Anyone reload for the .358 Winchester?

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Nature Boy

Nature Boy

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I'm expecting my Redding dies to arrive this week so this will be my first time to reload for my BLR. I also ordered some Barnes 180g and Speer 180g bullets. I have everything else including several powders to play with.

I'd like to start with some loads that have a bit less thump to them so I may try some reduced loads using H4895. My 13 year old likes to shoot this rifle but the light gun combined with the stout factory Hornady loads leaves an impression, along with some bruises

What have you guys done with this round that you liked?
 
I made a "DOH!" move and traded off my Savage Model 99 in .358 a couple decades ago.

I remember shooting it quite a bit with both cast and jacketed handgun bullets. I probably shot more 160 grain 358421 cast bullets over Hercules 2400 than anything else.

.358 Winchester has to be one of the most versatile calibers out there. Given appropriate loads/bullets it'll kill rabbits for the stew pot with minimal meat damage or blow a hole through a 400 pound hog from skull plate to rectum.

I wouldn't choose to shoot one on the 600 yard line at Camp Perry, but inside 250 yards it's easy to hit with and kills very well.
 
Try some trail boss for the light loads. My brother and I have been playing with this in a few calibers and it is a hoot. Nice thing is it is very bulky and eliminates the possibility of a double charge.
 
I use Benchmark powder and 200 grain Hornady's. Shoots great in mine. Mine is a custom Remington 722 originally in 300 Savage.
 
The.358 is one of those cartridges you have to jump on when you see it. Either loaded or brass. Only made and loaded currently by Hornady. And only with one bullet weight.
You may want to re-think the H4895 as a reduced load. Hodgdon's site shows it with a 180 as the hottest Max load.
There's one 125 grain load using Vihtavuori N120 on Reloader's Nest.
 
Sunray said:
The.358 is one of those cartridges you have to jump on when you see it. Either loaded or brass. Only made and loaded currently by Hornady. And only with one bullet weight.
You may want to re-think the H4895 as a reduced load. Hodgdon's site shows it with a 180 as the hottest Max load.
There's one 125 grain load using Vihtavuori N120 on Reloader's Nest.
Click to expand...
I don't think I ever had more than a couple of cases headstamped ".358 Winchester".
Necking up Lake City 7.62x51brass always worked well for me.

From what I've read, H4895 is probably the best "full power" rifle powder for use in reduced loads.
IIRC you can safely take it down to around 60% loading density.
 
Got a delivery today. Hope to have something to shoot this weekend

3E5D032B-C578-4309-9A3A-11EEA693236D.jpg
 
Yep! H4895! Best speed and accuracy.
48.0gr for 180 & 200gr. Seat to touch but not into lands. Easy chambering essential for hunting loads.
Not near max for 180's but accuracy. Ditto 200 but functional maximum.
2,500 w/200gr not "nerf balls" for sure!
 
Decided to start with 44.5g and work up. Load data is all over the map.

Sierra has a max of 43g H4895 for a 180g RN bullet but 50g for a 200g RN? That seems counterintuitive.

Speer manual doesn't list H4895 for the 180g hot core but has similar powders. Same for Barnes. Their load data is very rudimentary. They don't even list their 180g TTSX, which is what I'm using

Nosler doesn't even have .358 data in their #7 manual

Hodgdon shows 44g as the starting point, so that's where I begin
EE2CFE6C-F2CC-4F56-A996-9B16868ED17A.jpg
 
Friend of mine has a Savage he loads for with 200 gr cast over 4895. Runs about 2050-2100 fps. Dropped a doe with it last week at 60 yds.
You might be surprised what Varget will do for you.
 
I have its big brother. I love the versatility of the .35s. It's big enough to use non-expanding bullets on smaller game for reduced damage or for when maximum penetration is required. It's got the size and power to be a do-all non-magnum for the majority of continents. And you can always load pistol bullets when something like a coyote needs to explode.
 
Here's my range report

Tested 3 groups.
1. 200g Hornady factory load
2. 180g Speer Hot Core, 45.5g H4895, Hornady case, CCI
3. 180g Barnes TTSX, same as above

chronograph data:

0F77FE00-5136-4840-834E-2F78F0BD7C29.jpg


Here's the results on a 3" target at 100 yards
Hornady factory load on left, Speer top right, Barnes bottom right.

C1B50C14-37AC-4776-B237-DC523545AC8E.jpg


Recoil from the factory load is stout. My hand loads were much more pleasant at the expense of 200fps. This is obviously just the start but I'd have no problem taking these two loads to the field as is.

I had 2 issues. One round would not chamber. I'll have to do some measuring to understand why. Maybe it didn't get sized correctly.

The second problem was more of a pain. This is the first time I've used this rifle with a scope. My eyes aren't what they used to be.

I was zeroing using the last of my factory rounds and noticed the scope was walking forward toward the muzzle. Upon closer inspection I realized why
55F9A524-5B19-4FE7-8F0C-BF366835A8CB.jpg


When I say there's a good bit of thump to this rifle I'm not kidding. 15 rounds chewed that base up. Plus, it's a picatiny base and I'm using weaver base rings so I think the extra clearance played a part. Still, I've never seen anything like that.

