Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Thinking about a 358 Win, which of these actions?

I know Savage made their 99 in 358, but finding one with a decent barrel has proven rather difficult. Would probably just re-barrel one if I could find one when I had the $$

The other action I was thinking on was a re-barrel on a 788.

I have enough 700 actions floating around.

Am I smoking something funny or would either of these work for what I'm wanting - a medium weight carry rifle for 250 yds and in that would be large enough for elk-sized game yet not tear up my shoulder (separated it a few years back and found a tear in the rotator)

GunBroker has a couple of Browning 81's in stainless 358 that look pretty sharp, a little pricey at $900+. I had a BLR in 308 that I liked and stupidly sold it.

I just pulled one of the lathe, Remington 722 finished at 22". What about a small action like the 600/660/7?

Adam

Thought about the 600/660. I've got one in 243 that's a shooter. Haven't looked in a while for one on the auctions but my thoughts were leaning towards the 788 or the 99 Savage.

I had a first year 788 in 223 that drove nails (literally) and stupidly sold it.

I've a 99 in Savage that was my 'first' rifle. Like all three actions. It would come down to price of the donor and what kind of cost I'd have to fork over for a barrel to fit them.

Always had good accuracy in all three actions. Just wondered about the build on the two (now three) actions brought up.

I barreled a stainless Model Seven to 358 for a friend a few years back. He put it in a Wildcat stock and it was a sweet little rig,...I know he dropped one moose with it.


The 358 would be nice in a new FN Model 70 short action Fwt.

THAT one, or a Savage 99 in 308 re bored to 358 (one of my to do's for a long time) would be SWEET

Just do a Rem 700 already! Here's my 358.

What about a rebarreled montana or classic 84m? with iron sights either would be really slick

SAS's custom contour might work with the .358 (maybe) on a Montana, but the factory tube would be to thin I believe.

I put a 21" Douglas #3 on a M7 action in a Edge fill Mt Rifle stock and love it. I stick with 200 grain pills as I'm shooting short range and only deer. It's about 6.5lbs and is one of my favorite rifles for the way I use it.

A M70/MRC1999 in short action would give you a bit more room if you were going to shoot heavy bullets often.

It kills stuff...

Any advantage over a 308 and 180's?

Not really. No real advantage over a .308 with 150's even (for the way I use it). ...however, for those pics above, all but 1 of them were shot from almost straight ahead...but the .308 would have been just fine as well.

To my ears, the .358 seems to have more of a loud "pop" when shot where the .308 seems to have a louder "crack". I never think about it until after the shot...both are softer on the ears than the .243, it hurts me.

Honestly, I like the "package" of that rifle more than anything. The .358 is just what it's chambered in and I've grown fond of it for still hunting.

While I love the 358, putting one on a 99 or any light rifle would contradict your 'not tear up my shoulder' requirement. That is, unless you plan to shoot really light bullets or light loads, in which case you might be better served with a different caliber.

If you go with a standard weight rifle, it would make it a little tamer, say a 700 with a standard fill stock. I also like the 788, but not sure I would use it to rebarrel unless I could find one with a shot out barrel in 308 and had it re-bored. Every one I have seen shoots lights out.

I would look for a Mex Mauser action or Yugo action. The mag length will allow a 250gr seated out to 3". However with the throating required for that you may loose some 180/200gr accuracy.

All that being said, my 358 is a rebarrelled Savage 99. It thumps on both ends!

JEC reboring in Cottage Grove Oregon has a good reputation. He occasionally sells 99's that he's rebored from 308. I've seen him sell two 99E's in the neighborhood of $550 each. I have a 308 99F I might part with. It looks just like this 358 below. As for recoil, get a soft pad and they're a baby.

here's one of JES's rifles at $550.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=392162112

Get ya some new wood and you're golden-

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=393317903

Re: 788. I thought about having mine rebored to 358 but found an article stated .35 cal would cause feed problems. Said .338 works but .358 too much. Can't find the source of that article.

For a 358 Winchester Woods Rifle, I use a model 760 Remington Pump. It was originally chambered in 35 Rem.
Simple rechambering to 358, Use 243 or 308 magazines, opened up a bit, and you have a fast handling rifle for yourself !
As far as shocking & knockdown power, IMHO , the 200gr Bullet on Deer with nearly 1/16" more diameter, is devastating and superior to the 308. Use the 250gr for elk
Rich

This one was a rebore from .308. It's got a little arse to it in the Brown Pounder stock!



Nathan Chesney did the coating & stock painting.

What no mention of the original.........win88. Would be an easy rebore as original ones command a premium if you can find them..

I have a custom .358 built with an MRC 1999 stainless action and a 21-inch stainless barrel, bedded into a Serengeti Leopard pattern stock. I also have a MacMillan Edge stock for it. If you load it stout, it does kick. I lie 225 gr Sierras, TSX or Partitions. I plan to play around with 200 gr TSXs. It did fine in Africa on plains game, too, with the 225 gr Partitions.