358 win build worth it?

Redneck107

Redneck107

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I fell in love with the idea of the 358 win and am looking into building one on a savage action. If there is any wisdom or real world experience with this cartirage. I am looking to hunt deer and possibly elk and if I am lucky to get my tag swap donkey.

Thanks in advance
 
There are faster, flatter and fancier cartridges out there but the 358 win will hammer any game on your list within reasonable hunting distances. Build one! You won’t regret it.
 
Some will argue that the .338 Federal offers more bullet choices and better BC's, but how many bullet choices do you really need anyway?
Want is more than enough reason particularly since savages are easy to swap barrels on. 220 Speer Hotcore is an often over looked bullet that would serve you well for all around bullet as would the 225 gameking. Find a load that yours likes and go forth and let daylight into critters. If you don't enjoy it as much as you'd hoped, swap it off for a barrel that does.
 
I had mine, (ruger 77) at the range this afternoon, doing sum load development with 200gr accubond, and trying out 200gr Serria, Normally shoot Hornardy 200gr, shot fantastic as usual,
I am very Impressed with it, shoots everything I have tried very well, will stack the 225gr Serria (2450)on top of each other, and the 200gr Accubonds (2640) were very good today, accurate and fast.

Puts game down on the spot, at least it has thus far.
Doubt you will regret building one, I am thinking of ordering a stainless M70, in 308 and converting it to a .358 Win, classic stalker, barrel band sling mount, with express sights, a 18" tube, and quick release scope mounts.
 
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southernman said:
I had mine, (ruger 77) at the range this afternoon, doing sum load development with 200gr accubond, and trying out 200gr Serria, Normally shoot Hornardy 200gr, shot fantastic as usual,
I am very Impressed with it, shoots everything I have tried very well, will stack the 225gr Serria (2450)on top of each other, and the 200gr Accubonds (2640) were very good today, accurate and fast.

Puts game down on the spot, at least it has thus far.
Doubt you will regret building one, thinking of ordering a stainless M70 in 308 and converting it to a .358 Win, classic stalker, with express sights and a 18" tube. and quick release scope mounts.
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Good plan on that one. For real sh*ts & giggles, work up some loads with 110 gr hollow points to around 2700 or so for close range pest critters. El Splato!:)
 
Redneck107 said:
Do you get that much more velocities out of 338? What is the optimal barrel length of the 338 federal? I really like the idea of a 358 in a 20”
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Technically with even projectile weights and pressure the 358 should get higher velocity than the 338 due to the bore diameter.
 
.358 Win is my favourite cartridge... in my experience it is more effective than the numbers on paper would suggest. It is a terrific cartridge on deer and black bear, and will do a good job on elk inside 250 yards. Mine are a Ruger M77 MKII International and a Pre-81 BLR... but I have had more than a dozen .358 Win's. I shoot the 200 & 250 RN and 200 SP (RCL).
 
The 358 Win is a great cartridge, and is a great cartridge for deer, bear, moose and elk out to 250 yards with 200-225 gr bullets.
I have a pre-81 BLR and it has been my main backup rifle for guiding, archery and atv/horseback hunting for over 15 years.
My rifle's preferred load is the 220 gr Speer HotCor over 50.0 gr of W748 at 2209 fps out of the 20' barrel. It will print 1" groups at yards as long as I do my part.
While the numbers are not overly impressive on paper, they work very well on numerous big game mentioned above.

The 338 Federal is also a great cartridge. I have a custom Winchester Model 88 in this cartridge. Have only taken a caribou with it to date, as this is a new build, but built this rifle specifically for bear hunting.
It shoots the Federal Premium factory 210 gr Nosler Partition pretty well. I would also use it on all of the above mentioned species out to 300 yards.

The numbers show better for the 338 caliber bullets than the 358, but you would be hard pressed to tell the difference in the field at less than 300 yards. And the animal harvested would not be able to tell the difference either.LOL

Hope you enjoy your new 358!
 
I have a couple of 358 winchesters. A ruger hawkeye 18.5 inch stainless and a Blr. Both easily shoot moa with a variety of different bullets. The fun thing about the 358 is you can load any number of cheap pistol bullets for plinking or practise. Load 125 grain pistol bullets for varmints. Red mist. Or load them down to pot grouse. This is a super adaptable cartridge. Build one and have fun.
 
One of my best hunting buddies has hunted with nothing but a 358 Winchester for the past 35 years or so. A Rem 600 with an 18 1/2" barrel, he uses nothing but 250 gr bullets, most always Speer spitzers at around 2300 fps.

He has killed everything that walks up here, almost always with one shot, with that "little" rifle. He even carried it for sheep hunting.

It is easily a 250 yard rifle. One moose he killed was an honest 400 yards away. The recovered bullet was completely intact with just the lead point nubbed off. I told him we would reload that bullet so he could kill another one with it, but he lost it somewhere, and we never did.

You won't regret building a 358.
Ted
 
Why not? said:
The recovered bullet was completely intact with just the lead point nubbed off. I told him we would reload that bullet so he could kill another one with it, but he lost it somewhere, and we never did. Ted
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That would have been a very cool thing to do... I have done it a few times with arrows and broadheads... in 1995, I took a black bear, whitetail buck and bull moose with the same arrow and broadhead... but it would be extremely rare to do that with a bullet... makes me wonder if anyone on here has done it???
 
Redneck107 said:
Have you guys run 358 and 35 whelen if so have you found a bullet both rifles like? That’s kind of what I would like to put together
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I used 250gr Speers in several 358s and 35Whelens I've owned over the years. Only got to shoot one moose with that bullet so can't brag too much. I never tried them but think the 225gr NP would be a very good choice.

For deer, the 200gr Hornady SP makes a lot of sense.
 
OTOH .... From a purely practical standpoint, I doubt that a 308 loaded with a 180 or 200 gr NP couldn't do much less than a 358Win. esp for moose hunting.
 
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