358 Winchester not produced in 70 years?

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GAMEOVER44

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I have a custom Ruger Gunsite Scout rifle that was converted to a 358 Winchester with a Shilen Match Grade barrel.

Im having trouble finding ammo. I tried cheaper then dirt and here's the tech and my conversation.

[xxxx] I have a Ruger Gunsite I converted to a 358 Winchester with Shilen match grade barrel. However I cant find ammo anywhere for it and you guys dont have it listed on your site. Do you plan to carry it at all or can you get me it?
[Kyle B] Welcome to Cheaper Than Dirt! Tech Talk. My name is Kyle B.
[Kyle B] Let me check on that for you.
[xxxx] okay, thanks
[Kyle B] We are not carryng that firearm. You might want to try gunbroker.com
[xxxx] Im not looking for the firearm, im looking for 358 Win ammo
[xxxx] I have the rifle already I just need ammo and cant find this round anywhere.
[Kyle B] That round has not been produced in 70 years. A auction site such as gunbroker might be your only chance.


This round hasnt been produced in 70 years????????:what:

Im pretty pissed im stuck with a rifle I cant get ammo for.
 
You can make brass for a 358 by necking up a .308, the parent case. You could also try to find brass by placing an add on here or other gin forums. You might be able to rechamber to another 35 caliber cartridge. All is not lost, do some research on .35 caliber short action cartridges. Or since it is a short action .308 boltface, you could rebarrel it to a multitude of cartridges from 22BR to ?
 
Just talked to my dad he said this guy doesnt know what the hell he is talking about Hornady makes 358 rounds and theres plenty of ammo you just have to find it.

To ease my mind he said he had some 220gr SPEERs to reload for me.

Why this cartridge isnt more popular baffles me and why its still in production by rifle manufacturers for rifles with no ammo should of been enough insurance for my mind. Because, they still offer the 358 on some models from certain manufacturers.

Anyway my dad was in Vietnam and has been a gunsmith ever since getting out he told me not to listen to these people who know nothing.
 
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witchhunter: This gun was JUST rebarreled with a Match Grade Shilen barrel that has only ONE round through it why on earth would I re do it again and throw all that money away.

I have right now, 100 rounds of Hornady Custom 358 Win in 200 grain. The box dont look archeological or anything and looks new. Its stamped 358 Winchester on the cartridge too so I dont think many know much about this round.
 
First, the CTD rep is dead wrong. The cartridge hasn't even been around for 70 years, it was created in the mid 50's, and guns are still being produced for it. There are a number of sources of ammo. A quick search of Gunbroker finds at least half a dozen ads for brass.
Many cartrdiges that aren't in high demand are not in constant production, so you just have to stock up when you can. Thay might just run one batch a year or so, depending on demand.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.358_Winchester
 
Im just a little mad at the ammo situation thats all.. Ill just get these handloads and catch those limited runs I guess. Thanks everyone.

zoom6zoom: good point.
 
You may find factory ammo here and there if you look, but realistically, the .358W is just one of those cartridges you'll need to reload for.
 
The cartridge was introduced in 1955 making it about 60 years old. Last I was aware Winchester was still manufacturing the ammunition and they were the only US maker producing the stuff. As mentioned, the cartridge is based on a necked up 308 Winchester. The cartridge was also popular in Europe as the 8.8X51mm round. I see Buffalo Bore also makes the ammunition but at about $53 a 20 round box the stuff isn't cheap. Cartridges of The World and other reads list it as a heck of a good round. Unfortunately, no longer mass produced it is expensive. Hornady was making the stuff but now show it as temporarily suspended.

If you do a Google of "making 358 Winchester brass" you will get plenty of hits and suggestions as to how to roll your own.

The Mystery of the .358 Winchester . The article reads in part:

I have read several articles about the .358 Winchester, including Chuck Hawks' article on the Rifle Cartridge Page of Guns and Shooting Online. Based on what I have read, everyone who has used the cartridge has had nothing but high praise for it. From all accounts its killing power is outstanding, far in excess of what would be expected from its modest case size or its paper ballistics. Its recoil is modest for the level of power it provides. The expansion ratio for .35 caliber cartridges is ideal for shorter barreled rifles. This means that the .358 can realize its full potential in a 20 to 22 inch barrel rather than the 26 inch barrel needed for most magnum cartridges. The huge mystery about the .358 Winchester is its incredible lack of popularity.

