting close to 50 years and have at one time or another owned or shot about every caliber there is including 284 Wins. Today, if I could only own one rifle it would be a 308 Win.

The long actions never felt right for me. Have three steel framed short actions that are not for sale. Got my early Japanese 308 used in 1974. Got my 223 and 257 as soon as they were available.
Had the triggers on the 223 and 257 worked over locally. 308 trigger was fine. Seems that I've become spoiled. Since the late 1980's it seems that if I'm going after deer, hogs or wild goats, I always grab the 257. It has never disappointed.
Enjoy that 358.