This is a result of my wanting to use a wildcat of my own design, within my budget for deer hunting here in Indiana, that has some "off beat" regulations.
This is only the 5th year we can use ANY centerfire round in a rifle, so not complaining.
What a belted mag (per se) brought to the table, was I could set back and rechamber an already 358 bore rifle (.357 is minimum rifle bore legal for deer), have the capacity and performance of a "hot" 358 Winchester since the parent round had plenty, no custom dies are needed, just shorten a trim die to form, and reloading dies trimmed give me functioning loading tools. No custom barrel, no custom dies .......brass is best from the 350 RM so far but I CAN form the 350JR from literally any belted mag round with the same headcase size.
There is a round out there called a 358 Hoosier that is the result of the exact same process (set back the shoulder and trim) starting with a 358 Win. This is just my version starting with the 350 Rem Mag.
Ive formed from 375 H&H, 338 Win, 7mm mag but all those need turned with a bit too thick of neck wall when trimmed. Not that big of a deal but the 350 RM brass is good to go without turning with about a minutes worth of work. Run through the trim die, cut with a fine hack saw, file flat, remove and finish trim in the preset trimmer or one can FL resize first if so desired, or after. The smith is trimming and double checking a neck sizing die too and may hone a bit here and there comparing fired brass to ones ran though it.
I do think a set of 65 dollar custom Lee collet dies may be worth the money down the road too but deer season is coming. These will be fine.
The WSSM verson will hold a bit more powder, but most are completing a double neck expansion to get them out to 358. Keeping the standard neck length and already a 358 bore, that was just another thing I didnt have to mess with. Also I wanted my round in a Remington 700 and even if I wanted a 358 Winchester in one, Id have to custom chamber or barrel one since Big Green never chambered a 700 for that round.
The 700 Classic in 350 Rem mag or the model 7 chambered in the 350 Remingtonmag involve a simple setback and rechamber for the 350JR. It was a pleasant but expected discovery that I could seat a 225 grain Nosler Ballistic tip (or accubond) and match the 350 Rem mag OAL. This fact gives me the option to use ALL of the usable case capacity below the neck and am having the smith double check with a sent dummy round that it will have the needed throat length to do so. Loaded so, they load in my 350 RM magazine and work through the action and out like it was made for it.
This will match a 358 winchester in performance, if not a tad more......and the Good Lord knows that the 358 Win has whacked and stacked many a critter and more than ample for my use here in Indiana......and even if I go visit Sis in Montana.
The extra work and cost of the better known wildcats in use here just didnt appear to be worth the hassle when I looked at it from my wallet and ambition viewpoint, SO........... I came up with my own.
Marching to the beat of a different drummer is all
and it has all fallen together as good if not a bit better than expected. Only working loads remains from my end but with a known case capacity, its not going to be much of a task. Working up from 358 Win loads to a point of slight pressure indicators will give me the big picture.
Not saying its "better" than anyone's nor is it meant to be. It's simply the results of my own thought processes and meant to fit my own hunting "needs"..or whatever one wishes to call it. lol.
As for headspacing, Ive found the belted mags work just dandy headspacing off the shoulder and just pretending the belt isnt there. Some "dislike" the belted mags.....most Ive spoke with about it.....never had one. To each there own. Each chooses his or her own rounds. Its just that a belted mag round , in a remington 700, gave me the prerequisits I was looking for to create the round I wanted.
ITS BEEN A HOOT......let me tell ya. I can hardly wait for it to get here.
God Bless
STeve