Hands down the cartridge is said to beat the 35 Remington yet I can easily buy all the 35 Remington I want? Beats me.

Ron
 
Just talked to my dad he said this guy doesnt know what the hell he is talking about Hornady makes 358 rounds and theres plenty of ammo you just have to find it.

To ease my mind he said he had some 220gr SPEERs to reload for me.

Why this cartridge isnt more popular baffles me and why its still in production by rifle manufacturers for rifles with no ammo should of been enough insurance for my mind. Because, they still offer the 358 on some models from certain manufacturers.

Anyway my dad was in Vietnam and has been a gunsmith ever since getting out he told me not to listen to these *******s who know nothing.
Your dad is right. Don't listen to store or self-made pros. Right now there is a lot of ammo not available, Why? Don't get me started, but as some have already noted, it is not hard to make brass. I honestly don't know why the round is not popular. It is a hell of a round.
 
Ammo is definitely not that hard to find, I bought some of the Hornady a couple months ago for less than $35 a box delivered to my house. That's no more expensive than the 7mm-08 or .25-06 I see in stores. Also I bought some vintage Winchester from Gunbroker, and some current run Winchester from a shop up in PA. Additionally, Double Tap I think still makes it. If you want to own a .358 and don't want to reload, you still have plenty of options.
 
Thats the SAME ammo I have now. Thanks

Good news for you 358 Winchester fans: I called Winchester, they're doing a run this year so expect lots of stamped brass soon! :D
 
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/66...ck-spire-point-box-of-20?cm_vc=ProductFinding

It's out of stock right now but yeah they do still make it.

2 things I'd like to point out:

#1: NEVER trust what a gunshop employee tells you, I've been given false information many times. Many are too proud to admit that they don't know the answer to a given question, so rather than just say "I don't know", they make something up.

#2: Why on earth would you have a rifle rebarrled to a new caliber that you know nothing about? .358 should be a good caliber (I've never shot it but have heard good things) but maybe you should have read up on it more before getting the new barrel. I am wondering why you needed to change the barrel at all? I mean why not just stick with .308 (I'm assuming that the rifle was originally chambered for .308 Winchester)?
 
Yes it was originally a 308 Winchester but I didnt convert it I just traded a 300 WSM 2001 Winchester Model 70 CF for it because it was a completely custom Ruger Gunsite Scout and I did research on the 358 ballistics and LOVED what I saw!

I get stopping power with Authority and I lose some recoil. The 300 WSM I had I traded my father for. He was in Vietnam and has been working in the same gunshop ever since he got out. He had it made by an 80 some year old gunsmith who he really trusted on it. Guess it had to be done twice to make it perfect.


Since the 300 WSM was a 2001 model you could probably fetch close to 2k for it but the Ruger I have now is stickered at 2.3k I didnt lose anything plus I picked up a Zeiss scope, 100 rounds of good ammo, Extremely nice Iron Sites, 2- 5 round mags, 2- 10 round mags, Shilen Match Grade barrel.. etc etc etc

I like the shorter barrel my 300 WSM was a 24" this is a 22" match grade. Im happy. This is a competition worthy rifle almost (scope needs to be upgraded, even though its a Zeiss) the 300 WSM was not.
 
Browning is still chambering their BLR lever action in .358.

What are the chances they'd do that for a cartridge that hasn't been made in 70 years?
 
Kyle B is paid minimum wage and it shows.
"...Winchester was still manufacturing the ammunition and they were the only US maker producing the stuff..." Nope. It was yesterday that I posted about .358 Win ammo. Hornady plus Doubletap and Buffalo Arms($35.99 and $46.99 per box. Barnes TSX's in the latter.), only. 200, 225 and 250 grain bullets. All makes out of stock at Midway. No back order for Hornady. Not listed at all on the Winchester ammo site. They do list brass though.
Hornady also lists brass. Midway wanted $39.49 per 50. Out of stock, no back order. MSRP is $50.39.
 
That round has not been produced in 70 years. A auction site such as gunbroker might be your only chance.

WRONG.......Whoever said that is obviously either confusing the .358 Win with another round or is simply full of poop..
 
Funny, I was under impression that Browning BLR was still chambered in this wonderful round. I will say seemingly permanent "out of stock, backorder ok?" signs under some ammo caliber and types sure are frustrating.
 
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