Any 358 Winchester shooters out there?

[MICHIMAN65]

 I've begun looking into a 358 in a compact rifle. I know I can get a new one in a BLR, but I was looking for some feedback on the cartridge first. Also, any suggestions on rifles,new or used? Thanks, Michiman.

[Rangr44]

I found it to be a nice cartridge ( I had a Winchester 100 Auto .243 Carbine bored out to .358"), but has factory boolits that flat pencil right through game as light as a 200lb Whitetail, requiring handloading for game smaller than Elk/Moose/Grizz, etc, IMHO.
 
Due to that, I actually ended up switching to the nearly ballistic equivalent .356 Winchester, in a Winchester BigBore94 Carbine.
 
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[cwlongshot]

YES! And mentioning the 356 there is some new fellows about to learn why the 358 is so loved by the few who have used it.
 
I had a orig BLR in 358 for many years. I have never before or since seen deer killed as quickly. My fav loading used a 200G Hornady Spitzer.
 
I am going to be building a 356 next year as well!!
 
CW

[Harry Snippe]

I had a 358 W in a BLR for awhile . I had issues's with the rifle going out of time, and being at the repair shop more than at my home so I sold the gun . As far as the cartridge - the 358 W is prized here in Eastern Ontario as " the" bear gun, as well as excellent for deer . I currently have the sister 338 F in a bolt because -at that period of time I could not find a bolt action in 358 W  .Otherwise I still have the 358 W.
 
I have only run into about six poeple on the Net with the same issues with the lightweight BAR . So out of Maybe 50 that just love the rifle and have no problems at all with the gun - guess--- buy one .
Brass can be bought or easy to just reform 308 W brass as long as you lub the inside neck .
Only down side - Winchester is the only one making ammo for this gun, and it is only offered in the one load .If you reload then this is not an issue at all . Lots of bullets to be had .

[Country Boy]

I have a blr 81 and have shot 18 bears,2 elk and one moose. All were one shot kills and I got a few record book bears. I now use 48 grains of TAC with speer or hornady bullets. for white tails I use 200 grn bullets

[Lloyd Smale]

no 358 experience but ive got a xrt in 356 and its a deer killing machine!

[coyotejoe]

I have a Browning A-bolt in .358 and a sweet shooter, easy to handload for. Since I've gotten old and scrawny I don't like much recoil but a Pachmayr Decelerator pad made it easy on the shoulder. I mostly like the Speer 220 flat point, though best groups are with the Hornady 250 roundnose. It's not the best long range cartridge but within 250 yards it's hard to beat as a deer, elk and moose gun.

[cwlongshot]

I have a Browning A-bolt in .358 and a sweet shooter, easy to handload for. Since I've gotten old and scrawny I don't like much recoil but a Pachmayr Decelerator pad made it easy on the shoulder. I mostly like the Speer 220 flat point, though best groups are with the Hornady 250 roundnose. It's not the best long range cartridge but within 250 yards it's hard to beat as a deer, elk and moose gun.

I had a early BLR too, I did nto find the recoil offecsive, BUT the damn muzzle jump was horrendous!!  If you did not wrap your fingers around the forend before firing, it would jump outta your hand and put the scope right in your eye socket! Do you find that as well?
 
CW

[coyotejoe]

Nooo   I've done quite a bit of load testing from the bench without even holding the forend. Its the hardest kicking rifle I now own, quite a bit of setback compared to my 6.5x55 or 30/30 but I really haven't noticed excessive muzzle rise.

[cwlongshot]

Nooo   I've done quite a bit of load testing from the bench without even holding the forend. Its the hardest kicking rifle I now own, quite a bit of setback compared to my 6.5x55 or 30/30 but I really haven't noticed excessive muzzle rise.

Isn't that odd... no excessive muzzle flip for you...  Recoil dosent suprise me as someone very astute here once said, "Recoil is in the shoulder fo the beholder" and it is SO TRUE!! Compairing it to the 6.5x55 and 30-30 it is a big recoiler!!
 
But from someone who shoots allot of12 ga buck shot n slugs and 2000fps, 400 G bullets from a 45-70 its not so bad.  
 
CW

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  Have a 99 in .358...Have had it about 20 years..used it on antelope, whitetails, mulies, and feral hogs...as a bolt action shooter, the only difficulty is the amt. of drop in the 99's stock..Grices have new Browning Abolts I believe in 20 inch barrels in .358....

[AtlLaw]

Got a M99C in 358 myself, a rebore and rechamber from a 243.  Never thought the recoil or flip was much... And mine still has the flat steel butt plate.   

[gulfdaddy]

On the Chuck Hawks Forum there is an article by Rick Ryals called The Mystery of the 358.  This is a well written informative review worth the read.  Blow out of the water the old line about it being a close range woods gun only.  Check it out, Gary