Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting 356 Win for elk?

Sounds like your speeds were decent. I can see the Hornady being a little tougher, but I figured the Remington would do well. I loaded up some 180 Speers at around 2600 fps for deer to see how they'd do last year but couldn't get a shot. JB had a great article in Handloader a while back on the 358 (and 338 Fed). With a Hawkeye he got 2753 with the 200 Hornady and Norma 201 and 2749 with the 200 TSX with TAC.

Well If I could have reached those speeds or near them in my 20" .358 I'd likely still have it. I used the load data of the time. Seems like a useful increase. People say 150ft/sec doesn't mean much but in a situation of marginal expansion I think it does.

In any case if I had a .356 I'd certainly use it for Elk but I'd do some expansion testing and pick the best bullet, and figure out my range limitation. The 220 Speer might be it. According to the tests at Marlin site the 220 Speer when started at 2200 does expand at 200 yards and does hold together at zero yards. Another way of looking at this is that you don't need a bunch of bullets that work you only need one. Another candidate might be the 200 Rem CL in roundpoint form.

I used 225 gr partitions at over 2500 fps from my 21-inch .358, and they worked well in Africa on kudu, etc. I agree that 250 gr bullets from a .358 are a short range proposition, as velocity will drop below that required for dependable expansion quickly. I have some TAC on order from POwder Valley to try to come close to the loads JB used in his article.

I agree with you there. I'd imagine bullet expansion at 2150 fps vs 2000 there is a noticable differenc. I thought the same thing about the 200 grn Rem CL RN. Esp after the test on the marlin forum with different bullets in the 35 Rem. I'd think that would do well and may just be a pretty good bullet in the 358 or 356 and expand reliabley at a wide velocity range. I did some shooting with the 220 Speer also and was getting around 2450-2500 fps IIRC. Once of these days I'll have to shoot them into something and see how they turn out. Using hardcast in the 356 (or 358) could be fun too.

The .308win is indeed a great cartridge, and one must use a cartridge that is best suited for the animal and terrain. On open tundra, or out west, where distances are stretched, i would use a 358win. If you are hunting in thick mountain laurel or brush then i want a bullet to fully penetrate and leave a good blood trail. Of the several head of game i have killed with the 358win and 200gr core-lokt's i couldnt have asked for better performance. Keep in mind i used to shoot a 30-06 which is similar to the 308 to each their own.

From your post about the 358, an inexperienced hunter would think it was ineffective, and as far as what the public perceives who really cares? Many great cartridges fall by the way side because of cartridge over-lap but that doesnt detract from their usefulness.

Take a rifle like the Ruger hawkeye with a 22" tube load up a 225gr Nosler accu-bond to max and you will have a very useable 300 yd big game rifle. I also have a 35 whelen so im not comparing apples to oranges.

Sorry to hi-jack this thread, but if i see something said about a cartridge i dont agree with i have to say something. As far as pressure testing those "real" loads just remember that the 308win and 338 federal are loaded to much higher saami pressure limits than the 358. A factory 358win silver tip is getting 2,430fps NOT 2,550fps this has all been proven. Now compare the velocities of the 338 fed with the velocities i listed and you will see the potential of the great 358 win,getting 2,750fps or so out of a 22" tube is not chasing the last couple of fps it getting the usable power out of a cartridge and not compromising anything, if you had done this you most likely wouldnt be disatisfied with the 358 win.....

I meant to say where distances are very long i wouldnt use the 358win

For shots under 200 yards (as in heavy cover), the 356 Win is a dandy cartridge.

Yep, and a 250 grain Partition will break bones and keep right on truckin.

I had a 99 Savage in 358 and inside 200 yards I never could tell the difference between it an my Whelen with 250 Partitions. Both are excellent close range elk cartridges and the 356 is right in there too.

Wayne

With a 225-gn Nosler Partition in my .358, launched at 2550 fps or so (using TAC, which is excellent stuff for .358!), I'm still holding above Nosler's stated minimum of 1800 fps out to 400 yards.

I use a turret and routinely shoot my .358 out that far. Can't say how it works on game at those ranges, however.

While the flat trajectory of (say) a 200-gn Hornady SP at 2700+ fps is attractive, look at the dismal BC of that bullet. In my shooting tests it REALLY blows around in the wind, and sheds velocity FAST, which negates any advantage it might have had over the heavier bullet.

Mine is gone, replaced with a 358. I trusted the 215 gr Lyman out to 225 yards to do it's job. With deer I never recovered part of a bullet. I would shorten the yardage to 190-200 yards with a bull if I could get closer. I never had it and a legal elk together.

Like some others I have killed elk with the 30-30, 250 Savage and more than a few with the lowly 25-35, but that was back when. Today, IMO, elk calibers begin with the .308 and go up from there. To each his own, but I have seen a lot of elk wounded and have had to get involved in some pretty nasty tracking jobs down to the bottom or some divide and back up to another, then packing that out...Today I like the .338 Win with 300 gr. Woodleighs at 2500 FPS, saves me a lot of grief..

I just picked up a nice M94 in 356 and been following this thread with great interest. Based on what I have read here, I am going to try the Speer 220s. Also, has anyone tried the Hornady 200 gr LeveRevolution in the 356 or 358?

I have been using the 358 Win for years and find it truly magical, but I have never had to use it on anything past 150 yards; however, I wouldn't be afraid to take game out to 300 yards using Sierra 225s.

Forgot to mention that I just picked up a "brand new," still in the factory package, 356 Win barrel for the M94. I am thinking about selling it. Anyone interested in owning it? Lou

eljefe64gmail.com

Looks like the speer is a tougher bullet than the one they make for the 9.3's.

You might be able to use the 358 to 300 yards but don't rely on the Sierra. It can shed it's jackets at any speed and is one of the worst long range expanders I have ever used. One of the worst bullets I have tested in any caliber. At times they work great but very inconsistent.