.358 Norma Mag

[Japle]

A couple of years ago I decided I just had to have a powerful, medium bore rifle.  I hadn’t hunted in 20 years and had no need for the gun, but it was an itch I could afford to scratch.  
I picked the .358 Norma Mag cartridge.  

I acquired a P-14 Enfield action, a heavy premium barrel, ’06 trigger guard and magazine, stock and all the rest.  I’ve done a lot of pistolsmithing and a buddy is a retired gunsmith.  Between the two of us we got it built.  The action was ground down to Remington 722 contour.  I mounted a Weaver K4 on it and used a good Decelerator recoil pad.  

It looks real nice and shoots better.  Three-four times a year I take it to the range to remind myself what the word “slam” means.  My load is the Speer 250gr and 73gr of IMR4350 with a Federal 215 primer in fireformed .300 Mag brass.  Velocity probably runs somewhere near 2700fps.  

Friday I fired 3 five shot groups at 100 yds.  They ran 3” with a called flyer, 2.12” and 1.72”.  

Anyone else shoot this caliber?



John
Cape Canaveral

[Mnswede]

Japle,

  I have owned a custom rifle in 358 Norma since 1984.  At the time I didn't reload so I had a friend make up some rounds from 375 H&H brass.

  Presently I use 76gr H4350, Rem 9 1/2 Mag primer, and Hornady 200gr SP.  I haven't Chronograph this load yet and have't used it for hunting so far.  This load had no problems hitting bowling pins at 100 yards when I was testing.

  My friends loads were with 200gr Winchester SP, and the two deer I shot with this load went down but the bullets would litterly explode with no exit wounds.  I had tried 250 gr Nosler Partition bullets also, but the rounds didn't shoot well in my rifle.