BLR 358 loads

[mt3030]

358Win:

Yesterday tried your fire-forming tip. Worked great! Fired 40 rds of factory Winchester 150 gr loads. Like you said, perfectly formed 358s. Of course, it did leave lots of unburned powder behind, and a guggy muzzle. But it all cleaned up easy. Tried some 200 Hornady/Win 748 loads: three 3 shot groups average 2 inches @ 100yds. Have you had any experience with H335 in this caliber? Since I'm new to both this caliber and rifle appreciate any tips.

Wally

[pagris]

mt3030:  I can't help you with any loads for the .358 using H335 or Win 748, but here are a couple of loads that have performed well in my BLRs:

180 gr Speer Flat Point   47.0 gr IMR 3031

200 gr Hornady Round Point   26.5 gr IMR SR4759

The latter is a "light" load that shoots very well in my BLR and is a pleasure to shoot - SR4759 works well for reduced recoil loads and IMR publishes load data for many cartridges using it.

Enjoy that .358 BLR - I do mine.

pagris

1977 .358 BLR
1980 .358 BLR - original owner
1987 .243 '81 BLR
1991 7mm-08 '81 BLR

[JDL]

mt3030,
I use 47 grains of H-335 with the 200 grain Hornady for 2416 fps and 48 grains with the Sierra 225 for 2473 fps in my BLR. -JDL

[257 roberts]

Try some factory Win. Silver Tips 200gr.
I did and never looked back :wink:

[mt3030]

257 roberts:

If I could find any of those Winchester 200 gr factory loads I sure would try them. But they don't seem to be around, so handloading is my only choise. And, being a handloader since '69, I find the urge to load for my big game rifles almost compulsory. Thank you all for the suggestions and load data..

Wally

[rickt300]

My first loadings for my 358 were using the 200 grain Hornady and 45.0 grains of IMR 3031. Seems very mi8ld to me andmax inthe IMR book is 49.0 grains. I shot a few at 46.0 grains but really have not hadtime to do much else. I did find some 200 grain factory loads and they shot well but seem even milder than the reload.

[rickt300]

I just went outside and fired a 47.0 grtain charge of 3031 under a 200 grain Remington RN corelokt housed in a federal 308 case resised to 358 primed with a Winchester primer. Well the primer is not flattened and the case extracted easily but the primer is somewhat cratered. 47.0 grains just almost fills the case to the top as cases made from 308 cases are shorter than factory 358 cases

[tanoose]

I spoke with a tech. over at winchester today and he expected  that they would do a run of unprimed 358 brass in January or February 2007. You can go to midway usa and have them contact you when they arrive in thare location . Also Graft & Sons and Natchez both have Factory 200gr. silvertips in stock.I also spoke with Hornady and asked if they might start loading the 358 winchester due to another ruger rifle being chambered in it starting 2007 (the frontier model)And he said they are going to keep an eye on the demand for the 358  as they may manufacture them . I think thats good news as hornmady factory ammo is usually cheaper then other brands .

[rickt300]

As far as brass goes there are no issues with the cases made from 308 brass. I am happy with those cases. When I shoot up the fasctory ammo I will have 40 ofg those and will use them for upper end loadings.