I've got a M70 classic featherweight in 7mm-08 sitting in the safe, and it doesn't get carried much these days. I've got the 7mm slots covered with 7mm-08, 7 rsaum, and 280 AI, so I'm thinking about having a .358 tube spun on as a shorter range thumper. Eastern bears and short range deer would be the targets. I'd be keeping the rifle as close to the same as possible in terms of barrel contour, and the walnut stays. A factory takeoff barrel wouldn't hurt my feelings at all, but I don't recall ever seeing a factory m70 featherweight in .358. Thoughts?

Sounds like a fun plan to me. I've only owned one .358 (a BLR) but it shot great and was easy to load for. If it's what you want - build it. Have Pac-Nor or someone else that will dup that contour make you a barrel (assuming they will do so in a .35 caliber) and rock on.

i tend to remember that the 358 was chambered in relitively very few winchester featherweight guns.i like the cartridge but i find myself now without one now.

The .358 is an excellent cartridge, in addition to .35 caliber rifle bullets you can shoot a broad range of other bullets. These include .35 cast bullets, .357 pistol bullets both cast and jacketed. That is a big part of the .358's appeal for me, I have owned pre '64 Winchester M/70 Featherweight and M/88 lever actions chambered in .358. Currently I am shooting two .35 Whelen's based on pre '64 M/70's. I would recommend reboring as the most practical option, I have used Randall Redman to rebore and rechamber one of my Whelen's. I can recommend his work without reservation.

wolf, My 1st thought was "WHY NOT! - What a great idea"

Also, thought of the rebore vs a rebarrel since your want to keep the original contour. I don't remember the tip diameter ot the feather weight barrels. I personally would want a barrel tip thichness of no less than 0.125" after the rebore - You may not have that much left. But since you want to stay close to the original contour this could also apply to a new barrel.

Good Luck and post us some pics

I really like the .358. You could try the rebore and have an inch or two shortened if it was way to thin at the crown...shortening it would get you a little more thickness there (not sure how much) and would have very minor effects on the .358...it is pretty efficient.

I dunno if it will be the case, but if you remove that much barrel steel, will the rifle handle funny?

There is that chance...balance point will change for sure...could be better or worse, but the front end will be a bit lighter.

I like my 338 Federal. Might be another option.

I'll have to pour a beverage, settle in with the rifle and calipers and just see what's what. You folks may be right about just how much meat there is in the barrel.

It's easy enough to add weight in the forend under the barrel to regain balance.

I do believe Douglas has a Featherweight factory contour as standard production. You might want to check them out.

I've used the .358 Winchester a bunch. Kills everything very handily and thumps the crap out of them.

Dunno how many mule der I've killed with the .358, but it's been a passel and, of course, lots of elk. They just fall down most sincerely dead.

Don't go crazy with the bullet weight, 200-grainers will normally fully-penetrate an elk, so anything heavier simply kicks more and compromises your trajectory.

I wrote the lead-in to the .358 Winchester load data section for one of the Nosler Handloading Guides ... I've forgotten which one, but it describes a kill I made with my .358 one day.

(I do beliee that I forgot to mention the other three dead big bucks I found laying there with the two I wrote about Funny about that)

The .358 Winchester? A Frackin' killer

Steve

I've got a 358 WSSM, which approximates the 358 Win with a 200 grain Hornaday SP. I'd go with a minimum #3 contour barrel, which will be hard to fit in a featherweight stock without a lot of barrel channel hogging. We've used the 25 WSSM featherweight rifles for donors and had to hog out several barrel channels. JMO, YMMV...

Your M70 7-08 is a perfectly good rifle now just as it is. It would be a waste to change it to some other chambering.

There are .358 Win rifles for sale. Ruger made some recently in the M77 and thats a good rifle.

I have hunted with the .358 Win since 1966 and have taken deer in the North East with the round. I have M99's, a M70 Featherweight and a MS so chambered.

Sounds like an AWESOME idea! You don't have anything to loose do ya? For a few hundred bucks you'd have a "new" rifle in a familiar gun in a great 0-200 yard deer thumper. Im with 007FJ though and would try out the 338 federal. My Montana chambered in 338 fed is my go to hunting rig. Shot two deer with it last week and it just put em down like a light switch went off. The 358 and 338 fed are pretty similar and you wouldn't go wrong either way. I say go for it and don't second guess yourself!

Corky

I'll check with Douglas. I'd rather not rebore, as it would be nice to be able to return the rifle to as bought condition, and swapping barrels on a M70 is mighty easy with that integral recoil lug.

