Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles making 358 Win. brass

I like Forster Micrometer seating dies and Redding Bushing dies. Tapered plugs can be purchased cheap. You may not find a Forster in .358 Win, but you can call them to see if they are available.

my .358 is a BLR too, and I love that rifle. easy to tote, and fun to shoot.

I have yet to get "stellar" accuracy from it, but inside 200 yds it's golden.

if I were using it on a moose hunt, I'd definitely stick with the 225 PT's. I believe that's the best projectile available for the 358 Win, and a proven performer. Just expensive, but cheap insurance on a moose hunt.

I've hardly shot my 358 with anything not stamped "308" or "LC" or similar. One new bag of 358 Brass I bought years ago has not all been fired once yet.



As for bullets for moose, I've done more moose killing with the 225 XFB; only recovered the one above at long distance (for the 358). The Hornady 250 SP shed it all at the same distance. (The 300 XTP-Mag was near point blank at around 1500 fps; not sure why no expansion into the neck.)




The moose, killed with bullets pictured above, taken on the shortest day of the year some years ago.



A previous moose, first one I shot with the 358, stopped this 250 Hot Cor at less than 50 yards.



A bone test (moose knuckle) using the 200 XFB in the 358; those little 200 XFBs were very accurate in my rifle with 4895.



I can't remember the last time I didn't kill our year's moose with a second of some sort, usually Pro-Shop Noslers. This year the 180 E-Tip sailed on through the spine and beyond. The bullet above, a 180 Partition, was delivered to the moose at around 300 yards via my '06….two years ago.

Thanks Klikitarik, That is some great info, just what I was looking for.

That bull is a beauty! Love those fronts, and nice tines.

I will give the XFB bullets a try. Also going to check out the Nosler pro shop for Blems.
Thanks everybody for all the great info I really appreciate it.

John "Kota"

Kota,
With regard to Brass, I don't have an answer,,,,I buy 358 brass.
Now about the load...I have found my best group (100 yds) using 4 shot groups, is between 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 inches. With Sierra Gamekings 225gr over IMR 3031 (42gr). My C.O.A.L. is 2.770

I hope this helps a bit, good luck.

Are the Game Kings a heavy built bullet like the Nosler Partitions, something that will break through bone, penetrate well on a moose? I like the looks of them and they look like they may be a better choice for longer range shots. Actually though, out of a 20" barrel, I'm not expecting to take anything over 250-300 yds.

Thanks; John

The 225 GameKing in the 358 Winchester is reasonably tough, but I wouldn't expect much if you hit one of the big leg bones or a joint. Sierra uses a rather hard - as lead alloys go- core on their 33 and 35 caliber Game Kings, and the jackets are reasonably tough as well. However, the core is still free to move once it opens up. I've killed a couple of moose with the 250 in my 340. One passed through the animal on a broadside shot. I found the jacket, but the core was too deep in a snow drift to find. A closer moose stopped this one:



It looked intact until I washed it off. Then I could see that the core was 'feeding out' of the jacket while it penetrated.

I shot a few bullets from my 358 one time into discarded drywall compound which was a bit old and had started to get a few lumps in it.



The cup and cores I've found, either in testing or actual use, or both, to work well in the 358 have been the 200 Core-lokt and the 220 Speer. I like the fact that you can get them going a bit faster than the 250s. The Noslers have the advantage of being soft up front so you still get positive expansion at the more docile speeds of the 358 while having that web to keep the back end intact for more more positive penetration.

ive had great luck with 200gr hornady interlock in mine, they'll angle through big midwestern deer like no bodys business, and in my gun, 1 hole accuracy @100 yards. I havent had to form any brass, as i ran across 200pcs of brand new 358win norma brass on here when i bought the rifle.