Quick trip to gander and $8.60 later I was back in business and was able to get my work done

D44D3146-9878-488C-AB7C-3EF0887EB9D9.jpg
 
Do realize I get 2,250fps from my .35Rem with 200gr RN over 40.0gr H4895., accuracy load, not maximum for the rifle. (That's 43.0gr BTW).

Those loads are .35Rem factory equivalent, which are loaded, to quote John Barsness, to "burrito fart" pressure levels. 49.0gr of H4895 with a 200gr bullet is "max" because that's all the powder the case will hold and still allow a bullet to be seated...

Just saying.... 48.0 gives me 2,500 with bullet seated out a bit.
Yeah, it has a bit of recoil, but not bad. About like a Rem 760 in .30/06.
You can handle it!
 
thanks for bringing up this round. This has to be one of the most underated and understimated cartriges in the US yet very popular
overseas just because of the amazing simplicity, versatility and true power. This is a true hunter's cartrige just like the whelen.

I love the 308 but since I started shooting 35 calibers this is pretty much my caliber for brush hunting and much more.
I like the 35 caliber so much that I even created a wilcat for the AR15 in 35 caliber.
I have shot lots of pistol that is a lot of fun and big loads wiht 250gr-270gr and everything and anything in between.
I am using a remington 700 in 21".

you are still on the very mild side. With good commercial brass one should be able to push 225gr loads to 2550fps or close
depending on barrel. A partition or barnes will drop anything on this continent including dangerous game.
Try W748 and IMR 4895.

These are some loads to replicate althoug I don't like this specific game king that is too stout and will not expand well. Nosler is king or speer and hornday also amazing for better deals.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=245
 
Ahh the Browning lever gun and .358 Win, such an excellent platform. It's One of my favorite lever guns actually, being in a group with my .300 Sav model 99 and my 1895 in .45-70.

I only currently load 225gr soft points for .358, but it is a great all around load.
My go to is IMR 4895 and a Nosler bullet. My rifle likes 48.5-48.8gr with a large rifle primer from Winchester and an OAL of 2.782". Very accurate load, but it has some punch.
When I was making up this load the bottom level realm power wise was not super accurate, but decent enough for plinking. A good "gallery/youngster" load would be to use Reloader 7 or H380. Looking at my notes, a light load of RL7, 32gr, LR primer and OAL of 2.78" was a moderately accurate, soft shooting load. Similarly, at the same OAL and with the same primer, 46.5gr H380 produced a near identically performing load. Again these are all with a 225gr projectile and these loads were in Winchester cases.
 
I too am a big fan of the 358. I have taken deer, elk and moose with the 358. I load for a BLR and a Ruger Hawkeye. I don't know your experience with centerfire rifles but i don't consider the 200gr Hornady load "stout" in either the BLR or the Hawkeye. If you are getting bruised you are either giving it a running start or the stock really doesn't fit you. The BLR has a pretty cushy stock pad. You can look at the recoil in raw numbers but the recoil velocity is relatively low. This translates into more of a push than a sharp kick. I see the 358 as a relatively soft shooter even in the light BLR for the power you get. I don't consider a poorly fitted aluminum base to ring situation to be indicative of heavy recoil. You are indeed in the "mousefart" range with your loads. If you want soft shooting plinking loads load some 158gr pistol bullets. If you want medium/large game hunting loads realizing the full potential of the cartridge I highly recommend 225gr Sierras or Nosler Partitions. They both can be safely pushed to 2500+ fps muzzle velocity out of the BLR's 20" barrel. In other words BuffaloBore's "Supercharged" loads are nothing but properly loaded 358 ammo. Kind of like calling a 180gr 30-06 load at 2700fps "Supercharged". Both the Sierras and the Partitions will expand well and hold together from muzzle velocity down to 1800fps at impact. That puts you around 250yds give or take and still holding on hair. You don't gain enough velocity with the lighter bullets to overcome their lower BC #s and you can't get enough velocity with the 250's to keep up with the 225's. Some like the 220gr Speer FPs and they are a good bullet but they suffer from a relatively poor BC also. They are designed to work in a tubular magazine and kind of defeat the advantage of having a box magazine. The Nosler Accubond while also a good bullet is likely too long and would require deep seating eating up powder space and reducing velocity. If all you hunt are whitetails the 200gr Hornady will work fine but you give up some effective range. I see no need/advantage for a mono bullet at 358 velocities. TAC is one of the best powders for the 358. Starline is now making 358 brass so it is easier to get than it ever has been.
 
All good feedback guys. Much appreciated

This is my starting point so I'll be working up to some heavier loads, as well as some soft shooting pistol bulllets for plinking.

I've had this rifle since the early 80's and it has been my go to deer rifle. Unavailability of ammo has been the only thing that's kept it in the safe. Now that I can reload for it that's an non issue. I'd love to see my son use it.

Regarding recoil, I'm not a weenie. The range session in detailed above left a nice blue mark on my shoulder. Perceptions don't leave bruises . The hornady factory loads kick, more than anything I've shot from my .30-06
 
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