I agree that there's nothing wrong with the 7mm-08, but I've got a Ti in that chambering, as well as 700 based builds in 7 rsausm, adn .280 AI., but I've got nothing bigger. I spent a bit of time in bear camp this spring, and came away with a new appreciation for bigger diameter bullets at moderate velocity.

Spending too much time in "beer camp" will change your perspective on lots of things!

you're not kidding!

I had a PF M70 FWT rebarreled from 243Win to 358Win. Its my favourite rifle and one that will never be sold. A #3 contour only just fitted, at the time nobody locally would go a lighter contour with that sized hole through it. I would do it again, but would give thought to a 338Federal with a lighter barrel in the #2 range. If you really wanted to be different, 375/08 using a Rem700 375H&H takeoff barrel.
Cheers...
Con

I'll go against the grain on the .358.
I hate the cartridge.
Shot a nice buck, quartering toward me. The buck flipped end for end and lay still. I thought done deal. As I walked up to it I foolishly unloaded the rifle. The buck got up after nary a twitch for 10 minutes and ran into a very thick swamp. I tracked him for the rest of the day. Never found it.
I was so pissed I gave the rifle to a friend whose rifle went TU. He shot a nice buck broadside, twice! Same deal, the buck went down in a heap but got up and ran off never to be found.

We've both shot plenty of deer with the .270 before and since with great results every time.

I'd sooner use a large rock than the .358 again.

Give me velocity every time.

Sounds like you made a great shot--definitely the lil' .358's fault.......

Yeah, and that lead-in is what sent me on a 15-20 year search for a .358 Winchester, you scoundrel! (An SS Ruger Hawkeye in a McSwirley).

Thanks, amigo!

Two lost bucks, three solid hits, two days.

Rational or not that kind of experience will sour a guy on a cartridge.

Hate the cartridge.

That kind of shooting could sour a guy on hunting......

OK, you win.

Never lost a deer with a rifle before or since however.

Sounds like an itch you need to scratch. I wouldn't trade mine away.

BD

I don't think the 358 has been made in the Classic Featherweight. It was, however, made in an earlier version of that rifle. The cartridge itself is a fine little package and thoroughly capable of great deeds. I've not killed any whitetails with mine (a rebarreled Model Seven) but I have killed a few moose and caribou as well as at least one brownie with mine.

nsagam, interesting.... what bullet did you use?

I've shot several rocky mt and Roosevelt elk with mine and nary a problem.. I've always used either the 225gr Nosler partition or Sierra bt.

I can see where your experience would sour you, for sure!

Bummer you don't have a 700 action.

Douglas .358 1-14 22" on Ebay.

Douglas .358 barrel on Ebay


The .358 is the ultimate plinker!!!

DMc

It's all been said already except this: I find it a) puts them down nicely and b) doesn't bloodshot much meat. That's a nice combo at 20-30 yards.

I will respectfully disagree with my friend Dogzapper. He mentioned that going bigger than 200-gn will negatively effect your trajectory. It may, a bit, but far enough out there where that matters, the 225 really kills the 200 in wind bucking. The 200's have the BC of an ashtray. With a 225 NP I can hit a 10" plate at 400 yds and the bullet is still going ~1800 fps. With a 200, neither is true.

Gack gack gack <g>. It's a fun cartridge.

I have a 100 new rounds of brass that I never used. I have a box of 250 grain factory Silvertips and another box of 200 grain Silvertips.
Send a PM if interested. I don't think I will get around to building the custom in the 358.

I don't have a 358 Win,but I do have a 35-284 I built which is basically a 35 Whelen. I have experimented with every bullet I can find and the 225 gr. Sierra has been the most accurate and has folded up a couple of Arizona Elk when I lived there and I don't even know how many deer. I built the rifle on an older Savage110 action with a # under 50,000. That makes it fairly early on. I bought it way back when the model # was the price $110.00 dollars. I got it in 243 and used it many years.
I got around to rebarelling it to the 35-284 and a Douglas barel.
I couldn't be happier because I can get 3/4" or less (any bigger is my fault) and 1-3/8" at 200 yards with the 225 gr, Sierra. I have clocked the velocity at the Tucson Rod and Gun Club with my old buddy G. Sitton when he lived ther and was alive.
Long story shortened.. 225 gr Sierra at 2700 fps recorded by Gary.
35's are great and with one exception, nothing I ever shot needed more than 1 round...

Sounds like a worthwhile project. Won't happen overnight, but I'll be keeping my eyes out for a suitable barrel.