Reloads for 358 winchester?

[BIG JAKE]

Anybody have any pet loads for this caliber?

[RevJim]

 I briefly had a BLR, and loaded the Sierra 220 over W748 and the Remington 200PSP over 3031. That particualr BLR had a very short throat, so I had to seat them very deep.

[BIG JAKE]

Thanks, I have an A-Bolt micro hunter and its seems to have a short throat. The Hornady factory load is a little stiff closing of the bolt.

[Not the 10th Man]

 Big Jake,
                 I've got no suggestions for loads, but I'll be watching this thread carefully.  I bought the same rifle you have about a month ago.  Everything seems short about it- including the mag.  It did manage to shoot a couple of very nice tidy little groups with Hornady 250 grain Spire Points being pushed by a starting load of 44.5 grains of H4895.  But overall, I've only shot that rifle once so far, so I've much to learn myself.

So far I'm totally loving the .358 chambering, but the Micro A-Bolt II is taking a more proufound "Getting acquainted" period than I'd have expected.  It has it's idiosyncratic ways, but overall, I got nuthin' to gripe about.  It feels great, shoots nice, tight little groups, looks attractive, etc.  It just has very different characteristics than the Savage that was sacrificed to get it.



I

[petemi]

My .358 is a Handi Rifle recently reamed and modified to .356 Win. using a .357 barrel cut to 18 inches.  It shoots both .356 and .358 smoothly and accurately.  Being a single shot, there's no problem with COL or feed.  The first .358 load I stumbled on, and worked up to, works extremely well.  200 gr. Hornady Spire Point over 47.0 gr. Varget for 2500 fps.  I have 225 gr. Sierra Gamekings on back order, but this load shoots so well I'm tempted to cancel it.  I don't know if your rifle can handle the spire point.

Pete

[BIG JAKE]

Thanks again for the input. I got one inch groups from the hornady 200 gr spire point factory loads. The buffalo bore 225 gr sierra game kings came real close to one hole with the third shot just off center. I also replaced the trigger spring with one from timney and it's at 2lbs 6oz and crisp. I'm very pleased with the gun.

[Savage_99]

Like loading for any cartridge select a bullet suitable for the game and ranges.  There is plenty of published data, just work up.  I don't buy into the pet load idea.  Its more what your or my rifle likes.

I have handloaded the .358 W. since 1966 and used the 200 gr. Silvertip over 3031 for deer in the woods.  That worked very well until WW stopped selling those bullets.

Then we switched to the 180 gr Speer and that is about the same.  My late dad made a tool for swaging a spitzer meplat on the 180.

Powders for the 180 was 4198, 3031 and RL-10.

I have shot some 180 Hornady SSP bullets but no game with them yet.

My original 358 is a 99F but then I got others.

The bottom two are 358's.

[Country Boy]

48 grains of TAC over .250 grn bullets in my Blr 20 shots 20 bears, all one shot kills. vel 2340 in  my 20" bbl also 49 grns with 200 grain bullets, about 2500 fs. no deer in the world will walk away from it.

[BIG JAKE]

Thanks Country Boy. I'll take the info and give it a try and see where it goes.

[oneoldsap]

            220 Gr. Speer over 50 Gr. of W-748 ! This load is from The Speer # 14 manual , and not Max. . I've made several one shot kills ( all of them actualy ) on both Whitetails and Moose . I have a friend that bought the same rifle you have last fall . He is going to stay with 200 Gr. bullets , because he doesn't like the recoil with the heavys . You are going to love the cartridge , not sure about the rifle . Mine is a Rem. 760 with a 20" barrel .

[BIG JAKE]

Thanks oneoldsap I'll give it a try.

[steve@357maximum.com]

BigJake,

I have been testing loads in .358 Win. for the 2012 deer season.  Our state (Indiana) rifle restrictions are minimum .357" dia. bullet and maximum case length of 1.800"  By trimming the neck down to meet the maximum case length, I have had good success.  My rifle is a Remington 700 ADL Varmint with the bore opened up from .308 to .358.  I have tried several powders and about 6 different bullets.  For my rifle, which has a long throat, the only bullet that did not produce acceptable accuracy was the Speer 180 gr.  This was unfortunate as I was hoping to use this bullet and drive it at high velocity.   I kept coming back to the Hornady 200 gr. FTX bullet.  This bullet has the longest bearing surface of any bullets I tested including some solid copper and 225 grain bullets.  I believe this contributed to the accuracy.  The final load was a maximum charge of IMR-3031, Federal Match primer and Winchester .308 brass reformed to .358.  Even in the short neck cases (IN legal) I can get  sub m.o.a. groups at 200 yards.  In the full length or standard cases my average was 1/2 m.o.a. at 100 yards.  Velocity is 2520 fps at 10 ft from the muzzle.

This upcoming deer season will be my first opportunity to hunt with the 200 FTX on whitetail deer.  I have used this bullet with good results in the .357 Max. at 2040 fps.  I fully expect to have good results with the higher velocity.

Steve

[336SC]

I have three .358 Winchesters.  An 18.5" barreled Remington 760 rechambered from .35 Remington, a custom 22" built on a short action Model 700 Remington, and a Ruger Hawkeye, blued w/wood stock.  I hunt the woods of NE Pennsylvania so long range sniping is not on the agenda.  I've killed 14 deer with the .358 using HDY and RP round nose bullets at velocities between 2400fps and 2500fps.  Onekill was made using the new HDY 200gr flex tip bullet loaded to 2404fps.  All one shot kills and only two of the 15 were not DRT and those two only went 20 to 30 yards.  Of late I've become real fond of H322 powder in my .358's.  I have used, H335, IMR3031, and
RL-12 which has been discontinued since 1998.  I did stock up on RL-12 and still have 19 pounds, all the same lot number (012).  The 358 is not fussy about powders and loads.  My three shoot well with about anything shot thru them.  I did try TAC powder and got sparkling velocities from my Ruger Hawkeye which actually exceeded the factory 200gr and 250gr loads in my .35 Whelen 700 Classic.
336SC

[BIG JAKE]

Thanks guys I'll give them a try. 336SC you and I are hunting the same corner of the state. I have a lease property by Jack Frost. Bought the gun for bear seems to be alot of them around lately.

[muznut 54]

48.5gr of IMR4320 Win or CCI mag primer and a Hornaday 200gr SP.

[JesterGrin]

  Of late I've become real fond of H322 powder in my .358's. 

Ok I will pull the Chain lol. Tell us about the H-322 Powder?

I know it is a Fantastic Powder for Upper End loads in the 45-70 though.

As for TAC for the small amount I have used it seems to burn pretty darn HOT.

[rickt300]

I like 3031, it gives good velocity and accuracy with all bullet weights. Favorite load for me used the 200 gr. RNCL and 46.0 grains of 3031. I couldn't ask for a better deer or feral hog load. I used 42.0 grs. under a 250 gr. Speer also on one big feral hog and it also did the deed in fine fashion. For what this cartiridge is good at you really don't need over the top velocity. Both the above loads were fine in my rifle but i suggest you work up anyway.

[BIG JAKE]

rickt300 what primer type and c.o.l. on the 200gr RNCL.

[rickt300]

I seated the 200 gr. RNCL to the cannelure in my early BLR.